Linga Purana

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.

नष्टा चैव स्मृतिर्दिव्या येन केनापि कारणात् मानुष्यमास्थितं दृष्ट्वा पिता मे लोकपूजितः

And for some reason, my divine memory was lost; seeing me in a human state, my father, honored by the world,

विललापातिदुःखार्तः स्वजनैश् च समावृतः जातकर्मादिकाश्चैव चकार मम सर्ववित्

Afflicted by intense sorrow, surrounded by his kinsmen, he lamented, and, knowing all, performed for me the birth rites and other ceremonies.

शालङ्कायनपुत्रो वै शिलादः पुत्रवत्सलः उपदिष्टा हि तेनैव ऋक्शाखा यजुषस् तथा

Śilāda, son of Śālaṅkāyana, devoted to his son, instructed me in the Ṛgveda branch and likewise in the Yajurveda.

सामशाखासहस्रं च साङ्गोपाङ्गं महामुने आयुर्वेदं धनुर्वेदं गान्धर्वं चाश्वलक्षणम्

And, O great sage, he taught me the thousand branches of the Sāmaveda, with all its parts and sub-parts, as well as Ayurveda, Dhanurveda, music, and the science of horses.

हस्तिनां चरितं चैव नराणां चैव लक्षणम् सम्पूर्णे सप्तमे वर्षे ततो ऽथ मुनिसत्तमौ

He also taught the conduct of elephants and the marks of men; when my seventh year was complete, then, O best of sages,

मित्रावरुणनामानौ तपोयोगबलान्वितौ तस्याश्रमं गतौ दिव्यौ द्रष्टुं मां चाज्ञया विभोः

The two divine sages named Mitra and Varuṇa, endowed with the power of austerity and yoga, came to his hermitage by the command of the Lord, to see me.

ऊचतुश् च महात्मानौ मां निरीक्ष्य मुहुर्मुहुः तात नन्द्ययमल्पायुः सर्वशास्त्रार्थपारगः

And those great souls, after observing me again and again, said: 'O dear one, Nandī, though master of all the meanings of the scriptures, has but a short life.'

न दृष्टमेवमाश्चर्यम् आयुर्वर्षादतः परम् इत्युक्तवति विप्रेन्द्रः शिलादः पुत्रवत्सलः

'Such a wonder has never been seen, that after this year there is no further lifespan.' When they had spoken thus, the best of Brāhmaṇas, Śilāda, devoted to his son,

समालिङ्ग्य च दुःखार्तो रुरोदातीव विस्वरम् हा पुत्र पुत्र पुत्रेति पपात च समन्ततः

Embracing me, overwhelmed by grief, cried out loudly, 'Alas, my son, my son!' and fell down all around.

अहो बलं दैवविधेर् विधातुश्चेति दुःखितः तस्य चार्तस्वरं श्रुत्वा तदाश्रमनिवासिनः

Distressed, he said, 'Ah, such is the power of fate and the Creator!' Hearing his anguished voice, the residents of the hermitage