Linga Purana

प्राणांस्तस्य ददौ भूयस् त्रिशूली नीललोहितः लब्ध्वासून् भगवान्ब्रह्म देवदेवमुमापतिम्

The trident-bearing, blue-red one again gave him the vital breaths; having regained life, the blessed Brahma beheld the god of gods, the spouse of Uma.

प्रणम्य संस्थितो ऽपश्यद् गायत्र्या विश्वमीश्वरम् सर्वलोकमयं देवं दृष्ट्वा स्तुत्वा पितामहः

Having bowed, he stood and saw, with Gayatri, the Lord of the Universe—having seen the god who is the essence of all worlds, the grandsire praised him.

ततो विस्मयमापन्नः प्रणिपत्य मुहुर्मुहुः उवाच वचनं शर्वं सद्यादित्वं कथं विभो

Then, filled with wonder, bowing again and again, he spoke these words to Sharva: "How, O mighty one, did you arise at the very beginning?"

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मणो भगवान् भवः ब्रह्मरूपी प्रबोधार्थं ब्रह्माणं प्राह सस्मितम्

Hearing those words of Brahma, the blessed Bhava, taking the form of Brahma, for the sake of instruction, spoke to Brahma with a smile.

श्वेतकल्पो यदा ह्यासीद् अहमेव तदाभवम् श्वेतोष्णीषः श्वेतमाल्यः श्वेतांबरधरः सितः

"When the White Age existed, I alone was then; white-crested, adorned with white garlands, clad in white garments, shining white.

श्वेतास्थिः श्वेतरोमा च श्वेतासृक् श्वेतलोहितः तेन नाम्ना च विख्यातः श्वेतकल्पस्तदा ह्यसौ

White-boned, white-haired, with white blood and white-redness; by that name, that age was known as the White Age.

मत्प्रसूता च देवेशी श्वेताङ्गा श्वेतलोहिता श्वेतवर्णा तदा ह्यासीद् गायत्री ब्रह्मसंज्ञिता

The goddess, born from me, was white-limbed, white-red, and white in color; then Gayatri, known as Brahma, existed.

तस्मादहं च देवेश त्वया गुह्येन वै पुनः विज्ञातः स्वेन तपसा सद्योजातत्वमागतः

Therefore, O lord of gods, by your secret austerity, I have again been recognized by you, and immediately attained the state of Sadyōjāta.

सद्योजातेति ब्रह्मैतद् गुह्यं चैतत्प्रकीर्तितम् तस्माद्गुह्यत्वमापन्नं ये वेत्स्यन्ति द्विजातयः

"Sadyōjāta" is the name of that Brahman, and this is called a secret; therefore, it is considered secret, and those twice-born who know it—

मत्समीपं गमिष्यन्ति पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम् यदा चैव पुनस्त्वासील् लोहितो नाम नामतः

They will come near to me, where return is difficult; and when, again, you existed as Lohita by name—

मत्कृतेन च वर्णेन कल्पो वै लोहितः स्मृतः तदा लोहितमांसास्थिलोहितक्षीरसंभवा

Because of the color produced by me, that age is remembered as Lohita; then beings arose with red flesh, bones, and blood.

लोहिताक्षी स्तनवती गायत्री गौः प्रकीर्तिता ततो ऽस्या लोहितत्वेन वर्णस्य च विपर्ययात्

Gayatri, called the cow, is red-eyed and full-breasted; therefore, due to her redness and the reversal of color, she is thus named.

वामत्वाच्चैव देवस्य वामदेवत्वमागतः तत्रापि च महासत्त्व त्वयाहं नियतात्मना

And because of the deity's left-sidedness, the name Vamadeva arose; there too, O great-souled one, you have known me, steadfast in self-control.

विज्ञातः स्वेन योगेन तस्मिन्वर्णान्तरे स्थितः ततश् च वामदेवेति ख्यातिं यातो ऽस्मि भूतले

By your own yoga you have understood me, established in that other color; thus, I have become known as Vamadeva on earth.

