Linga Purana

पुरत्रयविनाशं च करिष्ये ऽहं सुरोत्तमाः अथ सब्रह्मका देवाः सेन्द्रोपेन्द्राः समागताः

O excellent gods, I shall accomplish the destruction of the three cities; then the gods, along with Brahmā, Indra, and Upendra, assembled.

श्रुत्वा प्रभोस्तदा वाक्यं प्रणेमुस्तुष्टुवुश् च ते अप्येतदन्तरे देवी देवमालोक्य विस्मिता

Hearing the Lord's words, they bowed and praised him; meanwhile, the goddess, seeing the god, was amazed.

लीलांबुजेन चाहत्य कलमाह वृषध्वजम् क्रीडमानं विभो पश्य षण्मुखं रविसन्निभम्

With a playful lotus, she gently struck Vṛṣadhvaja and said, 'Behold, Lord, your son, six-faced and radiant like the sun, is playing.'

पुत्रं पुत्रवतां श्रेष्ठं भूषितं भूषणैः शुभैः मुकुटैः कटकैश्चैव कुण्डलैर्वलयैः शुभैः

See your son, best among sons, adorned with auspicious ornaments—crowns, armlets, earrings, and beautiful bracelets.

नूपुरैश्छन्नवारैश् च तथा ह्य् उदरबन्धनैः किङ्किणीभिर् अनेकाभिर् हैमैरश्वत्थपत्रकैः

With anklets, concealed garments, and a girdle around his waist, with many golden bells and leaves of the aśvattha tree.

कल्पकद्रुमजैः पुष्पैः शोभितैरलकैः शुभैः हारैर् वारिजरागादिमणिचित्रैस् तथाङ्गदैः

Adorned with flowers from the wish-fulfilling tree, with lovely locks, with necklaces inlaid with gems of lotus hue, and with brilliant armlets.

मुक्ताफलमयैर्हारैः पूर्णचन्द्रसमप्रभैः तिलकैश् च महादेव पश्य पुत्रं सुशोभनम्

With pearl necklaces shining like the full moon, and with tilakas—O great god, see your splendid son.

अङ्कितं कुङ्कुमाद्यैश् च वृत्तं भसितनिर्मितम् वक्त्रवृन्दं च पश्येश वृन्दं कामलकं यथा

Marked with saffron and other powders, his form created of sacred ash; behold, Lord, his face, a cluster like a lotus bloom.

नेत्राणि च विभो पश्य शुभानि त्वं शुभानि च अञ्जनानि विचित्राणि मङ्गलार्थं च मातृभिः

See, O Lord, his beautiful eyes, auspicious and adorned with various collyriums, applied by the mothers for his welfare.

गङ्गादिभिः कृत्तिकाद्यैः स्वाहया च विशेषतः इत्येवं लोकमातुश् च वाग्भिः संबोधितः शिवः

By Gaṅgā and the Kṛttikās, and especially by Svāhā, he is addressed; thus, by the words of the Mother of the World, Śiva was spoken to.

न ययौ तृप्तिमीशानः पिबन्स्कन्दाननामृतम् न सस्मार च तान्देवान् दैत्यशस्त्रनिपीडितान्

Īśāna, drinking the nectar of Skanda's face, did not find satisfaction, nor did he remember those gods oppressed by the weapons of the Daityas.

स्कन्दमालिङ्ग्य चाघ्राय नृत्य पुत्रेत्युवाच ह सो ऽपि लीलालसो बालो ननर्तार्तिहरः प्रभुः

Embracing and smelling Skanda, he danced, saying, 'My son!' That playful child, the Lord who removes suffering, also danced.

सहैव ननृतुश्चान्ये सह तेन गणेश्वराः त्रैलोक्यमखिलं तत्र ननर्तेशाज्ञया क्षणम्

Along with him, the other lords of the gaṇas danced; by the Lord's command, the entire three worlds danced there for a moment.

नागाश् च ननृतुः सर्वे देवाः सेन्द्रपुरोगमाः तुष्टुवुर्गणपाः स्कन्दं मुमोदांबा च मातरः

All the nāgas danced, as did the gods led by Indra; the gaṇas praised Skanda, and the mothers rejoiced.

