Linga Purana

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.

ब्रह्मा हरिश् च रुद्रश् च शक्रः साक्षाच्छिवांबिका जीवश्चेन्दुर्महातेजा भास्करः पवनो ऽनलः

Brahmā, Hari, Rudra, Śakra, Śiva and Ambikā in person, Jīva, the radiant Moon, Bhāskara, the Wind, and Fire—

ईशानो निरृतिर्यक्षो यमो वरुण एव च विश्वेदेवास् तथा रुद्रा वसवश् च महाबलाः

Īśāna, Nirṛti, Yakṣa, Yama, and Varuṇa as well, all the Viśvedevas, likewise the Rudras and the mighty Vasus—

लक्ष्मीः साक्षाच्छची ज्येष्ठा देवी चैव सरस्वती अदितिश् च दितिश्चैव श्रद्धा लज्जा धृतिस् तथा

Lakṣmī in person, Śacī, Jyeṣṭhā, and also the goddess Sarasvatī, Aditi and Diti, as well as Śraddhā, Modesty, and Fortitude—

नन्दा भद्रा च सुरभी सुशीला सुमनास् तथा वृषेन्द्रश् च महातेजा धर्मो धर्मात्मजस् तथा

Nandā, Bhadrā, Surabhī, Suśīlā, Sumanā, and likewise the radiant Vṛṣendra, Dharma, and the son of Dharma—

आवृत्य मां तथालिङ्ग्य तुष्टुवुर्मुनिसत्तम शिलादो ऽपि मुनिर्दृष्ट्वा पिता मे तादृशं तदा

Having surrounded and embraced me in this way, O best of sages, they praised me; and Śilāda, my father, seeing such a sight—

प्रीत्या प्रणम्य पुण्यात्मा तुष्टावेष्टप्रदं सुतम् भगवन्देवदेवेश त्रियंबक ममाव्यय

With joy, bowing down, the virtuous one praised his son, the bestower of wishes: 'O Lord, God of gods, Three-eyed one, my imperishable one—'

पुत्रो ऽसि जगतां यस्मात् त्राता दुःखाद्धि किं पुनः रक्षको जगतां यस्मात् पिता मे पुत्र सर्वग

'Because you are the protector of the worlds, my son, what more need be said? Since you are the guardian of the worlds, my son is all-pervading.'

अयोनिज नमस्तुभ्यं जगद्योने पितामह पिता पुत्र महेशान जगतां च जगद्गुरो

'Unborn one, I bow to you, source of the universe, Grandfather, father, son, great Lord, teacher of the worlds.'

वत्स वत्स महाभाग पाहि मां परमेश्वर त्वयाहं नन्दितो यस्मान् नन्दी नाम्ना सुरेश्वर

'Child, child of great fortune, protect me, Supreme Lord. Because I have been gladdened by you, O Lord of gods, I am called Nandī by name.'

तस्मान्नन्दय मां नन्दिन् नमामि जगदीश्वरम् प्रसीद पितरौ मे ऽद्य रुद्रलोकं गतौ विभो

'Therefore, gladden me, O Nandin. I bow to the Lord of the universe. Be gracious, my parents have today gone to the world of Rudra, O mighty one.'

पितामहश् च भो नन्दिन् नवतीर्णे महेश्वरे ममैव सफलं लोके जन्म वै जगतां प्रभो

'O Nandin, since the great Lord has descended, my birth in this world, O Lord of the worlds, has truly borne fruit.'

अवतीर्णे सुते नन्दिन् रक्षार्थं मह्यमीश्वर तुभ्यं नमः सुरेशान नन्दीश्वर नमो ऽस्तु ते

'O Nandin, since my son has descended for my protection, O Lord, homage to you, Lord of gods, Lord of Nandī, salutations to you.'

पुत्र पाहि महाबाहो देवदेव जगद्गुरो पुत्रत्वमेव नन्दीश मत्वा यत्कीर्तितं मया

'Son, protect me, mighty-armed one, God of gods, teacher of the world. Considering you as my son, O Lord of Nandī, whatever I have spoken—'

त्वया तत्क्षम्यतां वत्स स्तवस्तव्य सुरासुरैः यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि मम पुत्रप्रभाषितम्

'May that be forgiven by you, child, for you are to be praised by gods and demons. Whoever recites or hears what has been spoken by my son—'

श्रावयेद्वा द्विजान् भक्त्या मया सार्धं स मोदते एवं स्तुत्वा सुतं बालं प्रणम्य बहुमानतः

'Or causes the twice-born to hear it with devotion, rejoices together with me. Thus, having praised his young son and bowed with great respect—'

मुनीश्वरांश् च सम्प्रेक्ष्य शिलाद उवाच सुव्रतः पश्यध्वं मुनयः सर्वे महाभाग्यं ममाव्ययः

Seeing the best of sages, Śilāda, steadfast in vows, said: 'Behold, O sages, all of you, my imperishable great fortune.'

नन्दी यज्ञाङ्गणे देवश् चावतीर्णो यतः प्रभुः मत्समः कः पुमांल्लोके देवो वा दानवो ऽपि वा

'Because Nandī, the Lord, has descended in the sacrificial arena, who in the world, whether god or demon, is equal to me?'

एष नन्दी यतो जातो यज्ञभूमौ हिताय मे

'This Nandī, who was born here in the sacrificial ground, is for my benefit.'

मया सह पिता हृष्टः प्रणम्य च महेश्वरम् उटजं स्वं जगामाशु निधिं लब्ध्वेव निर्धनः

My father, delighted, after bowing to the great Lord, quickly returned to his own hut, as a poor man who has found a treasure.

यदागतो ऽहमुटजं शिलादस्य महामुने तदा वै दैविकं रूपं त्यक्त्वा मानुष्यम् आस्थितः

When I, O great sage, arrived at the hut of Śilāda, at that time I abandoned my divine form and assumed a human one.