Linga Purana

रथो रथी देववरो हरिश् च रुद्रः स्वयं शक्रपितामहौ च त्वमेव सर्वे भगवन् कथं तु स्तोष्ये ह्य् अतोष्यं प्रणिपत्य मूर्ध्ना

The chariot, the charioteer, the best of gods, Hari, and Rudra himself, Indra and the Grandfather—O Lord, you are all of them; how then can I praise you, who cannot be satisfied, except by bowing my head?

अनन्तपादस् त्वम् अनन्तबाहुर् अनन्तमूर्धान्तकरः शिवश् च अनन्तमूर्तिः कथम् ईदृशं त्वां तोष्ये ह्य् अतोष्यं कथमीदृशं त्वाम्

You have endless feet, endless arms, endless heads, and are the destroyer of ends, O Shiva; you are of infinite forms—how can I satisfy you, who cannot be satisfied, how can I praise one such as you?

नमोनमः सर्वविदे शिवाय रुद्राय शर्वाय भवाय तुभ्यम् स्थूलाय सूक्ष्माय सुसूक्ष्मसूक्ष्मसूक्ष्माय सूक्ष्मार्थविदे विधात्रे

Salutations again and again to you, who know all, who are Shiva, Rudra, Sharva, and Bhava; to you who are gross, subtle, most exceedingly subtle, knower of subtle meanings, and the creator.

स्रष्ट्रे नमः सर्वसुरासुराणां भर्त्रे च हर्त्रे जगतां विधात्रे नेत्रे सुराणामसुरेश्वराणां दात्रे प्रशास्त्रे मम सर्वशास्त्रे

Salutation to the creator, the sustainer of all gods and demons, the destroyer of worlds, the ordainer, the leader of gods and lords of demons, the giver, the ruler, and to you who are the master of all scriptures.

वेदान्तवेद्याय सुनिर्मलाय वेदार्थविद्भिः सततं स्तुताय वेदात्मरूपाय भवाय तुभ्यम् अन्ताय मध्याय सुमध्यमाय

To you who are known through Vedanta, who are pure, who are always praised by knowers of the Vedas, who are the very essence of the Vedas, to you who are the end, the middle, and the best of middles, O Bhava.

आद्यन्तशून्याय च संस्थिताय तथा त्वशून्याय च लिङ्गिने च अलिङ्गिने लिङ्गमयाय तुभ्यं लिङ्गाय वेदादिमयाय साक्षात्

To you who are established as without beginning or end, who are not void, who are with form and without form, who are made of the linga, to the linga, to you who are the direct embodiment of the Vedas and their source.

रुद्राय मूर्धाननिकृन्तनाय ममादिदेवस्य च यज्ञमूर्तेः विध्वान्तभङ्गं मम कर्तुमीश दृष्ट्वैव भूमौ करजाग्रकोट्या

To Rudra, who severs heads, to the sacrificial form of my primeval god; O Lord, seeing the destruction of my sacrifice, you struck the earth with the tip of your fingernail.

अहो विचित्रं तव देवदेव विचेष्टितं सर्वसुरासुरेश देहीव देवैः सह देवकार्यं करिष्यसे निर्गुणरूपतत्त्व

Ah, how wondrous is your activity, O God of gods, Lord of all gods and demons; though you possess a body, together with the gods you accomplish divine deeds, yet your true nature is formless.

एकं स्थूलं सूक्ष्ममेकं सुसूक्ष्मं मूर्तामूर्तं मूर्तमेकं ह्यमूर्तम् एकं दृष्टं वाङ्मयं चैकमीशं ध्येयं चैकं तत्त्वमत्राद्भुतं ते

You are one, gross; one, subtle; one, most exceedingly subtle; with form and without form; one with form, one without form; one visible, one of speech, one Lord, one to be meditated upon—this wondrous reality is yours alone.

स्वप्ने दृष्टं यत्पदार्थं ह्यलक्ष्यं दृष्टं नूनं भाति मन्ये न चापि मूर्तिर्नो वै दैवकीशान देवैर् लक्ष्या यत्नैरप्यलक्ष्यं कथं तु

That object seen in a dream is truly ungraspable, though seen it appears, I think; nor is there any form, nor is it the Lord of gods—how can that which is not seen even by the gods with effort be seen?

दिव्यः क्व देवेश भवत्प्रभावो वयं क्व भक्तिः क्व च ते स्तुतिश् च तथापि भक्त्या विलपन्तमीश पितामहं मां भगवन्क्षमस्व

Where is your divine power, O Lord of gods, and where are we? Where is devotion, and where is praise of you? Yet, O Lord, forgive me, Brahma, who laments with devotion.

य इमं शृणुयाद्द्विजोत्तमा भुवि देवं प्रणिपत्य पठेत् स च मुञ्चति पापबन्धनं भवभक्त्या पुरशासितुः स्तवम्

Whoever on earth, O best of twice-born, listens to or recites this hymn to the Lord with devotion, bowing down, is freed from the bonds of sin by devotion to the Lord of the city.

