Linga Purana

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.'

द्रष्टुमिच्छामि भगवन् पितरं भ्रातृभिः सह एवं विज्ञापयांल्लिङ्गं प्रणिपत्य मुहुर्मुहुः

'O Lord, I wish to see my father together with his brothers,' thus he repeatedly petitioned the liṅga, bowing again and again.

हा रुद्र रुद्र रुद्रेति रुरोद निपपात च तं दृष्ट्वा भगवान्रुद्रो देवीमाह च शङ्करः

Crying out, 'O Rudra, Rudra, Rudra!' he wept and fell down; seeing him, the Lord Rudra, Śaṅkara, spoke to the goddess.

पश्य बालं महाभागे बाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणम् ममानुस्मरणे युक्तं मदाराधनतत्परम्

Behold the boy, O greatly fortunate one, his eyes filled with tears, absorbed in remembrance of me, devoted to my worship.

सा च दृष्ट्वा महादेवी पराशरमनिन्दिता दुःखात् संक्लिन्नसर्वाङ्गम् अस्राकुलविलोचनम्

And seeing him, the great goddess, the blameless Parāśarā, her whole body overcome by sorrow, her eyes brimming with tears—

लिङ्गार्चनविधौ सक्तं हर रुद्रेति वादिनम् प्राह भर्तारमीशानं शङ्करं जगतामुमा

—seeing him engaged in the rite of worshipping the liṅga, uttering 'O Hara, O Rudra,' Umā, the consort of Śaṅkara, spoke to her lord, the ruler of all.

ईप्सितं यच्छ सकलं प्रसीद परमेश्वर निशम्य वचनं तस्याः शङ्करः परमेश्वरः

Grant him all that he desires; show your favor, O Supreme Lord. Hearing her words, Śaṅkara, the Supreme Lord—

भार्यामार्यामुमां प्राह ततो हालाहलाशनः रक्षाम्येनं द्विजं बालं फुल्लेन्दीवरलोचनम्

—the poison-eater, then spoke to his noble wife Umā: 'I will protect this twice-born boy, whose eyes are like blooming blue lotuses.'

ददामि दृष्टिं मद्रूपदर्शनक्षम एष वै एवमुक्त्वा गणैर् दिव्यैर् भगवान्नीललोहितः

'I grant him the vision capable of beholding my form.' Having spoken thus, the blessed Nīlalohita, surrounded by his divine attendants—

ब्रह्मेन्द्रविष्णुरुद्राद्यैः संवृतः परमेश्वरः ददौ च दर्शनं तस्मै मुनिपुत्राय धीमते

—the Supreme Lord, attended by Brahmā, Indra, Viṣṇu, Rudra, and others, granted his vision to that wise son of the sage.

सो ऽपि दृष्ट्वा महादेवम् आनन्दास्राविलेक्षणः निपपात च हृष्टात्मा पादयोस्तस्य सादरम्

And upon seeing the Great God, his eyes overflowing with tears of joy, his heart elated, he respectfully fell at his feet.