Linga Purana

भुवि रुद्रालयानां तु संख्या विष्णोर्गृहस्य च अन्तरिक्षे तथाण्डे ऽस्मिन् देवायतनवर्णनम्

The number of Rudra's temples on earth, the house of Viṣṇu, and in the atmosphere and in this cosmic egg, the description of the divine shrines are presented.

दक्षस्य पतनं भूमौ पुनः स्वारोचिषे ऽन्तरे दक्षशापश् च दक्षस्य शापमोक्षस्तथैव च

The fall of Dakṣa on earth, again in the Svārociṣa Manvantara, the curse of Dakṣa, and likewise the release from Dakṣa's curse are described.

कैलासवर्णनं चैव योगः पाशुपतस् तथा चतुर्युगप्रमाणं च युगधर्मः सुविस्तरः

The description of Kailāsa, the Pāśupata yoga, the measure of the four yugas, and the detailed law of the yugas are explained.

संध्यांशकप्रमाणं च संध्यावृत्तं भवस्य च श्मशाननिलयश्चैव चन्द्ररेखासमुद्भवः

The measure of the portions of the twilight, the events of twilight relating to Bhava, the dwelling in the cremation ground, and the origin of the crescent moon are narrated.

उद्वाहः शंकरस्याथ पुत्रोत्पादनमेव च मैथुनातिप्रसङ्गेन विनाशो जगतां भयम्

The marriage of Śaṃkara, the birth of his son, and due to excessive sexual union, the destruction and fear of the worlds are described.

शापः सत्या कृतो देवान्पुरा विष्णुं च पालितम् शुक्रोत्सर्गस्तु रुद्रस्य गाङ्गेयोद्भव एव च

The curse placed by Satī upon the gods and Viṣṇu in ancient times, the emission of Śuka by Rudra, and the origin of Gaṅgā are recounted.

ग्रहणादिषु कालेषु स्नाप्य लिङ्गं फलं तथा क्षुब्धधी च विवादश् च दधीचोपेन्द्रयोस् तथा

At the times of eclipses and other occasions, the merit of bathing the Liṅga, the agitation of mind, the dispute between Dadhīci and Upendra are described.

उत्पत्तिर्नन्दिनाम्ना तु देवदेवस्य शूलिनः पतिव्रतायाश्चाख्यानं पशुपाशविचारणा

The birth of Nandī, the devotee of the god of gods, the account of the devoted wife, and the deliberation on the bonds of creatures are narrated.

प्रवृत्तिलक्षणं ज्ञानं निवृत्त्यधिकृता तथा वसिष्ठतनयोत्पत्तिर् वासिष्ठानां महात्मनाम्

The characteristics of activity, knowledge, and those entitled to renunciation, as well as the birth of the sons of Vasiṣṭha, the great-souled Vāsiṣṭhas, are described.

मुनीनां वंशविस्तारो राज्ञां शक्तेर्विनाशनम् दौरात्म्यं कौशिकस्याथ सुरभेर्बन्धनं तथा

The expansion of the lineages of sages, the destruction of the power of kings, the wickedness of Kauśika, and the binding of Surabhi are recounted.

सुतशोको वसिष्ठस्य अरुन्धत्याः प्रलापनम् स्नुषायाः प्रेषणं चैव गर्भस्थस्य वचस् तथा

The grief for his son by Vasiṣṭha, the lamentation of Arundhatī, the sending of the daughter-in-law, and the words of the one in the womb are narrated.

पराशरस्यावतारो व्यासस्य च शुकस्य च विनाशो राक्षसानां च कृतो वै शक्तिसूनुना

The descent of Parāśara, of Vyāsa, and of Śuka, and the destruction of the Rākṣasas accomplished by the son of Śakti are described.

देवतापरमार्थं तु विज्ञानं च प्रसादतः पुराणकरणं चैव पुलस्त्यस्याज्ञया गुरोः

The supreme truth of the gods, knowledge arising from grace, and the composition of the Purāṇa by the command of the teacher Pulastya are explained.