ये चापि वामदेव त्वां ज्ञास्यन्तीह द्विजातयः रुद्रलोकं गमिष्यन्ति पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम्

Those twice-born who recognize you here as Vamadeva will go to Rudra's realm, where return is difficult.

यदाहं पुनरेवेह पीतवर्णो युगक्रमात् मत्कृतेन च नाम्ना वै पीतकल्पो ऽभवत्तदा

Whenever I again appear here with a yellow hue, according to the cycle of ages, then, by my name, the yellow form was established.

मत्प्रसूता च देवेशी पीताङ्गी पीतलोहिता पीतवर्णा तदा ह्यासीद् गायत्री ब्रह्मसंज्ञिता

And the goddess born from me, yellow-bodied and yellow-red, was then called Gayatri, known as Brahma.

तत्रापि च महासत्त्व योगयुक्तेन चेतसा यस्मादहं तैर्विज्ञातो योगतत्परमानसैः

There too, O great-souled one, with mind joined to yoga, because I was recognized by those whose minds are devoted to yoga.

तत्र तत्पुरुषत्वेन विज्ञातो ऽहं त्वया पुनः तस्मात्तत्पुरुषत्वं वै ममैतत्कनकाण्डज

There, you again understood me as Tatpurusha; therefore, this Tatpurusha state is mine, O Kanakanda.

ये मां रुद्रं च रुद्राणीं गायत्रीं वेदमातरम् वेत्स्यन्ति तपसा युक्ता विमला ब्रह्मसंगताः

Those pure ones, united with Brahma through austerity, who know me, Rudra, Rudrani, Gayatri, the mother of the Vedas,

रुद्रलोकं गमिष्यन्ति पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम् यदाहं पुनरेवासं कृष्णवर्णो भयानकः

They will go to Rudra's realm, where return is difficult; whenever I again become black and terrifying.

मत्कृतेन च वर्णेन संकल्पः कृष्ण उच्यते तत्राहं कालसंकाशः कालो लोकप्रकालकः

And by my color, the resolve is called black; there I am like Time, Time who brings about the end of worlds.

विज्ञातो ऽहं त्वया ब्रह्मन् घोरो घोरपराक्रमः मत्प्रसूता च गायत्री कृष्णाङ्गी कृष्णलोहिता

You have understood me, O Brahman, as fierce and of terrible power; Gayatri born from me was black-bodied and black-red.

कृष्णरूपा च देवेश तदासीद्ब्रह्मसंज्ञिता तस्माद् घोरत्वमापन्नं ये मां वेत्स्यन्ति भूतले

She was black in form, O Lord of gods, and then known as Brahma; therefore, I attained fierceness—those who know me on earth,

तेषामघोरः शान्तश् च भविष्याम्यहमव्ययः पुनश् च विश्वरूपत्वं यदा ब्रह्मन्ममाभवत्

For them, I will be non-fierce, peaceful, and imperishable; again, when I became universal in form, O Brahman,

तदाप्यहं त्वया ज्ञातः परमेण समाधिना विश्वरूपा च संवृत्ता गायत्री लोकधारिणी

Then also, you understood me through supreme meditation; Gayatri became universal in form, sustaining the worlds.

तस्मिन् विश्वत्वम् आपन्नं ये मां वेत्स्यन्ति भूतले तेषां शिवश् च सौम्यश् च भविष्यामि सदैव हि

Those who know me on earth when I have attained universality, for them I will always be Shiva and gentle.

यस्माच्च विश्वरूपो वै कल्पो ऽयं समुदाहृतः विश्वरूपा तथा चेयं सावित्री समुदाहृता

Because this form is called universal, so too is Savitri called universal in form.

सर्वरूपा तथा चेमे संवृत्ता मम पुत्रकाः चत्वारस्ते मया ख्याताः पुत्र वै लोकसंमताः

Likewise, all these forms have arisen, O my sons; these four, whom I have named, are my sons, esteemed in the worlds.