Linga Purana

दिशः पादा रथस्यास्य तथा चोपदिशश् च ह पुष्कराद्याः पताकाश् च सौवर्णा रत्नभूषिताः

The directions are the wheels of this chariot, as are the intermediate directions; the lotuses and other golden, jewel-encrusted banners are its flags.

समुद्रास्तस्य चत्वारो रथकम्बलिकाः स्मृताः गङ्गाद्याः सरितः श्रेष्ठाः सर्वाभरणभूषिताः

The four oceans are said to be its chariot-ropes; the best rivers, beginning with the Ganges, are all adorned with every ornament.

चामरासक्तहस्ताग्राः सर्वाः स्त्रीरूपशोभिताः तत्रतत्र कृतस्थानाः शोभयांचक्रिरे रथम्

All the women, holding fly-whisks at their hands' ends, adorned in female forms, stationed here and there, enhanced the beauty of the chariot.

आवहाद्यास् तथा सप्त सोपानं हैममुत्तमम् सारथिर्भगवान्ब्रह्मा देवाभीषुधराः स्मृताः

There are seven foremost golden steps; the charioteer is the venerable Brahmā, and the gods are said to be the bearers of weapons.

प्रतोदो ब्रह्मणस्तस्य प्रणवो ब्रह्मदैवतम् लोकालोकाचलस्तस्य ससोपानः समन्ततः

The goad is Brahman; the sacred syllable Om is the deity of Brahman; the Lokāloka mountain is its stairway all around.

विषमश् च तदा बाह्यो मानसाद्रिः सुशोभनः नासाः समन्ततस्तस्य सर्व एवाचलाः स्मृताः

The uneven outer mountain of the mind is splendid; all the mountains surrounding it are said to be its noses.

तलाः कपोताः कापोताः सर्वे तलनिवासिनः मेरुरेव महाछत्रं मन्दरः पार्श्वडिण्डिमः

The talas, kapotas, and kāpotas—all the dwellers of the lower regions—Mount Meru is the great umbrella, and Mandara is the side drum.

शैलेन्द्रः कार्मुकं चैव ज्या भुजङ्गाधिपः स्वयम् कालरात्र्या तथैवेह तथेन्द्रधनुषा पुनः

The lord of mountains is the bow, the string is the lord of serpents himself; likewise, the night of time and again the rainbow serve as its bowstring.

घण्टा सरस्वती देवी धनुषः श्रुतिरूपिणी इषुर्विष्णुर्महातेजाः शल्यं सोमः शरस्य च

The bell is the goddess Sarasvatī, who is the embodiment of the Vedas; the arrow is the radiant Viṣṇu, and the tip of the arrow is Soma.

कालाग्निस्तच्छरस्यैव साक्षात्तीक्ष्णः सुदारुणः अनीकं विषसम्भूतं वायवो वाजकाः स्मृताः

The fire of time, fierce and terrible, is indeed his face; the winds, born of poison, are said to be his horses.

एवं कृत्वा रथं दिव्यं कार्मुकं च शरं तथा सारथिं जगतां चैव ब्रह्माणं प्रभुमीश्वरम्

Thus having made the divine chariot, the bow, the arrow, the charioteer, and also the lord Brahmā, master of the worlds,

आरुरोह रथं दिव्यं रणमण्डनधृग् भवः सर्वदेवगणैर्युक्तं कम्पयन्निव रोदसी

Bhava ascended the divine chariot, adorned for battle, yoked with all the hosts of gods, as if shaking heaven and earth.

ऋषिभिः स्तूयमानश् च वन्द्यमानश् च बन्दिभिः उपनृत्तश्चाप्सरसां गणैर्नृत्यविशारदैः

Praised by sages, honored by bards, and attended by troupes of Apsarases skilled in dance,

सुशोभमानो वरदः सम्प्रेक्ष्यैव च सारथिम् तस्मिन्नारोहति रथं कल्पितं लोकसंभृतम्

The bestower of boons, shining splendidly, looked upon the charioteer as he mounted the chariot, which was prepared and filled with beings of the worlds.

