Linga Purana

तदाप्यहं भविष्यामि योगात्मा योगमायया लोकविस्मयनार्थाय ब्रह्मचारिशरीरकः

At that time, I too shall become a yogi through yogic illusion, taking the form of a celibate for the purpose of astonishing the world.

श्मशाने मृतम् उत्सृष्टं दृष्ट्वा कायम् अनाथकम् ब्राह्मणानां हितार्थाय प्रविष्टो योगमायया

Seeing an abandoned corpse in the cremation ground, bereft of kin, for the welfare of the Brahmins, I shall enter it by yogic illusion.

दिव्यां मेरुगुहां पुण्यां त्वया सार्धं च विष्णुना भविष्यामि तदा ब्रह्मंल् लकुली नाम नामतः

In the divine, auspicious cave of Meru, together with you and Vishnu, I shall then become Brahman, known by the name Lakuli.

कायावतार इत्येवं सिद्धक्षेत्रं च वै तदा भविष्यति सुविख्यातं यावद् भूमिर् धरिष्यति

This is called incarnation in bodily form; at that time, the sacred field will become widely renowned, as long as the earth endures.

तत्रापि मम ते पुत्रा भविष्यन्ति तपस्विनः कुशिकश् चैव गर्गश् च मित्रः कौरुष्य एव च

There too, my sons will be ascetics: Kushika, Garga, Mitra, and Kaurushya.

योगात्मानो महात्मानो ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः प्राप्य माहेश्वरं योगं विमला ह्यूर्ध्वरेतसः

Established in yoga, great souls, Brahmins accomplished in the Vedas, having attained the supreme yoga of Maheshvara, pure and with elevated energy.

रुद्रलोकं गमिष्यन्ति पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम् एते पाशुपताः सिद्धा भस्मोद्धूलितविग्रहाः

They will go to Rudra's realm, where return is difficult; these accomplished Pashupatas, their bodies smeared with ashes.

लिङ्गार्चनरता नित्यं बाह्याभ्यन्तरतः स्थिताः भक्त्या मयि च योगेन ध्याननिष्ठा जितेन्द्रियाः

Always devoted to worship of the linga, established both outwardly and inwardly, with devotion to me and yoga, steadfast in meditation, with mastered senses.

संसारबन्धच्छेदार्थं ज्ञानमार्गप्रकाशकम् स्वरूपज्ञानसिद्ध्यर्थं योगं पाशुपतं महत्

For the purpose of severing the bonds of worldly existence, illuminating the path of knowledge, and attaining knowledge of one's own nature, the great Pashupata yoga.

योगमार्गा अनेकाश् च ज्ञानमार्गास् त्व् अनेकशः न निवृत्तिमुपायान्ति विना पञ्चाक्षरीं क्वचित्

There are many paths of yoga and many paths of knowledge, but none attain cessation except through the five-syllabled mantra, anywhere.

यदाचरेत्तपश्चायं सर्वद्वन्द्वविवर्जितम् तदा स मुक्तो मन्तव्यः पक्वं फलमिव स्थितः

When one practices asceticism, free from all dualities, then he is to be regarded as liberated, like a ripe fruit remaining.

एकाहं यः पुमान्सम्यक् चरेत्पाशुपतव्रतम् न सांख्ये पञ्चरात्रे वा न प्राप्नोति गतिं कदा

If a man properly observes the Pāśupata vow for a single day, he does not attain such a state in Sāṃkhya or Pañcarātra at any time.

इत्येतद्वै मया प्रोक्तम् अवतारेषु लक्षणम् मन्वादिकृष्णपर्यन्तम् अष्टाविंशद् युगक्रमात्

Thus I have described the characteristics of incarnations, from Manu onward to Kṛṣṇa, across the sequence of twenty-eight yugas.

तत्र श्रुतिसमूहानां विभागो धर्मलक्षणः भविष्यति तदा कल्पे कृष्णद्वैपायनो यदा

There, the division of the collections of scriptures will be the mark of dharma, when, in that kalpa, Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana arises.

निशम्यैवं महातेजा महादेवेन कीर्तितम् रुद्रावतारं भगवान् प्रणिपत्य महेश्वरम्

Hearing thus the glorious account of Rudra's incarnation as proclaimed by Mahādeva, the blessed one bowed to the great Lord.

