Linga Purana

सुरचितसुविचित्रकुण्डलाय सुरचितमाल्यविभूषणाय तुभ्यम् मृगपतिवरचर्मवाससे च प्रथितयशसे नमो ऽस्तु शङ्कराय

To you, adorned with beautifully crafted earrings and garlands made by the gods, clothed in the skin of the lord of beasts, famed everywhere—homage to Shankara.

ततस् तान् स मुनीन् प्रीतः प्रत्युवाच महेश्वरः प्रीतो ऽस्मि तपसा युष्मान् वरं वृणुत सुव्रताः

Then, pleased, the great lord spoke to those sages: 'I am pleased with your austerity; O virtuous ones, choose a boon.'

ततस्ते मुनयः सर्वे प्रणिपत्य महेश्वरम् भृग्वङ्गिरा वसिष्ठश् च विश्वामित्रस्तथैव च

Thereupon, all those sages—Bhrigu, Angiras, Vasishtha, and likewise Vishvamitra—bowed to Maheshvara.

गौतमो ऽत्रिः सुकेशश् च पुलस्त्यः पुलहः क्रतुः मरीचिः कश्यपः कण्वः संवर्तश् च महातपाः

Gautama, Atri, Sukesha, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Marichi, Kashyapa, Kanva, and the great ascetic Samvarta—

ते प्रणम्य महादेवम् इदं वचनमब्रुवन् भस्मस्नानं च नग्नत्वं वामत्वं प्रतिलोमता

Having bowed to Mahadeva, they spoke these words: 'We wish to know about bathing in ash, nakedness, left-handedness, and contrary conduct—what is to be followed and what is to be avoided?'

सेव्यासेव्यत्वमेवं च ह्य् एतदिच्छाम वेदितुम् ततस्तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा भगवान्परमेश्वरः

Having heard their words, the blessed supreme lord—

सस्मितं प्राह सम्प्रेक्ष्य सर्वान्मुनिवरांस्तदा

Smiling, he looked upon all those best of sages and then spoke.

एतद्वः सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि कथा सर्वस्वमद्य वै अग्निर्ह्यहं सोमकर्ता सोमश्चाग्निमुपाश्रितः

Now I shall tell you this story, my all, today: I am Agni, the maker of Soma, and Soma is dependent upon Agni.

कृतमेतद्वहत्यग्निर् भूयो लोकसमाश्रयात् असकृत्त्वग्निना दग्धं जगत् स्थावरजङ्गमम्

Agni bears this creation, and again, for the sake of the world, the universe of moving and unmoving beings has been burned many times by Agni.

भस्मसाद्विहितं सर्वं पवित्रमिदमुत्तमम् भस्मना वीर्यमास्थाय भूतानि परिषिञ्चति

All this is made supremely pure by ashes; empowered by the potency of ashes, one sprinkles it upon beings.

अग्निकार्यं च यः कृत्वा करिष्यति त्रियायुषम् भस्मना मम वीर्येण मुच्यते सर्वकिल्बिषैः

Whoever, having performed the fire ritual, lives out three spans of life, is freed from all sins by my power in the ashes.

भासत इत्येव यद्भस्म शुभं भावयते च यत् भक्षणात् सर्वपापानां भस्मेति परिकीर्तितम्

That which shines forth is called 'bhasma' (ash), and that which purifies is also so named; by consuming it, all sins are destroyed—hence it is called 'bhasma.'

ऊष्मपाः पितरो ज्ञेया देवा वै सोमसंभवाः अग्नीषोमात्मकं सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम्

Know that the ancestors are heat-drinkers, and the gods are born of Soma; all the world, moving and unmoving, is of the nature of Agni and Soma.

अहमग्निर्महातेजाः सोमश्चैषा महांबिका अहमग्निश् च सोमश् च प्रकृत्या पुरुषः स्वयम्

I am Agni, of great brilliance; Soma is this great Ambika. I am Agni and Soma by nature, and I myself am the Purusha.

तस्माद्भस्म महाभागा मद्वीर्यमिति चोच्यते स्ववीर्यं वपुषा चैव धारयामीति वै स्थितिः

Therefore, O highly fortunate ones, the ash is said to be my potency; I sustain my own power and form in it, and thus it endures.

