Linga Purana

वर्णाश्रमविनिर्मुक्ता वर्णाश्रमपरायणैः

Those freed from caste and stage of life, and those devoted to caste and stage of life—

इदानीं श्रोतुमिच्छामि पुरा दारुवने विभो प्रवृत्तं तद्वनस्थानां तपसा भावितात्मनाम्

Now I wish to hear, O Lord, about what happened long ago in the Daru forest, concerning those forest-dwelling ascetics whose souls were purified by austerity.

कथं दारुवनं प्राप्तो भगवान्नीललोहितः विकृतं रूपमास्थाय चोर्ध्वरेता दिगम्बरः

How did the Lord Nīlalohita, assuming a strange form, with his seed held upward and clad in the directions alone, come to the Daru forest?

किं प्रवृत्तं वने तस्मिन् रुद्रस्य परमात्मनः वक्तुमर्हसि तत्त्वेन देवदेवस्य चेष्टितम्

What happened in that forest concerning Rudra, the Supreme Self? You should truly tell what the God of gods did there.

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा श्रुतिसारविदां वरः शिलादसूनुर्भगवान् प्राह किंचिद्भवं हसन्

Hearing these words, the best among those who know the essence of the scriptures, the blessed son of Śilāda, smiled a little and spoke.

मुनयो दारुगहने तपस्तेपुः सुदारुणम् तुष्ट्यर्थं देवदेवस्य सदारतनयाग्नयः

The sages performed severe austerities in the Daru forest, together with their wives, sons, and sacrificial fires, to please the God of gods.

तुष्टो रुद्रो जगन्नाथश् चेकितानो वृषध्वजः धूर्जटिः परमेशानो भगवान्नीललोहितः

Rudra, Lord of the universe, the wise one, the bull-bannered, the matted-haired, the supreme Lord, the blessed Nīlalohita, was pleased.

प्रवृत्तिलक्षणं ज्ञानं ज्ञातुं दारुवनौकसाम् परीक्षार्थं जगन्नाथः श्रद्धया क्रीडया च सः

Desiring to know the knowledge characterized by action among the dwellers of the Daru forest, the Lord of the universe, for the sake of examination, with faith and playfulness, did so.

निवृत्तिलक्षणज्ञानप्रतिष्ठार्थं च शङ्करः देवदारुवनस्थानां प्रवृत्तिज्ञानचेतसाम्

And Śaṅkara, for the establishment of knowledge characterized by renunciation among those in the divine Daru forest, whose minds were set on the knowledge of action—

विकृतं रूपमास्थाय दिग्वासा विषमेक्षणः मुग्धो द्विहस्तः कृष्णाङ्गो दिव्यं दारुवनं ययौ

Assuming a strange form, naked, with uneven eyes, appearing bewildered, two-armed, dark-bodied, he went to the divine Daru forest.

मन्दस्मितं च भगवान् स्त्रीणां मनसिजोद्भवम् भ्रूविलासं च गानं च चकारातीव सुंदरः

The blessed Lord, exceedingly beautiful, with a gentle smile, displayed the play of his eyebrows and singing, arising from the god of love in the minds of women.

संप्रोक्ष्य नारीवृन्दं वै मुहुर्मुहुरनङ्गहा अनङ्गवृद्धिम् अकरोद् अतीव मधुराकृतिः

He sprinkled the group of women again and again, the destroyer of desire, and greatly increased their passion, his form exceedingly charming.

वने तं पुरुषं दृष्ट्वा विकृतं नीललोहितम् स्त्रियः पतिव्रताश्चापि तमेवान्वयुरादरात्

Seeing that man in the forest, strange and colored blue and red, the women, even those devoted to their husbands, followed him with respect.

वनोटजद्वारगताश् च नार्यो विस्रस्तवस्त्राभरणा विचेष्टाः लब्ध्वा स्मितं तस्य मुखारविन्दाद् द्रुमालयस्थास् तम् अथान्वयुस्ताः

The women, standing at the entrances of their forest huts, with garments and ornaments loosened, moved restlessly; having received a smile from his lotus-like face, those dwelling among the trees then followed him.

दृष्ट्वा काश्चिद्भवं नार्यो मदघूर्णितलोचनाः विलासबाह्यास्ताश्चापि भ्रूविलासं प्रचक्रिरे

Some women, seeing Bhava, their eyes rolling with intoxication, lost all outward modesty and made gestures with their eyebrows.

