Linga Purana

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?

एवमादीनि वाक्यानि भाषमाणां महातपाः अनिरीक्ष्यैव हृष्टात्मा हरेर्नाम जजाप सः

Though she spoke such words, the great ascetic, without even looking at her, joyfully continued to recite the name of Hari.

ततः प्रशेमुः सर्वत्र विघ्नरूपाणि तत्र वै ततो गरुडमारुह्य कालमेघसमद्युतिः

Then all obstacles in that place ceased everywhere; after that, Viṣṇu, radiant as a dark cloud, arrived riding Garuḍa.

सर्वदेवैः परिवृतः स्तूयमानो महर्षिभिः आययौ भगवान्विष्णुः ध्रुवान्तिकम् अरातिहा

Surrounded by all the gods and praised by great sages, the blessed Viṣṇu, destroyer of foes, came near Dhruva.

समागतं विलोक्याथ को ऽसावित्येव चिन्तयन् पिबन्निव हृषीकेशं नयनाभ्यां जगत्पतिम्

Seeing him approach, he wondered, 'Who is this?' and, as if drinking in with his eyes, gazed at Hṛṣīkeśa, the Lord of the world.

जपन् स वासुदेवेति ध्रुवस्तस्थौ महाद्युतिः शङ्खप्रान्तेन गोविन्दः पस्पर्शास्यं हि तस्य वै

Dhruva, resplendent, stood reciting 'Vāsudeva'; Govinda touched his face with the edge of his conch.

ततः स परमं ज्ञानम् अवाप्य पुरुषोत्तमम् तुष्टाव प्राञ्जलिर्भूत्वा सर्वलोकेश्वरं हरिम्

Then, having attained supreme knowledge and the highest Person, he praised Hari, Lord of all worlds, with joined palms.

प्रसीद देवदेवेश शङ्खचक्रगदाधर लोकात्मन् वेदगुह्यात्मन् त्वां प्रपन्नो ऽस्मि केशव

Be gracious, Lord of gods, bearer of conch, discus, and mace, soul of the world, knower of the Vedas' secrets—I take refuge in you, Keśava.

न विदुस्त्वां महात्मानं सनकाद्या महर्षयः तत्कथं त्वामहं विद्यां नमस्ते भुवनेश्वर

Even the great sages like Sanaka do not know you, O great soul; how then can I know you? Salutations to you, Lord of the world.

तमाह प्रहसन्विष्णुर् एहि वत्स ध्रुवो भवान् स्थानं ध्रुवं समासाद्य ज्योतिषाम् अग्रभुग् भव

Viṣṇu, smiling, said to him: 'Come, child Dhruva. Having attained the fixed place, become the foremost among the stars.'

मात्रा त्वं सहितस्तत्र ज्योतिषां स्थानमाप्नुहि मत्स्थानमेतत्परमं ध्रुवं नित्यं सुशोभनम्

There, together with your mother, attain the place of the stars—this supreme, eternal, and beautiful abode of mine.