Linga Purana

भगवन्ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठ तव देहम् इदं शुभम् पालयस्व विभो द्रष्टुं तव पौत्रं ममात्मजम्

O revered one, best of Brāhmaṇas, preserve this blessed body of yours, O lord, so that you may see your grandson, my own son.

न त्याज्यं तव विप्रेन्द्र देहमेतत्सुशोभनम् गर्भस्थो मम सर्वार्थसाधकः शक्तिजो यतः

O foremost of Brāhmaṇas, you must not abandon this splendid body, for my child, the son of Shakti, who fulfills all purposes, is still in the womb.

एवमुक्त्वाथ धर्मज्ञा कराभ्यां कमलेक्षणा उत्थाप्य श्वशुरं नत्वा नेत्रे संमृज्य वारिणा

Having spoken thus, the righteous, lotus-eyed woman raised her father-in-law with her hands, bowed to him, and wiped his eyes with water.

दुःखितापि परित्रातुं श्वशुरं दुःखितं तदा अरुन्धतीं च कल्याणीं प्रार्थयामास दुःखिताम्

Though afflicted with sorrow, she then sought to comfort her grieving father-in-law, and she also appealed to the virtuous Arundhatī, who was herself distressed.

स्नुषावाक्यं ततः श्रुत्वा वसिष्ठ उत्थाय भूतलात् संज्ञामवाप्य चालिङ्ग्य सा पपात सुदुःखिता

Hearing the words of his daughter-in-law, Vasiṣṭha rose from the ground, regained consciousness, embraced her, and she, overwhelmed with grief, collapsed.

अरुन्धती कराभ्यां तां संस्पृश्यास्राकुलेक्षणाम् रुरोद मुनिशार्दूलो भार्यया सुतवत्सलः

Arundhatī, her eyes filled with tears, touched her, and the tiger among sages, loving his wife as a son, wept.

अथ नाभ्यंबुजे विष्णोर् यथा तस्याश्चतुर्मुखः आसीनो गर्भशय्यायां कुमार ऋचमाह सः

Then, just as the four-faced one sits in Viṣṇu’s navel-lotus, the boy, lying in the womb, recited a Ṛc (Vedic verse).

ततो निशम्य भगवान् वसिष्ठ ऋचमादरात् केनोक्तमिति संचिन्त्य तदातिष्ठत्समाहितः

Hearing this, the venerable Vasiṣṭha, with reverence, wondered who had spoken it, and concentrated his mind upon it.

व्योमाङ्गणस्थो ऽथ हरिः पुण्डरीकनिभेक्षणः वसिष्ठमाह विश्वात्मा घृणया स घृणानिधिः

Then Hari, standing in the sky, his eyes like lotuses, the soul of the universe and repository of compassion, spoke to Vasiṣṭha with kindness.

भो वत्स वत्स विप्रेन्द्र वसिष्ठ सुतवत्सल तव पौत्रमुखाम्भोजाद् ऋग् एषाद्य विनिःसृता

O dear child, dear child, O foremost of Brāhmaṇas, Vasiṣṭha, lover of your son, from the lotus-face of your grandson, this Ṛc has now emerged.

मत्समस्तव पौत्रो ऽसौ शक्तिजः शक्तिमान्मुने तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ संत्यज्य शोकं ब्रह्मसुतोत्तम

O sage, this son of Shakti, your grandson, is mine as well as yours, and he is powerful; therefore, arise, O best of Brahmā’s sons, abandoning your grief.

रुद्रभक्तश् च गर्भस्थो रुद्रपूजापरायणः रुद्रदेवप्रभावेण कुलं ते संतरिष्यति

He, while still in the womb, is a devotee of Rudra, intent on worshipping Rudra; by the power of Rudra, your lineage will be preserved.

एवमुक्त्वा घृणी विप्रं भगवान् पुरुषोत्तमः वसिष्ठं मुनिशार्दूलं तत्रैवान्तरधीयत

Having spoken thus, the compassionate Supreme Person vanished there itself from the sight of the sage Vasiṣṭha, the tiger among sages.

ततः प्रणम्य शिरसा वसिष्ठो वारिजेक्षणम् अदृश्यन्त्या महातेजाः पस्पर्शोदरमादरात्

Then Vasiṣṭha, of great splendor, bowed his head to the lotus-eyed Lord, and, though he had become invisible, reverently touched the womb.