तुष्टाव वाग्भिर् इष्टाभिः पुनः प्राह च शङ्करम् सर्वे विष्णुमया देवाः सर्वे विष्णुमया गणाः

He praised him with chosen words and again addressed Śaṅkara: 'All the gods are pervaded by Viṣṇu; all the hosts are pervaded by Viṣṇu.'

न हि विष्णुसमा काचिद् गतिरन्या विधीयते इत्येवं सततं वेदा गायन्ति नात्र संशयः

Indeed, no other path equal to Viṣṇu is prescribed; thus the Vedas always sing—there is no doubt about this.

स देवदेवो भगवांस् तव लिङ्गार्चने रतः तव प्रणामपरमः कथं देवो ह्यभूत्प्रभुः

That god of gods, the blessed one, devoted to the worship of your liṅga, ever intent on bowing to you—how did the god become the Lord?

निशम्य वचनं तस्य ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः प्रपिबन्निव चक्षुर्भ्यां प्रीतस्तत्प्रश्नगौरवात्

Hearing the words of Brahmā, the supreme creator, he gazed intently with his eyes, pleased by the gravity of that question.

पूजाप्रकरणं तस्मै तमालोक्याह शङ्करः भवान्नारायणश्चैव शक्रः साक्षात्सुरोत्तमः

Beholding the subject of worship, Śaṅkara spoke to him: 'You yourself, Nārāyaṇa, and also Śakra, the foremost of gods, are present.'

मुनयश् च सदा लिङ्गं सम्पूज्य विधिपूर्वकम् स्वंस्वं पदं विभो प्राप्तास् तस्मात् सम्पूजयन्ति ते

And the sages, always worshipping the liṅga according to rule, have attained their own states, O Lord; therefore, they worship it.

लिङ्गार्चनं विना निष्ठा नास्ति तस्माज्जनार्दनः आत्मनो यजते नित्यं श्रद्धया भगवान्प्रभुः

Without liṅga worship, there is no attainment; therefore Janārdana, the blessed Lord, always worships himself with faith.

इत्येवमुक्त्वा ब्रह्माणम् अनुगृह्य महेश्वरः पुनः सम्प्रेक्ष्य देवेशं तत्रैवान्तरधीयत

Having thus spoken, Maheśvara, showing favor to Brahmā, again looked upon the Lord of gods and there itself disappeared.

तमुद्दिश्य तदा ब्रह्मा नमस्कृत्य कृताञ्जलिः स्रष्टुं त्वशेषं भगवांल् लब्धसंज्ञस्तु शङ्करात्

Then, addressing him, Brahmā, with joined palms, bowed and, having regained awareness from Śaṅkara, the blessed one set out to create the rest.

कथं पूज्यो महादेवो लिङ्गमूर्तिर्महेश्वरः वक्तुमर्हसि चास्माकं रोमहर्षण सांप्रतम्

How is the great god, Maheśvara, in the form of the liṅga, to be worshipped? You ought to tell us this now, O Romaharṣaṇa.

देव्या पृष्टो महादेवः कैलासे तां नगात्मजाम् अङ्कस्थामाह देवेशो लिङ्गार्चनविधिं क्रमात्

Questioned by the goddess on Mount Kailāsa, the Lord of gods spoke to the mountain-born one seated on his lap, explaining in order the method of liṅga worship.

तदा पार्श्वे स्थितो नन्दी शालङ्कायनकात्मजः श्रुत्वाखिलं पुरा प्राह ब्रह्मपुत्राय सुव्रताः

Then Nandī, son of Śālaṅkāyana, standing nearby, having heard everything before, spoke to the virtuous son of Brahmā.

सनत्कुमाराय शुभं लिङ्गार्चनविधिं परम् तस्माद्व्यासो महातेजाः श्रुतवाञ्छ्रुतिसंमितम्

To Sanatkumāra he related the auspicious and supreme method of liṅga worship; therefore, Vyāsa, of great splendor, learned it, consistent with the scriptures.

स्नानयोगोपचारं च यथा शैलादिनो मुखात् श्रुतवान् तत्प्रवक्ष्यामि स्नानाद्यं चार्चनाविधिम्

I shall now relate, as I heard from the mouth of Śailādi and others, the proper procedure for bathing and the offerings, beginning with bathing, and the method of worship.