Linga Purana

श्वेतेनापि गतेनास्यं मृत्योर्मुनिवरेण तु महादेवप्रसादेन जितो मृत्युर्यथा मया

By the grace of Mahadeva, death was conquered by me just as the sage with a white body also overcame death.

कथं भवप्रसादेन देवदारुवनौकसः प्रपन्नाः शरणं देवं वक्तुमर्हसि मे प्रभो

O Lord, you should tell me how, by the grace of Bhava, the dwellers of Devadaru forest sought refuge in the Divine.

तानुवाच महाभागान् भगवान् आत्मभूः स्वयम् देवदारुवनस्थांस्तु तपसा पावकप्रभान्

The blessed Lord, the self-born, spoke to those great souls themselves, who were present in the Devadaru forest, radiant with the power of their austerities.

एष देवो महादेवो विज्ञेयस्तु महेश्वरः न तस्मात्परमं किंचित् पदं समधिगम्यते

This god is Mahadeva, to be known as the Great Lord; beyond him, no higher state is ever attained.

देवानां च ऋषीनां च पितॄणां चैव स प्रभुः सहस्रयुगपर्यन्ते प्रलये सर्वदेहिनः

He is the Lord of the gods, the seers, and the ancestors; at the end of a thousand ages, he dissolves all embodied beings.

संहरत्येष भगवान् कालो भूत्वा महेश्वरः एष चैव प्रजाः सर्वाः सृजत्येकः स्वतेजसा

This blessed one, as Maheshvara, becomes Time and withdraws all beings; and by his own power, he alone creates all creatures.

एष चक्री च वज्री च श्रीवत्सकृतलक्षणः योगी कृतयुगे चैव त्रेतायां क्रतुर् उच्यते

He is the one with the discus and the thunderbolt, marked by the Srivatsa; in the Krita age, he is called the Yogi, and in the Treta, the Sacrifice.

द्वापरे चैव कालाग्निर् धर्मकेतुः कलौ स्मृतः रुद्रस्य मूर्तयस्त्वेता ये ऽभिध्यायन्ति पण्डिताः

In Dvapara, he is the fire of time; in Kali, he is known as the Banner of Dharma; these are the forms of Rudra, as recognized by the learned.

चतुरस्रं बहिश्चान्तर् अष्टास्रं पिण्डिकाश्रये वृत्तं सुदर्शनं योग्यम् एवं लिङ्गं प्रपूजयेत्

One should worship the linga that is square outside, eight-sided within the pedestal, and perfectly round and beautiful above.

तमो ह्यग्नी रजो ब्रह्मा सत्त्वं विष्णुः प्रकाशकम् मूर्तिरेका स्थिता चास्य मूर्तयः परिकीर्तिताः

Darkness is Agni, passion is Brahma, and clarity is Vishnu, the illuminator; though his form is one, these manifestations are declared as his aspects.

यत्र तिष्ठति तद्ब्रह्म योगेन तु समन्वितम् तस्माद्धि देवदेवेशम् ईशानं प्रभुमव्ययम्

Wherever that Brahman abides, united with yoga, therefore one should worship the Lord of gods, Ishana, the imperishable master.

आराधयन्ति विप्रेन्द्रा जितक्रोधा जितेन्द्रियाः लिङ्गं कृत्वा यथान्यायं सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम्

The foremost brahmins, who have conquered anger and their senses, worship the linga properly, endowed with all auspicious marks.

अङ्गुष्ठमात्रं सुशुभं सुवृत्तं सर्वसंमतम् समनाभं तथाष्टास्रं षोडशास्रम् अथापि वा

It should be as beautiful as a thumb, perfectly shaped, universally approved, with a pedestal equal in height, eight-sided or even sixteen-sided.

सुवृत्तं मण्डलं दिव्यं सर्वकामफलप्रदम् वेदिका द्विगुणा तस्य समा वा सर्वसंमता

The pedestal should be well-formed, circular, divine, and bestow all desires; its base should be twice as wide, or equal, as is universally accepted.

