Linga Purana

ततो देवाश् च सेन्द्राश् च नारायणमुखास् तथा मुनयो भगवान्ब्रह्मा नवब्रह्माण एव च

Then the gods, along with Indra, those led by Narayana, the sages, the blessed Brahma, and the nine Brahmas.

देवैश् च लोकाः सर्वे ते ततो जग्मुर्मुदा युताः तेष्वागतेषु सर्वेषु भगवान्परमेश्वरः

All the worlds with their gods then came joyfully; when all had arrived, the blessed supreme lord.

सर्वकार्यविधिं कर्तुम् आदिदेश पितामहम् पितामहो ऽपि भगवान् नियोगादेव तस्य तु

Ordered Pitamaha to perform all the necessary rites; and Pitamaha, the blessed one, acted by his command.

चकार सर्वं भगवान् अभिषेकं समाहितः अर्चयित्वा ततो ब्रह्मा स्वयमेवाभ्यषेचयत्

The blessed one, with concentration, performed all the rites of consecration; then Brahma himself worshipped and anointed.

ततो विष्णुस्ततः शक्रो लोकपालास्तथैव च अभ्यषिञ्चन्त विधिवद् गणेन्द्रं शिवशासनात्

Then Vishnu, then Shakra, and the guardians of the worlds likewise anointed the lord of the Ganas according to the prescribed manner, by Shiva's command.

ऋषयस्तुष्टुवुश्चैव पिता महपुरोगमाः स्तुतवत्सु ततस्तेषु विष्णुः सर्वजगत्पतिः

The sages praised, and the ancestors led by the great ones also offered praise; as they were praised, Vishnu, lord of all the worlds.

शिरस्यञ्जलिमादाय तुष्टाव च समाहितः प्राञ्जलिः प्रणतो भूत्वा जयशब्दं चकार च

With hands joined on his head, he praised with concentration, bowing with folded hands, and uttered words of victory.

ततो गणाधिपाः सर्वे ततो देवास्ततो ऽसुराः एवं स्तुतश्चाभिषिक्तो देवैः सब्रह्मकैस्तदा

Then all the leaders of the hosts, then the gods, then the asuras, thus praised and consecrated him together with Brahma at that time.

उद्वाहश् च कृतस्तत्र नियोगात्परमेष्ठिनः मरुतां च सुता देवी सुयशाख्या बभूव या

There, by the command of the supreme lord, the marriage was performed; and the goddess, daughter of the Maruts, named Suyaśā, became his wife.

लब्धं शशिप्रभं छत्रं तया तत्र विभूषितम् चामरे चामरासक्तहस्ताग्रैः स्त्रीगणैर्युता

A parasol shining like the moon was obtained and adorned by her there, accompanied by groups of women holding fly-whisks with their hands.

सिंहासनं च परमं तया चाधिष्ठितं मया अलंकृता महालक्ष्म्या मुकुटाद्यैः सुभूषणैः

The supreme throne was occupied by her and by me, decorated by Mahalakshmi with crown and other splendid ornaments.

लब्धो हारश् च परमो देव्याः कण्ठगतस् तथा वृषेन्द्रश् च सितो नागः सिंहः सिंहध्वजस् तथा

A most excellent necklace was obtained, placed on the goddess's neck; likewise, the lord of bulls, a white elephant, a lion, and a lion-banner.

रथश् च हेमच्छत्रं च चन्द्रबिंबसमप्रभम् अद्यापि सदृशः कश्चिन् मया नास्ति विभुः क्वचित्

A chariot and a golden parasol, radiant like the moon's disc; even today, nowhere is there anyone equal to me, O mighty one.

सान्वयं च गृहीत्वेशस् तथा संबन्धिबान्धवैः आरुह्य वृषमीशानो मया देव्या गतः शिवः

Having taken his family and relatives, the lord ascended the bull; with the goddess and me, Śiva departed.

तदा देवीं भवं दृष्ट्वा मया च प्रार्थयन् गणैः मुनिदेवर्षयः सिद्धा आज्ञां पाशुपतीं द्विजाः

Then, seeing the goddess Bhavā and me, the hosts, sages, divine rishis, and siddhas requested the Pāśupata command, O twice-born.

