Linga Purana

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—

अर्धनारीनरवपुस् तेजसा ज्वलनोपमः स्वेच्छयासौ द्विधाभूतः पृथक् स्त्री पुरुषः पृथक्

With a form half-woman, half-man, blazing with energy like fire, by his own will he became twofold: separately woman, separately man.

स एवैकादशार्धेन स्थितो ऽसौ परमेश्वरः तत्र या सा महाभागा शङ्करस्यार्धकायिनी

He, the Supreme Lord, remained thus with one half as eleven; there, she who is most illustrious, who is half the body of Shankara—

प्रागुक्ता तु महादेवी स्त्री सैवेह सती ह्यभूत् हिताय जगतां देवी दक्षेणाराधिता पुरा

She who was previously mentioned as the great goddess, that very woman became Sati here; for the welfare of the worlds, the goddess was worshipped long ago by Daksha.

कार्यार्थं दक्षिणं तस्याः शुक्लं वामं तथासितम् आत्मानं विभजस्वेति प्रोक्ता देवेन शंभुना

For a certain purpose, Shambhu said to her: 'Divide yourself—your right side white, your left side black.'

सा तथोक्ता द्विधाभूता शुक्ला कृष्णा च वै द्विजाः तस्या नामानि वक्ष्यामि शृण्वन्तु च समाहिताः

Thus addressed, she became twofold—white and black, O twice-born. I shall tell you her names; listen attentively.

स्वाहा स्वधा महाविद्या मेधा लक्ष्मीः सरस्वती सती दाक्षायणी विद्या इच्छाशक्तिः क्रियात्मिका

Svāhā, Svadhā, Mahāvidyā, Medhā, Lakṣmī, Sarasvatī, Satī, Dākṣāyaṇī, Vidyā, Icchāśakti, Kriyātmikā—

अपर्णा चैकपर्णा च तथा चैवैकपाटला उमा हैमवती चैव कल्याणी चैकमातृका

Aparṇā, Ekaparṇā, likewise Ekapāṭalā, Umā, Haimavatī, Kalyāṇī, and also Ekamātṛkā—

ख्यातिः प्रज्ञा महाभागा लोके गौरीति विश्रुता गणांबिका महादेवी नन्दिनी जातवेदसी

Khyāti, Prajñā, most illustrious, known in the world as Gaurī, Gaṇāmbikā, Mahādevī, Nandinī, Jātavedasī—

एकरूपमथैतस्याः पृथग्देहविभावनात् सावित्री वरदा पुण्या पावनी लोकविश्रुता

Of her, due to the division of forms, there is also Sāvitrī, bestower of boons, pure, renowned in the worlds as the purifier.

आज्ञा आवेशनी कृष्णा तामसी सात्त्विकी शिवा प्रकृतिर्विकृता रौद्री दुर्गा भद्रा प्रमाथिनी

Ājñā, Āveśanī, Kṛṣṇā, Tāmasī, Sāttvikī, Śivā, Prakṛti, Vikṛtā, Raudrī, Durgā, Bhadrā, Pramāthinī—

कालरात्रिर्महामाया रेवती भूतनायिका द्वापरान्तविभागे च नामानीमानि सुव्रताः

Kālarātrī, Mahāmāyā, Revatī, Bhūtanāyikā—at the end of Dvāpara, these are her names, O virtuous ones.

गौतमी कौशिकी चार्या चण्डी कात्यायनी सती कुमारी यादवी देवी वरदा कृष्णपिङ्गला

Gautamī, Kauśikī, Āryā, Caṇḍī, Kātyāyanī, Satī, Kumārī, Yādavī, Devī, Varadā, Kṛṣṇapiṅgalā.

बर्हिध्वजा शूलधरा परमा ब्रह्मचारिणी महेन्द्रोपेन्द्रभगिनी दृषद्वत्य् एकशूलधृक्

She who is adorned with sacrificial grass, bearer of the trident, supremely devoted to celibacy, sister of Mahendra and Upendra, and on the Dṛṣadvatī river, she holds a single trident.

अपराजिता बहुभुजा प्रगल्भा सिंहवाहिनी शुम्भादिदैत्यहन्त्री च महामहिषमर्दिनी

Unconquered, possessing many arms, bold, riding a lion, slayer of Śumbha and other demons, and the great subduer of the buffalo demon.

अमोघा विन्ध्यनिलया विक्रान्ता गणनायिका देव्या नामविकाराणि इत्येतानि यथाक्रमम्

Infallible, dwelling on the Vindhya, mighty, leader of the hosts—these are the various names of the goddess, each in due order.

भद्रकाल्या मयोक्तानि सम्यक्फलप्रदानि च ये पठन्ति नरास्तेषां विद्यते न च पातकम्

These names of Bhadrakālī, as I have spoken, bestow complete fruit; for those men who recite them, there is no sin.

अरण्ये पर्वते वापि पुरे वाप्यथवा गृहे रक्षामेतां प्रयुञ्जीत जले वाथ स्थले ऽपि वा

Whether in the forest, on a mountain, in a city, or at home, one should employ this protection—whether in water or on land.

व्याघ्रकुम्भीनचोरेभ्यो भयस्थाने विशेषतः आपत्स्वपि च सर्वासु देव्या नामानि कीर्तयेत्

Especially in places of fear from tigers, crocodiles, or thieves, and in all kinds of danger, one should recite the goddess’s names.

आर्यकग्रहभूतैश् च पूतनामातृभिस् तथा अभ्यर्दितानां बालानां रक्षामेतां प्रयोजयेत्

When children are afflicted by noble spirits, planets, ghosts, or mothers of disease, this protection should be applied for them.

महादेवीकले द्वे तु प्रज्ञा श्रीश् च प्रकीर्तिते आभ्यां देवीसहस्राणि यैर्व्याप्तमखिलं जगत्

Of the great goddess, two portions are proclaimed: wisdom and prosperity; by these, thousands of goddesses pervade the entire world.