श्रुत्वा च भक्त्या चतुराननेन स्तुतो हसञ्शैलसुतां निरीक्ष्य स्तवं तदा प्राह महानुभावं महाभुजो मन्दरशृङ्गवासी

Having heard this hymn, and seeing Parvati, Brahma praised with devotion; then the mighty-armed, great-souled Lord, dwelling on Mandara's peak, spoke with a smile.

स्तवेनानेन तुष्टो ऽस्मि तव भक्त्या च पद्मज वरान् वरय भद्रं ते देवानां च यथेप्सितान्

By this hymn I am pleased, and by your devotion, O Padmaja; choose your boons, let there be welfare for you, and for the gods as you desire.

ततः प्रणम्य देवेशं भगवान्पद्मसंभवः कृताञ्जलिपुटो भूत्वा प्राहेदं प्रीतमानसः

Then, having bowed to the Lord of gods, the blessed one born from the lotus, with hands joined in reverence, spoke these words with a delighted heart.

भगवन्देवदेवेश त्रिपुरान्तक शङ्कर त्वयि भक्तिं परां मे ऽद्य प्रसीद परमेश्वरम्

O Lord, Lord of gods, destroyer of Tripura, Śaṅkara, grant me supreme devotion to you today; be gracious, O Supreme Lord.

देवानां चैव सर्वेषां त्वयि सर्वार्थदेश्वर प्रसीद भक्तियोगेन सारथ्येन च सर्वदा

And for all the gods as well, O Lord who bestows all aims, be gracious, always through devotion and through guidance.

जनार्दनो ऽपि भगवान् नमस्कृत्य महेश्वरम् कृताञ्जलिपुटो भूत्वा प्राह सांबं त्रियंबकम्

Janārdana too, the blessed one, having bowed to Maheśvara, with hands joined in reverence, spoke to Sāmbā and Tryambaka.

वाहनत्वं तवेशान नित्यमीहे प्रसीद मे त्वयि भक्तिं च देवेश देवदेव नमो ऽस्तु ते

I always desire to be your vehicle, O Lord; be gracious to me. Grant me devotion to you, O Lord of gods, God of gods; salutations to you.

सामर्थ्यं च सदा मह्यं भवन्तं वोढुमीश्वरम् सर्वज्ञत्वं च वरद सर्वगत्वं च शङ्कर

Grant me always the ability to bear you, O Lord, and the gift of omniscience, O bestower of boons, and omnipresence, O Śaṅkara.

तयोः श्रुत्वा महादेवो विज्ञप्तिं परमेश्वरः सारथ्ये वाहनत्वे च कल्पयामास वै भवः

Hearing their requests, the great god, the Supreme Lord, appointed Bhava to the roles of charioteer and vehicle.

दत्त्वा तस्मै ब्रह्मणे विष्णवे च दग्ध्वा दैत्यान्देवदेवो महात्मा सार्धं देव्या नन्दिना भूतसंघैर् अन्तर्धानं कारयामास शर्वः

Having given these to Brahmā and Viṣṇu, and having burned the demons, the great-souled Lord of gods, together with the goddess, Nandin, and the hosts of spirits, caused himself to disappear.

ततस्तदा महेश्वरे गते रणाद्गणैः सह सुरेश्वराः सुविस्मिता भवं प्रणम्य पार्वतीम्

Then, when Maheśvara departed from the battle with his attendants, the lords of gods, filled with wonder, bowed to Bhava and to Pārvatī.

ययुश् च दुःखवर्जिताः स्ववाहनैर्दिवं ततः सुरेश्वरा मुनीश्वरा गणेश्वराश् च भास्कराः

Freed from sorrow, they went to heaven on their own vehicles—the lords of gods, the lords of sages, the lords of hosts, and the radiant ones.

त्रिपुरारेरिमं पुण्यं निर्मितं ब्रह्मणा पुरा यः पठेच्छ्राद्धकाले वा दैवे कर्मणि च द्विजाः

This sacred account of the enemy of Tripura, composed long ago by Brahmā—whoever recites it at the time of śrāddha or during divine rites, O twice-born ones,

श्रावयेद्वा द्विजान् भक्त्या ब्रह्मलोकं स गच्छति मानसैर्वाचिकैः पापैस् तथा वै कायिकैः पुनः

Or causes it to be heard by the twice-born with devotion, he attains the world of Brahmā, freed from sins of mind, speech, and body.

स्थूलैः सूक्ष्मैः सुसूक्ष्मैश् च महापातकसंभवैः पातकैश् च द्विजश्रेष्ठा उपपातकसंभवैः

From gross, subtle, and very subtle sins, from great sins and minor sins, O best of twice-born, arising from great transgressions,

पापैश् च मुच्यते जन्तुः श्रुत्वाध्यायमिमं शुभम् शत्रवो नाशमायान्ति संग्रामे विजयीभवेत्

A being is freed from sins by hearing this auspicious chapter; enemies are destroyed, and one becomes victorious in battle.

सर्वरोगैर्न बाध्येत आपदो न स्पृशन्ति तम् धनमायुर्यशो विद्यां प्रभावमतुलं लभेत्

He is not afflicted by any diseases, misfortunes do not touch him; he obtains incomparable wealth, lifespan, fame, learning, and power.