Linga Purana

लज्जायां विनयः पुत्रो व्यवसायो वसोः सुतः क्षेमः शान्तिसुतश्चापि सुखं सिद्धेर्व्यजायत

From Lajjā was born Vinaya as son, from Vapuḥ, Vyavasāya as son; from Śānti, Kṣema as son, and from Siddhi, Sukha was born.

यशः कीर्तिसुतश्चापि इत्येते धर्मसूनवः कामस्य हर्षः पुत्रो वै देव्यां प्रीत्यां व्यजायत

From Kīrti was born Yaśas as son—these are the sons of Dharma. From Prīti, the goddess, was born Harṣa as son to Kāma.

इत्येष वै सुतोदर्कः सर्गो धर्मस्य कीर्तितः जज्ञे हिंसा त्वधर्माद्वै निकृतिं चानृतं सुतम्

Thus this creation, the progeny of Dharma, has been described. From Adharma was born Hiṃsā, and from her, Nikṛti and Anṛta as sons.

निकृत्यां तु द्वयं जज्ञे भयं नरक एव च माया च वेदना चापि मिथुनद्वयमेतयोः

From Nikṛti were born two: Bhaya and Naraka, and from them, Māyā and Vedanā—these two pairs.

भूयो जज्ञे ऽथ वै माया मृत्युं भूतापहारिणम् वेदनायाः सुतश्चापि दुःखं जज्ञे च रौरवः

Again, from Māyā was born Mṛtyu, the taker of beings; from Vedanā, Duḥkha was born, and also Raurava.

मृत्योर् व्याधिजराशोकक्रोधासूयाश् च जज्ञिरे दुःखोत्तराः सुता ह्येते सर्वे चाधर्मलक्षणाः

From Death were born disease, old age, sorrow, anger, and envy—these offspring, all marked by suffering, are characterized by unrighteousness.

नैषां भार्यास्तु पुत्राश् च सर्वे ह्येते परिग्रहाः इत्येष तामसः सर्गो जज्ञे धर्मनियामकः

Their wives and sons are all considered possessions; thus, this tamasic creation arose, governed by the law of dharma.

प्रजाः सृजेति व्यादिष्टो ब्रह्मणा नीललोहितः सो ऽभिध्याय सतीं भार्यां निर्ममे ह्यात्मसंभवान्

Commanded by Brahma to create beings, Nilalohita, reflecting upon his wife Sati, produced offspring from himself.

नाधिकान्न च हीनांस्तान् मानसानात्मनः समान् सहस्रं हि सहस्राणां सो ऽसृजत् कृत्तिवाससः

He did not create them greater or lesser than himself; Krittivasa generated thousands upon thousands, all equal to himself in mind.

तुल्यानेवात्मनः सर्वान् रूपतेजोबलश्रुतैः पिङ्गलान्सनिषङ्गांश् च सकपर्दान्सलोहितान्

He created all of them equal to himself in form, brilliance, strength, and knowledge—tawny, armed, with matted locks and red in hue.

विशिष्टान् हरिकेशांश् च दृष्टिघ्नांश् च कपालिनः महारूपान्विरूपांश् च विश्वरूपान् स्वरूपिणः

He made them distinguished, with golden hair, fierce in gaze, skull-bearers, of great and strange forms, manifesting all shapes and their own true form.

रथिनश्चर्मिणश्चैव वर्मिणश् च वरूथिनः सहस्रशतबाहूंश् च दिव्यान् भौमान्तरिक्षगान्

Charioteers, those clad in hides, armored ones, shield-bearers, with hundreds and thousands of arms, divine beings dwelling on earth and in the sky.

स्थूलशीर्षान् अष्टदंष्ट्रान् द्विजिह्वांस् तांस् त्रिलोचनान् अन्नादान् पिशिताशांश् च आज्यपान्सोमपानपि

With massive heads, eight fangs, double tongues, three eyes, eaters of food and flesh, drinkers of clarified butter and soma.

मीढुषो ऽतिकपालांश् च शितिकण्ठोर्ध्वरेतसः हव्यादाञ्छ्रुतधर्मांश् च धर्मिणो ह्यथ बर्हिणः

Fierce guardians, those with blue throats, of upward-flowing seed, eaters of oblations, learned in sacred law, righteous and adorned with sacred grass.