शिरोभिः पतिता भूमीं तुरगा वेदसंभवाः अथाधस्ताद्रथस्यास्य भगवान् धरणीधरः

The horses, born of the Vedas, fell to the ground on their heads; then beneath his chariot, the blessed Lord, the supporter of the earth,

वृषेन्द्ररूपी चोत्थाप्य स्थापयामास वै क्षणम् क्षणान्तरे वृषेन्द्रो ऽपि जानुभ्यामगमद्धराम्

Assuming the form of the bull-king, he raised and set them upright for a moment; but in the next instant, the bull-king again fell to the ground on his knees.

अभीषुहस्तो भगवान् उद्यम्य च हयान् विभुः स्थापयामास देवस्य वचनाद्वै रथं शुभम्

The blessed Lord, holding the arrow in his hand, raised the horses and, by the word of the god, set the auspicious chariot in place.

ततो ऽश्वांश्चोदयामास मनोमारुतरंहसः पुराण्युद्दिश्य खस्थानि दानवानां तरस्विनाम्

Then he urged the horses, swift as the mind and wind, toward the ancient, sky-dwelling, mighty Dānavas.

अथाह भगवान् रुद्रो देवानालोक्य शङ्करः पशूनामाधिपत्यं मे दत्तं हन्मि ततो ऽसुरान्

Then the blessed Rudra, seeing the gods, said: 'The lordship over creatures has been given to me; therefore I will slay the Asuras.'

पृथक्पशुत्वं देवानां तथान्येषां सुरोत्तमाः कल्पयित्वैव वध्यास्ते नान्यथा नैव सत्तमाः

Having established the separate status of the gods and others as creatures, O best of gods, they are to be slain—there is no other way, indeed, O excellent ones.

इति श्रुत्वा वचः सर्वं देवदेवस्य धीमतः विषादमगमन् सर्वे पशुत्वं प्रति शङ्किताः

Hearing all these words of the wise Lord of gods, they all became despondent, fearing the condition of being creatures.

तेषां भावं ततो ज्ञात्वा देवस्तानिदमब्रवीत् मा वो ऽस्तु पशुभावे ऽस्मिन् भयं विबुधसत्तमाः

Then, knowing their state of mind, the god spoke to them: 'Let there be no fear for you, O best of wise gods, in this condition of being creatures.'

श्रूयतां पशुभावस्य विमोक्षः क्रियतां च सः यो वै पाशुपतं दिव्यं चरिष्यति स मोक्ष्यति

'Hear now the release from the state of being a creature, and let it be done: whoever shall practice the divine Pāśupata vow, he shall be freed.'

पशुत्वादिति सत्यं च प्रतिज्ञातं समाहिताः ये चाप्यन्ये चरिष्यन्ति व्रतं पाशुपतं मम

'This state of being a creature is indeed true and has been declared; and whoever else shall practice my Pāśupata vow,'

मोक्ष्यन्ति ते न संदेहः पशुत्वात् सुरसत्तमाः नैष्ठिकं द्वादशाब्दं वा तदर्धं वर्षकत्रयम्

'They shall be freed from the state of being a creature, without doubt, O best of gods, whether for twelve years, half that, or three years in full observance.'

शुश्रूषां कारयेद्यस्तु स पशुत्वाद्विमुच्यते तस्मात्परमिदं दिव्यं चरिष्यथ सुरोत्तमाः

'Whoever causes service to be rendered shall be released from the state of being a creature; therefore, O best of gods, you should practice this supreme and divine vow.'

तथेति चाब्रुवन्देवाः शिवे लोकनमस्कृते तस्माद्वै पशवः सर्वे देवासुरनराः प्रभोः

The gods replied, 'So be it,' to Śiva, revered by the worlds; therefore, all gods, Asuras, and men are creatures of the Lord.

रुद्रः पशुपतिश्चैव पशुपाशविमोचकः यः पशुस्तत्पशुत्वं च व्रतेनानेन संत्यजेत्

Rudra, the Lord of creatures, is the liberator from the bonds of creatures; whoever is a creature may renounce that creaturehood by means of this vow.

तत्कृत्वा न च पापीयान् इति शास्त्रस्य निश्चयः ततो विनायकः साक्षाद् बालो ऽबालपराक्रमः

Having performed that, one is not more sinful—this is the settled conclusion of scripture; then Vinayaka himself, a child with extraordinary prowess,