Linga Purana

रामस्य च तथान्येषां वृष्णीनामपि सुव्रतः कन्दमूलफलैस्तस्य बलिकार्यं चकार सः

And for Rama and likewise for the others, and for the Vrishnis too, the virtuous one performed the offering for them with roots, tubers, and fruits.

द्रव्याभावात् स्वयं पार्थो भ्रातृभिश् च दिवं गतः एवं संक्षेपतः प्रोक्तः कृष्णस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः

Due to lack of materials, Partha himself, along with his brothers, went to heaven; thus, in brief, has been told the account of Krishna, whose actions were untainted.

प्रभावो विलयश्चैव स्वेच्छयैव महात्मनः इत्येतत्सोमवंशानां नृपाणां चरितं द्विजाः

The manifestation and dissolution, too, of the great soul occur solely by his own will; this is the history of the kings of the Soma lineage, O twice-born.

यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि ब्राह्मणान् श्रावयेदपि स याति वैष्णवं लोकं नात्र कार्या विचारणा

Whoever recites, hears, or causes Brahmins to listen to this, surely attains the Vaishnava world; there is no need for deliberation here.

आदिसर्गस्त्वया सूत सूचितो न प्रकाशितः सांप्रतं विस्तरेणैव वक्तुमर्हसि सुव्रत

O Suta, you have indicated the primordial creation, but not revealed it; now, you should narrate it in detail, O virtuous one.

महेश्वरो महादेवः प्रकृतेः पुरुषस्य च परत्वे संस्थितो देवः परमात्मा मुनीश्वराः

Maheshvara, the great god, is established in the transcendence of both Prakriti and Purusha; the god, the supreme soul, and the lords of sages.

अव्यक्तं चेश्वरात्तस्माद् अभवत्कारणं परम् प्रधानं प्रकृतिश्चेति यदाहुस्तत्त्वचिन्तकाः

From the Lord arose the unmanifest, which is the supreme cause; what is called Pradhana and Prakriti, as declared by those who contemplate reality.

गन्धवर्णरसैर् हीनं शब्दस्पर्शविवर्जितम् अजरं ध्रुवमक्षय्यं नित्यं स्वात्मन्यवस्थितम्

Devoid of scent, color, and taste, free from sound and touch, ageless, constant, imperishable, eternal, abiding in its own nature.

जगद्योनिं महाभूतं परं ब्रह्म सनातनम् विग्रहः सर्वभूतानाम् ईश्वराज्ञाप्रचोदितम्

The womb of the world, the great element, the supreme, eternal Brahman; the form of all beings, impelled by the command of the Lord.

अनाद्यन्तमजं सूक्ष्मं त्रिगुणं प्रभवाव्ययम् अप्रकाशमविज्ञेयं ब्रह्माग्रे समवर्तत

Without beginning or end, unborn, subtle, possessing the three qualities, the source and imperishable; unmanifest, unknowable, it existed at the beginning of Brahma.

अस्यात्मना सर्वमिदं व्याप्तं त्वासीच्छिवेच्छया गुणसाम्ये तदा तस्मिन्न् अविभागे तमोमये

By its own self, all this was pervaded, indeed, by Shiva's will; when the qualities were in equilibrium, in that undivided, darkness-filled state.

सर्गकाले प्रधानस्य क्षेत्रज्ञाधिष्ठितस्य वै गुणभावाद्व्यज्यमानो महान् प्रादुर्बभूव ह

At the time of creation, from Pradhana, presided over by the knower of the field, due to the activity of the qualities, the great principle manifested.

सूक्ष्मेण महता चाथ अव्यक्तेन समावृतम् सत्त्वोद्रिक्तो महानग्रे सत्तामात्रप्रकाशकः

Then, the great principle, subtle and enveloped by the unmanifest, predominated by sattva, at first, revealed only existence.

मनो महांस्तु विज्ञेयम् एकं तत्कारणं स्मृतम् समुत्पन्नं लिङ्गमात्रं क्षेत्रज्ञाधिष्ठितं हि तत्

The mind and the great principle are to be understood as one; that is remembered as its cause. The subtle mark arose, presided over by the knower of the field.