आसीनान्धावतश्चैव पञ्चभूतान्सहस्रशः अध्यापिनो ऽध्यायिनश् च जपतो युञ्जतस् तथा

Sitting and running, thousands of beings of the five elements, teachers, reciters, mutterers, and those engaged in yoga.

धूमवन्तो ज्वलन्तश् च नदीमन्तो ऽतिदीप्तिनः वृद्धान्बुद्धिमतश्चैव ब्रह्मिष्ठाञ्शुभदर्शनान्

Smoky and blazing, roaring, exceedingly radiant, aged and wise, devoted to Brahman, of auspicious appearance.

नीलग्रीवान् सहस्राक्षान् सर्वांश्चाथ क्षमाकरान् अदृश्यान्सर्वभूतानां महायोगान्महौजसः

With blue necks, a thousand eyes, all patient, invisible to all beings, great yogis of immense energy.

भ्रमन्तो ऽभिद्रवन्तश् च प्लवन्तश् च सहस्रशः अयातयामान् असृजद् रुद्रानेतान् सुरोत्तमान्

Wandering, charging, leaping by the thousands, he created these Rudras, the best of gods, who do not tire.

ब्रह्मा दृष्ट्वाब्रवीदेनं मास्राक्षीरीदृशीः प्रजाः स्रष्टव्या नात्मनस्तुल्याः प्रजा देव नमो ऽस्तु ते

Seeing them, Brahma said to him, 'Do not create such beings, O god, with fierce eyes; beings equal to yourself should not be made. Salutations to you.'

अन्याः सृज त्वं भद्रं ते प्रजा वै मृत्युसंयुताः नारप्स्यन्ते हि कर्माणि प्रजावगतमृत्यवः

'Create other beings, may it be well with you; these beings are bound up with death and will not be able to perform their duties, for death is inherent in them.'

एवमुक्तो ऽब्रवीदेनं नाहं मृत्युजरान्विताः प्रजाः स्रक्ष्यामि भद्रं ते स्थितो ऽहं त्वं सृज प्रजाः

Thus addressed, he replied, 'I will not create beings afflicted by death and old age. May it be well with you; I remain, you create the beings.'

एते ये वै मया सृष्टा विरूपा नीललोहिताः सहस्राणां सहस्रं तु आत्मनो निःसृताः प्रजाः

These, indeed, whom I have created—strange, blue-red in hue—are thousands upon thousands, beings issued from myself.

एते देवा भविष्यन्ति रुद्रा नाम महाबलाः पृथिव्यामन्तरिक्षे च दिक्षु चैव परिश्रिताः

These gods will be known as Rudras, of great might, spread throughout the earth, the sky, and all directions.

शतरुद्राः समात्मानो भविष्यन्तीति याज्ञिकाः यज्ञभाजो भविष्यन्ति सर्वदेवगणैः सह

The sacrificers, who are united with the essence of the hundred Rudras, shall partake of the sacrifices together with all the hosts of gods.

मन्वन्तरेषु ये देवा भविष्यन्तीह भेदतः सार्धं तैर् ईज्यमानास् ते स्थास्यन्तीह आ युगक्षयात्

The gods who will arise in the various Manus' eras, being worshipped together with them, shall remain here until the end of the age.

एवमुक्तस्तदा ब्रह्मा महादेवेन धीमता प्रत्युवाच नमस्कृत्य हृष्यमाणः प्रजापतिः

Thus addressed at that time by the wise Mahadeva, Brahma, the lord of creatures, joyfully replied after bowing in reverence.

एवं भवतु भद्रं ते यथा ते व्याहृतं विभो ब्रह्मणा समनुज्ञाते तथा सर्वमभूत्किल

So be it; may there be good fortune for you, as you have declared, O mighty one. With Brahma's approval, thus indeed everything came to be.

ततः प्रभृति देवेशो न चासूयत वै प्रजाः ऊर्ध्वरेताः स्थितः स्थाणुर् यावदाभूतसंप्लवम्

From that time onward, the Lord of the gods did not create beings; established as one whose seed is held upward, he remained steadfast until the dissolution of all beings.

यस्मादुक्तः स्थितो ऽस्मीति तस्मात्स्थाणुरिति स्मृतः एष देवो महादेवः पुरुषो ऽर्कसमद्युतिः

Because he said, 'I remain established,' therefore he is remembered as Sthāṇu. This god, the great god, the person radiant as the sun—