Linga Purana

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.

उल्मुकव्यग्रहस्तश् च रक्तपिङ्गललोचनः क्वचिच्च हसते रौद्रं क्वचिद्गायति विस्मितः

Holding a blazing firebrand in his hand, his eyes red and tawny, at times he laughed fiercely, at times he sang in wonder.

क्वचिन्नृत्यति शृङ्गारं क्वचिद्रौति मुहुर्मुहुः आश्रमे ह्यटते भैक्ष्यं याचते च पुनः पुनः

Sometimes he danced amorously, sometimes he roared again and again; in the hermitage he wandered, repeatedly begging for alms.

मायां कृत्वा तथारूपां देवस्तद्वनम् आगतः ततस्ते मुनयः सर्वे तुष्टुवुश् च समाहिताः

Assuming such a form by his own power, the god entered that forest; then all the sages, composed in mind, praised him.

अद्भिर् विविधमाल्यैश् च धूपैर्गन्धैस्तथैव च सपत्नीका महाभागाः सपुत्राः सपरिच्छदाः

With water, various garlands, incense, and fragrances, together with their wives, sons, and attendants, those highly fortunate ones—

मुनयस्ते तथा वाग्भिर् ईश्वरं चेदम् अब्रुवन् अज्ञानाद्देवदेवेश यदस्माभिर् अनुष्ठितम्

Those sages thus addressed the Lord with these words: 'O God of gods, whatever we have done out of ignorance—'

कर्मणा मनसा वाचा तत्सर्वं क्षन्तुमर्हसि चरितानि विचित्राणि गुह्यानि गहनानि च

'By deed, by mind, or by speech, may you forgive all of that; for our actions have been diverse, secret, and profound.'

ब्रह्मादीनां च देवानां दुर्विज्ञेयानि ते हर अगतिं ते न जानीमो गतिं नैव च नैव च

O Hara, even for gods like Brahma and the others, your paths are difficult to comprehend; we do not know your coming nor your going, not at all.

विश्वेश्वर महादेव यो ऽसि सो ऽसि नमो ऽस्तु ते स्तुवन्ति त्वां महात्मानो देवदेवं महेश्वरम्

O Lord of all, Great God, you are who you are—salutations to you! The great souls praise you, O God of gods, O Supreme Lord.

नमो भवाय भव्याय भावनायोद्भवाय च अनन्तबलवीर्याय भूतानां पतये नमः

Salutations to Bhava, to the Auspicious, to the source and cause of existence; to the one of infinite strength and power, to the Lord of beings, salutations.

संहर्त्रे च पिशङ्गाय अव्ययाय व्ययाय च गङ्गासलिलधाराय आधाराय गुणात्मने

To the destroyer, to the tawny-hued one, to the imperishable and the perishable, to the bearer of the Ganga's stream, to the support, to the essence of qualities—salutations.

त्र्यंबकाय त्रिनेत्राय त्रिशूलवरधारिणे कन्दर्पाय हुताशाय नमो ऽस्तु परमात्मने

To Tryambaka, the three-eyed one, the wielder of the trident; to the god of desire, to the fire-god, to the Supreme Self—salutations.

शङ्कराय वृषाङ्काय गणानां पतये नमः दण्डहस्ताय कालाय पाशहस्ताय वै नमः

To Shankara, to the one marked by the bull, to the Lord of the hosts—salutations; to the one holding the staff, to Time, to the one holding the noose—salutations indeed.

वेदमन्त्रप्रधानाय शतजिह्वाय वै नमः भूतं भव्यं भविष्यं च स्थावरं जङ्गमं च यत्

To the one who is foremost in Vedic mantras, who has a hundred tongues—salutations; to all that is past, present, and future, to all that is stationary and moving.

तव देहात्समुत्पन्नं देव सर्वमिदं जगत् पासि हंसि च भद्रं ते प्रसीद भगवंस्ततः

O God, from your body this entire universe has arisen; you protect and you destroy it—may all be well with you, be gracious, O Lord.

अज्ञानाद्यदि विज्ञानाद् यत् किंचित् कुरुते नरः तत्सर्वं भगवानेव कुरुते योगमायया

Whatever a man does, whether from ignorance or knowledge, all of it, O Lord, is done by you alone through your yogic power.

एवं स्तुत्वा तु मुनयः प्रहृष्टैरन्तरात्मभिः याचन्त तपसा युक्ताः पश्यामस्त्वां यथापुरा

Thus, having praised you, the sages, their inner selves delighted, approached with austerity and asked: 'May we see you as before.'

ततो देवः प्रसन्नात्मा स्वमेवास्थाय शङ्करः रूपं त्र्यक्षं च संद्रष्टुं दिव्यं चक्षुरदात्प्रभुः

Then the God Shankara, his mind pleased, assuming his own form, granted them divine sight to behold his three-eyed form.

लब्धदृष्ट्या तया दृष्ट्वा देवदेवं त्रियंबकम् पुनस्तुष्टुवुरीशानं देवदारुवनौकसः

With that vision obtained, they saw the God of gods, Tryambaka, and again those dwellers of the Daru forest praised the Lord.

नमो दिग्वाससे नित्यं कृतान्ताय त्रिशूलिने विकटाय करालाय करालवदनाय च

Salutations always to the one clothed in the directions, to Death, to the wielder of the trident, to the fierce and terrible one, to the one with a dreadful face.

अरूपाय सुरूपाय विश्वरूपाय ते नमः कटङ्कटाय रुद्राय स्वाहाकाराय वै नमः

To the formless, to the beautiful, to the one of universal form—salutations to you; to the one with jingling ornaments, to Rudra, to the embodiment of the svāhā call—salutations indeed.