Linga Purana

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).

जानातेर् ज्ञानम् इत्याहुर् भगवान् ज्ञानसंनिधिः बन्धनादिपरीभावाद् ईश्वरः प्रोच्यते बुधैः

They say knowledge arises from knowing; the Lord is the abode of knowledge. Because of subjugation and other limitations, the wise call him Īśvara (Lord).

पर्यायवाचकैः शब्दैस् तत्त्वम् आद्यम् अनुत्तमम् व्याख्यातं तत्त्वभावज्ञैर् देवसद्भावचेतकैः

With words expressing various meanings, the supreme and unsurpassed principle has been explained by those who know the nature of reality and by those devoted to the divine.

महान्सृष्टिं विकुरुते चोद्यमानः सिसृक्षया संकल्पो ऽध्यवसायश् च तस्य वृत्तिद्वयं स्मृतम्

The Great (Mahat), impelled by the desire to create, brings forth creation; its two functions are called intention (saṃkalpa) and determination (adhyavasāya).

त्रिगुणाद् रजसोद्रिक्ताद् अहङ्कारस्ततो ऽभवत् महता च वृतः सर्गो भूतादिर् बाह्यतस्तु सः

From the three qualities, when rajas prevails, arises ego (ahaṅkāra); and enveloped by the Great, creation begins with the elements, which are external.

तस्मादेव तमोद्रिक्ताद् अहङ्कारादजायत भूततन्मात्रसर्गस्तु भूतादिस्तामसस्तु सः

From that very ego, when tamas prevails, arises the creation of the subtle elements, beginning with the elements, and that is said to be of the nature of darkness.

भूतादिस्तु विकुर्वाणः शब्दमात्रं ससर्ज ह आकाशं सुषिरं तस्माद् उत्पन्नं शब्दलक्षणम्

The element-principle, transforming, first produced sound alone; from that arose space, which is hollow, and its characteristic is sound.

आकाशं शब्दमात्रं तु स्पर्शमात्रं समावृणोत् वायुश्चापि विकुर्वाणो रूपमात्रं ससर्ज ह

Space is characterized solely by sound, and air, undergoing transformation, produced only touch, enveloping sound.

ज्योतिरुत्पद्यते वायोस् तद्रूपगुणम् उच्यते स्पर्शमात्रस्तु वै वायू रूपमात्रं समावृणोत्

Light arises from air; its attribute is form. Air, possessing only touch, enveloped form.

ज्योतिश्चापि विकुर्वाणं रसमात्रं ससर्ज ह सम्भवन्ति ततो ह्यापस् ता वै सर्वरसात्मिकाः

Light, undergoing transformation, produced only taste. From that, waters came into being, which possess all tastes.

रसमात्रास्तु ता ह्यापो रूपमात्रो ऽग्निर् आवृणोत् आपश्चापि विकुर्वत्यो गन्धमात्रं ससर्जिरे

Waters, characterized solely by taste, were enveloped by fire, which possesses only form. Waters, undergoing transformation, produced only smell.

संघातो जायते तस्मात् तस्य गन्धो गुणो मतः तस्मिंस्तस्मिंश् च तन्मात्रं तेन तन्मात्रता स्मृता

From that, aggregation arises; its attribute is considered to be smell. In each element, its subtle quality is present, and thus the subtlety is recognized.

अविशेषवाचकत्वाद् अविशेषास् ततस् तु ते प्रशान्तघोरमूढत्वाद् अविशेषास्ततः पुनः

Because they denote non-differentiation, they are called non-differentiated. Due to tranquility, fierceness, and delusion, they are again termed non-differentiated.

भूततन्मात्रसर्गो ऽयं विज्ञेयस्तु परस्परम् वैकारिकादहङ्कारात् सत्त्वोद्रिक्तात्तु सात्त्विकात्

This creation of the subtle elements should be understood as arising mutually from the Vaikārikā ego, which is predominated by sattva.

वैकारिकः स सर्गस्तु युगपत् सम्प्रवर्तते बुद्धीन्द्रियाणि पञ्चैव पञ्च कर्मेन्द्रियाणि च

That Vaikārikā creation manifests simultaneously: the five organs of knowledge and the five organs of action.

साधकानीन्द्रियाणि स्युर् देवा वैकारिका दश एकादशं मनस्तत्र स्वगुणेनोभयात्मकम्

The organs are instruments; the ten Vaikārikā deities preside over them. The eleventh is the mind, which, by its own quality, is of dual nature.

श्रोत्रं त्वक् चक्षुषी जिह्वा नासिका चैव पञ्चमी शब्दादीनामवाप्त्यर्थं बुद्धियुक्तानि तानि वै

Ear, skin, eyes, tongue, and nose are the five organs, endowed with intellect, for the purpose of perceiving sound and the rest.

पादौ पायुरुपस्थश् च हस्तौ वाग्दशमी भवेत् गतिर्विसर्गो ह्यानन्दः शिल्पं वाक्यं च कर्म तत्

Feet, anus, genitals, hands, and speech are the five organs of action. Movement, excretion, pleasure, craftsmanship, and speech are their respective functions.

आकाशं शब्दमात्रं च स्पर्शमात्रं समाविशत् द्विगुणस्तु ततो वायुः शब्दस्पर्शात्मको ऽभवत्

Space, characterized solely by sound, was penetrated by only touch. Then, air became twofold, possessing both sound and touch.

रूपं तथैव विशतः शब्दस्पर्शगुणावुभौ त्रिगुणस्तु ततस्त्वग्निः सशब्दस्पर्शरूपवान्

Similarly, when form entered, both sound and touch were present. Then, fire became threefold, possessing sound, touch, and form.

सशब्दस्पर्शरूपं च रसमात्रं समाविशत् तस्माच्चतुर्गुणा आपो विज्ञेयास्तु रसात्मिकाः

Sound, touch, and form, along with only taste, were penetrated. Therefore, waters are understood to be fourfold, characterized by taste.