Linga Purana

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.

इत्युक्तः स मुनिः श्रीमान् प्रहसन्न् इदम् अब्रवीत् राजपुत्र शृणुष्वेदं स्थानमुत्तममाप्स्यसि

Thus addressed, the illustrious sage, smiling, spoke these words: 'O prince, listen; you shall attain that supreme place.'

आराध्य जगतामीशं केशवं क्लेशनाशनम् दक्षिणाङ्गभवं शंभोर् महादेवस्य धीमतः

By worshipping Keśava, the lord of the worlds, destroyer of afflictions, who arose from the right side of Mahādeva, the wise one—

जप नित्यं महाप्राज्ञ सर्वपापविनाशनम् इष्टदं परमं शुद्धं पवित्रममलं परम्

Recite always, O highly wise one, the mantra that destroys all sins, grants desires, is supremely pure, holy, spotless, and supreme.

ब्रूहि मन्त्रमिमं दिव्यं प्रणवेन समन्वितम् नमो ऽस्तु वासुदेवाय इत्येवं नियतेन्द्रियः

Speak this divine mantra, joined with the praṇava: 'Let there be homage to Vāsudeva!'—thus, with controlled senses.

ध्यायन्सनातनं विष्णुं जपहोमपरायणः इत्युक्तः प्रणिपत्यैनं विश्वामित्रं महायशाः

Meditating on the eternal Viṣṇu, devoted to recitation and sacrifice, thus addressed, the illustrious one bowed to Viśvāmitra.

प्राङ्मुखो नियतो भूत्वा जजाप प्रीतमानसः शाकमूलफलाहारः संवत्सरमतन्द्रितः

Facing east, disciplined, with a joyful mind, subsisting on roots, fruits, and vegetables, he recited without fatigue for a year.

जजाप मन्त्रमनिशम् अजस्रं स पुनः पुनः वेताला राक्षसा घोराः सिंहाद्याश् च महामृगाः

He recited the mantra day and night, ceaselessly, again and again; terrifying spirits, demons, and great beasts like lions approached.

तमभ्ययुर्महात्मानं बुद्धिमोहाय भीषणाः जपन् स वासुदेवेति न किंचित् प्रत्यपद्यत

Those dreadful beings came to that great soul to bewilder his mind; but as he recited 'Vāsudeva,' he did not waver at all.

सुनीतिर् अस्य या माता तस्या रूपेण संवृता पिशाचि समनुप्राप्ता रुरोद भृशदुःखिता

His mother Sunīti, taking her form, appeared as a piśāci and, overwhelmed with grief, began to weep.

मम त्वमेकः पुत्रो ऽसि किमर्थं क्लिश्यते भवान् मामनाथामपहाय तप आस्थितवानसि

You are my only son—why do you suffer so? Abandoning your helpless mother, why have you taken up austerity?