Linga Purana

ये ब्रह्मवादिनो भूमौ ननृतुर् दिवि देवताः पुष्कराद्याश् च ससृजुः पुष्पवर्षं च खेचराः

Those who speak of Brahman danced on earth, the gods danced in heaven, and the celestial beings beginning with Puṣkara showered flowers from the sky.

पुरेषु राक्षसानां च प्रणादं विषमं द्विजाः आश्रमस्थाश् च मुनयः समूहुर्हर्षसंततिम्

The twice-born in the cities of the Rākṣasas raised a tumultuous sound, and the sages dwelling in their hermitages experienced a surge of joy.

अवतीर्णो यथा ह्यण्डाद् भानुः सो ऽपि पराशरः अदृश्यन्त्याश्चतुर्वक्त्रो मेघजालाद्दिवाकरः

Just as the sun emerges from the egg, so too did Parāśara appear, like the four-faced one arising from a mass of clouds, as the sun from the sky.

सुखं च दुःखमभवद् अदृश्यन्त्यास्तथा द्विजाः दृष्ट्वा पुत्रं पतिं स्मृत्वा अरुन्धत्या मुनेस्तथा

Both happiness and sorrow came to the unseen one, O twice-born, seeing her son and remembering her husband, as it was for Arundhatī, wife of the sage.

दृष्ट्वा च तनयं बाला पराशरमतिद्युतिम् ललाप विह्वला बाला सन्नकण्ठी पपात च

Seeing her radiant son Parāśara, the young woman, overwhelmed and her throat choked, wept and fell to the ground.

सा पराशरमहो महामतिं देवदानवगणैश् च पूजितम् जातमात्रम् अनघं शुचिस्मिता बुध्य साश्रुनयना ललाप च

She, pure-smiling and tear-eyed, praised Parāśara—great in wisdom, sinless, honored by hosts of gods and demons—even as a newborn.

हा वसिष्ठसुत कुत्रचिद्गतः पश्य पुत्रमनघं तवात्मजम् त्यज्य दीनवदनां वनान्तरे पुत्रदर्शनपरामिमां प्रभो

"O son of Vasiṣṭha, wherever you are, see your sinless son, your own child! Abandoning me, sorrowful-faced and longing to see our son in the forest, O lord!"

शक्ते स्वं च सुतं पश्य भ्रातृभिः सह षण्मुखम् यथा महेश्वरो ऽपश्यत् सगणो हृषिताननः

"O Śakti, see your own six-faced son together with his brothers, just as Maheśvara saw his own, surrounded by his attendants, his face beaming with joy."

अथ तस्यास्तदालापं वसिष्ठो मुनिसत्तमः श्रुत्वा स्नुषामुवाचेदं मा रोदीर् इति दुःखितः

Then Vasiṣṭha, the best of sages, hearing her lament, spoke to his daughter-in-law, sorrowful, saying, "Do not weep."

आज्ञया तस्य सा शोकं वसिष्ठस्य कुलाङ्गना त्यक्त्वा ह्यपालयद्बालं बाला बालमृगेक्षणा

By his command, the noble lady of Vasiṣṭha's line abandoned her grief and cared for the child, herself young, with eyes like a fawn.

दृष्ट्वा तामबलां प्राह मङ्गलाभरणैर् विना आसीनामाकुलां साध्वीं बाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणाम्

Seeing the young woman seated, without auspicious ornaments, distressed, virtuous, and her eyes filled with tears, he spoke to her.

अम्ब मङ्गलविभूषणैर् विना देहयष्टिरनघे न शोभते वक्तुमर्हसि तवाद्य कारणं चन्द्रबिंबरहितेव शर्वरी

"Mother, without auspicious ornaments, your sinless body does not shine. You should tell me today the reason, as night without the moon's disk is dark."

मातर्मातः कथं त्यक्त्वा मङ्गलाभरणानि वै आसीना भर्तृहीनेव वक्तुमर्हसि शोभने

"Mother, why are you seated, having abandoned your auspicious ornaments, as if bereft of your husband? O beautiful one, you should tell me."

अदृश्यन्ती तदा वाक्यं श्रुत्वा तस्य सुतस्य सा न किंचिद् अब्रवीत् पुत्रं शुभं वा यदि वेतरत्

Hearing the words of her son, Adṛśyantī did not say anything to him, whether auspicious or otherwise.

अदृश्यन्तीं पुनः प्राह शाक्तेयो भगवान्मम मातः कुत्र महातेजाः पिता वद वदेति ताम्

Then the illustrious son of Śakti again addressed Adṛśyantī: 'Mother, tell me, where is my mighty father? Speak, speak!'