धर्मादीनि च रूपाणि लोकतत्त्वार्थहेतवः महान् सृष्टिं विकुरुते चोद्यमानः सिसृक्षया

The forms of dharma and others, causes for the truth of the world, the great principle produces creation, being stirred by the desire to create.

मनो महान्मतिर्ब्रह्म पूर्बुद्धिः ख्यातिरीश्वरः प्रज्ञा चितिः स्मृतिः संविद् विश्वेशश्चेति स स्मृतः

Mind, the great principle, intellect, Brahma, prior understanding, fame, lordship, wisdom, consciousness, memory, awareness, and the lord of the universe—thus it is remembered.

मनुते सर्वभूतानां यस्माच्चेष्टा फलं ततः सौक्ष्म्यात्तेन विभक्तं तु येन तन्मन उच्यते

Because it thinks of the actions and fruits of all beings, due to its subtlety it is differentiated; thus, that is called mind.

तत्त्वानाम् अग्रजो यस्मान् महांश् च परिमाणतः विशेषेभ्यो गुणेभ्यो ऽपि महानिति ततः स्मृतः

Because he is the eldest among the principles and vast in extent, and greater even than the specific qualities, he is therefore called the Great (Mahān).

बिभर्ति मानं मनुते विभागं मन्यते ऽपि च पुरुषो भोगसंबन्धात् तेन चासौ मतिः स्मृतः

He bears honor, considers distinctions, and perceives divisions; because the person is connected to enjoyment, this is therefore called mind (mati).

बृहत्त्वाद् बृंहणत्वाच्च भावानां सकलाश्रयात् यस्माद्धारयते भावान् ब्रह्म तेन निरुच्यते

Because of greatness and the capacity to expand, and as the support of all entities, and because he upholds all beings, he is therefore called Brahma.

यः पूरयति यस्माच्च कृत्स्नान्देवाननुग्रहैः नयते तत्त्वभावं च तेन पूरिति चोच्यते

Because he fills and leads all the gods to their true nature through grace, he is therefore also called Pūri (the Filler).

बुध्यते पुरुषश्चात्र सर्वान् भावान् हितं तथा यस्माद्बोधयते चैव बुद्धिस्तेन निरुच्यते

Here, the person understands all entities and what is beneficial; and because he causes understanding, he is therefore called Buddhi (intellect).

ख्यातिः प्रत्युपभोगश् च यस्मात्संवर्तते ततः भोगस्य ज्ञाननिष्ठत्वात् तेन ख्यातिरिति स्मृतः

Because recognition and direct experience arise from him, and because enjoyment is established in knowledge, he is therefore called Khyāti (perception).

ख्यायते तद्गुणैर् वापि ज्ञानादिभिर् अनेकशः तस्माच्च महतः संज्ञा ख्यातिरित्यभिधीयते

Because he is known through his qualities, such as knowledge and others, in many ways, therefore the designation of Mahat is also called Khyāti (fame or recognition).

साक्षात्सर्वं विजानाति महात्मा तेन चेश्वरः यस्माज्ज्ञानानुगश्चैव प्रज्ञा तेन स उच्यते

Because the great self directly knows everything, he is called Īśvara (Lord); and because he is accompanied by knowledge, he is called Prajñā (wisdom).

ज्ञानादीनि च रूपाणि बहुकर्मफलानि च चिनोति यस्माद्भोगार्थं तेनासौ चितिरुच्यते

Because he gathers forms such as knowledge and the many results of actions for the sake of enjoyment, he is therefore called Citti (consciousness).

वर्तमानव्यतीतानि तथैवानागतान्यपि स्मरते सर्वकार्याणि तेनासौ स्मृतिरुच्यते

Because he remembers all deeds—present, past, and also future—he is therefore called Smṛti (memory).

कृत्स्नं च विन्दते ज्ञानं यस्मान्माहात्म्यमुत्तमम् तस्माद् विन्देर् विदेश्चैव संविदित्यभिधीयते

Because he attains complete knowledge and the highest greatness, therefore, the knower and the knowing are both called Saṃvid (awareness).

विद्यते ऽपि च सर्वत्र तस्मिन्सर्वं च विन्दति तस्मात्संविदिति प्रोक्तो महद्भिर् मुनिसत्तमाः

Because he exists everywhere and finds everything within himself, therefore the sages call him Saṃvid (consciousness).