Linga Purana

संलापालापकुशलैः सर्वाभरणभूषितैः स्तनभारावनम्रैश् च मदाघूर्णितलोचनैः

With women skilled in conversation and speech, adorned with all ornaments, with slightly bent forms from the weight of their breasts, and eyes rolling from intoxication.

गेयनादरतैर्दिव्यै रुद्रकन्यासहस्रकैः नृत्यद्भिर् अप्सरःसंघैर् अमरैरपि दुर्लभैः

With thousands of divine maidens of Rudra, devoted to singing, and groups of Apsarases dancing—such company is difficult even for the gods to obtain.

प्रफुल्लांबुजवृन्दाद्यैस् तथा द्विजवरैरपि रुद्रस्त्रीगणसंकीर्णैर् जलक्रीडारतैस् तथा

There were also best of Brahmins, surrounded by blooming lotuses, and groups of Rudra’s women, delighting in water games.

रतोत्सवरतैश्चैव ललितैश् च पदे पदे ग्रामरागानुरक्तैश् च पद्मरागसमप्रभैः

There were those absorbed in festivals and celebrations, and others graceful at every step, attached to the pleasures of village life, shining like the ruby gem.

स्त्रीसंघैर् देवदेवस्य भवस्य परमात्मनः दृष्ट्वा विस्मयमापन्नास् तस्थुर्देवाः समन्ततः

Seeing the assemblies of women belonging to the Lord of gods, Bhava, the supreme soul, the gods stood all around, struck with wonder.

तत्रैव ददृशुर्देवा वृन्दं रुद्रगणस्य च गणेश्वराणां वीराणाम् अपि वृन्दं सहस्रशः

There, the gods beheld the multitude of Rudra’s hosts, and thousands of heroic leaders of the hosts.

सुवर्णकृतसोपानान् वज्रवैडूर्यभूषितान् स्फाटिकान् देवदेवस्य ददृशुस्ते विमानकान्

They saw the celestial palaces of the Lord of gods, with golden stairways adorned with diamonds, beryl, and crystal.

तेषां शृङ्गेषु हृष्टाश् च नार्यः कमललोचनाः विशालजघना यक्षा गन्धर्वाप्सरसस् तथा

On their pinnacles were joyous women with lotus-like eyes and broad hips—Yakshas, Gandharvas, and Apsarases as well.

किन्नर्यः किंनराश्चैव भुजङ्गाः सिद्धकन्यकाः नानावेषधराश्चान्या नानाभूषणभूषिताः

There were Kinnaris and Kinnaras, serpent-beings, and Siddha maidens, others wearing various garments and adorned with diverse ornaments.

नानाप्रभावसंयुक्ता नानाभोगरतिप्रियाः नीलोत्पलदलप्रख्याः पद्मपत्रायतेक्षणाः

Endowed with various powers, fond of diverse enjoyments and pleasures, they resembled blue lotus petals, with eyes elongated like lotus leaves.

पद्मकिञ्जल्कसंकाशैर् अंशुकैरतिशोभनाः वलयैर्नूपुरैर्हारैश् छत्रैश्चित्रैस्तथांशुकैः

They shone beautifully with garments like lotus filaments, with bangles, anklets, necklaces, and decorated parasols and robes.

भूषिता भूषितैश् चान्यैर् मण्डिता मण्डनप्रियाः दृष्ट्वाथ वृन्दं सुरसुन्दरीणां गणेश्वराणां सुरसुन्दरीणाम् जग्मुर्गणेशस्य पुरं सुरेशाः पुरद्विषः शक्रपुरोगमाश् च

Adorned with many ornaments, fond of decoration, when the gods saw the assembly of celestial beauties and the leaders of the hosts, they proceeded to the city of the Lord of hosts, the enemies of cities, with Indra at their head.

दृष्ट्वा च तस्थुः सुरसिद्धसंघाः पुरस्य मध्ये पुरुहूतपूर्वाः भवस्य बालार्कसहस्रवर्णं विमानमाद्यं परमेश्वरस्य

Having seen this, the groups of gods and Siddhas, led by Puruhuta, stood in the middle of the city, beholding the foremost palace of the supreme Lord, shining with the color of a thousand rising suns.

अथ तस्य विमानस्य द्वारि संस्थं गणेश्वरम् नन्दिनं ददृशुः सर्वे देवाः शक्रपुरोगमाः

Then, at the gate of that palace, all the gods, with Indra at their head, saw Nandin, the lord of the hosts, standing there.

