Linga Purana

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.'

स्वस्त्यस्तु ते गमिष्यामि संज्ञा भवतु सुव्रत एवमुक्त्वा तु भगवांस् ततो ऽन्तर्धानमीश्वरः

Blessings to you, I shall depart; let understanding arise, O virtuous one. Having spoken thus, the blessed lord vanished.

गतवान् गणपो देवः सर्वदेवनमस्कृतः अवाप्य संज्ञां गोविन्दात् पद्मयोनिः पितामहः

The leader of the hosts, the god worshipped by all gods, departed; having received understanding from Govinda, the lotus-born Pitāmaha.

प्रजाः स्रष्टुमनाश्चक्रे तप उग्रं पितामहः तस्यैवं तप्यमानस्य न किंचित् समवर्तत

Pitāmaha resolved to create beings and undertook severe austerity; but as he was thus engaged in austerity, nothing came forth.

ततो दीर्घेण कालेन दुःखात्क्रोधो ह्यजायत क्रोधाविष्टस्य नेत्राभ्यां प्रापतन्नश्रुबिन्दवः

Then, after a long time, from sorrow, anger arose; as he was possessed by anger, drops of tears fell from his eyes.

ततस्तेभ्यो ऽश्रुबिन्दुभ्यो वातपित्तकफात्मकाः महाभागा महासत्त्वाः स्वस्तिकैरप्यलंकृताः

Then from those drops of tears, possessing the qualities of wind, bile, and phlegm, beings of great fortune and great strength arose, adorned even with auspicious marks.

प्रकीर्णकेशाः सर्पास्ते प्रादुर्भूता महाविषाः सर्पांस्तानग्रजान्दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मात्मानम् अनिन्दयत्

Those serpents, with disheveled hair and filled with deadly poison, appeared; seeing those elder serpents, Brahma reproached himself.

अहो धिक् तपसो मह्यं फलमीदृशकं यदि लोकवैनाशिकी जज्ञे आदावेव प्रजा मम

"Alas! Fie upon my austerity if such is its result, for my very first creation has become the cause of the world's destruction."

तस्य तीव्राभवन्मूर्च्छा क्रोधामर्षसमुद्भवा मूर्च्छाभिपरितापेन जहौ प्राणान्प्रजापतिः

Then, overwhelmed by intense faintness arising from anger and indignation, the lord of creatures, afflicted by that swoon, gave up his life.

तस्याप्रतिमवीर्यस्य देहात्कारुण्यपूर्वकम् अथैकादश ते रुद्रा रुदन्तो ऽभ्यक्रमंस् तथा

From the body of that one of incomparable might, with compassion, then eleven Rudras, weeping, emerged in that way.

रोदनात्खलु रुद्रत्वं तेषु वै समजायत ये रुद्रास्ते खलु प्राणा ये प्राणास्ते तदात्मकाः

Because of their weeping, they came to be called Rudras; those Rudras are indeed the vital breaths, and those vital breaths are their essence.