Linga Purana

अक्षरान्तरनिष्पन्दाद् गुणानेतान्विदुर्बुधाः जपो जप्यो महादेवो महायोगोमहेश्वरः

The wise know these qualities as arising from the unmoving, imperishable source; the recitation, the object of recitation, the Great God, the supreme yogi, the great Lord.

पुरेशयो गुहावासी खेचरो रजनीचरः तपोनिधिर्गुहगुरुर् नन्दनो नन्दवर्धनः

Lord of cities, dweller in caves, mover in the sky, wanderer of the night, treasury of austerity, secret teacher, bringer of joy, increaser of delight.

हयशीर्षा पयोधाता विधाता भूतभावनः बोद्धव्यो बोधिता नेता दुर्धर्षो दुष्प्रकम्पनः

Horse-headed, ocean-born, creator, sustainer of beings, to be known, revealer, leader, unconquerable, unshakable.

बृहद्रथो भीमकर्मा बृहत्कीर्तिर् धनञ्जयः घण्टाप्रियो ध्वजी छत्त्री पिनाकी ध्वजिनीपतिः

Of mighty chariot, performer of fearsome deeds, of great fame, conqueror of wealth, lover of bells, bearer of banners, holder of umbrella, wielder of the bow Pinaka, lord of armies.

कवची पट्टिशी खड्गी धनुर्हस्तः परश्वधी अघस्मरो ऽनघः शूरो देवराजो ऽरिमर्दनः

Armored, armed with spear and sword, holding a bow and axe, destroyer of evil, sinless, heroic, king of gods, crusher of enemies.

त्वां प्रसाद्य पुरास्माभिर् द्विषन्तो निहता युधि अग्निः सदार्णवांभस्त्वं पिबन्नपि न तृप्यसे

By propitiating you in former times, we have vanquished our foes in battle; even as fire drinks up the waters of the ocean, it is never satisfied.

क्रोधाकारः प्रसन्नात्मा कामदः कामगः प्रियः ब्रह्मचारि चागाधश् च ब्रह्मण्यः शिष्टपूजितः

Formed of wrath, yet serene in spirit, granter and fulfiller of desires, beloved, celibate, unfathomable, devoted to the Veda, honored by the virtuous.

देवानाम् अक्षयः कोशस् त्वया यज्ञः प्रकल्पितः हव्यं तवेदं वहति वेदोक्तं हव्यवाहनः प्रीते त्वयि महादेव वयं प्रीता भवामहे

You are the inexhaustible treasury of the gods; sacrifice is established by you; the oblation offered according to the Veda is borne to you by the fire; when you are pleased, O Great God, we too are pleased.

भवानीशो ऽनादिमांस्त्वं च सर्वलोकानां त्वं ब्रह्मकर्तादिसर्गः सांख्याः प्रकृतेः परमं त्वां विदित्वा क्षीणध्यानास्त्वाममृत्युं विशन्ति

You are the Lord of Bhavani, beginningless, the creator of all worlds and beings; the wise, knowing you as the supreme beyond nature, having exhausted their meditation, enter into immortality.

योगाश् च त्वां ध्यायिनो नित्यसिद्धं ज्ञात्वा योगान् संत्यजन्ते पुनस्तान् ये चाप्यन्ये त्वां प्रसन्ना विशुद्धाः स्वकर्मभिस्ते दिव्यभोगा भवन्ति

Yogis, meditating on you as ever-perfect, renounce other yogic practices; and others, pure and serene, devoted to you through their own actions, attain divine enjoyments.

अप्रसंख्येयतत्त्वस्य यथा विद्मः स्वशक्तितः कीर्तितं तव माहात्म्यम् अपारस्य महात्मनः

As far as we know, according to our own ability, we have praised your greatness, O boundless Great One, whose essence is beyond reckoning.

शिवो नो भव सर्वत्र यो ऽसि सो ऽसि नमो ऽस्तु ते य इदं कीर्तयेद्भक्त्या ब्रह्मनारायणस्तवम्

May you, Shiva, be gracious to us everywhere; you are who you are—salutations to you! Whoever recites this hymn to Brahman-Narayana with devotion—

श्रावयेद्वा द्विजान् विद्वान् शृणुयाद्वा समाहितः अश्वमेधायुतं कृत्वा यत्फलं तदवाप्नुयात्

Or has it recited to learned Brahmins, or listens to it with concentration, attains the fruit equal to performing ten thousand horse sacrifices.