हा पुत्र पुत्र पुत्रेति पपात च सुदुःखितः ललापारुन्धती प्रेक्ष्य तदासौ रुदतीं द्विजाः

Alas, son, son, he cried, and fell down, overwhelmed with grief; seeing Arundhatī wailing, the Brāhmaṇas comforted her.

स्वपुत्रं च स्मरन् दुःखात् पुनरेह्येहि पुत्रक तव पुत्रमिमं दृष्ट्वा भो शक्ते कुलधारणम्

Remembering his own son in his sorrow, he called out again, 'Come, come, my child! Behold, O Shakti, your son, the upholder of the lineage.'

तवान्तिकं गमिष्यामि तव मात्रा न संशयः एवमुक्त्वा रुदन्विप्र आलिङ्ग्यारुन्धतीं तदा

'I will go to you, together with your mother, without doubt.' Having spoken thus, the Brāhmaṇa, weeping, embraced Arundhatī at that time.

पपात ताडयन्तीव स्वस्य कुक्षी करेण वै अदृश्यन्ती जघानाथ शक्तिजस्यालयं शुभा

She fell, striking her own belly with her hand as if in pain, and the noble wife of Śakti vanished, destroying the abode of Śakti.

स्वोदरं दुःखिता भूमौ ललाप च पपात च अरुन्धति तदा भीता वसिष्ठश् च महामतिः

Distressed, she lamented on the ground, and fell down; at that moment, Arundhatī was afraid, and Vasiṣṭha, the great-minded sage, too.

समुत्थाप्य स्नुषां बालाम् ऊचतुर्भयविह्वलौ

Raising up their young daughter-in-law, the two, shaken by fear, spoke to her.

विचारमुग्धे तव गर्भमण्डलं करांबुजाभ्यां विनिहत्य दुर्लभम् कुलं वसिष्ठस्य समस्तमप्यहो निहन्तुमार्ये कथमुद्यता वद

O bewildered one, why have you struck your womb with your lotus-like hands, intending to destroy the entire, rare lineage of Vasiṣṭha? Tell us, noble lady, how you have become ready for such a deed.

तवात्मजं शक्तिसुतं च दृष्ट्वा चास्वाद्य वक्त्रामृतम् आर्यसूनोः त्रातुं यतो देहमिमं मुनीन्द्रः सुनिश्चितः पाहि ततः शरीरम्

Seeing your own son, the son of Śakti, and tasting the nectar of his mouth, the noble son of the sage was determined to protect this body; therefore, preserve the body.

एवं स्नुषामुपालभ्य मुनिं चारुन्धती स्थिता अरुन्धती वसिष्ठस्य प्राह चार्तेति विह्वला

Thus reproaching their daughter-in-law, Arundhatī stood beside the sage; Arundhatī, distressed and agitated, spoke to Vasiṣṭha.

त्वय्येव जीवितं चास्य मुनेर् यत् सुव्रते मम जीवितं रक्ष देहस्य धात्री च कुरु यद्धितम्

O virtuous one, the life of this sage depends on you alone; protect my life, and as the nurse of the body, do what is beneficial.

मया यदि मुनिश्रेष्ठस् त्रातुं वै निश्चितं स्वकम् ममाशुभं शुभं देहं कथंचित् पालयाम्यहम्

If I am determined to protect the great sage, then whether my body is auspicious or inauspicious, I will somehow preserve it.

प्रियदुःखमहं प्राप्ता ह्य् असती नात्र संशयः मुने दुःखादहं दग्धा यतः पुत्री मुने तव

I have received both joy and sorrow, and am unchaste—there is no doubt of this, O sage; I am burned by grief because I am your daughter, O sage.

अहो ऽद्भुतं मया दृष्टं दुःखपात्री ह्यहं विभो दुःखत्राता भव ब्रह्मन् ब्रह्मसूनो जगद्गुरो

Ah, I have seen something wondrous; I am indeed a vessel of sorrow, O Lord. Become the remover of sorrow, O Brahman, son of Brahma, teacher of the world.

तथापि भर्तृरहिता दीना नारी भवेदिह पाहि मां तत आर्येन्द्र परिभूता भविष्यति

Still, a woman deprived of her husband becomes miserable here; protect me, O noble lord, otherwise I will be dishonored.

पिता माता च पुत्राश्च पौत्राः श्वशुर एव च एते न बान्धवाः स्त्रीणां भर्ता बन्धुः परा गतिः

Father, mother, sons, grandsons, and father-in-law—these are not true relatives for women; the husband is the true relative and the highest refuge.