श्रुत्वा रुरोद सा वाक्यं पुत्रस्यातीव विह्वला भक्षितो रक्षसा तातस् तवेति निपपात च

Hearing her son's words, she became extremely distressed and wept, saying, 'Your father was devoured by a Rākṣasa,' and she collapsed.

श्रुत्वा वसिष्ठो ऽपि पपात भूमौ पौत्रस्य वाक्यं स रुदन्दयालुः अरुन्धती चाश्रमवासिनस्तदा मुनेर्वसिष्ठस्य मुनीश्वराश् च

Hearing the words of his grandson, Vasiṣṭha too fell to the ground, weeping compassionately, as did Arundhatī, the ascetics of the hermitage, and the great sages with Vasiṣṭha.

भक्षितो रक्षसा मातुः पिता तव मुखादिति श्रुत्वा पराशरो धीमान् प्राह चास्राविलेक्षणः

Hearing from his mother's mouth that his father was devoured by a Rākṣasa, the wise Parāśara, his eyes filled with tears, spoke.

अभ्यर्च्य देवदेवेशं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् क्षणेन मातः पितरं दर्शयामीति मे मतिः

'Having worshipped the Lord of gods, the ruler of the three worlds with all that moves and does not move, I will, in a moment, show you our father, mother—this is my resolve.'

सा निशम्य वचनं तदा शुभं सस्मिता तनयमाह विस्मिता तथ्यम् एतदिति तं निरीक्ष्य सा पुत्र पुत्र भवमर्चयेति च

Hearing those auspicious words, she, amazed, smiled and said to her son, 'This is true,' gazing at him, and said, 'Son, son, perform the worship.'

ज्ञात्वा शक्तिसुतस्यास्य संकल्पं मुनिपुङ्गवः वसिष्ठो भगवान्प्राह पौत्रं धीमान् घृणानिधिः

Knowing the resolve of Śakti's son, the eminent sage Vasiṣṭha, the revered one, wise and full of compassion, spoke to his grandson.

स्थाने पौत्र मुनिश्रेष्ठ संकल्पस्तव सुव्रत तथापि शृणु लोकस्य क्षयं कर्तुं न चार्हसि

'O best of sages, grandson, your resolve is fitting, O virtuous one; yet listen—you should not bring about the destruction of the world.'

राक्षसानामभावाय कुरु सर्वेश्वरार्चनम् त्रैलोक्यं शृणु शाक्तेय अपराध्यति किं तव

'For the removal of the Rākṣasas, perform worship of the Lord of all; listen, O son of Śakti, what fault is it of yours if the three worlds are destroyed?'

ततस्तस्य वसिष्ठस्य नियोगाच्छक्तिनन्दनः राक्षसानामभावाय मतिं चक्रे महामतिः

Then, by the command of Vasiṣṭha, the wise son of Śakti resolved upon the destruction of the Rākṣasas.

अदृश्यन्तीं वसिष्ठं च प्रणम्यारुन्धतीं ततः कृत्वैकलिङ्गं क्षणिकं पांसुना मुनिसन्निधौ

Then, bowing to Adṛśyantī, Vasiṣṭha, and Arundhatī, he made a temporary liṅga of sand in the presence of the sages.

सम्पूज्य शिवसूक्तेन त्र्यंबकेन शुभेन च जप्त्वा त्वरितरुद्रं च शिवसंकल्पमेव च

He worshipped it with the auspicious Śivasūkta, the Tryambaka hymn, recited the swift Rudra, and the Śiva-saṃkalpa as well.

नीलरुद्रं च शाक्तेयस् तथा रुद्रं च शोभनम् वामीयं पवमानं च पञ्चब्रह्म तथैव च

The son of Śakti also recited the Nīlarudra, the beautiful Rudra, the Vāmīya, the Pavamāna, and likewise the Pañcabrahma.

होतारं लिङ्गसूक्तं च अथर्वशिर एव च अष्टाङ्गमर्घ्यं रुद्राय दत्त्वाभ्यर्च्य यथाविधि

He offered the Hotāra, the Liṅgasūkta, the Atharvaśiras, and the eightfold arghya to Rudra, worshipping him according to the proper rite.

भगवन्रक्षसा रुद्र भक्षितो रुधिरेण वै पिता मम महातेजा भ्रातृभिः सह शङ्कर

'O Lord Rudra, my mighty father was devoured by a Rākṣasa, together with his brothers, and with blood, O Śaṅkara.'