Linga Purana

रुद्रः पशुपतिश्चासीत् पुरा दग्धं पुरत्रयम् देवाश् च पशवः सर्वे बभूवुस्तस्य तेजसा

Rudra, who is also Paśupati, once burned the triple city; by his energy, all the gods and living beings became as his cattle.

यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि आदिसर्गक्रमं शुभम् स याति ब्रह्मणो लोकं श्रावयेद्वा द्विजोत्तमान्

Whoever recites or hears this auspicious account of the original creation, or causes it to be heard by the best of twice-born, attains the world of Brahmā.

समासाद् विस्तराच्चैव सर्गः प्रोक्तस्त्वया शुभः कथं पशुपतिश्चासीत् पुरं दग्धुं महेश्वरः

In summary and in detail, you have described the auspicious creation; but how did Paśupati, the great lord, burn the city?

कथं च पशवश्चासन् देवाः सब्रह्मकाः प्रभोः मयस्य तपसा पूर्वं सुदुर्गं निर्मितं पुरम्

And how did the gods, along with Brahmā, become cattle? By Maya’s austerity, a most difficult city was built before.

हैमं च राजतं दिव्यम् अयस्मयम् अनुत्तमम् सुदुर्गं देवदेवेन दग्धमित्येव नः श्रुतम्

A golden, a silver, and a divine iron city, unsurpassed and most difficult—by the god of gods, it was burned, so we have heard.

कथं ददाह भगवान् भगनेत्रनिपातनः एकेनेषुनिपातेन दिव्येनापि तदा कथम्

How did the blessed one, destroyer of Bhaga’s eye, burn it all at once with a single divine arrow?

विष्णुनोत्पादितैर्भूतैर् न दग्धं तत्पुरत्रयम् पुरस्य संभवः सर्वो वरलाभः पुरा श्रुतः

That triple city was not burned by beings produced by Viṣṇu; the entire origin of the city and the granting of boons have been heard before.

इदानीं दहनं सर्वं वक्तुमर्हसि सुव्रत तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सूतः पौराणिकोत्तमः

Now you should tell, O virtuous one, the entire burning of those cities. Hearing their words, Sūta, the foremost of bards,

यथा श्रुतं तथा प्राह व्यासाद् विश्वार्थसूचकात् त्रैलोक्यस्यास्य शापाद्धि मनोवाक्कायसंभवात्

Spoke as he had heard from Vyāsa, the revealer of the meaning of the universe, for, due to the curse upon this threefold world, it arose from mind, speech, and body.

निहते तारके दैत्ये तारपुत्रे सबान्धवे स्कन्देन वा प्रयत्नेन तस्य पुत्रा महाबलाः

When Tāraka, the demon and son of Tāra, along with his kin, was slain by Skanda with great effort, his sons, mighty in strength,

विद्युन्माली तारकाक्षः कमलाक्षश् च वीर्यवान् तपस्तेपुर्महात्मानो महाबलपराक्रमाः

Vidyunmālī, Tārakākṣa, and the valiant Kamalākṣa—these great souls, powerful and heroic, undertook severe austerities.

तप उग्रं समास्थाय नियमे परमे स्थिताः तपसा कर्शयामासुर् देहान् स्वान्दानवोत्तमाः

Engaging in intense penance and observing strict discipline, those foremost among Dānavas tormented their own bodies through their austerities.

तेषां पितामहः प्रीतो वरदः प्रददौ वरम् अवध्यत्वं च सर्वेषां सर्वभूतेषु सर्वदा

Pleased with them, the Grandsire, bestower of boons, granted them a boon: that none among all beings could ever slay them.

सहिता वरयामासुः सर्वलोकपितामहम् तान् अब्रवीत् तदा देवो लोकानां प्रभुर् अव्ययः

Together they sought a boon from the Grandsire of all worlds; then the imperishable Lord of beings spoke to them.

नास्ति सर्वामरत्वं वै निवर्तध्वम् अतो ऽसुराः अन्यं वरं वृणीध्वं वै यादृशं सम्प्ररोचते

"Immortality for all is not possible—turn back from this, O Asuras. Choose another boon, whatever you desire."