तं दृष्ट्वा नन्दिनं सर्वे प्रणम्याहुर् गणेश्वरम् जयेति देवास्तं दृष्ट्वा सो ऽप्याह च गणेश्वरः

Seeing Nandin, all the gods bowed and said to the lord of the hosts, 'Victory!' And the lord of the hosts replied to them.

भो भो देवा महाभागाः सर्वे निर्धूतकल्मषाः सम्प्राप्ताः सर्वलोकेशा वक्तुमर्हथ सुव्रताः

"O gods, greatly fortunate, all your sins removed, you have arrived, O lords of all worlds. You, steadfast in vows, may speak your purpose."

तमाहुर्वरदं देवं वारणेन्द्रसमप्रभम् पशुपाशविमोक्षार्थं दर्शयास्मान् महेश्वरम्

They said, "Show us the boon-giving god, radiant as the lord of elephants, Maheshvara, for the purpose of releasing us from the bonds of existence."

पुरा पुरत्रयं दग्धुं पशुत्वं परिभाषितम् शङ्किताश् च वयं तत्र पशुत्वं प्रति सुव्रत

"Formerly, when the three cities were to be burned, we were called 'beasts.' Because of that, O steadfast one, we are anxious regarding this 'beast-hood.'"

व्रतं पाशुपतं प्रोक्तं भवेन परमेष्ठिना व्रतेनानेन भूतेश पशुत्वं नैव विद्यते

"The Pashupata vow was declared by Bhava, the supreme lord. By this vow, O lord of beings, 'beast-hood' does not exist at all."

अथ द्वादशवर्षं वा मासद्वादशकं तु वा दिनद्वादशकं वापि कृत्वा तद् व्रतम् उत्तमम्

Now, whether for twelve years, or for twelve months, or even for twelve days, if one observes that supreme vow—

मुच्यन्ते पशवः सर्वे पशुपाशैर्भवस्य तु दर्शयामास तान्देवान् नारायणपुरोगमान्

All beings are freed from the bonds of existence; he revealed them thus to the gods, with Nārāyaṇa at their head.

नन्दी शिलादतनयः सर्वभूतगणाग्रणीः तं दृष्ट्वा देवमीशानं सांबं सगणम् अव्ययम्

Nandī, son of Śilāda, foremost among all hosts of beings, upon seeing the imperishable Lord Īśāna together with Sāmbā and his attendants—

प्रणेमुस् तुष्टुवुश् चैव प्रीतिकण्टकितत्वचः विज्ञाप्य शितिकण्ठाय पशुपाशविमोक्षणम्

They bowed and praised him, their skin bristling with joy, and informed the blue-throated one of the release from the bonds of existence.

तस्थुस्तदाग्रतः शंभोः प्रणिपत्य पुनः पुनः ततः सम्प्रेक्ष्य तान् सर्वान् देवदेवो वृषध्वजः

They stood before Śambhu, repeatedly bowing down; then, seeing them all, the god of gods, the bull-bannered one—

विशोध्य तेषां देवानां पशुत्वं परमेश्वरः व्रतं पाशुपतं चैव स्वयं देवो महेश्वरः

The supreme Lord purified the state of bondage from those gods; the god Maheśvara himself instructed them in the Pāśupata vow.

उपदिश्य मुनीनां च सहास्ते चांबया भवः तदाप्रभृति ते देवाः सर्वे पाशुपताः स्मृताः

He taught it also to the sages, together with Ambā; from that time, all those gods have been known as Pāśupatas.

पशूनां च पतिर्यस्मात् तेषां साक्षाद्धि देवताः तस्मात्पाशुपताः प्रोक्तास् तपस्तेपुश् च ते पुनः

Because he is the lord of beings, and they are directly deities, therefore they are called Pāśupatas; and again, they performed austerities.

ततो द्वादशवर्षान्ते मुक्तपाशाः सुरोत्तमाः ययुर्यथागतं सर्वे ब्रह्मणा सह विष्णुना

Then, at the end of twelve years, the excellent gods, freed from their bonds, all departed as they had come, along with Brahmā and Viṣṇu.

एतद्वः कथितं सर्वं पितामहमुखाच्छ्रुतम् पुरा सनत्कुमारेण तस्माद्व्यासेन धीमता

All this has been told to you, as heard from the mouth of the Grandfather, formerly by Sanatkumāra, and thus by the wise Vyāsa.