Garudapurana 1.124

The Glorious Garuḍa Mahāpurāṇa — 124
Brahmā said:
I shall speak of the religious observance of the Night of Śiva, a story that grants all desires,
and how Gaurī questioned the Lord of Beings about the supreme religious observance.

The Lord said:
The fourteenth day of the dark fortnight between the months of Māgha and Phālguna—
on that day, Rudra, worshipped through an all-night vigil, bestows enjoyment and liberation.

With desire, Hara is to be worshipped, just as Keśava on the twelfth day.
Being worshipped by those who fast, he delivers them from hell.

There was a hunter king on Mount Arbuda, a sinner named Sundarasenaka.
Accompanied by dogs, he went to the forest to kill deer.

Failing to obtain any deer or other game, afflicted by hunger and thirst on the mountain,
he stayed awake at night in an arbor on the banks of a pond.

There was a liṅga there; guarding himself, he shook his body,
and leaves fell on top of that very liṅga, without his knowing.

To settle the dust, water was splashed by him upon the liṅga;
and through an accident, an arrow slipped from the sprout-like fingers of his hand.

Falling to the ground on his knees, he touched the liṅga and picked it up.
Thus there was bathing, touching, worship, and an all-night vigil.

In the morning he went home and ate food given by his wife.
When his time came, having died, he was bound with nooses by the soldiers of Yama and led away.

Then, having been victorious in battle, my attendants freed him;
and together with the dog itself, he became a spotless attendant staying at my side.

In this way merit arises from ignorance; but merit from knowledge is imperishable.
Having worshipped Śiva on the thirteenth day, the practitioner of the religious observance should make the resolution:

“In the morning, O God, on the fourteenth day, I shall keep vigil at night;
I shall perform worship, charity, austerity, and fire-sacrifice according to my capacity.

Having remained without food on the fourteenth day, O Śambhu, on the next day
I shall eat, for the sake of enjoyment and liberation; be my refuge, O Lord of existence.”

Having bathed [the liṅga] with the nectars of pañcagavya, having sought refuge in the teacher at that time,
he should worship Hara with perfumes and other offerings, saying: “Oṃ, reverence, reverence to Śiva.”

He should offer into the fire sesame seeds, husked rice, and unhusked rice, as well as boiled rice offering with ghee.
Having offered the oblations and given the final offering, he should listen to songs and holy stories.

At midnight, in the third watch, and again in the fourth watch, he should worship;
and having repeated the fundamental mantra in that way, he should ask for forgiveness at dawn:

“Without obstacles, O God, through your grace, this religious observance has been observed by me.
Forgive me, O Lord of the worlds, ruler of the three worlds, O Hara!

Whatever merit has been done by me today, whatever has been offered to Rudra,
by your grace, O God, my religious observance has been completed today.

Be gracious to me, O glorious one; may you depart to your abode.
By the mere sight of you, I am purified, without doubt.”

One should feed those devoted to meditation and give clothes, parasols, and other gifts: / 'O God of gods, O Lord of beings, O granter of grace to the worlds,

May my Lord be pleased with what I have offered in faith!' / Having thus asked for forgiveness, the observer of the religious observance should perform it for twelve years.

Having obtained fame, fortune, sons, sovereignty, and the like, he goes to the realm of Śiva. / One should also keep vigil here during all twelve months.

Having fed twelve [brahmins], the observer of the religious observance who gives lamps attains heaven.

Thus ends the one hundred and twenty-fourth chapter, named 'The Śivarātri Observance', in the Ritual Section called the First Part of the First Section of the glorious Garuḍa Mahāpurāṇa.