Linga Purana

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

निपेतुर्विह्वलात्यर्थं रक्षाश्चक्रुश् च मङ्गलम् तुष्टुवुश् च महादेवं त्रियंबकमुमापतिम्

Fell down, greatly agitated, performed auspicious rites for protection, and praised the great god, Triyambaka, the consort of Umā.

हुत्वा त्रियंबकेनैव मधुनैव च संप्लुताम् दूर्वामयुतसंख्यातां सर्वद्रव्यसमन्विताम्

They offered oblations to Triyambaka, with honey poured over, numbering as many as blades of sacred grass, and with all kinds of materials.

पिता विगतसंज्ञश् च तथा चैव पितामहः विचेष्टश् च ललापासौ मृतवन्निपपात च

My father lost consciousness, and likewise my grandfather; he writhed and lamented, and fell down as if dead.

मृत्योर् भीतो ऽहम् अचिराच् छिरसा चाभिवन्द्य तम् मृतवत्पतितं साक्षात् पितरं च पितामहम्

Fearing death, I soon bowed my head to them—my father and grandfather—who had fallen as if dead before my eyes.

प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य च तं रुद्रजाप्यरतो ऽभवम् हृत्पुण्डरीके सुषिरे ध्यात्वा देवं त्रियंबकम्

Circumambulating them, I became intent on reciting Rudra hymns, meditating on the god Triyambaka in the lotus of my heart, in the subtle space within.

त्र्यक्षं दशभुजं शान्तं पञ्चवक्त्रं सदाशिवम् सरितश्चान्तरे पुण्ये स्थितं मां परमेश्वरः

I saw the supreme Lord, three-eyed, ten-armed, peaceful, five-faced, ever-auspicious, standing in the sacred waters before me.

तुष्टो ऽब्रवीन्महादेवः सोमः सोमार्धभूषणः वत्स नन्दिन्महाबाहो मृत्योर्भीतिः कुतस्तव

Pleased, Mahadeva, adorned with the crescent moon, said: 'Child Nandin, mighty-armed one, how can you have fear of death?'

मयैव प्रेषितौ विप्रौ मत्समस्त्वं न संशयः वत्सैनत्तव देहं च लौकिकं परमार्थतः

It is I who sent those two Brahmins; you are like me, without doubt. Child, your body is worldly in truth.

नास्त्येव दैविकं दृष्टं शिलादेन पुरा तव देवैश् च मुनिभिः सिद्धैर् गन्धर्वैर्दानवोत्तमैः

There is no divine body seen before, neither by you nor by gods, sages, siddhas, gandharvas, or the foremost of demons.

पूजितं यत्पुरा वत्स दैविकं नन्दिकेश्वर संसारस्य स्वभावो ऽयं सुखं दुःखं पुनः पुनः

What was worshipped before, child, as divine, O Nandikesvara, is the nature of worldly existence—happiness and sorrow again and again.