Linga Purana

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.

तपसाराध्य देवेशं पुरा लब्धं हि शङ्करात् वासुदेवेति यो नित्यं प्रणवेन समन्वितम्

Long ago, by austerity, worshipping the Lord of gods, this was obtained from Śaṅkara: whoever always recites 'Vāsudeva' with the praṇava—

नमस्कारसमायुक्तं भगवच्छब्दसंयुतम् जपेदेवं हि यो विद्वान् ध्रुवं स्थानं प्रपद्यते

—with reverence, joined with the word 'Bhagavat,' and with salutation—such a wise one attains the fixed place of Dhruva.

ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश् च परमर्षयः मात्रा सह ध्रुवं सर्वे तस्मिन् स्थाने न्यवेशयन्

Then all the gods, along with the Gandharvas, Siddhas, and supreme sages, together with their mothers, firmly established themselves in that place.

विष्णोराज्ञां पुरस्कृत्य ज्योतिषां स्थानमाप्तवान् एवं ध्रुवो महातेजा द्वादशाक्षरविद्यया

Having received Vishnu's command, the radiant Dhruva attained the position among the luminaries through the twelve-syllable mantra.

अवाप महतीं सिद्धिम् एतत्ते कथितं मया

He achieved great perfection; this has been told to you by me.

तस्माद्यो वासुदेवाय प्रणामं कुरुते नरः स याति ध्रुवसालोक्यं ध्रुवत्वं तस्य तत्तथा

Therefore, whoever bows to Vāsudeva attains the realm of Dhruva; his steadfastness becomes like that of Dhruva.

देवानां दानवानां च गन्धर्वोरगरक्षसाम् उत्पत्तिं ब्रूहि सूताद्य यथाक्रममनुत्तमम्

O Sūta, tell now, in proper order, the excellent origin of the gods, the demons, the Gandharvas, serpents, and Rākṣasas.

संकल्पाद्दर्शनात्स्पर्शात् पूर्वेषां सृष्टिरुच्यते दक्षात्प्राचेतसादूर्ध्वं सृष्टिर्मैथुनसंभवा

It is said that the earlier creation arose from intention, vision, and touch; after Dakṣa, the son of Pracetas, creation proceeded through sexual union.

यदा तु सृजतस्तस्य देवर्षिगणपन्नगान् न वृद्धिमगमल्लोकस् तदा मैथुनयोगतः

When he was creating gods, sages, and serpents, the worlds did not flourish; then, through the union of sex, growth occurred.

दक्षः पुत्रसहस्राणि पञ्च सूत्यामजीजनत् तांस्तु दृष्ट्वा महाभागान् सिसृक्षुर्विविधाः प्रजाः

Dakṣa, by birth, produced five thousand sons; seeing them, desiring to create various beings, he was greatly fortunate.

नारदः प्राह हर्यश्वान् दक्षपुत्रान् समागतान् भुवः प्रमाणं सर्वं तु ज्ञात्वोर्ध्वमध एव च

Nārada spoke to the Haryaśvas, the sons of Dakṣa who had gathered: 'Having understood the measure of the earth, both above and below—'

ततः सृष्टिं विशेषेण कुरुध्वं मुनिसत्तमाः ते तु तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रयाताः सर्वतोदिशम्

'Therefore, O best of sages, create the world in detail.' Hearing these words, they departed in all directions.

अद्यापि न निवर्तन्ते समुद्रादिव सिन्धवः हर्यश्वेषु च नष्टेषु पुनर्दक्षः प्रजापतिः

Even today they do not return, like rivers to the ocean; when the Haryaśvas were lost, Dakṣa, the lord of creatures, again—

सूत्यामेव च पुत्राणां सहस्रमसृजत्प्रभुः शबला नाम ते विप्राः समेताः सृष्टिहेतवः

By birth, the lord produced another thousand sons; they were called Śabalās, O sages, gathered together for the purpose of creation.

नारदो ऽनुगतान्प्राह पुनस्तान्सूर्यवर्चसः भुवः प्रमाणं सर्वं तु ज्ञात्वा भ्रातॄन् पुनः पुनः

Nārada again spoke to those Śabalās, radiant as the sun: 'Having understood the measure of the earth, repeatedly consider your brothers.'

आगत्य वाथ सृष्टिं वै करिष्यथ विशेषतः ते ऽपि तेनैव मार्गेण जग्मुर्भ्रातृगतिं तथा

'Having come, you will then create the world in detail.' They too, following that same path, went as their brothers had.

ततस्तेष्वपि नष्टेषु षष्टिकन्याः प्रजापतिः वैरिण्यां जनयामास दक्षः प्राचेतसस्तदा

When those too were lost, Prajāpati Dakṣa, son of Pracetas, then begot sixty daughters in Vairiṇī.

प्रादात्स दशकं धर्मे कश्यपाय त्रयोदश विंशत्सप्त च सोमाय चतस्रो ऽरिष्टनेमये

He gave ten to Dharma, thirteen to Kaśyapa, twenty-seven to Soma, and four to Ariṣṭanemi.

द्वे चैव भृगुपुत्राय द्वे कृशाश्वाय धीमते द्वे चैवाङ्गिरसे तद्वत् तासां नामानि विस्तरात्

He gave two to the son of Bhṛgu, two to the wise Kṛśāśva, and likewise two to Aṅgiras; thus, their names are described in detail.

शृणुध्वं देवमातॄणां प्रजाविस्तारमादितः मरुत्वती वसूर् यामिर् लम्बा भानुररुन्धती

Hear now, from the beginning, the expansion of the progeny of the divine mothers: Marutvatī, Vasū, Yāmi, Lambā, Bhānu, and Arundhatī.