पापाचारो ऽपि यो मर्त्यः शृणुयाच्छिवसन्निधौ जपेद्वापि विनिर्मुक्तो ब्रह्मलोकं स गच्छति

Even a mortal of sinful conduct who listens to or recites this in the presence of Shiva is freed and goes to the world of Brahma.

श्राद्धे वा दैविके कार्ये यज्ञे वावभृथान्तिके कीर्तयेद्वा सतां मध्ये स याति ब्रह्मणो ऽन्तिकम्

Whether at a śrāddha, a divine rite, a sacrifice, or at the end of a ritual bath, whoever recites this among the virtuous attains the presence of Brahman.

अत्यन्तावनतौ दृष्ट्वा मधुपिङ्गायतेक्षणः प्रहृष्टवदनो ऽत्यर्थम् अभवत्सत्यकीर्तनात्

Seeing the utmost humility, with eyes like honey and copper, his face became exceedingly joyful because of the true praise.

उमापतिर्विरूपाक्षो दक्षयज्ञविनाशनः पिनाकी खण्डपरशुः सुप्रीतस्तु त्रिलोचनः

The lord of Umā, the three-eyed, the destroyer of Dakṣa's sacrifice, Pinākī, with the broken axe, Virūpākṣa, was greatly pleased.

ततः स भगवान्देवः श्रुत्वा वागमृतं तयोः जानन्नपि महादेवः क्रीडापूर्वमथाब्रवीत्

Then that blessed god, having heard their nectar-like words, though knowing, Mahādeva spoke playfully.

कौ भवन्तौ महात्मानौ परस्परहितैषिणौ समेतावंबुजाभक्षाव् अस्मिन् घोरे महाप्लवे

Who are you two, great souls, seeking each other's welfare, united here, lotus-eaters, in this dreadful great flood?

तावूचतुर्महात्मानौ संनिरीक्ष्य परस्परम् भगवान् किं तु यत्ते ऽद्य न विज्ञानं त्वया विभो

Those two great souls, having observed each other, said: 'O Lord, what is it today that you do not know, O mighty one?'

विभो रुद्र महामाय इच्छया वां कृतौ त्वया तयोस्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा अभिनन्द्याभिमान्य च

O mighty Rudra, by your wish, this was done by you; hearing their words, he joyfully and proudly welcomed them.

उवाच भगवान्देवो मधुरं श्लक्ष्णया गिरा भो भो हिरण्यगर्भ त्वां त्वां च कृष्ण ब्रवीम्यहम्

The blessed god spoke sweetly and gently: 'O O Hiraṇyagarbha, to you and to you, Kṛṣṇa, I speak.'

प्रीतो ऽहमनया भक्त्या शाश्वताक्षरयुक्तया भवन्तौ हृदयस्यास्य मम हृद्यतरावुभौ

I am pleased by this devotion, joined with eternal syllables; both of you are dearest to my heart.

युवाभ्यां किं ददाम्यद्य वराणां वरमीप्सितम् अथोवाच महाभागो विष्णुर्भवमिदं वचः

What boon shall I give you today, the most desired of boons? Then the blessed Viṣṇu spoke this word to Bhava.

सर्वं मम कृतं देव परितुष्टो ऽसि मे यदि त्वयि मे सुप्रतिष्ठा तु भक्तिर्भवतु शङ्करः

Everything has been done for me, O god; if you are satisfied with me, let my devotion be firmly established in you, O Śaṅkara.

एवमुक्तस्तु विज्ञाय संभावयत केशवम् प्रददौ च महादेवो भक्तिं निजपदांबुजे

Thus addressed, recognizing and honoring Keśava, Mahādeva granted devotion to his own lotus feet.

भवान्सर्वस्य लोकस्य कर्ता त्वमधिदैवतम् तदेवं स्वस्ति ते वत्स गमिष्याम्यंबुजेक्षण

You are the creator of all worlds, you are the supreme deity; thus, blessings to you, child, I shall depart, lotus-eyed one.

एवमुक्त्वा तु भगवान् ब्रह्माणं चापि शङ्करः अनुगृह्यास्पृशद्देवो ब्रह्माणं परमेश्वरः

Having spoken thus, the blessed Śaṅkara, after blessing, touched Brahmā, the supreme lord.

कराभ्यां सुशुभाभ्यां च प्राह हृष्टतरः स्वयम् मत्समस्त्वं न संदेहो वत्स भक्तश् च मे भवान्

With his own beautiful hands, exceedingly joyful, he said: 'You are like me, there is no doubt, child, and you are my devotee.'