Linga Purana

पद्मोत्पलवनोपेता प्रावर्तत महानदी तामाह च महादेवो नदीं परमशोभनाम्

Adorned with lotuses and lilies, the great river began to flow. Mahadeva spoke to that river, supremely beautiful,

यस्माज्जटोदकादेव प्रवृत्ता त्वं महानदी तस्माज्जटोदका पुण्या भविष्यसि सरिद्वरा

Because you have arisen from the water of the matted locks, you are a great river; therefore, you will be called Jatodaka, the sacred and foremost stream.

त्वयि स्नात्वा नरः कश्चित् सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ततो देव्या महादेवः शिलादतनयं प्रभुः

Whoever bathes in you will be freed from all sins. Then Mahadeva, lord, addressed the son of Shilada through the goddess.

पुत्रस्ते ऽयमिति प्रोच्य पादयोः संन्यपातयत् सा मामाघ्राय शिरसि पाणिभ्यां परिमार्जती

Saying, 'This is your son,' she placed me at her feet, embraced me, smelled my head, and gently stroked me with her hands.

पुत्रप्रेम्णाभ्यषिञ्चच्च स्रोतोभिस्तनयैस्त्रिभिः पयसा शङ्खगौरेण देवदेवं निरीक्ष्य सा

Out of motherly love, she bathed me with three streams of milk flowing from her breasts, gazing at the Lord of gods, pure as a conch.

तानि स्रोतांसि त्रीण्यस्याः स्रोतस्विन्यो ऽभवंस्तदा नदीं त्रिस्रोतसं देवो भगवानवदद्भवः

Those three streams from her became three rivers, and then the blessed Lord declared, 'Let this be the river of three streams.'

त्रिस्रोतसं नदीं दृष्ट्वा वृषः परमहर्षितः ननाद नादात्तस्माच्च सरिदन्या ततो ऽभवत्

Seeing the river of three streams, the bull, overjoyed, bellowed loudly, and from that sound another river arose.

वृषध्वनिरिति ख्याता देवदेवेन सा नदी जांबूनदमयं चित्रं सर्वरत्नमयं शुभम्

That river became known as Vṛṣadhvani, famed by the Lord of gods, made of golden jambū wood, wondrous, adorned with all gems, and auspicious.

स्वं देवश्चाद्भुतं दिव्यं निर्मितं विश्वकर्मणा मुकुटं चाबबन्धेशो मम मूर्ध्नि वृषध्वजः

Then the Lord, Vṛṣadhvaja, tied on my head a marvelous, divine crown crafted by Viśvakarman himself.

कुण्डले च शुभे दिव्ये वज्रवैडूर्यभूषिते आबबन्ध महादेवः स्वयमेव महेश्वरः

The great Lord Maheśvara himself fastened on me beautiful, divine earrings adorned with diamond and beryl.

मां तथाभ्यर्चितं व्योम्नि दृष्ट्वा मेघैः प्रभाकरः मेघांभसा चाभ्यषिञ्चच् छिलादनम् अथो मुने

Seeing me thus honored in the sky, the sun, O sage, bathed me with rainwater from the clouds, as if anointing a king.

तस्याभिषिक्तस्य तदा प्रवृत्ता स्रोतसा भृशम् यस्मात् सुवर्णान्निःसृत्य नद्येषा सम्प्रवर्तते

Then, as I was anointed, a strong current began to flow; because it issued from gold, this river came into being.

स्वर्णोदकेति तामाह देवदेवस्त्रियंबकः जाम्बूनदमयाद्यस्माद् द्वितीया मुकुटाच्छुभा

The three-eyed Lord of gods called it Svarṇodakā, 'the golden-watered,' since it arose from golden jambū wood, and the second, auspicious one, from the crown.

प्रावर्तत नदी पुण्या ऊचुर् जम्बूनदीति ताम् एतत्पञ्चनदं नाम जप्येश्वरसमीपगम्

A sacred river then began to flow, and people called it Jambūnadī; this is the famous Pañcanada, near the lord of Japyeśvara.

यः पञ्चनदमासाद्य स्नात्वा जप्येश्वरेश्वरम् पूजयेच्छिवसायुज्यं प्रयात्येव न संशयः

Whoever, reaching Pañcanada, bathes and worships Japyeśvareśvara attains union with Śiva without doubt.

