Linga Purana

क्षितिर्वायुः पुमानंभः सुषिरं सर्वगं तथा तदाप्रभृति तं प्राहुर् अष्टमूर्तिरितीश्वरम्

Earth, wind, man, water, ether, the all-pervading— from that time onward, he has been called the Lord with eight forms.

अष्टमूर्तेः प्रसादेन विरञ्चिश्चासृजत्पुनः सृष्ट्वैतद् अखिलं ब्रह्मा पुनः कल्पान्तरे प्रभुः

By the grace of the Eight-formed One, Virinchi (Brahma) again created; having created all this, Brahma, the lord, did so again at the end of the age.

सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तं संसुप्ते च चराचरे प्रजाः स्रष्टुमनास् तेपे तत उग्रं तपो महत्

When, for a thousand ages, all beings, moving and unmoving, were asleep, he, desiring to create creatures, performed severe and mighty austerity.

तस्यैवं तप्यमानस्य न किंचित्समवर्तत ततो दीर्घेण कालेन दुःखात्क्रोधो व्यजायत

As he was thus engaged in austerity, nothing came to be; then, after a long time, from suffering, anger arose.

क्रोधाविष्टस्य नेत्राभ्यां प्रापतन्नश्रुबिन्दवः ततस्तेभ्यो ऽश्रुबिन्दुभ्यो भूताः प्रेतास्तदाभवन्

From his eyes, filled with anger, drops of tears fell; from those drops of tears, beings called bhūtas and pretas were born at that time.

सर्वांस्तानग्रजान्दृष्ट्वा भूतप्रेतनिशाचरान् अनिन्दत तदा देवो ब्रह्मात्मानम् अजो विभुः

Seeing all those elder beings—bhūtas, pretas, and night-wanderers—the god, Brahma, the unborn, the all-pervading, then blamed himself.

जहौ प्राणांश् च भगवान् क्रोधाविष्टः प्रजापतिः ततः प्राणमयो रुद्रः प्रादुरासीत्प्रभोर्मुखात्

The blessed lord of creatures, overcome by anger, abandoned his vital breaths; then from the mouth of the lord arose Rudra, composed of vital energy.

अर्धनारीश्वरो भूत्वा बालार्कसदृशद्युतिः तदैकादशधात्मानं प्रविभज्य व्यवस्थितः

Becoming the Lord who is half male and half female, shining like the rising sun, he then divided himself into eleven forms and remained thus.

अर्धेनांशेन सर्वात्मा ससर्जासौ शिवामुमाम् सा चासृजत्तदा लक्ष्मीं दुर्गां श्रेष्ठां सरस्वतीम्

With half of his portion, the soul of all, he created Śivā, Umā; and she then created Lakṣmī, Durgā the excellent, and Sarasvatī.

वामां रौद्रीं महामायां वैष्णवीं वारिजेक्षणाम् कलां विकिरिणीं चैव कालीं कमलवासिनीम्

He created Vāmā, Raudrī, Mahāmāyā, Vaiṣṇavī with lotus eyes, Kalā, Vikiriṇī, Kālī, and Kamalavāsinī.

बलविकरिणीं देवीं बलप्रमथिनीं तथा सर्वभूतस्य दमनीं ससृजे च मनोन्मनीम्

He created the goddess Balavikariṇī, also Balapramathinī, the subduer of all beings, and Manonmanī.

तथान्या बहवः सृष्टास् तया नार्यः सहस्रशः रुद्रैश्चैव महादेवस् ताभिस्त्रिभुवनेश्वरः

Likewise, many other women were created by her, thousands in number; and with Rudras, the great god became Lord of the three worlds with them.

सर्वात्मनश् च तस्याग्रे ह्य् अतिष्ठत्परमेश्वरः मृतस्य तस्य देवस्य ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः

The Supreme Lord stood before her, who is the soul of all; of that god, of Brahmā, the supreme lord, who had died.

घृणी ददौ पुनः प्राणान् ब्रह्मपुत्रो महेश्वरः ब्रह्मणः प्रददौ प्राणान् आत्मस्थांस्तु तदा प्रभुः

The compassionate Lord Maheśvara, son of Brahmā, again restored the life-breaths to Brahmā, granting him those vital airs which were within himself.

