Linga Purana

तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा पुनः प्राह सुदर्शनः देयं सर्वं शिवायार्ये शिव एवातिथिः स्वयम्

Hearing her words, Sudarśana spoke again: 'Everything should be given, noble one, to Śiva; for Śiva himself is the guest.'

तस्मात्सर्वे पूजनीयाः सर्वे ऽप्यतिथयः सदा एवमुक्ता तदा भर्त्रा भार्या तस्य पतिव्रता

Therefore, all guests must always be honored; thus instructed by her husband, the devoted wife...

शेषामिवाज्ञामादाय मूर्ध्ना सा प्राचरत्तदा परीक्षितुं तथा श्रद्धां तयोः साक्षाद् द्विजोत्तमाः

Taking his command as if it were the remainder of a sacred offering, she then acted accordingly, O best of twice-born, in order to test their faith directly.

धर्मो द्विजोत्तमो भूत्वा जगामाथ मुनेर्गृहम् तं दृष्ट्वा चार्चयामास सार्घ्याद्यैरनघा द्विजम्

Dharma, taking the form of a distinguished Brāhmaṇa, then went to the sage's house; seeing him, the sinless wife worshipped the Brāhmaṇa with water for washing the feet and other offerings.

सम्पूजितस्तया तां तु प्राह धर्मो द्विजः स्वयम् भद्रे कुतः पतिर्धीमांस् तव भर्ता सुदर्शनः

Having been duly honored by her, Dharma, the Brāhmaṇa himself, spoke: 'O blessed one, where is your wise husband, Sudarśana?'

अन्नाद्यैरलमद्यार्ये स्वं दातुमिह चार्हसि सा च लज्जावृता नारी स्मरन्ती कथितं पुरा

With sufficient food and drink, O noble lady, you should also offer yourself here; but she, the woman, covered with modesty, remembered what had been said before.

भर्त्रा न्यमीलयन्नेत्रे चचाल च पतिव्रता किंचेत्याह पुनस्तं वै धर्मे चक्रे च सा मतिम्

With her eyes lowered by her husband, the devoted wife trembled; then, pondering what to do, she again addressed him, fixing her mind on Dharma.

निवेदितुं किलात्मानं तस्मै पत्युरिहाज्ञया एतस्मिन्नन्तरे भर्ता तस्या नार्याः सुदर्शनः

By her husband's command, she was about to offer herself to him; at that moment, her husband Sudarśana...

गृहद्वारं गतो धीमांस् तामुवाच महामुनिः एह्येहि क्व गता भद्रे तमुवाचातिथिः स्वयम्

The wise great sage Sudarśana, having come to the doorway of the house, called out to her: 'Come, come, O blessed one, where have you gone?' The guest himself then spoke to him.

भार्यया त्वनया सार्धं मैथुनस्थो ऽहमद्य वै सुदर्शन महाभाग किं कर्तव्यमिहोच्यताम्

'Today, Sudarśana, O greatly fortunate one, I am here with your wife for union; tell me, what should be done now?'

सुरतान्तस्तु विप्रेन्द्र संतुष्टो ऽहं द्विजोत्तम सुदर्शनस्ततः प्राह सुप्रहृष्टो द्विजोत्तमः

'O best of Brāhmaṇas, the act of love is complete; I am satisfied,' said the distinguished Brāhmaṇa. Then Sudarśana, greatly delighted, spoke to the best of Brāhmaṇas.

भुङ्क्ष्व चैनां यथाकामं गमिष्ये ऽहं द्विजोत्तम हृष्टो ऽथ दर्शयामास स्वात्मानं धर्मराट् स्वयम्

'Enjoy her as you wish; I will depart, O best of Brāhmaṇas.' Then, rejoicing, the king of Dharma revealed his true form.

प्रददौ चेप्सितं सर्वं तमाह च महाद्युतिः एषा न भुक्ता विप्रेन्द्र मनसापि सुशोभना

He granted all that was desired and, shining greatly, spoke: 'O best of Brāhmaṇas, she has not been enjoyed by me, not even in thought.'

मया चैषा न संदेहः श्रद्धां ज्ञातुमिहागतः जितो वै यस्त्वया मृत्युर् धर्मेणैकेन सुव्रत

'There is no doubt that I have not touched her; I came here to test your faith. By you, O virtuous one, death has truly been conquered by Dharma alone.'

