Linga Purana

ताराग्रहाणां शुक्रस्तु केतूनां चापि धूमवान् ध्रुवः किल ग्रहाणां तु विभक्तानां चतुर्दिशम्

Among stars and planets, Venus is foremost; among comets, Dhumavan; and Dhruva is indeed the foremost among the planets stationed in the four directions.

नक्षत्राणां श्रविष्ठा स्याद् अयनानां तथोत्तरम् वर्षाणां चैव पञ्चानाम् आद्यः संवत्सरः स्मृतः

Among the constellations, Sravishtha is foremost; among the solstices, the northern; among the five years, the first is called the year.

ऋतूनां शिशिरश्चापि मासानां माघ उच्यते पक्षाणां शुक्लपक्षस्तु तिथीनां प्रतिपत्तथा

Among the seasons, Shishira is foremost; among the months, Magha is said to be so; among the lunar fortnights, the bright fortnight; and among the lunar days, Pratipat likewise.

अहोरात्रविभागानाम् अहश्चादिः प्रकीर्तितः मुहूर्तानां तथैवादिर् मुहूर्तो रुद्रदैवतः

Among the divisions of day and night, day is declared the beginning; likewise, among the muhurtas, the first muhurta is dedicated to Rudra.

क्षणश्चापि निमेषादिः कालः कालविदां वराः श्रवणान्तं धनिष्ठादि युगं स्यात्पञ्चवार्षिकम्

Among moments, the nimeṣa is the beginning; O best of those who know time, the yuga from the end of Shravaṇa to the beginning of Dhanishtha is said to be five years.

भानोर्गतिविशेषेण चक्रवत्परिवर्तते दिवाकरः स्मृतस्तस्मात् कालकृद्विभुरीश्वरः

By the special movement of the sun, the day-maker revolves like a wheel; therefore, he is remembered as the lord who creates time.

चतुर्विधानां भूतानां प्रवर्तकनिवर्तकः तस्यापि भगवान् रुद्रः साक्षाद्देवः प्रवर्तकः

He is the initiator and withdrawer of the four kinds of beings; and even for him, the blessed Rudra is directly the initiator, O god.

इत्येष ज्योतिषामेवं संनिवेशो ऽर्थनिश्चयः लोकसंव्यवहारार्थं महादेवेन निर्मितः

Thus, this arrangement of the luminaries and the determination of their meaning was established by Mahadeva for the sake of worldly dealings.

बुद्धिपूर्वं भगवता कल्पादौ सम्प्रवर्तितः स आश्रयो ऽभिमानी च सर्वस्य ज्योतिरात्मकः

At the beginning of the kalpa, this was set in motion by the Blessed One with forethought; he is the support, the presiding lord, and the essence of all luminaries.

एकरूपप्रधानस्य परिणामो ऽयमद्भुतः नैष शक्यः प्रसंख्यातुं याथातथ्येन केनचित्

This wondrous transformation of the one principal form cannot be fully enumerated as it truly is by anyone.

गतागतं मनुष्येण ज्योतिषां मांसचक्षुषा आगमादनुमानाच्च प्रत्यक्षादुपपत्तितः

The coming and going of the luminaries is to be known by a person through the physical eye, tradition, inference, direct perception, and reasoning.

परीक्ष्य निपुणं बुद्ध्या श्रद्धातव्यं विपश्चिता चक्षुः शास्त्रं जलं लेख्यं गणितं मुनिसत्तमाः

Having examined with keen intellect, one should have faith, O wise one; the eye, scripture, water, writing, and calculation, O best of sages.

पञ्चैते हेतवो ज्ञेया ज्योतिर्मानविनिर्णये

These five causes are to be known in the determination of the measure of the luminaries.

कथं विष्णोः प्रसादाद्वै ध्रुवो बुद्धिमतां वरः मेढीभूतो ग्राहाणां वै वक्तुमर्हसि सांप्रतम्

How, by the grace of Vishnu, did Dhruva, best of the wise, become the pillar among the planets? You should tell this now.

एतमर्थं मया पृष्टो नानाशास्त्रविशारदः मार्कण्डेयः पुरा प्राह मह्यं शुश्रूषवे द्विजाः

On this matter, I was once asked by Markandeya, expert in various scriptures, and he spoke to me, eager to listen, O twice-born ones.