गोमुखी च त्रिभागैका वेद्या लक्षणसंयुता पट्टिका च समन्ताद्वै यवमात्रा द्विजोत्तमाः

The pedestal should have a cow's mouth shape, one third of the whole, marked with auspicious signs, and a band all around, the width of a barley grain, O best of twice-born.

सौवर्णं राजतं शैलं कृत्वा ताम्रमयं तथा वेदिकायाश् च विस्तारं त्रिगुणं वै समन्ततः

It may be made of gold, silver, stone, or copper; the breadth of the pedestal should be three times its size on all sides.

वर्तुलं चतुरस्रं वा षडस्रं वा त्रिरस्रकम् समन्तान्निर्व्रणं शुभ्रं लक्षणैस्तत् सुलक्षितम्

It may be round, square, hexagonal, or triangular, flawless on all sides, bright, and clearly marked with auspicious characteristics.

प्रतिष्ठाप्य यथान्यायं पूजालक्षणसंयुतम् कलशं स्थापयेत्तस्य वेदिमध्ये तथा द्विजाः

Having established, according to proper procedure, a vessel endowed with the marks of worship, one should place it at the center of the altar, O twice-born ones.

सहिरण्यं सबीजं च ब्रह्मभिश् चाभिमन्त्रितम् सेचयेच्च ततो लिङ्गं पवित्रैः पञ्चभिः शुभैः

Filled with gold and seeds, and consecrated by the Brahmins with mantras, then one should bathe the liṅga with five pure and auspicious substances.

पूजयेच्च यथालाभं ततः सिद्धिमवाप्स्यथ समाहिताः पूजयध्वं सपुत्राः सह बन्धुभिः

One should worship according to one's means; then you will attain success. With focused minds, worship together with your sons and relatives.

सर्वे प्राञ्जलयो भूत्वा शूलपाणिं प्रपद्यत ततो द्रक्ष्यथ देवेशं दुर्दर्शमकृतात्मभिः

All with joined palms, approach the wielder of the trident; then you will behold the Lord of the gods, who is difficult to see for those whose minds are unpurified.

यं दृष्ट्वा सर्वमज्ञानम् अधर्मश् च प्रणश्यति ततः प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा ब्रह्माणममितौजसम्

Upon seeing him, all ignorance and unrighteousness are destroyed; then, having circumambulated Brahmā, who possesses immeasurable splendor—

सम्प्रस्थिता वनौकास्ते देवदारुवनं ततः आराधयितुमारब्धा ब्रह्मणा कथितं यथा

Those forest-dwellers set out for the Devadāru forest, beginning their worship as instructed by Brahmā.

स्थण्डिलेषु विचित्रेषु पर्वतानां गुहासु च नदीनां च विविक्तेषु पुलिनेषु शुभेषु च

On diverse altars, in mountain caves, and in secluded, auspicious riverbanks and sandbars—

शैवालशोभनाः केचित् केचिदन्तर्जलेशयाः केचिद्दर्भावकाशास्तु पादाङ्गुष्ठाग्रधिष्ठिताः

Some adorned with beautiful moss, some with just a little water within, some with seats of darbha grass, and some standing only on the tips of their toes—

दन्तोलूखलिनस्त्वन्ये अश्मकुट्टास् तथा परे स्थानवीरासनास्त्वन्ये मृगचर्यारताः परे

Some used wooden mortars for seats, others sat on stones; some assumed the posture of standing heroes, while others delighted in the practice of wandering like deer.

कालं नयन्ति तपसा पूजया च महाधियः एवं संवत्सरे पूर्णे वसन्ते समुपस्थिते

The great-minded ones spent their time in austerity and worship; thus, when a full year had passed and spring had arrived—

ततस्तेषां प्रसादार्थं भक्तानाम् अनुकम्पया देवः कृतयुगे तस्मिन् गिरौ हिमवतः शुभे

Then, out of compassion for those devoted ones, to grant them favor, the god, in that auspicious mountain during the Kṛta age—

देवदारुवनं प्राप्तः प्रसन्नः परमेश्वरः भस्मपांसूपदिग्धाङ्गो नग्नो विकृतलक्षणः

The supreme lord, pleased, arrived at the Devadāru forest, his body smeared with ashes and dust, naked, and bearing unusual marks.