ततस्ते सहिता दैत्याः सम्प्रधार्य परस्परम् ब्रह्माणमब्रुवन्दैत्याः प्रणिपत्य जगद्गुरुम्

Then those Daityas, united, deliberated among themselves and, bowing to Brahmā, the preceptor of the universe, addressed him.

वयं पुराणि त्रीण्येव समास्थाय महीमिमाम् विचरिष्याम लोकेश त्वत्प्रसादाज्जगद्गुरो

"O Lord of the worlds, by your grace, we shall dwell upon this earth, each in one of three cities of old."

तथा वर्षसहस्रेषु समेष्यामः परस्परम् एकीभावं गमिष्यन्ति पुराण्येतानि चानघ

"Thus, after a thousand years, we shall come together, and those ancient cities, O sinless one, will unite as one."

समागतानि चैतानि यो हन्याद्भगवंस्तदा एकेनैवेषुणा देवः स नो मृत्युर्भविष्यति

"O Lord, whoever destroys these united cities with a single arrow—let that alone be our death."

एवमस्त्विति तान्देवः प्रत्युक्त्वा प्राविशद्दिवम् ततो मयः स्वतपसा चक्रे वीरः पुराण्यथ

The god replied, "So be it," and, having spoken thus to them, ascended to heaven. Then Maya, by his own austerity, constructed the ancient cities.

काञ्चनं दिवि तत्रासीद् अन्तरिक्षे च राजतम् आयसं चाभवद् भूमौ पुरं तेषां महात्मनाम्

One city of gold was in the sky, one of silver in the mid-air, and one of iron was on earth for those great souls.

एकैकं योजनशतं विस्तारायामतः समम् काञ्चनं तारकाक्षस्य कमलाक्षस्य राजतम्

Each city was a hundred yojanas in width and length; the golden city belonged to Tārakākṣa, the silver to Kamalākṣa.

विद्युन्मालेश्चायसं वै त्रिविधं दुर्गमुत्तमम् मयश् च बलवांस्तत्र दैत्यदानवपूजितः

The iron city belonged to Vidyunmālī; thus, the threefold, supreme fortresses were made. There, Maya, powerful and honored by Daityas and Dānavas, resided.

हैरण्ये राजते चैव कृष्णायसमये तथा आलयं चात्मनः कृत्वा तत्रास्ते बलवांस्तदा

In the golden, silver, and black iron cities, Maya built his own abode and dwelled there, mighty as he was.

एवं बभूवुर्दैत्यानाम् अतिदुर्गाणि सुव्रताः पुराणि त्रीणि विप्रेन्द्रास् त्रैलोक्यमिव चापरम्

Thus, the three ancient, supremely fortified cities of the Daityas came into being, O best of Brahmins, like another triple world.

पुरत्रये तदा जाते सर्वे दैत्या जगत्त्रये पुरत्रयं प्रविश्यैव बभूवुस्ते बलाधिकाः

When the three cities were thus created, all the Daityas entered them and became exceedingly powerful in the three worlds.

कल्पद्रुमसमाकीर्णं गजवाजिसमाकुलम् नानाप्रसादसंकीर्णं मणिजालैः समावृतम्

Filled with wish-fulfilling trees, crowded with elephants and horses, adorned with various splendid mansions, and covered with networks of jewels,

सूर्यमण्डलसंकाशैर् विमानैर्विश्वतोमुखैः पद्मरागमयैः शुभ्रैः शोभितं चन्द्रसंनिभैः

Adorned with celestial palaces, radiant like the solar orb, facing all directions, fashioned from pure ruby and shining with the luster of the moon.

प्रासादैर्गोपुरैर्दिव्यैः कैलासशिखरोपमैः शोभितं त्रिपुरं तेषां पृथक्पृथगनुत्तमैः

Graced with divine mansions and lofty gateways, resembling the peaks of Mount Kailāsa, Tripura was splendid with each of these supreme structures, distinct and magnificent.