Linga Purana

प्रस्थानादिकमायासं स्वदेहस्य चरेद्यतिः शिवसायुज्यमाप्नोति कर्मणाप्येवमाचरन्

The ascetic should endure the hardships of departure and the like for his own body; by acting thus, he attains union with Śiva, even through action.

सद्यो ऽपि लभते मुक्तिं भक्तियुक्तो दृढव्रताः

Even immediately, one endowed with devotion and firm vows attains liberation.

त्यागेन वा किं विधिनाप्य् अनेन भक्तस्य रुद्रस्य शुभैर्व्रतैश्च यज्ञैश् च दानैर्विविधैश् च होमैर् लब्धैश्चशास्त्रैर्विविधैश् च वेदैः

Or by renunciation, or by this very method, the devotee of Rudra attains liberation through auspicious vows, sacrifices, various gifts, oblations, and through the various scriptures and Vedas obtained.

श्वेतेनैवं जितो मृत्युर् भवभक्त्या महात्मना वो ऽस्तु भक्तिर्महादेवे शङ्करे परमात्मनि

Thus, by Śveta, death was conquered through devotion to existence by the great-souled one. May you have devotion to Mahādeva, Śaṅkara, the Supreme Self.

एवमुक्तास्तदा तेन ब्रह्मणा ब्राह्मणर्षभाः श्वेतस्य च कथां पुण्याम् अपृच्छन् परमर्षयः

When addressed in this way by Brahmā, the foremost of Brāhmaṇas, the exalted sages inquired about the sacred story of Śveta.

श्वेतो नाम मुनिः श्रीमान् गतायुर्गिरिगह्वरे सक्तो ह्यभ्यर्च्य यद्भक्त्या तुष्टाव च महेश्वरम्

There was a sage named Śveta, illustrious, whose lifespan had ended, dwelling in a mountain cave, who, absorbed in worship, praised Maheśvara with devotion.

रुद्राध्यायेन पुण्येन नमस्तेत्यादिना द्विजाः ततः कालो महातेजाः कालप्राप्तं द्विजोत्तमम्

With the sacred Rudrādhyāya, beginning with 'namas', O twice-born, then Time, of great brilliance, approached the foremost of Brāhmaṇas whose time had come.

नेतुं संचिन्त्य विप्रेन्द्राः सान्निध्यमकरोन्मुनेः श्वेतो ऽपि दृष्ट्वा तं कालं कालप्राप्तो ऽपि शङ्करम्

Intending to take him, the best of Brāhmaṇas, the presence of Time appeared before the sage. Śveta, seeing Time, though his time had come, remembered Śaṅkara.

पूजयामास पुण्यात्मा त्रियंबकमनुस्मरन् त्रियंबकं यजेदेवं सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम्

That virtuous soul began to worship Tryambaka, remembering him—the divine Tryambaka, fragrant, who increases nourishment.

किं करिष्यति मे मृत्युर् मृत्योर्मृत्युरहं यतः तं दृष्ट्वा सस्मितं प्राह श्वेतं लोकभयंकरः

'What can death do to me, since I am the death of death?' Seeing him, the terror of the worlds spoke to Śveta with a smile.

एह्येहि श्वेत चानेन विधिना किं फलं तव रुद्रो वा भगवान् विष्णुर् ब्रह्मा वा जगदीश्वरः

'Come, come, Śveta! What fruit is there for you from this rite? Is it Rudra, the Blessed Lord, Viṣṇu, or Brahmā, the Lord of the world?'

कः समर्थः परित्रातुं मया ग्रस्तं द्विजोत्तम अनेन मम किं विप्र रौद्रेण विधिना प्रभोः

'Who is capable of saving one seized by me, O best of Brāhmaṇas? What use is this fierce rite of yours to the Lord, O Brāhmaṇa?'

नेतुं यस्योत्थितश्चाहं यमलोकं क्षणेन वै यस्माद्गतायुस्त्वं तस्मान् मुने नेतुमिहोद्यतः

'To take you, I have arisen—within a moment, to the realm of Yama. Since your lifespan is ended, O sage, I am here, ready to take you.'

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा भैरवं धर्ममिश्रितम् हा रुद्र रुद्र रुद्रेति ललाप मुनिपुङ्गवः

Hearing those words of Bhairava, mingled with righteousness, the eminent sage cried out, 'Alas, Rudra! Rudra! Rudra!'

