Linga Purana

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.

गते पुण्ये च वरदे सहस्राक्षे शिलाशनः आराधयन्महादेवं तपसातोषयद्भवम्

When the thousand-eyed Indra and the granter of boons had departed, Śilāda worshipped the great god Bhava, seeking to please him through austerity.

अथ तस्यैवमनिशं तत्परस्य द्विजस्य तु दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रं तु गतं क्षणमिवाद्भुतम्

Then, for that devoted Brāhmaṇa, intent on the highest, a divine thousand years passed as if in a single wondrous moment.

वल्मीकेनावृताङ्गश् च लक्ष्यः कीटगणैर्मुनिः वज्रसूचीमुखैश्चान्यै रक्तकीटैश् च सर्वतः

The sage's body was covered by an anthill, swarmed all over by hosts of insects, and by other red insects with sharp, needle-like mouths.

निर्मांसरुधिरत्वग् वै निर्लेपः कुड्यवत् स्थितः अस्थिशेषो ऽभवत्पश्चात् तममन्यत शङ्करः

Devoid of flesh, blood, and skin, untouched like a wall, only bones remained; thus did Śaṅkara regard him.

यदा स्पृष्टो मुनिस्तेन करेण च स्मरारिणा तदैव मुनिशार्दूलश् चोत्ससर्ज क्लमं द्विजः

When the sage was touched by the hand of the enemy of Kāma, at that very moment, O best of sages, the twice-born released his fatigue.

तपतस्तस्य तपसा प्रभुस्तुष्टाथ शङ्करः तुष्टस्तवेत्यथोवाच सगणश्चोमया सह

Pleased by his austerity, the glorious Śaṅkara, accompanied by his attendants and me, spoke, 'I am satisfied with your penance.'

तपसानेन किं कार्यं भवतस्ते महामते ददामि पुत्रं सर्वज्ञं सर्वशास्त्रार्थपारगम्

O great-minded one, what is the purpose of this austerity for you? I shall grant you a son who is all-knowing and accomplished in the meaning of all the scriptures.

ततः प्रणम्य देवेशं स्तुत्वोवाच शिलाशनः हर्षगद्गदया वाचा सोमं सोमविभूषणम्

Then, bowing to the Lord of the gods and offering praise, Śilāda spoke with a voice choked with joy to Soma, the one adorned with the moon.

भगवन्देवदेवेश त्रिपुरार्दन शङ्कर अयोनिजं मृत्युहीनं पुत्रमिच्छामि सत्तम

O Lord, God of gods, destroyer of Tripura, Śaṅkara, I desire an unborn, deathless son, O most excellent one.

पूर्वमाराधितः प्राह तपसा परमेश्वरः शिलादं ब्रह्मणा रुद्रः प्रीत्या परमया पुनः

Formerly, the supreme Lord, Rudra, pleased by the austerity, spoke to Śilāda through Brahmā with great affection.

पूर्वमाराधितो विप्र ब्रह्मणाहं तपोधन तपसा चावतारार्थं मुनिभिश् च सुरोत्तमैः

O twice-born, I was formerly worshipped by Brahmā, by ascetics rich in austerity, and by the foremost of sages and gods, for the purpose of incarnation.

तव पुत्रो भविष्यामि नन्दिनाम्ना त्वयोनिजः पिता भविष्यसि मम पितुर्वै जगतां मुने

I shall become your son, unborn and named Nandi; you shall be my father, O sage, as Brahmā is the father of the worlds.

एवमुक्त्वा मुनिं प्रेक्ष्य प्रणिपत्य स्थितं घृणी सोमः सोमोपमः प्रीतस् तत्रैवान्तरधीयत

Having spoken thus, seeing the sage standing there in reverence, Soma, radiant as the moon and pleased, vanished on the spot.

लब्धपुत्रः पिता रुद्रात् प्रीतो मम महामुने यज्ञाङ्गणं महत्प्राप्य यज्ञार्थं यज्ञवित्तमः

Having obtained a son from Rudra, the father, delighted, O great sage, reached the great sacrificial ground as the best among those who know sacrifice.

तदङ्गणादहं शंभोस् तनुजस्तस्य चाज्ञया संजातः पूर्वमेवाहं युगान्ताग्निसमप्रभः

From that ground of Śambhu, by his command, I was born before, shining like the fire at the end of an age.

ववर्षुस्तदा पुष्करावर्तकाद्या जगुः खेचराः किन्नराः सिद्धसाध्याः शिलादात्मजत्वं गते मय्युपेन्द्रः ससर्जाथ वृष्टिं सुपुष्पौघमिश्राम्

Then, clouds poured forth rain, celestial beings, kinnaras, siddhas, and sādhyas sang in the sky; when I became the son of Śilāda, Upendra caused a shower of flowers to fall.

मां दृष्ट्वा कालसूर्याभं जटामुकुटधारिणम् त्र्यक्षं चतुर्भुजं बालं शूलटङ्कगदाधरम्

Seeing me, radiant like the sun at the end of time, wearing a matted hair crown, three-eyed, four-armed, a boy holding trident, axe, and mace—

वज्रिणं वज्रदंष्ट्रं च वज्रिणाराधितं शिशुम् वज्रकुण्डलिनं घोरं नीरदोपमनिःस्वनम्

A child bearing a thunderbolt, with thunderous fangs, worshipped by the wielder of the thunderbolt, adorned with thunderbolt earrings, fierce, with a roar like a raincloud—

ब्रह्माद्यास्तुष्टुवुः सर्वे सुरेन्द्रश् च मुनीश्वराः नेदुः समन्ततः सर्वे ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः

All the gods beginning with Brahmā, Indra, and the great sages praised me; everywhere there was music, and the hosts of apsarases danced.

ऋषयो मुनिशार्दूल ऋग्यजुःसामसंभवैः मन्त्रैर्माहेश्वरैः स्तुत्वा सम्प्रणेमुर्मुदान्विताः

O tiger among sages, the seers, with joy, praised me with great Śaiva mantras drawn from the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas, and bowed down.