Linga Purana

सुतशोको वसिष्ठस्य अरुन्धत्याः प्रलापनम् स्नुषायाः प्रेषणं चैव गर्भस्थस्य वचस् तथा

The grief for his son by Vasiṣṭha, the lamentation of Arundhatī, the sending of the daughter-in-law, and the words of the one in the womb are narrated.

पराशरस्यावतारो व्यासस्य च शुकस्य च विनाशो राक्षसानां च कृतो वै शक्तिसूनुना

The descent of Parāśara, of Vyāsa, and of Śuka, and the destruction of the Rākṣasas accomplished by the son of Śakti are described.

देवतापरमार्थं तु विज्ञानं च प्रसादतः पुराणकरणं चैव पुलस्त्यस्याज्ञया गुरोः

The supreme truth of the gods, knowledge arising from grace, and the composition of the Purāṇa by the command of the teacher Pulastya are explained.

भुवनानां प्रमाणं च ग्रहाणां ज्योतिषां गतिः जीवच्छ्राद्धविधानं च श्राद्धार्हाः श्राद्धमेव च

The measure of the worlds, the movement of planets and stars, the course of luminaries, the procedure for funeral rites for the living, those worthy of śrāddha, and the śrāddha itself—

नान्दीश्राद्धविधानं च तथाध्ययनलक्षणम् पञ्चयज्ञप्रभावश् च पञ्चयज्ञविधिस् तथा

The procedure for the Nandi-śrāddha, the characteristics of study, the power of the five sacrifices, and likewise the method of the five sacrifices—

रजस्वलानां वृत्तिश् च वृत्त्या पुत्रविशिष्टता मैथुनस्य विधिश्चैव प्रतिवर्णमनुक्रमात्

The conduct of menstruating women, the superiority of sons through conduct, and the rules of sexual union according to each class in order—

भोज्याभोज्यविधानं च सर्वेषामेव वर्णिनाम् प्रायश्चित्तम् अशेषस्य प्रत्येकं चैव विस्तरात्

The regulations regarding what is fit and unfit to eat for all classes, the expiation for every kind of transgression, described individually and in detail—

नरकाणां स्वरूपं च दण्डः कर्मानुरूपतः स्वर्गिनारकिणां पुंसां चिह्नं जन्मान्तरेषु च

The nature of hells, punishment according to deeds, and the marks of those who go to heaven or hell in their future births—

नानाविधानि दानानि प्रेतराजपुरं तथा कल्पं पञ्चाक्षरस्याथ रुद्रमाहात्म्यमेव च

The various kinds of gifts, the city of the lord of the dead, the rite of the five-syllabled mantra, and the greatness of Rudra—

वृत्रेन्द्रयोर्महायुद्धं विश्वरूपविमर्दनम् श्वेतस्य मृत्योः संवादः श्वेतार्थे कालनाशनम्

The great battle between Vṛtra and Indra, the crushing of Viśvarūpa, the dialogue of Śveta with Death, and the destruction of Time for the sake of Śveta—

देवदारुवने शम्भोः प्रवेशः शंकरस्य तु सुदर्शनस्य चाख्यानं क्रमसंन्यासलक्षणम्

The entry of Śambhu into the Deodar forest, the story of Śaṃkara, the account of Sudarśana, and the characteristics of the stages of renunciation—

श्रद्धासाध्यो ऽथ रुद्रस्तु कथितं ब्रह्मणा तदा मधुना कैटभेनैव पुरा हृतगतेर्विभोः

Then, Rudra, who is accomplished through faith, was described by Brahmā at that time, when the mighty one’s movement was taken away by Madhu and Kaiṭabha—

ब्रह्मणः परमं ज्ञानम् आदातुं मीनता हरेः सर्वावस्थासु विष्णोश् च जननं लीलयैव तु

The supreme knowledge of Brahmā to be obtained, the fish incarnation of Hari, and the birth of Viṣṇu in all conditions, indeed as a divine play—

रुद्रप्रसादाद्विष्णोश् च जिष्णोश्चैव तु सम्भवः मन्थानधारणार्थाय हरेः कूर्मत्वमेवच

By the grace of Rudra, the origin of Viṣṇu and Jishnu, and the taking of the form of a tortoise by Hari for the sake of supporting the churning rod—

संकर्षणस्य चोत्पत्तिः कौशिक्याश् च पुनर्भवः यदूनां चैव सम्भूतिर् यादवत्वं हरेः स्वयम्