तं प्राह च महादेवं कालं सम्प्रेक्ष्य वै दृशा नेत्रेण बाष्पमिश्रेण संभ्रान्तेन समाकुलः

He gazed at Mahādeva, looking at Time with his eyes, his eyes filled with tears, agitated and distressed.

त्वया किं काल नो नाथश् चास्ति चेद्धि वृषध्वजः लिङ्गे ऽस्मिन् शङ्करो रुद्रः सर्वदेवभवोद्भवः

'What can you do, O Time, if the Lord, Vṛṣadhvaja, is present? In this liṅga is Śaṅkara, Rudra, the source of all the gods.'

अतीव भवभक्तानां मद्विधानां महात्मनाम् विधिना किं महाबाहो गच्छ गच्छ यथागतम्

'For those devoted to existence, great-souled ones like me, what use is this, O mighty-armed one? Go, go as you have come.'

ततो निशम्य कुपितस् तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रो भयङ्करः श्रुत्वा श्वेतस्य तद्वाक्यं पाशहस्तो भयावहः

Hearing Śveta's words, the enraged, sharp-toothed, terrifying, noose-bearing, fearsome Time, made a great lion's roar, clapped repeatedly, and bound the sage whose time had come.

सिंहनादं महत्कृत्वा चास्फाट्य च मुहुर्मुहुः बबन्ध च मुनिं कालः कालप्राप्तं तमाह च

After making a great lion's roar and clapping again and again, Time bound the sage whose time had come and spoke to him.

मया बद्धो ऽसि विप्रर्षे श्वेतं नेतुं यमालयम् अद्य वै देवदेवेन तव रुद्रेण किं कृतम्

'You are bound by me, O best of Brāhmaṇa sages! I am taking Śveta to the abode of Yama today. What has your Rudra, the Lord of gods, done for you?'

क्व शर्वस्तव भक्तिश् च क्व पूजा पूजया फलम् क्व चाहं क्व च मे भीतिः श्वेत बद्धो ऽसि वै मया

'Where is your devotion, your worship, and the fruit of your worship? Where am I, and where is my fear? Śveta, you are indeed bound by me.'

लिङ्गे ऽस्मिन् संस्थितः श्वेत तव रुद्रो महेश्वरः निश्चेष्टो ऽसौ महादेवः कथं पूज्यो महेश्वरः

In this liṅga, O white one, your Rudra, the great Lord, is established; that unmoving Mahādeva—how is the great Lord to be worshipped?

ततः सदाशिवः स्वयं द्विजं निहन्तुमागतम् निहन्तुमन्तकं स्मयन् स्मरारियज्ञहा हरः

Then Sadāśiva himself came, smiling, to slay the twice-born who had come to kill, to destroy Death, the enemy of Smara, the sacrificer, Hara.

त्वरन् विनिर्गतः परः शिवः स्वयं त्रिलोचनः त्रियंबको ऽम्बया समं सनन्दिना गणेश्वरैः

Swiftly emerged the supreme Śiva himself, the three-eyed one, Tryambaka, together with Ambikā, Nandin, and the lords of the gaṇas.

ससर्ज जीवितं क्षणाद् भवं निरीक्ष्य वै भयात् पपात चाशु वै बली मुनेस्तु संनिधौ द्विजाः

He instantly created life, beholding Bhava out of fear; and the mighty one quickly fell down in the presence of the sage, O twice-born.

ननाद चोर्ध्वमुच्चधीर् निरीक्ष्य चान्तकान्तकम् निरीक्षणेन वै मृतं भवस्य विप्रपुङ्गवाः

He roared loudly and, seeing the ender of death, by his very gaze, O best of Brāhmaṇas, Bhava was slain.

विनेदुरुच्चमीश्वराः सुरेश्वरा महेश्वरम् प्रणेमुरंबिकामुमां मुनीश्वरास्तु हर्षिताः

The lords of the gods loudly lamented to Maheśvara; they bowed to Ambikā and Umā, and the great sages rejoiced.

ससर्जुर् अस्य मूर्ध्नि वै मुनेर्भवस्य खेचराः सुशोभनं सुशीतलं सुपुष्पवर्षमंबरात्

The beings of the sky showered beautiful, cool, and fragrant flowers from the heavens upon the head of Bhava, the sage.

अहो निरीक्ष्य चान्तकं मृतं तदा सुविस्मितः शिलाशनात्मजो ऽव्ययं शिवं प्रणम्य शङ्करम्

Beholding Death slain, then, the astonished son of the stone (the mountain), bowed to the imperishable Śiva, Śaṅkara.