Linga Purana

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.

यस्माच्च सर्ववर्णत्वं प्रजानां च भविष्यति सर्वभक्षा च मेध्या च वर्णतश् च भविष्यति

And because there will be universality of all castes among beings, and all foods will be pure and permitted, and there will be distinctions by caste.

मोक्षो धर्मस्तथार्थश् च कामश्चेति चतुष्टयम् यस्माद्वेदाश् च वेद्यं च चतुर्धा वै भविष्यति

Liberation, righteousness, wealth, and desire—these four, and because of them, the Vedas and what is to be known will also become fourfold.

भूतग्रामाश् च चत्वार आश्रमाश् च तथैव च धर्मस्य पादाश्चत्वारश् चत्वारो मम पुत्रकाः

There are four groups of beings, and likewise four stages of life; the four pillars of righteousness, and four are my sons.

तस्माच्चतुर्युगावस्थं जगद्वै सचराचरम् चतुर्धावस्थितश्चैव चतुष्पादो भविष्यति

Therefore, the world, with its moving and unmoving beings, will exist in four ages, and will be established in fourfold form, with four supports.

भूर्लोको ऽथ भुवर्लोकः स्वर्लोकश् च महस् तथा जनस्तपश् च सत्यं च विष्णुलोकस्ततः परम्

The earth world, then the atmosphere, the heaven, and also the great world; Jana, Tapas, and Satya, and beyond that, the world of Vishnu.

अष्टाक्षरस्थितो लोकः स्थाने स्थाने तदक्षरम् भूर्भुवः स्वर्महश्चैव पादाश्चत्वार एव च

The world is established in the eight-syllabled (mantra), and in each place is that syllable; earth, atmosphere, heaven, and the great world are the four supports.

भूर्लोकः प्रथमः पादो भुवर्लोकस्ततः परम् स्वर्लोको वै तृतीयश् च चतुर्थस्तु महस् तथा

The earth world is the first support, then the atmosphere is next, heaven is the third, and the great world is the fourth.

पञ्चमस्तु जनस्तत्र षष्ठश् च तप उच्यते सत्यं तु सप्तमो लोको ह्य् अपुनर्भवगामिनाम्

The fifth is Jana, the sixth is called Tapas, and Satya is the seventh world, for those who do not return to rebirth.

विष्णुलोकः स्मृतं स्थानं पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम् स्कान्दमौमं तथा स्थानं सर्वसिद्धिसमन्वितम्

Vishnu's world is known as the place where return is difficult; Skanda's and Uma's places, too, are endowed with all perfections.

रुद्रलोकः स्मृतस्तस्मात् पदं तद्योगिनां शुभम् निर्ममा निरहङ्काराः कामक्रोधविवर्जिताः

Rudra's world is known as the auspicious state for yogis—those who are free from possessiveness, egotism, desire, and anger.