Linga Purana

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You will truly understand the ultimate reality of the deities, whether you are engaged in action or withdrawn from it, for your mind is pure regarding karma.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

पुलस्त्येन यदुक्तं ते सर्वमेतद्भविष्यति अथ तस्य पुलस्त्यस्य वसिष्ठस्य च धीमतः

All that was spoken to you by Pulastya will indeed come to pass. Then, between that Pulastya and the wise Vasiṣṭha—

प्रसादाद्वैष्णवं चक्रे पुराणं वै पराशरः षट्प्रकारं समस्तार्थसाधकं ज्ञानसंचयम्

By their favor, Parāśara composed the Vaiṣṇava Purāṇa, a collection of knowledge in six forms, accomplishing all meanings.

षट्साहस्रमितं सर्वं वेदार्थेन च संयुतम् चतुर्थं हि पुराणानां संहितासु सुशोभनम्

It consists of six thousand verses, united with the meaning of the Vedas, and is the fourth among the Purāṇas, shining among the collections.

एष वः कथितः सर्वो वासिष्ठानां समासतः प्रभवः शक्तिसूनोश् च प्रभावो मुनिपुङ्गवाः

Thus, I have briefly described to you all the origins of the Vasiṣṭhas and the greatness of Śakti's son, O best of sages.

आदित्यवंशं सोमस्य वंशं वंशविदां वर वक्तुमर्हसि चास्माकं संक्षेपाद् रोमहर्षण

O Romaharṣaṇa, best of those who know lineages, you should now briefly tell us of the solar and lunar dynasties.

अदितिः सुषुवे पुत्रम् आदित्यं कश्यपाद्द्विजाः तस्यादित्यस्य चैवासीद् भार्या त्रयम् अथापरम्

Aditi gave birth to the son Āditya from Kaśyapa, O twice-born ones. That Āditya had three wives, and then another.

संज्ञा राज्ञी प्रभा छाया पुत्रांस्तासां वदामि वः संज्ञा त्वाष्ट्री च सुषुवे सूर्यान्मनुमनुत्तमम्

Saṃjñā, Rājñī, Prabhā, and Chāyā—these were their names. I will tell you of their children. Saṃjñā, daughter of Tvaṣṭṛ, gave birth to Sūrya's son Manu, the most excellent.

यमं च यमुनां चैव राज्ञी रेवतमेव च प्रभा प्रभातम् आदित्याच् छायां संज्ञाप्यकल्पयत्

She also bore Yama and Yamunā, as well as the queen Revatī. Prabhā gave birth to Prabhāta from Āditya, and Saṃjñā appointed Chāyā in her place.

छाया च तस्मात्सुषुवे सावर्णिं भास्कराद्द्विजाः ततः शनिं च तपतीं विष्टिं चैव यथाक्रमम्

Chāyā then bore Sāvarṇi from Bhāskara, O twice-born ones. After that, she gave birth, in order, to Śani, Tapatī, and Viṣṭi.

छाया स्वपुत्राभ्यधिकं स्नेहं चक्रे मनौ तदा पूर्वो मनुर्न चक्षाम यमस्तु क्रोधमूर्छितः

At that time, Chāyā showed greater affection for her own children than for Manu. The earlier Manu did not notice, but Yama, overcome by anger—

संताडयामास रुषा पादमुद्यम्य दक्षिणम् यमेन ताडिता सा तु छाया वै दुःखिताभवत्

Struck her in anger, raising his right foot. Thus struck by Yama, Chāyā became distressed.

छायाशापात् पदं चैकं यमस्य क्लिन्नमुत्तमम् पूयशोणितसम्पूर्णं कृमीणां निचयान्वितम्

By Chāyā's curse, one of Yama's feet became afflicted—full of pus and blood, swarming with hosts of worms.

सो ऽपि गोकर्णमाश्रित्य फलकेनानिलाशनः आराधयन्महादेवं यावद्वर्षायुतायुतम्

He then went to Gokarṇa, fasting and living on air, and worshipped Mahādeva for tens of thousands of years.

भवप्रसादाद् आगत्य लोकपालत्वमुत्तमम् पितॄणामाधिपत्यं तु शापमोक्षं तथैव च

By the grace of Bhava, he attained the highest position of guardian of the worlds, lordship over the ancestors, and release from the curse.

लब्धवान्देवदेवस्य प्रभावाच्छूलपाणिनः असहन्ती पुरा भानोस् तेजोमयम् अनिन्दिता

He obtained this by the power of the god of gods, the wielder of the trident. Formerly, the blameless wife of Bhānu could not endure his blazing radiance.

रूपं त्वाष्ट्री स्वदेहात्तु छायाख्यां सा त्वकल्पयत् वडवारूपमास्थाय तपस्तेपे तु सुव्रता

Therefore, the daughter of Tvaṣṭṛ fashioned from her own body one called Chāyā. Assuming the form of a mare, the virtuous one performed austerities.

कालात्प्रयत्नतो ज्ञात्वा छायां छायापतिः प्रभुः वडवामगमत्संज्ञाम् अश्वरूपेण भास्करः

Knowing by time and effort, the lord of the shadow, the Sun, approached Chāyā, who was called Vaḍavā, taking the form of a horse.

वडवा च तदा त्वाष्ट्री संज्ञा तस्माद्दिवाकरात् सुषुवे चाश्विनौ देवौ देवानां तु भिषग्वरौ

Then Vaḍavā, the daughter of Tvaṣṭṛ, from the Sun gave birth to the two Aśvins, the best physicians among the gods.

लिखितो भास्करः पश्चात् संज्ञापित्रा महात्मना विष्णोश्चक्रं तु यद्घोरं मण्डलाद्भास्करस्य तु

Afterwards, the Sun, inscribed by the great soul, the father of Saṃjñā, became the source of Viṣṇu’s fierce discus, which arose from the Sun’s orb.

निर्ममे भगवांस्त्वष्टा प्रधानं दिव्यमायुधम् रुद्रप्रसादाच्च शुभं सुदर्शनमिति स्मृतम्

The blessed Tvaṣṭṛ fashioned the principal divine weapon, Sudarśana, which is remembered as auspicious, by the grace of Rudra.