Linga Purana

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.

गते महेश्वरे देवे दग्ध्वा च त्रिपुरं क्षणात् सदस्याह सुरेन्द्राणां भगवान्पद्मसंभवः

When the god Maheśvara departed, having burned Tripura in an instant, the blessed one born from the lotus addressed the assembly of the lords of gods.

संत्यज्य देवदेवेशं लिङ्गमूर्तिमहेश्वरम् तारपौत्रो महातेजास् तारकस्य सुतो बली

Having left the Lord of gods, Maheśvara in the form of the liṅga, the powerful grandson of Tāraka, the mighty son of Tāraka, remained.

तारकाक्षो ऽपि दितिजः कमलाक्षश् च वीर्यवान् विद्युन्माली च दैत्येशः अन्ये चापि सबान्धवाः

Tārakākṣa, the son of Diti, Kamalākṣa the mighty, Vidyunmālī the lord of the Daityas, and others with their kin—

त्यक्त्वा देवं महादेवं मायया च हरेः प्रभोः सर्वे विनष्टाः प्रध्वस्ताः स्वपुरैः पुरसंभवैः

Having abandoned the great god, Mahādeva, and the Lord Hari through delusion, all of them were destroyed and ruined, along with their cities and their inhabitants.

तस्मात्सदा पूजनीयो लिङ्गमूर्तिः सदाशिवः यावत्पूजा सुरेशानां तावदेव स्थितिर्यतः

Therefore, the liṅga form of Sadāśiva must always be worshipped; as long as the gods are worshipped, so long does their existence endure.

पूजनीयः शिवो नित्यं श्रद्धया देवपुङ्गवैः सर्वलिङ्गमयो लोकः सर्वं लिङ्गे प्रतिष्ठितम्

Śiva must be worshipped always, with faith, by the foremost of the gods; the whole world is pervaded by the liṅga, and all is established in the liṅga.

तस्मात् सम्पूजयेल्लिङ्गं य इच्छेत्सिद्धिमात्मनः सर्वे लिङ्गार्चनादेव देवा दैत्याश् च दानवाः

Therefore, whoever desires perfection for himself should worship the liṅga; for all gods, asuras, and dānavas attain through worship of the liṅga alone.

यक्षा विद्याधराः सिद्धा राक्षसाः पिशिताशनाः पितरो मुनयश्चापि पिशाचाः किन्नरादयः

Yakṣas, vidyādharas, siddhas, rākṣasas, flesh-eaters, ancestors, sages, piśācas, kinnaras, and others—

अर्चयित्वा लिङ्गमूर्ति संसिद्धा नात्र संशयः तस्माल्लिङ्गं यजेन्नित्यं येन केनापि वा सुराः

Having worshipped the liṅga form, they have attained perfection—there is no doubt of this; therefore, the liṅga should be worshipped always, by anyone whatsoever, O gods.

पशवश् च वयं तस्य देवदेवस्य धीमतः पशुत्वं च परित्यज्य कृत्वा पाशुपतं ततः

We, and all beings, are the subjects of that wise Lord of gods; renouncing our state as subjects, we become followers of Paśupati.

पूजनीयो महादेवो लिङ्गमूर्तिः सनातनः विशोध्य चैव भूतानि पञ्चभिः प्रणवैः समम्

The great god, the eternal liṅga form, must be worshipped; and all beings must be purified together with the five praṇavas.

प्राणायामैः समायुक्तैः पञ्चभिः सुरपुङ्गवाः चतुर्भिः प्रणवैश्चैव प्राणायामपरायणैः

The foremost of the gods, joined with the five prāṇāyāmas, and with four praṇavas together with those devoted to prāṇāyāma—

त्रिभिश् च प्रणवैर्देवाः प्राणायामैस्तथाविधैः द्विधा न्यस्य तथौंकारं प्राणायामपरायणः

With three praṇavas and likewise with such prāṇāyāmas, placing the Oṃkāra in two ways, one devoted to prāṇāyāma—

ततश्चौंकारम् उच्चार्य प्राणापानौ नियम्य च ज्ञानामृतेन सर्वाङ्गान्य् आपूर्य प्रणवेन च

Then, uttering the Oṃkāra and restraining the prāṇa and apāna, filling all the limbs with the nectar of knowledge and with the praṇava—

गुणत्रयं चतुर्धाख्यम् अहङ्कारं च सुव्रताः तन्मात्राणि च भूतानि तथा बुद्धीन्द्रियाणि च

The three guṇas, known as fourfold, and the ahaṃkāra, O virtuous ones, the subtle elements, the gross elements, and the organs of knowledge—

कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संशोध्य पुरुषं युगलं तथा चिदात्मानं तनुं कृत्वा चाग्निर्भस्मेति संस्पृशेत्

Having purified the organs of action and likewise the dual person, making the self of consciousness the body, one should touch with the ashes of fire.

वायुर्भस्मेति च व्योम तथाम्भः पृथिवी तथा त्रियायुषं त्रिसंध्यं च धूलयेद् भसितेन यः

With the ashes of air, likewise of space, water, and earth, whoever anoints himself with ashes at the three junctions of the day and night—

स योगी सर्वतत्त्वज्ञो व्रतं पाशुपतं त्विदम् भवेन पाशमोक्षार्थं कथितं देवसत्तमाः

That yogī, knower of all principles, this Pāśupata vow is declared by Bhava for the sake of liberation from bondage, O best of gods.

एवं पाशुपतं कृत्वा सम्पूज्य परमेश्वरम् लिङ्गे पुरा मया दृष्टे विष्णुना च महात्मना

Thus, having performed the Pāśupata rite and worshipped the Supreme Lord, the liṅga was seen by me in ancient times, and by Viṣṇu, the great soul.

पशवो नैव जायन्ते वर्षमात्रेण देवताः अस्माभिः सर्वकार्याणां देवमभ्यर्च्य यत्नतः

No beings are born as subjects within a year, O gods, when we have carefully worshipped the god for all our undertakings.