सार्वभौमो महातेजाः सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः उत्तानपादो राजा वै पालयामास मेदिनीम्

Uttānapāda, the sovereign of all, radiant with great splendor, foremost among all bearers of weapons, indeed ruled the earth.

तस्य भार्याद्वयम् अभूत् सुनीतिः सुरुचिस् तथा अग्रजायामभूत्पुत्रः सुनीत्यां तु महायशाः

He had two wives: Sunīti and Suruci; from the elder, Sunīti, a son of great fame was born.

ध्रुवो नाम महाप्राज्ञः कुलदीपो महामतिः कदाचित् सप्तवर्षे ऽपि पितुरङ्कम् उपाविशत्

Dhruva by name, highly wise, a lamp of his lineage, possessing great intellect, once, even at seven years of age, sat upon his father's lap.

सुरुचिस्तं विनिर्धूय स्वपुत्रं प्रीतिमानसा न्यवेशयत्तं विप्रेन्द्रा ह्य् अङ्कं रूपेण मानिता

Suruci, casting him aside, affectionately placed her own son upon the lap, honoring him with regard due to his appearance, O best of twice-born.

अलब्ध्वा स पितुर्धीमान् अङ्कं दुःखितमानसः मातुः समीपमागम्य रुरोद स पुनः पुनः

Not obtaining his father's lap, that intelligent boy, his mind afflicted with sorrow, approached his mother and wept again and again.

रुदन्तं पुत्रमाहेदं माता शोकपरिप्लुता सुरुचिर्दयिता भर्तुस् तस्याः पुत्रो ऽपि तादृशः

Seeing her son weeping, his mother, overwhelmed by grief, spoke; Suruci, the beloved of her husband, had a son likewise.

मम त्वं मन्दभाग्याया जातः पुत्रो ऽप्यभाग्यवान् किं शोचसि किमर्थं त्वं रोदमानः पुनः पुनः

You were born to me, who am of poor fortune, and your son is also unfortunate; why do you grieve, why do you keep weeping again and again?

संतप्तहृदयो भूत्वा मम शोकं करिष्यसि स्वस्थस्थानं ध्रुवं पुत्र स्वशक्त्या त्वं समाप्नुयाः

Having become anguished in heart, you will only increase my sorrow; O son Dhruva, by your own strength you should attain your rightful place.

इत्युक्तः स तु मात्रा वै निर्जगाम तदा वनम् विश्वामित्रं ततो दृष्ट्वा प्रणिपत्य यथाविधि

Thus addressed by his mother, he then departed for the forest; seeing Viśvāmitra there, he bowed according to custom.

उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्भूत्वा भगवन् वक्तुमर्हसि सर्वेषामुपरिस्थानं केन प्राप्स्यामि सत्तम

Becoming reverent with folded hands, he spoke: 'O revered one, please tell me, by what means may I attain the highest place among all?'

पितुरङ्के समासीनं माता मां सुरुचिर्मुने व्यधूनयत्स तं राजा पिता नोवाच किंचन

When I sat upon my father's lap, O sage, Suruci, my mother, cast me aside; the king, my father, said nothing.

एतस्मात् कारणाद् ब्रह्मंस् त्रस्तो ऽहं मातरं गतः सुनीतिराह मे माता मा कृथाः शोकमुत्तमम्

Because of this, O Brahman, I am afraid and have gone to my mother; Sunīti, my mother, said to me: 'Do not indulge in excessive grief.'

स्वकर्मणा परं स्थानं प्राप्तुमर्हसि पुत्रक तस्या हि वचनं श्रुत्वा स्थानं तव महामुने

By your own actions, O child, you should attain the highest place; hearing her words, O great sage, your place shall be established.

प्राप्तो वनमिदं ब्रह्मन्न् अद्य त्वां दृष्टवान्प्रभो तव प्रसादात् प्राप्स्ये ऽहं स्थानमद्भुतमुत्तमम्

I have reached this forest, O Brahman, and today I have seen you, O lord; by your grace, I shall attain a wonderful and supreme place.