The birth of Saṃkarṣaṇa, the rebirth of Kauśikī, the origin of the Yadus, and Hari’s own assumption of the form of a Yādava—

भोजराजस्य दौरात्म्यं मातुलस्य हरेर्विभोः बालभावे हरेः क्रीडा पुत्रार्थं शंकरार्चनम्

The wickedness of King Bhoja, the uncle of the mighty Hari, the childhood play of Hari, and the worship of Śaṃkara for the sake of a son—

नारस्य च तथोत्पत्तिः कपाले वैष्णवाद्धरात् भूभारनिग्रहार्थे तु रुद्रस्याराधनं हरेः

The origin of Nara from the Vaiṣṇava skull, and the worship of Rudra by Hari for the removal of the burden of the earth—

वैन्येन पृथुना भूमेः पुरा दोहप्रवर्तनम् देवासुरे पुरा लब्धो भृगुशापश् च विष्णुना

Formerly, the extraction of the earth by Vainya Pṛthu, the curse received by Viṣṇu from Bhṛgu in the conflict between gods and demons—

कृष्णत्वे द्वारकायां तु निलयो माधवस्य तु लब्धो हिताय शापस्तु दुर्वासस्याननाद्धरेः

In the Kṛṣṇa incarnation, the dwelling of Mādhava in Dvārakā, and the curse received by Hari from Durvāsas for his benefit—

वृष्ण्यन्धकविनाशाय शापः पिण्डारवासिनाम् एरकस्य तथोत्पत्तिस् तोमरस्योद्भवस् तथा

The curse for the destruction of the Vṛṣṇis and Andhakas, the origin of Eraka, and likewise the birth of the club—

एरकालाभतो ऽन्योन्यं विवादे वृष्णिविग्रहः लीलया चैव कृष्णेन स्वकुलस्य च संहृतिः

Because of obtaining the Eraka grass, the quarrel among themselves, the conflict of the Vṛṣṇis, and the destruction of his own clan by Kṛṣṇa as a divine play—

एरकास्त्रबलेनैव गमनं स्वेच्छयैव तु ब्रह्मणश्चैव मोक्षस्य विज्ञानं तु सुविस्तरम्

By the power of the erakā grass alone, movement occurs at will, and the knowledge of liberation and Brahman is explained in detail.

पुरान्धकाग्निदक्षाणां शक्रेभमृगरूपिणाम् मदनस्यादिदेवस्य ब्रह्मणश् चामरारिणाम्

Of the ancient Andhaka, Agni, Daksha, those who take the forms of Indra, elephant, deer, of Madana, the primordial god, and of Brahman, the enemy of Amara—

हलाहलस्य दैत्यस्य कृतावज्ञा पिनाकिना जालंधरवधश्चैव सुदर्शनसमुद्भवः

Of Halahala, the demon, who was insulted by Pinākin; the killing of Jalandhara, and the origin of Sudarshana—

विष्णोर्वरायुधावाप्तिस् तथा रुद्रस्य चेष्टितम् तथान्यानि च रुद्रस्य चरितानि सहस्रशः

The obtaining of the Varāyudha by Vishnu, the actions of Rudra, and likewise the countless other deeds of Rudra—

हरेः पितामहस्याथ शक्रस्य च महात्मनः प्रभावानुभवश्चैव शिवलोकस्य वर्णनम्

The power and experience of Hari, Pitāmaha, and the great-souled Indra, and the description of the world of Shiva—

भूमौ रुद्रस्य लोकं च पाताले हाटकेश्वरम् तपसां लक्षणं चैव द्विजानां वैभवं तथा

The realm of Rudra on earth, Hāṭakeśvara in the netherworld, the characteristics of austerities, and the splendor of the twice-born—

आधिक्यं सर्वमूर्तीनां लिङ्गमूर्तेर्विशेषतः लिङ्गे ऽस्मिन्नानुपूर्व्येण विस्तरेणानुकीर्त्यते

The supremacy of all forms, especially that of the Linga form, is described here in order and in detail.

एतज्ज्ञात्वा पुराणस्य संक्षेपं कीर्तयेत्तु यः सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो ब्रह्मलोकं स गच्छति

Whoever, having understood this, recites the summary of the Purāṇa, becomes freed from all sins and attains the world of Brahman.