अथ दृष्ट्वापरा नार्यः किंचित् प्रहसिताननाः किंचिद् विस्रस्तवसनाः स्रस्तकाञ्चीगुणा जगुः

Then other women, seeing him, smiled a little, their faces bright; some with garments slipping, their girdles loosened, began to sing.

काश्चित्तदा तं विपिने तु दृष्ट्वा विप्राङ्गनाः स्रस्तनवांशुकं वा स्वान्स्वान्विचित्रान् वलयान्प्रविध्य मदान्विता बन्धुजनांश् च जग्मुः

Some brahmin women, seeing him in the forest at that time, their new silk garments slipping, threw off their various bangles in excitement and went to their relatives.

काचित्तदा तं न विवेद दृष्ट्वा विवासना स्रस्तमहांशुका च शाखाविचित्रान् विटपान्प्रसिद्धान् मदान्विता बन्धुजनांस्तथान्याः

One woman, seeing him then, did not recognize him, her garment fallen, her great cloth loosened; intoxicated, she went to the famous branches and boughs, as did other relatives.

काश्चिज्जगुस्तं ननृतुर् निपेतुश् च धरातले निषेदुर्गजवच्चान्या प्रोवाच द्विजपुङ्गवाः

Some sang to him, some danced, and some fell to the ground; others sat down like elephants, and some spoke to the best of brahmins.

अन्योन्यं सस्मितं प्रेक्ष्य चालिलिङ्गुः समन्ततः निरुध्य मार्गं रुद्रस्य नैपुणानि प्रचक्रिरे

Looking at each other with smiles, they embraced all around, blocking Rudra's path, and displayed their skills.

को भवानिति चाहुस्तं आस्यतामिति चापराः कुत्रेत्यथ प्रसीदेति जजल्पुः प्रीतमानसाः

Some said to him, 'Who are you?' while others said, 'Sit here.' Then, with joyful hearts, they asked, 'Where are you from? Please be gracious.'

विपरीता निपेतुर्वै विस्रस्तांशुकमूर्धजाः पतिव्रताः पतीनां तु संनिधौ भवमायया

Some, their hair and garments loosened, fell down in confusion; even the devoted wives, in the presence of their husbands, did so by the illusion of Bhava.

दृष्ट्वा श्रुत्वा भवस्तासां चेष्टावाक्यानि चाव्ययः शुभं वाप्यशुभं वापि नोक्तवान्परमेश्वरः

Seeing and hearing the actions and words of those women, the imperishable Lord, whether auspicious or inauspicious, the Supreme Lord did not speak.

दृष्ट्वा नारीकुलं विप्रास् तथाभूतं च शङ्करम् अतीव परुषं वाक्यं जजल्पुस्ते मुनीश्वराः

The brahmins, seeing the group of women and Shankara in that state, spoke extremely harsh words, the great sages.

तपांसि तेषां सर्वेषां प्रत्याहन्यन्त शङ्करे यथादित्यप्रकाशेन तारका नभसि स्थिताः

All their austerities were destroyed by Shankara, just as stars in the sky are dispelled by the light of the sun.

श्रूयते ऋषिशापेन ब्रह्मणस्तु महात्मनः समृद्धश्रेयसां योनिर् यज्ञा वै नाशमाप्तवान्

It is heard that, by the curse of the sage, even Brahma, the great soul, lost the source of his prosperity, and sacrifices came to destruction.

भृगोर् अपि च शापेन विष्णुः परमवीर्यवान् प्रादुर्भावान्दश प्राप्तो दुःखितश् च सदा कृतः

By the curse of Bhrigu also, Vishnu, of supreme power, was made to take ten births and was always made sorrowful.

इन्द्रस्यापि च धर्मज्ञ छिन्नं सवृषणं पुरा ऋषिणा गौतमेनोर्व्यां क्रुद्धेन विनिपातितम्

Even Indra, the knower of dharma, once had his testicles cut off by the sage Gautama, who, enraged, cast them down to the earth.

गर्भवासो वसूनां च शापेन विहितस् तथा ऋषीणां चैव शापेन नहुषः सर्पतां गतः

By a curse, the Vasus had to dwell in the womb, and by the curse of the sages, Nahusha became a serpent.