Linga Purana

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.'

अणिमादिगुणैश्वर्यं मया वत्स पराशर लब्धमद्याननं दृष्टं तव बाल ममाज्ञया

O Parāśara, by my command you have obtained mastery over the powers beginning with aṇimā, and today, child, I have seen your face.

अदृश्यन्तीं महाभागां रक्ष वत्स महामते अरुन्धतीं च पितरं वसिष्ठं मम सर्वदा

O wise one, always protect the illustrious and unseen Arundhatī, as well as your father Vasiṣṭha, for my sake.

अन्वयः सकलो वत्स मम संतारितस्त्वया पुत्रेण लोकाञ्जयतीत्य् उक्तं सद्भिः सदैव हि

O child, all my lineage has been preserved by you, my son; the virtuous always say that one who conquers the worlds does so through his offspring.

ईप्सितं वरयेशानं जगतां प्रभवं प्रभुम् गमिष्याम्यभिवन्द्येशं भ्रातृभिः सह शङ्करम्

I shall choose the Lord, the source and master of the worlds, as my desired boon; I will go, together with my brothers, to worship the venerable Śaṅkara.

एवं पुत्रमुपामन्त्र्य प्रणम्य च महेश्वरम् निरीक्ष्य भार्यां सदसि जगाम पितरं वशी

Thus addressing his son and bowing to Maheśvara, the self-controlled one looked upon his wife in the assembly and went to his father.

गतं दृष्ट्वाथ पितरं तदाभ्यर्च्यैव शङ्करम् तुष्टाव वाग्भिर् इष्टाभिः शाक्तेयः शशिभूषणम्

Seeing his father depart, he worshipped Śaṅkara and praised the moon-crested Lord, beloved of the Śāktas, with chosen words.

ततस्तुष्टो महादेवो मन्मथान्धकमर्दनः अनुगृह्याथ शाक्तेयं तत्रैवान्तरधीयत

Then the great god, destroyer of Kāma and Andhaka, being pleased, blessed the Śākteya and there itself disappeared.

गते महेश्वरे सांबे प्रणम्य च महेश्वरम् ददाह राक्षसानां तु कुलं मन्त्रेण मन्त्रवित्

When Maheśvara had departed, Śāmbu, after bowing to the great Lord, burned the lineage of the Rākṣasas with a mantra, being skilled in mantras.

तदाह पौत्रं धर्मज्ञो वसिष्ठो मुनिभिर् वृतः अलम् अत्यन्तकोपेन तात मन्युमिमं जहि

Then Vasiṣṭha, knower of dharma, surrounded by sages, spoke to his grandson: 'Enough of this excessive anger, dear one, restrain this wrath.'

राक्षसा नापराध्यन्ति पितुस् ते विहितं तथा मूढानामेव भवति क्रोधो बुद्धिमतां न हि

The Rākṣasas have not committed any offense; this was ordained by your father. Anger arises only in the foolish, not in the wise.

हन्यते तात कः केन यतः स्वकृतभुक्पुमान् संचितस्यातिमहता वत्स क्लेशेन मानवैः

Who is slain by whom, dear one, since every person reaps the results of his own actions? O child, humans suffer greatly from their own accumulated deeds.

यशसस्तपसश्चैव क्रोधो नाशकरः स्मृतः अलं हि राक्षसैर् दग्धैर् दीनैर् अनपराधिभिः

It is said that anger destroys both fame and ascetic merit. Enough of burning the Rākṣasas, who are innocent and afflicted.

सत्रं ते विरमत्वेतत् क्षमासारा हि साधवः एवं वसिष्ठवाक्येन शाक्तेयो मुनिपुङ्गवः

Cease this sacrifice of yours; the virtuous are truly the essence of forgiveness. Thus, by the words of Vasiṣṭha, the best of sages, Śākteya...

उपसंहृतवान् सत्रं सद्यस्तद्वाक्यगौरवात् ततः प्रीतश् च भगवान् वसिष्ठो मुनिसत्तमः

...immediately ended the sacrifice out of respect for those words. Then the venerable Vasiṣṭha, best of sages, was pleased.

सम्प्राप्तश् च तदा सत्रं पुलस्त्यो ब्रह्मणः सुतः वसिष्ठेन तु दत्तार्घ्यः कृतासनपरिग्रहः

At that time, Pulastya, son of Brahmā, arrived at the sacrifice. Vasiṣṭha offered him water of welcome, and he accepted the seat.

पराशरमुवाचेदं प्रणिपत्य स्थितं मुनिः वैरे महति यद्वाक्याद् गुरोर् अद्याश्रिता क्षमा

The sage addressed Parāśara, who stood there with reverence: 'Because of the words of your guru, you have today taken refuge in forgiveness, even amidst great enmity.'

त्वया तस्मात्समस्तानि भवाञ्छास्त्राणि वेत्स्यति संततेर्मम न छेदः क्रुद्धेनापि यतः कृतः

Therefore, you will know all the scriptures, and there will be no break in my lineage, for not even anger could bring about its end.

त्वया तस्मान्महाभाग ददाम्यन्यं महावरम् पुराणसंहिताकर्ता भवान्वत्स भविष्यति

Therefore, O illustrious one, I grant you another great boon: you, my child, shall become the composer of the Purāṇa-saṃhitā.

देवतापरमार्थं च यथावद्वेत्स्यते भवान् प्रवृत्तौ वा निवृत्तौ वा कर्मणस् ते ऽमला मतिः

You will truly understand the ultimate reality of the deities, whether you are engaged in action or withdrawn from it, for your mind is pure regarding karma.

मत्प्रसादादसंदिग्धा तव वत्स भविष्यति ततश् च प्राह भगवान् वसिष्ठो वदतां वरः

By my grace, O child, your understanding will become free from doubt. Then the venerable Vasiṣṭha, foremost among speakers, spoke.