Linga Purana

मुनयः संशितात्मानः प्रणेमुस्तं गुहाश्रयम् अस्तुवंश् च ततः सर्वे नीलकण्ठमुमापतिम्

The sages, with controlled minds, bowed to him who dwelled in the cave, and then all praised Nīlakaṇṭha, the consort of Umā.

अत्युग्रं कालकूटाख्यं संहृतं भगवंस्त्वया अतः प्रतिष्ठितं सर्वं त्वया देव वृषध्वज

O Lord, the terrible poison called Kālakūṭa was absorbed by you; therefore, everything is established by you, O god with the bull-banner.

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा भगवान्नीललोहितः प्रहसन्प्राह विश्वात्मा सनन्दनपुरोगमान्

Hearing their words, the blessed blue-red one, the soul of the universe, smiled and spoke to Sanandana and the others.

किमनेन द्विजश्रेष्ठा विषं वक्ष्ये सुदारुणम् संहरेत्तद्विषं यस्तु स समर्थो ह्यनेन किम्

O best of twice-born, what is the use of this poison? I will tell you of a most dreadful poison; whoever can absorb that poison is truly capable—what use is this one?

न विषं कालकूटाख्यं संसारो विषमुच्यते तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन संहरेत सुदारुणम्

The poison called Kālakūṭa is not the real poison; saṃsāra is said to be the poison. Therefore, one should strive with all effort to absorb that most dreadful poison.

संसारो द्विविधः प्रोक्तः स्वाधिकारानुरूपतः पुंसां संमूढचित्तानाम् असंक्षीणः सुदारुणः

Saṃsāra is said to be of two kinds, according to one's eligibility: for those whose minds are deluded, it is unmitigated and very terrible.

ईषणारागदोषेण सर्गो ज्ञानेन सुव्रताः तद्वशादेव सर्वेषां धर्माधर्मौ न संशयः

By the fault of desire and attachment, creation arises; by knowledge, O virtuous ones, all dharma and adharma depend on that—there is no doubt.

असन्निकृष्टे त्वर्थे ऽपि शास्त्रं तच्छ्रवणात्सताम् बुद्धिमुत्पादयत्येव संसारे विदुषां द्विजाः

Even when the subject is not immediately relevant, O twice-born, the scripture, by being heard, certainly produces understanding in the wise within the cycle of existence.

तस्माद्दृष्टानुश्रविकं दुष्टमित्युभयात्मकम् संत्यजेत्सर्वयत्नेन विरक्तः सो ऽभिधीयते

Therefore, one who is detached should, with all effort, abandon what is seen and heard to be corrupt, for it is of a dual nature—so it is declared.

शास्त्रमित्युच्यते भागं श्रुतेः कर्मसु तद्द्विजाः मूर्धानं ब्रह्मणः सारम् ऋषीणां कर्मणः फलम्

Scripture is said to be a portion of the Veda concerning actions, O twice-born; it is the crown of Brahman, the essence, the fruit of the sages’ actions.

ननु स्वभावः सर्वेषां कामो दृष्टो न चान्यथा श्रुतिः प्रवर्तिका तेषाम् इति कर्मण्यतद्विदः

Indeed, desire is seen as the natural tendency of all, and not otherwise; the Veda enjoins action for them—thus, those who know this are devoted to action.

निवृत्तिलक्षणो धर्मः समर्थानाम् इहोच्यते तस्मादज्ञानमूलो हि संसारः सर्वदेहिनाम्

Here, the characteristic of dharma for the capable is said to be renunciation; therefore, for all embodied beings, the root of worldly existence is ignorance.

कला संशोषमायाति कर्मणान्यस्वभावतः सकलस्त्रिविधो जीवो ज्ञानहीनस्त्वविद्यया

Due to actions contrary to their own nature, the power (kalā) withers away; the embodied soul, being threefold and complete, when lacking knowledge, is bound by ignorance.

नारकी पापकृत्स्वर्गी पुण्यकृत् पुण्यगौरवात् व्यतिमिश्रेण वै जीवश् चतुर्धा संव्यवस्थितः

Because of the weight of virtue or sin, the soul is established in four ways: as hell-bound for evil deeds, as heavenly for good deeds, and as mixed for both.

