Linga Purana

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.

पुनर्भवान्याः पादौ च नन्दिनश् च महात्मनः सफलं जीवितं मे ऽद्य ब्रह्माद्यांस्तांस्तदाह सः

He then bowed at the feet of Bhavānī and the great-souled Nandī. 'Today my life is fulfilled,' he said to Brahmā and the others.

रक्षार्थमागतस्त्वद्य मम बालेन्दुभूषणः को ऽन्यः समो मया लोके देवो वा दानवो ऽपि वा

'He whose ornament is the crescent moon has come today for my protection. Who else in the world, god or demon, is equal to me?'

अथ तस्मिन्क्षणादेव ददर्श दिवि संस्थितम् पितरं भ्रातृभिः सार्धं शाक्तेयस्तु पराशरः

Then, at that very moment, Parāśara, devoted to Śakti, saw in the sky his father, together with his brothers.

सूर्यमण्डलसंकाशे विमाने विश्वतोमुखे भ्रातृभिः सहितं दृष्ट्वा ननाम च जहर्ष च

He saw his father, accompanied by his brothers, in a celestial chariot shining like the sun, facing in all directions; seeing them, he bowed and rejoiced.

तदा वृषध्वजो देवः सभार्यः सगणेश्वरः वसिष्ठपुत्रं प्राहेदं पुत्रदर्शनतत्परम्

Then the god with the bull-banner, together with his wife and his hosts, addressed Vasiṣṭha's son, eager to see his child:

शक्ते पश्य सुतं बालम् आनन्दास्राविलेक्षणम् अदृश्यन्तीं च विप्रेन्द्र वसिष्ठं पितरं तव

'O Śakti, behold your son, the boy whose eyes overflow with tears of joy, and, O best of Brāhmaṇas, your father Vasiṣṭha, who is not yet visible.'

अरुन्धतीं महाभागां कल्याणीं देवतोपमाम् मातरं पितरं चोभौ नमस्कुरु महामते

'See Arundhatī, greatly fortunate, auspicious, comparable to a goddess—your mother. O wise one, bow to both your mother and father.'

तदा हरं प्रणम्याशु देवदेवमुमां तथा वसिष्ठं च तदा श्रेष्ठं शक्तिर् वै शङ्कराज्ञया

Then Śakti, by Śaṅkara's command, quickly bowed to Hara, the god of gods, to Umā, and to Vasiṣṭha, the most excellent.

मातरं च महाभागां कल्याणीं पतिदेवताम् अरुन्धतीं जगन्नाथनियोगात्प्राह शक्तिमान्

And, by the command of the Lord of the universe, the powerful one addressed his mother, the greatly fortunate, auspicious, and devoted Arundhatī.

भो वत्स वत्स विप्रेन्द्र पराशर महाद्युते रक्षितो ऽहं त्वया तात गर्भस्थेन महात्मना

'O child, O child, O best of Brāhmaṇas, O Parāśara, greatly radiant one, I was protected by you, father, while you were still in the womb, O great-souled one.'