तदाप्रभृति लोकेषु रक्षार्थमशुभेषु च भस्मना क्रियते रक्षा सूतिकानां गृहेषु च

From that time onward, for protection in the worlds and against inauspicious things, ashes are used for safeguarding, including in the houses of women after childbirth.

भस्मस्नानविशुद्धात्मा जितक्रोधो जितेन्द्रियः मत्समीपं समागम्य न भूयो विनिवर्तते

One whose mind is purified by bathing in ashes, who has conquered anger and the senses, having come near to me, does not return again.

व्रतं पाशुपतं योगं कापिलं चैव निर्मितम् पूर्वं पाशुपतं ह्येतन् निर्मितं तदनुत्तमम्

The Pashupata vow and the Kapila yoga were established; formerly, this Pashupata was indeed created, and it is unsurpassed.

शेषाश्चाश्रमिणः सर्वे पश्चात्सृष्टाः स्वयंभुवा सृष्टिरेषा मया सृष्टा लज्जामोहभयात्मिका

All the other dwellers in the ashramas were created later by the Self-born; this creation was made by me, consisting of modesty, delusion, and fear.

नग्ना एव हि जायन्ते देवता मुनयस् तथा ये चान्ये मानवा लोके सर्वे जायन्त्यवाससः

For indeed, gods and sages are born naked, and likewise all other humans in the world are born without clothing.

इन्द्रियैरजितैर्नग्नो दुकूलेनापि संवृतः तैरेव संवृतैर्गुप्तो न वस्त्रं कारणं स्मृतम्

One whose senses are not mastered is naked even if covered with cloth; but one who is guarded by self-control is truly protected—clothing is not considered the cause.

क्षमा धृतिरहिंसा च वैराग्यं चैव सर्वशः तुल्यौ मानावमानौ च तदावरणमुत्तमम्

Patience, steadfastness, nonviolence, and complete detachment, as well as equal regard for honor and dishonor—these are the supreme coverings.

भस्मस्नानेन दिग्धाङ्गो ध्यायते मनसा भवम् यद्यकार्यसहस्राणि कृत्वा यः स्नाति भस्मना

Anointed with ashes and meditating on Bhava in mind, even if one has committed thousands of improper acts, whoever bathes with ashes—

तत्सर्वं दहते भस्म यथाग्निस्तेजसा वनम् तस्माद् यत्नपरो भूत्वा त्रिकालमपि यः सदा

Ash burns all that, just as fire with its brilliance burns a forest; therefore, being diligent, whoever always bathes with ashes three times a day—

भस्मना कुरुते स्नानं गाणपत्यं स गच्छति समाहृत्य क्रतून् सर्वान् गृहीत्वा व्रतमुत्तमम्

He who bathes with ashes attains the path of Ganesha, having gathered all sacrifices and undertaken the supreme vow.

ध्यायन्ति ये महादेवं लीलासद्भावभाविताः उत्तरेणार्यपन्थानं ते ऽमृतत्वमवाप्नुयुः

Those who meditate on Mahadeva, absorbed in the reality of his play, attain immortality by the northern, noble path.

दक्षिणेन च पन्थानं ये श्मशानानि भेजिरे अणिमा गरिमा चैव लघिमा प्राप्तिरेव च

And those who took the southern path, who frequented cremation grounds, attain the powers of minuteness, heaviness, lightness, and attainment.

इच्छा कामावसायित्वं तथा प्राकाम्यमेव च ईक्षणेन च पन्थानं ये श्मशानानि भेजिरे अणिमा गरिमा चैव लघिमा प्राप्तिरेव च

The powers of will, desire, determination, and also the ability to attain anything by mere intention—these are the paths traversed by those who entered the cremation grounds; likewise, the perfections of minuteness, heaviness, lightness, and attainment.

इन्द्रादयस् तथा देवाः कामिकव्रतमास्थिताः ऐश्वर्यं परमं प्राप्य सर्वे प्रथिततेजसः

Thus, Indra and the other gods, having undertaken the Kāmika vow, all attained supreme lordship, their brilliance widely renowned.