अथ देवो महादेवः सर्वभूतपतिर्भवः देवीमुवाच शर्वाणीम् उमां गिरिसुतामजाम्

Then the great god, Lord of all beings, addressed the goddess Śarvāṇī, Umā, the unborn daughter of the mountain.

देवी नन्दीश्वरं देवम् अभिषिञ्चामि भूतपम् गणेन्द्रं व्याहरिष्यामि किं वा त्वं मन्यसे ऽव्यये

The goddess said, 'Shall I anoint Nandīśvara, the lord of beings, and proclaim him chief of the gaṇas, or what do you think, O imperishable one?''

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा भवानी हर्षितानना स्मयन्ती वरदं प्राह भवं भूतपतिं पतिम्

Hearing these words, Bhavānī, her face beaming with joy, smiled and spoke to Bhava, her lord and the lord of beings.

सर्वलोकाधिपत्यं च गणेशत्वं तथैव च दातुमर्हसि देवेश शैलादिस्तनयो मम

O Lord of gods, you should grant him lordship over all worlds and the leadership of the gaṇas, for he is the son of the mountain, mine.

ततः स भगवाञ्शर्वः सर्वलोकेश्वरेश्वरः सस्मार गणपान् दिव्यान् देवदेवो वृषध्वजः

Then the blessed Śarva, Lord of all lords, Vṛṣadhvaja, remembered the divine gaṇas.

स्मरणादेव रुद्रस्य सम्प्राप्ताश् च गणेश्वराः सर्वे सहस्रहस्ताश् च सहस्रायुधपाणयः

By merely remembering Rudra, all the lords of the gaṇas arrived, each with a thousand hands and bearing a thousand weapons.

त्रिनेत्राश् च महात्मानस् त्रिदशैरपि वन्दिताः कोटिकालाग्निसंकाशा जटामुकुटधारिणः

The great-souled, three-eyed ones, honored even by the gods, radiant like millions of fires of time, wearing crowns of matted hair.

दंष्ट्राकरालवदना नित्या बुद्धाश् च निर्मलाः कोटिकोटिगणैस्तुल्यैर् आत्मना च गणेश्वराः असंख्याता महात्मानस् तत्राजग्मुर्मुदा युताः

With faces fierce as fangs, eternally awakened and pure, equal to countless multitudes, themselves lords of hosts, innumerable and noble, they arrived there, filled with joy.

गायन्तश् च द्रवन्तश् च नृत्यन्तश् च महाबलाः मुखाडम्बरवाद्यानि वादयन्तस्तथैव च

Singing, running, and dancing, mighty in strength, they played loud instruments with their mouths as well.

रथैर्नागैर्हयैश्चैव सिंहमर्कटवाहनाः विमानेषु तथारूढा हेमचित्रेषु वै गणाः

On chariots, elephants, horses, and riding lions or monkeys, the hosts ascended celestial vehicles adorned with gold designs.

भेरीमृदङ्गकाद्यैश् च पणवानकगोमुखैः वादित्रैर्विविधैश्चान्यैः पटहैरेकपुष्करैः

With drums, mridangas, and other instruments—panavas, anakas, gomukhas—and many other kinds of instruments, including patahas and single-skin drums.

भेरीमुरजसंनादैर् आडम्बरकडिण्डिमैः मर्दलैर्वेणुवीणाभिर् विविधैस्तालनिःस्वनैः

With the sounds of bheris and murajas, loud kadindimas, mardalas, flutes, veenas, and various resonances of cymbals.

दर्दुरैस्तलघातैश् च कच्छपैः पणवैरपि वाद्यमानैर्महायोगा आजग्मुर्देवसंसदम्

With darduras, strikes of cymbals, kacchapas, and panavas being played, the great yogis entered the divine assembly.

ते गणेशा महासत्त्वाः सर्वदेवेश्वरेश्वराः प्रणम्य देवं देवीं च इदं वचनम् अब्रुवन्

Those lords of hosts, of great strength, rulers of all gods and lords, after bowing to the god and goddess, spoke these words.