भुवनानां प्रमाणं च ग्रहाणां ज्योतिषां गतिः जीवच्छ्राद्धविधानं च श्राद्धार्हाः श्राद्धमेव च

The measure of the worlds, the movement of planets and stars, the course of luminaries, the procedure for funeral rites for the living, those worthy of śrāddha, and the śrāddha itself—

नान्दीश्राद्धविधानं च तथाध्ययनलक्षणम् पञ्चयज्ञप्रभावश् च पञ्चयज्ञविधिस् तथा

The procedure for the Nandi-śrāddha, the characteristics of study, the power of the five sacrifices, and likewise the method of the five sacrifices—

रजस्वलानां वृत्तिश् च वृत्त्या पुत्रविशिष्टता मैथुनस्य विधिश्चैव प्रतिवर्णमनुक्रमात्

The conduct of menstruating women, the superiority of sons through conduct, and the rules of sexual union according to each class in order—

भोज्याभोज्यविधानं च सर्वेषामेव वर्णिनाम् प्रायश्चित्तम् अशेषस्य प्रत्येकं चैव विस्तरात्

The regulations regarding what is fit and unfit to eat for all classes, the expiation for every kind of transgression, described individually and in detail—

नरकाणां स्वरूपं च दण्डः कर्मानुरूपतः स्वर्गिनारकिणां पुंसां चिह्नं जन्मान्तरेषु च

The nature of hells, punishment according to deeds, and the marks of those who go to heaven or hell in their future births—

नानाविधानि दानानि प्रेतराजपुरं तथा कल्पं पञ्चाक्षरस्याथ रुद्रमाहात्म्यमेव च

The various kinds of gifts, the city of the lord of the dead, the rite of the five-syllabled mantra, and the greatness of Rudra—

वृत्रेन्द्रयोर्महायुद्धं विश्वरूपविमर्दनम् श्वेतस्य मृत्योः संवादः श्वेतार्थे कालनाशनम्

The great battle between Vṛtra and Indra, the crushing of Viśvarūpa, the dialogue of Śveta with Death, and the destruction of Time for the sake of Śveta—

देवदारुवने शम्भोः प्रवेशः शंकरस्य तु सुदर्शनस्य चाख्यानं क्रमसंन्यासलक्षणम्

The entry of Śambhu into the Deodar forest, the story of Śaṃkara, the account of Sudarśana, and the characteristics of the stages of renunciation—

श्रद्धासाध्यो ऽथ रुद्रस्तु कथितं ब्रह्मणा तदा मधुना कैटभेनैव पुरा हृतगतेर्विभोः

Then, Rudra, who is accomplished through faith, was described by Brahmā at that time, when the mighty one’s movement was taken away by Madhu and Kaiṭabha—

ब्रह्मणः परमं ज्ञानम् आदातुं मीनता हरेः सर्वावस्थासु विष्णोश् च जननं लीलयैव तु

The supreme knowledge of Brahmā to be obtained, the fish incarnation of Hari, and the birth of Viṣṇu in all conditions, indeed as a divine play—

रुद्रप्रसादाद्विष्णोश् च जिष्णोश्चैव तु सम्भवः मन्थानधारणार्थाय हरेः कूर्मत्वमेवच

By the grace of Rudra, the origin of Viṣṇu and Jishnu, and the taking of the form of a tortoise by Hari for the sake of supporting the churning rod—

संकर्षणस्य चोत्पत्तिः कौशिक्याश् च पुनर्भवः यदूनां चैव सम्भूतिर् यादवत्वं हरेः स्वयम्

The birth of Saṃkarṣaṇa, the rebirth of Kauśikī, the origin of the Yadus, and Hari’s own assumption of the form of a Yādava—

भोजराजस्य दौरात्म्यं मातुलस्य हरेर्विभोः बालभावे हरेः क्रीडा पुत्रार्थं शंकरार्चनम्

The wickedness of King Bhoja, the uncle of the mighty Hari, the childhood play of Hari, and the worship of Śaṃkara for the sake of a son—

नारस्य च तथोत्पत्तिः कपाले वैष्णवाद्धरात् भूभारनिग्रहार्थे तु रुद्रस्याराधनं हरेः

The origin of Nara from the Vaiṣṇava skull, and the worship of Rudra by Hari for the removal of the burden of the earth—

वैन्येन पृथुना भूमेः पुरा दोहप्रवर्तनम् देवासुरे पुरा लब्धो भृगुशापश् च विष्णुना

Formerly, the extraction of the earth by Vainya Pṛthu, the curse received by Viṣṇu from Bhṛgu in the conflict between gods and demons—

कृष्णत्वे द्वारकायां तु निलयो माधवस्य तु लब्धो हिताय शापस्तु दुर्वासस्याननाद्धरेः

In the Kṛṣṇa incarnation, the dwelling of Mādhava in Dvārakā, and the curse received by Hari from Durvāsas for his benefit—