Linga Purana

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.

क्षीरोदश् च समुद्रो ऽसौ निवासः सर्वदा हरेः द्वितीयश्चामृताधारो ह्य् अपेयो ब्राह्मणैः कृतः

That ocean of milk is always the abode of Hari; the second, which holds the nectar, is forbidden to the Brahmins.

अविमुक्तेश्वरं प्राप्य वाराणस्यां जनार्दनः क्षीरेण चाभिषिच्येशं देवदेवं त्रियंबकम्

Janardana, having reached Avimukteshvara in Varanasi, anointed the Lord, the god of gods, Tryambaka, with milk.

श्रद्धया परया युक्तो देहाश्लेषामृतेन वै निषिक्तेन स्वयं देवः क्षीरेण मधुसूदनः

With utmost faith, Madhusudana himself, using the nectar of bodily union, anointed the Lord with milk.

सेचयित्वाथ भगवान् ब्रह्मणा मुनिभिः समम् क्षीरोदं पूर्ववच्चक्रे निवासं चात्मनः प्रभुः

Then the blessed one, together with Brahma and the sages, poured milk and, as before, made the ocean of milk his own dwelling.

धर्मश्चैव तथा शप्तो माण्डव्येन महात्मना वृष्णयश्चैव कृष्णेन दुर्वासाद्यैर्महात्मभिः

Dharma was cursed by the great-souled Mandavya, and the Vrishnis by Krishna and other great sages like Durvasa.

राघवः सानुजश् चापि दुर्वासेन महात्मना श्रीवत्सश् च मुनेः पाद पतनात्तस्य धीमतः

Raghava, along with his brothers, was cursed by the great Durvasa; Shrivatsa, because of falling at the feet of the wise sage.

एते चान्ये च बहवो विप्राणां वशमागताः वर्जयित्वा विरूपाक्षं देवदेवमुमापतिम्

These and many others came under the control of the Brahmins, except for Virupaksha, the god of gods, the consort of Uma.

एवं हि मोहितास्तेन नावबुध्यन्त शङ्करम् अत्युग्रवचनं प्रोचुश् चोग्रो ऽप्यन्तरधीयत

Thus, being deluded by him, they did not recognize Shankara; they spoke extremely harsh words, and he vanished, though fierce.

ते ऽपि दारुवनात्तस्मात् प्रातः संविग्नमानसाः पितामहं महात्मानम् आसीनं परमासने

Those sages, their minds troubled, left the Daru forest in the morning and approached the great-souled Pitamaha seated on the supreme seat.

गत्वा विज्ञापयामासुः प्रवृत्तमखिलं विभोः शुभे दारुवने तस्मिन् मुनयः क्षीणचेतसः

Going there, the sages, their minds exhausted, reported everything that had happened in the auspicious Daru forest to the Lord.

सो ऽपि संचिन्त्य मनसा क्षणादेव पितामहः तेषां प्रवृत्तमखिलं पुण्ये दारुवने पुरा

Pitamaha, reflecting in his mind, immediately recalled all that had happened long ago in the holy Daru forest.

उत्थाय प्राञ्जलिर्भूत्वा प्रणिपत्य भवाय च उवाच सत्वरं ब्रह्मा मुनीन्दारुवनालयान्

Rising, with joined palms, bowing to Bhava, Brahma quickly addressed the sages dwelling in the Daru forest.

धिग् युष्मान् प्राप्तनिधनान् महानिधिम् अनुत्तमम् वृथाकृतं यतो विप्रा युष्माभिर् भाग्यवर्जितैः

Shame upon you, who have reached your end, missing the supreme and incomparable treasure; for you Brahmins, deprived of fortune, have acted in vain.

यस्तु दारुवने तस्मिंल् लिङ्गी दृष्टो ऽप्यलिङ्गिभिः युष्माभिर् विकृताकारः स एव परमेश्वरः

The one seen by you in the Daru forest, bearing the linga, though appearing deformed to you, is indeed the supreme Lord.

गृहस्थैश् च न निन्द्यास्तु सदा ह्यतिथयो द्विजाः विरूपाश् च सुरूपाश् च मलिनाश्चाप्यपण्डिताः

Householders should never despise guests, O twice-born; whether deformed or handsome, dirty or unlearned.

सुदर्शनेन मुनिना कालमृत्युरपि स्वयम् पुरा भूमौ द्विजाग्र्येण जितो ह्यतिथिपूजया

Even Death and Time were once conquered on earth by the foremost Brahmin Sudarshana, through the worship of guests.

अन्यथा नास्ति संतर्तुं गृहस्थैश् च द्विजोत्तमैः त्यक्त्वा चातिथिपूजां ताम् आत्मनो भुवि शोधनम्

Otherwise, there is no crossing over for householders and excellent Brahmins, if they abandon the worship of guests, which purifies one's self on earth.

गृहस्थो ऽपि पुरा जेतुं सुदर्शन इति श्रुतः प्रतिज्ञामकरोज्जायां भार्यामाह पतिव्रताम्

It is heard that Sudarshana, even as a householder, once vowed in Jayā, saying to his wife, who was devoted to her husband.

सुव्रते सुभ्रु सुभगे शृणु सर्वं प्रयत्नतः त्वया वै नावमन्तव्या गृहे ह्यतिथयः सदा

O virtuous one, of beautiful brows, and fortunate, listen carefully to everything: you must never disregard guests in your home at any time.

सर्व एव स्वयं साक्षाद् अतिथिर्यत्पिनाकधृक् तस्मादतिथये दत्त्वा आत्मानमपि पूजय

Every guest is, in truth, directly the bearer of the Pināka; therefore, after giving to the guest, you should even honor him as your own self.