अहो ऽस्य तपसो वीर्यम् इत्युक्त्वा प्रययौ च सः तस्मात्तथा पूजनीयाः सर्वे ह्यतिथयः सदा

Saying, 'Ah, the power of his austerity!' he departed; therefore, all guests must always be honored in this way.

बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन भाग्यहीना द्विजोत्तमाः तमेव शरणं तूर्णं गन्तुमर्हथ शङ्करम्

What more need be said, O best of twice-born? Those bereft of fortune should swiftly seek refuge in Śaṅkara alone.

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मणो ब्राह्मणर्षभाः ब्रह्माणमभिवन्द्यार्ताः प्रोचुराकुलितेक्षणाः

Hearing these words of Brahmā, the foremost of Brāhmaṇas, distressed and with troubled eyes, bowed to Brahmā and spoke:

नापेक्षितं महाभाग जीवितं विकृताः स्त्रियः दृष्टो ऽस्माभिर् महादेवो निन्दितो यस्त्वनिन्दितः

O greatly fortunate one, our lives are disregarded and the women are distraught; we have seen Mahādeva, who is blameless, yet we have reviled him.

शप्तश् च सर्वगः शूली पिनाकी नीललोहितः अज्ञानाच्छापजा शक्तिः कुण्ठितास्यनिरीक्षणात्

He who is all-pervading, the wielder of the trident, bearer of the bow Pināka, the blue-red one, has been cursed; through ignorance, the power of our curse is rendered ineffective by merely beholding him.

वक्तुमर्हसि देवेश संन्यासं वै क्रमेण तु द्रष्टुं वै देवदेवेशम् उग्रं भीमं कपर्दिनम्

O Lord of the gods, you should explain in order the renunciation by which we may see the Lord of gods, fierce, formidable, and matted-haired.

आदौ वेदानधीत्यैव श्रद्धया च गुरोः सदा विचार्यार्थं मुनेर्धर्मान् प्रतिज्ञाय द्विजोत्तमाः

First, having studied the Vedas with faith under a teacher, always reflecting on their meaning, and having vowed to follow the duties of a sage, O best of twice-born,

ग्रहणान्तं हि वा विद्वान् अथ द्वादशवार्षिकम् स्नात्वाहृत्य च दारान्वै पुत्रानुत्पाद्य सुव्रतान्

Or, after completing the period of Vedic study, or after twelve years, having bathed, taken a wife, and begotten virtuous sons,

वृत्तिभिश्चानुरूपाभिस् तान् विभज्य सुतान्मुनिः अग्निष्टोमादिभिश्चेष्ट्वा यज्ञैर्यज्ञेश्वरं विभुम्

The sage, dividing his property among his sons according to their proper means of livelihood, and having performed sacrifices such as Agniṣṭoma to the Lord of sacrifice,

पूजयेत् परमात्मानं प्राप्यारण्यं विभावसौ मुनिर्द्वादशवर्षं वा वर्षमात्रम् अथापि वा

Having reached the forest, the sage should worship the Supreme Self, living there for twelve years, or even for a single year, sustained by fire.

पक्षद्वादशकं वापि दिनद्वादशकं तु वा क्षीरभुक् संयुतः शान्तः सर्वान् सम्पूजयेत्सुरान्

Or for twelve fortnights, or even for twelve days, subsisting on milk, remaining peaceful, he should worship all the gods.

इष्ट्वैवं जुहुयादग्नौ यज्ञपात्राणि मन्त्रतः अप्सु वै पार्थिवं न्यस्य गुरवे तैजसानि तु

Having thus performed sacrifices, he should offer the sacrificial vessels into the fire with mantras, place the earthen ones in water, and give the metallic ones to the teacher.

स्वधनं सकलं चैव ब्राह्मणेभ्यो विशङ्कया प्रणिपत्य गुरुं भूमौ विरक्तः संन्यसेद्यतिः

Giving all his wealth to the Brāhmaṇas without reservation, bowing to his teacher on the ground, detached, the ascetic should renounce.

निकृत्य केशान् सशिखान् उपवीतं विसृज्य च पञ्चभिर् जुहुयाद् अप्सु भूः स्वाहेति विचक्षणः

Cutting off his hair with the tuft, discarding the sacred thread, the wise one should offer five oblations into water, saying 'bhūḥ svāhā.'

ततश्चोर्ध्वं चरेदेवं यतिः शिवविमुक्तये व्रतेनानशनेनापि तोयवृत्त्यापि वा पुनः

Thereafter, the ascetic should live in this way for liberation by Śiva, by vows, by fasting, or even subsisting on water.