Linga Purana

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.

नृणां योनिपरित्यागः सर्वथैव विवेकिनः एवमुक्त्वा तु मां साक्षात् सर्वदेवमहेश्वरः

The abandonment of birth by humans is always for the wise. Having spoken thus to me directly, the great lord of all gods,

कराभ्यां सुशुभाभ्यां च उभाभ्यां परमेश्वरः पस्पर्श भगवान् रुद्रः परमार्तिहरो हरः

With both beautiful hands, the supreme lord, Bhagavan Rudra, the remover of supreme distress, touched me.

उवाच च महादेवस् तुष्टात्मा वृषभध्वजः निरीक्ष्य गणपांश्चैव देवीं हिमवतः सुताम्

Mahadeva, whose heart was pleased and who bears the bull as his emblem, spoke, gazing at the Ganas and at the goddess, daughter of Himavat.

समालोक्य च तुष्टात्मा महादेवः सुरेश्वरः अजरो जरया त्यक्तो नित्यं दुःखविवर्जितः

Beholding them, Mahadeva, lord of the gods, with a pleased heart, said: 'You are ageless, freed from old age, always devoid of suffering.'

अक्षयश्चाव्ययश्चैव सपिता ससुहृज्जनः ममेष्टो गणपश्चैव मद्वीर्यो मत्पराक्रमः

You are imperishable and undecaying, with father and friends; my beloved Gana, endowed with my strength and valor.

इष्टो मम सदा चैव मम पार्श्वगतः सदा मद्बलश्चैव भविता महायोगबलान्वितः

You are always dear to me, always at my side; you will possess my strength, endowed with the power of great yoga.

एवमुक्त्वा च मां देवो भगवान् सगणस्तदा कुशेशयमयीं मालां समुन्मुच्यात्मनस्तदा

Having spoken thus to me, the god Bhagavan, along with the Ganas, then untied from himself a garland made of kusa grass.

आबबन्ध महातेजा मम देवो वृषध्वजः तयाहं मालया जातः शुभया कण्ठसक्तया

The mighty deity, Vrishadhvaja, bound me with that garland; with that auspicious garland fastened around my neck, I was transformed.

त्र्यक्षो दशभुजश्चैव द्वितीय इव शङ्करः तत एव समादाय हस्तेन परमेश्वरः

Three-eyed, ten-armed, like a second Shankara, from that very garland, the supreme lord took up with his hand.

उवाच ब्रूहि किं ते ऽद्य ददामि वरमुत्तमम् ततो जटाश्रितं वारि गृहीत्वा चातिनिर्मलम्

He said: 'Speak, what do you desire today? I will grant you the highest boon.' Then, taking water from his matted hair, exceedingly pure,