अथाज्ञां प्रददौ तेषाम् अर्हाणाम् आज्ञया विभोः नन्दिको नगजाभर्तुस् तेषां पाशुपतीं शुभाम्

Then, by the command of the lord, Nandikā, the attendant of the mountain-born's husband, granted them the auspicious Pāśupata command.

तस्माद्धि मुनयो लब्ध्वा तदाज्ञां मुनिपुङ्गवात् भवभक्तास्तदा चासंस् तस्मादेवं समर्चयेत्

Therefore, the sages, having received that command from the foremost sage, became devoted to Bhava; thus, one should worship in this way.

नमस्कारविहीनस्तु नाम उद्गिरयेद्भवे ब्रह्मघ्नदशसंतुल्यं तस्य पापं गरीयसम्

One who utters the name of Bhava without bowing incurs a sin equal to killing a Brahmin ten times; his sin is most grievous.

तस्मात्सर्वप्रकारेण नमस्कारादिमुच्चरेत् आदौ कुर्यान्नमस्कारं तदन्ते शिवतां व्रजेत्

Therefore, in every way, one should recite bowing and the like; first, one should bow, and at the end, attain the state of Śiva.

सूत सुव्यक्तमखिलं कथितं शङ्करस्य तु सर्वात्मभावं रुद्रस्य स्वरूपं वक्तुमर्हसि

Sūta, you have clearly narrated everything about Śaṅkara; now you should speak of the essential nature of Rudra, who is the soul of all.

भूर्भुवः स्वर्महश्चैव जनः साक्षात्तपस् तथा सत्यलोकश् च पातालं नरकार्णवकोटयः

The worlds Bhū, Bhuvaḥ, Svar, Mahas, Jana, Tapas, and Satya, as well as Pātāla, the realms of hell, and countless oceanic abysses—

तारकाग्रहसोमार्का ध्रुवः सप्तर्षयस् तथा वैमानिकास्तथान्ये च तिष्ठन्त्यस्य प्रसादतः

Stars, planets, moon, sun, Dhruva, the seven sages, and celestial beings, and others, all exist by his grace.

अनेन निर्मितास्त्वेवं तदात्मानो द्विजर्षभाः समष्टिरूपः सर्वात्मा संस्थितः सर्वदा शिवः

By him, all these are created, O best of twice-born; he is established as the totality, the soul of all, always as Śiva.

सर्वात्मानं महात्मानं महादेवं महेश्वरम् न विजानन्ति संमूढा मायया तस्य मोहिताः

The deluded, bewildered by his Māyā, do not know the soul of all, the great soul, the great god, the great lord.

तस्य देवस्य रुद्रस्य शरीरं वै जगत्त्रयम् तस्मात्प्रणम्य तं वक्ष्ये जगतां निर्णयं शुभम्

The body of that god, Rudra, is indeed the three worlds; therefore, bowing to him, I shall speak the auspicious determination of the worlds.

पुरा वः कथितं सर्वं मयाण्डस्य यथा कृतिः भुवनानां स्वरूपं च ब्रह्माण्डे कथयाम्यहम्

Earlier, I have told you everything about the creation of the cosmic egg; now I shall describe the nature of the worlds within the Brahmāṇḍa.

पृथिवी चान्तरिक्षं च स्वर्महर्जन एव च तपः सत्यं च सप्तैते लोकास्त्वण्डोद्भवाः शुभाः

The earth, the atmosphere, heaven, the world of Mahar, Jana, Tapas, and Satya—these seven auspicious worlds arise from the cosmic egg.

अधस्तादत्र चैतेषां द्विजाः सप्त तलानि तु महातलादयस्तेषां अधस्तान्नरकाः क्रमात्

Below these, O twice-born, are seven realms called Talas, beginning with Mahātala; beneath them, in order, are the hells.

महातलं हेमतलं सर्वरत्नोपशोभितम् प्रासादैश् च विचित्रैश् च भवस्यायतनैस् तथा

Mahātala is adorned with gold and all kinds of gems, and with splendid palaces and various abodes belonging to Bhava.