ससृजुः पुष्पवर्षाणि जगुर्गन्धर्वकिन्नराः नृत्यामृतं तदा पीत्वा पार्वतीपरमेश्वरौ अवापतुस् तदा तृप्तिं नन्दिना च गणेश्वराः

They showered flowers, the Gandharvas and Kinnaras sang; having drunk the nectar of dance, Pārvatī and Parameśvara, along with Nandi and the lords of the gaṇas, attained satisfaction.

ततः स नन्दी सह षण्मुखेन तथा च सार्धं गिरिराजपुत्र्या विवेश दिव्यं भवनं भवो ऽपि यथाम्बुदो ऽन्याम्बुदम् अम्बुदाभः

Then Nandi, together with Ṣaṇmukha and the daughter of the mountain king, entered the divine abode; and Bhava, whose form was like a raincloud, entered as one cloud merges into another.

द्वारस्य पार्श्वे ते तस्थुर् देवा देवस्य धीमतः तुष्टुवुश् च महादेवं किंचिद् उद्विग्नचेतसः

At the doorway, the gods stood by the wise Lord; they praised Mahādeva, though their hearts were somewhat anxious.

किंतु किंत्विति चान्योन्यं प्रेक्ष्य चैतत्समाकुलाः पापा वयम् इति ह्यन्ये अभाग्याश्चेति चापरे

But, looking at one another in confusion, some said, 'We are sinners,' while others lamented, 'We are unfortunate.'

भाग्यवन्तश् च दैत्येन्द्रा इति चान्ये सुरेश्वराः पूजाफलमिमं तेषाम् इत्यन्ये नेति चापरे

Some of the lords of the gods said, 'The Daitya chiefs are fortunate,' while others claimed, 'This is the fruit of their worship,' and yet others denied it.

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे तेषां श्रुत्वा शब्दाननेकशः कुम्भोदरो महातेजा दण्डेनाताडयत्सुरान्

Meanwhile, hearing their many voices, Kumbhodara of great brilliance struck the gods with his staff.

दुद्रुवुस्ते भयाविष्टा देवा हाहेतिवादिनः अपतन्मुनयश्चान्ये देवाश् च धरणीतले

The gods, seized by fear, fled, crying out in distress; some sages and other gods fell to the earth.

अहो विधेर्बलं चेति मुनयः कश्यपादयः दृष्ट्वापि देवदेवेशं देवानां चासुरद्विषाम्

The sages, such as Kaśyapa, seeing the Lord of gods and the enemies of the gods, exclaimed, 'Ah, such is the power of fate!'

अभाग्यान्न समाप्तं तु कार्यमित्यपरे द्विजाः प्रोचुर्नमः शिवायेति पूज्य चाल्पतरं हृदि

Some other twice-born said, 'Because of misfortune, our task is unfinished,' and, with only a little devotion in their hearts, they uttered, 'Salutations to Śiva.'

ततः कपर्दी नन्दीशो महादेवप्रियो मुनिः शूली माली तथा हाली कुण्डली वलयी गदी

Then Kapardī, the sage Nandi, beloved of Mahādeva, bearing a trident, garland, club, earrings, bangles, and mace,

वृषमारुह्य सुश्वेतं ययौ तस्याज्ञया तदा ततो वै नन्दिनं दृष्ट्वा गणः कुम्भोदरो ऽपि सः

Mounted the beautiful white bull and, by his command, set out; seeing Nandi, the host Kumbhodara also,

प्रणम्य नन्दिनं मूर्ध्ना सह तेन त्वरन् ययौ नन्दी भाति महातेजा वृषपृष्ठे वृषध्वजः

Bowed his head to Nandi and quickly went with him; Nandi, of great brilliance, shone atop the bull, the banner of the bull.

सगणो गणसेनानीर् मेघपृष्ठे यथा भवः दशयोजनविस्तीर्णं मुक्ताजालैर् अलंकृतम्

Accompanied by his hosts, the commander of the gaṇas, Bhava moved as if upon a cloud, over a span of ten yojanas, adorned with strings of pearls.

सितातपत्रं शैलादेर् आकाशमिव भाति तत् तत्रान्तर्बद्धमाला सा मुक्ताफलमयी शुभा

That white parasol, from the mountain, shone like the sky; within it was a garland, auspicious and made of pearls.

गङ्गाकाशान्निपतिता भाति मूर्ध्नि विभोर्यथा अथ दृष्ट्वा गणाध्यक्षं देवदुन्दुभयः शुभाः

It shone on the Lord's head like the Ganges descending from the heavens; then, seeing the chief of the gaṇas, the auspicious divine drums resounded.