उद्भिज्जः स्वेदजश्चैव अण्डजो वै जरायुजः एवं व्यवस्थितो देही कर्मणाज्ञो ह्यनिर्वृतः

The embodied being is classified as born from sprout, sweat, egg, or womb; thus established by actions, ignorant, and unsatisfied.

प्रजया कर्मणा मुक्तिर् धनेन च सतां न हि त्यागेनैकेन मुक्तिः स्यात् तदभावाद्भ्रमत्यसौ

Liberation is not attained by progeny, actions, or wealth, O noble ones; nor by renunciation alone—lacking these, one wanders here.

एवमज्ञानदोषेण नानाकर्मवशेन च षट्कौशिकं समुद्भूतं भजत्येष कलेवरम्

Thus, due to the fault of ignorance and the force of various actions, this embodied one assumes the sixfold condition.

गर्भे दुःखान्यनेकानि योनिमार्गे च भूतले कौमारे यौवने चैव वार्द्धके मरणे ऽपि वा

In the womb, there are many sufferings; likewise in the birth passage, on earth, in childhood, youth, old age, and even at death.

विचारतः सतां दुःखं स्त्रीसंसर्गादिभिर् द्विजाः दुःखेनैकेन वै दुःखं प्रशाम्यतीह दुःखिनः

For the wise who reflect, O twice-born, suffering arises from union with women and other causes; for the suffering, one pain is calmed only by another pain.

न जातु कामः कामानाम् उपभोगेन शाम्यति हविषा कृष्णवर्त्मेव भूय एवाभिवर्धते

Desire is never satisfied by enjoyment of objects; like clarified butter poured on a fire, it only grows all the more.

तस्माद्विचारतो नास्ति संयोगादपि वै नृणाम् अर्थानाम् अर्जने ऽप्येवं पालने च व्यये तथा

Therefore, upon reflection, there is no satisfaction for people even from union with objects, nor in their acquisition, preservation, or expenditure.

पैशाचे राक्षसे दुःखं याक्षे चैव विचारतः गान्धर्वे च तथा चान्द्रे सौम्यलोके द्विजोत्तमाः

Upon reflection, suffering exists in the demonic, the rakshasa, the yaksha, the gandharva, and the lunar (soma) worlds, O best of twice-born.

प्राजापत्ये तथा ब्राह्मे प्राकृते पौरुषे तथा क्षयसातिशयाद्यैस्तु दुःखैर्दुःखानि सुव्रताः

Likewise, in the prajapati, brahma, natural, and human realms, O virtuous ones, suffering arises from decay, excess, and other causes.

तानि भाग्यान्यशुद्धानि संत्यजेच्च धनानि च तस्मादष्टगुणं भोगं तथा षोडशधा स्थितम्

Those fortunes are impure and should be abandoned, as should wealth; therefore, eightfold enjoyment and likewise the sixteenfold state should be given up.

चतुर्विंशत्प्रकारेण संस्थितं चापि सुव्रताः द्वात्रिंशद्भेदमनघाश् चत्वारिंशद्गुणं पुनः

O virtuous ones, it is established in twenty-four forms, and again, O sinless ones, in thirty-two varieties and fortyfold as well.

तथाष्टचत्वारिंशच्च षट्पञ्चाशत्प्रकारतः चतुःषष्टिविधं चैव दुःखमेव विवेकिनः

In the same way, there are forty-eight, fifty-six, and sixty-four kinds of suffering for the discerning.

पार्थिवं च तथाप्यं च तैजसं च विचारतः वायव्यं च तथा व्यौम[ं] मानसं च यथाक्रमम्

Considering the earthly, aqueous, fiery, airy, ethereal, and mental types in their respective order,

आभिमानिकमप्येवं बौद्धं प्राकृतमेव च दुःखमेव न संदेहो योगिनां ब्रह्मवादिनाम्

Likewise, the egoic, intellectual, and natural types—indeed, for yogis and knowers of Brahman, there is no doubt: all are suffering.

गौणं गणेश्वराणां च दुःखमेव विचारतः आदौ मध्ये तथा चान्ते सर्वलोकेषु सर्वदा

Even for the leaders of the divine hosts, suffering is secondary but present; at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end, in all worlds, always.