प्रहृष्टो ऽभूत्ततो रुद्रः किंचित्प्रत्यागतासवम् अभ्यभाषत देवेशो ब्रह्माणं परमं वचः

Then Rudra became joyful, having somewhat regained his vigor, and the Lord of the gods addressed Brahmā with these supreme words.

मा भैर्देव महाभाग विरिञ्च जगतां गुरो मयेह स्थापिताः प्राणास् तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ वै प्रभो

"Do not fear, O highly fortunate one, O Virin̄ca, teacher of the worlds. I have established your life-breaths here; therefore, rise up, O Lord."

श्रुत्वा वचस्ततस्तस्य स्वप्नभूतं मनोगतम् पितामहः प्रसन्नात्मा नेत्रैः फुल्लाम्बुजप्रभैः

Hearing those words, Pitāmaha, his mind as if awakened from a dream, became serene in spirit, his eyes shining like blooming lotuses.

ततः प्रत्यागतप्राणः समुदैक्षन् महेश्वरम् स उद्वीक्ष्य चिरं कालं स्निग्धगंभीरया गिरा

Then, with his life restored, he gazed upon Maheśvara, and after looking at him for a long time, he spoke with a gentle and deep voice.

उवाच भगवान् ब्रह्मा समुत्थाय कृताञ्जलिः भो भो वद महाभाग आनन्दयसि मे मनः

The venerable Brahmā, rising and joining his palms in reverence, said: "O illustrious one, speak, O highly fortunate Lord, for you fill my mind with joy."

को भवान् अष्टमूर्तिर् वै स्थित एकादशात्मकः तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा व्याजहार महेश्वरः

"Who are you, possessing eight forms, yet established as elevenfold?" Hearing these words, Maheśvara replied:

स्पृशन्कराभ्यां ब्रह्माणं सुखाभ्यां स सुरारिहा मां विद्धि परमात्मानम् एनां मायामजामिति

Touching Brahmā with his auspicious hands, the destroyer of the gods' enemies said: "Know me as the Supreme Self, and this as my unborn Māyā."

एते वै संस्थिता रुद्रास् त्वां रक्षितुमिहागताः ततः प्रणम्य तं ब्रह्मा देवदेवमुवाच ह

"These Rudras are established here, having come to protect you." Then Brahmā, bowing to the Lord of gods, spoke.

कृताञ्जलिपुटो भूत्वा हर्षगद्गदया गिरा भगवन्देवदेवेश दुःखैराकुलितो ह्यहम्

With palms joined and voice choked with joy, he said: "O Lord, O God of gods, I am afflicted by sorrows."

संसारान्मोक्तुमीशान मामिहार्हसि शङ्कर ततः प्रहस्य भगवान् पितामहमुमापतिः

"O Lord Śaṅkara, you should deliver me from this cycle of existence." Then the blessed Lord, Umā's consort, smiled at Pitāmaha.

तदा रुद्रैर्जगन्नाथस् तया चान्तर्दधे विभुः तस्माच्छिलाद लोकेषु दुर्लभो वै त्वयोनिजः

Then the Lord of the universe vanished along with the Rudras and her. Therefore, O Śilāda, in the worlds, one not born from a womb is indeed rare.

मृत्युहीनः पुमान्विद्धि समृत्युः पद्मजो ऽपि सः किंतु देवेश्वरो रुद्रः प्रसीदति यदीश्वरः

Know that a man without death is rare; even the lotus-born (Brahmā) is subject to death. But if the Lord Rudra, God of gods, is pleased, then it is possible.

न दुर्लभो मृत्युहीनस् तव पुत्रो ह्ययोनिजः मया च विष्णुना चैव ब्रह्मणा च महात्मना

"Your son, not born from a womb and free from death, is not unattainable—by me, by Viṣṇu, and by the great-souled Brahmā."

अयोनिजं मृत्युहीनम् असमर्थं निवेदितुम् एवं व्याहृत्य विप्रेन्द्रम् अनुगृह्य च तं घृणी

"It is not possible to describe one who is unborn and deathless." Thus speaking, the compassionate one blessed the best of Brāhmaṇas.

देवैर्वृतो ययौ देवः सितेनेभेन वै प्रभुः

Surrounded by the gods, the Lord departed, riding on a white bull.