Linga Purana

सुनन्दो नन्दनश्चैव विश्वनन्दोपनन्दनौ शिष्यास्ते वै महात्मानो यैस्तद्ब्रह्म सदावृतम्

Sunanda and Nandana, along with Viśvananda and Upanandana, these disciples, great souls, always surround that Brahman.

तस्याग्रे श्वेतवर्णाभः श्वेतो नाम महामुनिः विजज्ञे ऽथ महातेजास् तस्माज्जज्ञे हरस्त्वसौ

Before him, shining with a white hue, the great sage named Śveta was born; then from him was born Hara, of great brilliance.

तत्र ते मुनयः सर्वे सद्योजातं महेश्वरम् प्रपन्नाः परया भक्त्या गृणन्तो ब्रह्म शाश्वतम्

There, all those sages, with supreme devotion, took refuge in Sadyojāta Maheśvara, praising the eternal Brahman.

तस्माद्विश्वेश्वरं देवं ये प्रपद्यन्ति वै द्विजाः प्राणायामपरा भूत्वा ब्रह्मतत्परमानसाः

Therefore, those twice-born who take refuge in the god, Lord of the universe, having become devoted to breath-control and with minds fixed on Brahman—

ते सर्वे पापनिर्मुक्ता विमला ब्रह्मवर्चसः विष्णुलोकमतिक्रम्य रुद्रलोकं व्रजन्ति ते

All of them, freed from sin, pure, and radiant with the brilliance of Brahman, surpass Viṣṇu's world and attain Rudra's realm.

ततस्त्रिंशत्तमः कल्पो रक्तो नाम प्रकीर्तितः ब्रह्मा यत्र महातेजा रक्तवर्णमधारयत्

Then the thirty-third kalpa, called Rakta, is proclaimed, in which Brahmā, of great brilliance, assumed a red form.

ध्यायतः पुत्रकामस्य ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः प्रादुर्भूतो महातेजाः कुमारो रक्तभूषणः

As Brahmā, the supreme lord, meditated desiring a son, there appeared a radiant Kumāra adorned in red.

रक्तमाल्याम्बरधरो रक्तनेत्रः प्रतापवान् स तं दृष्ट्वा महात्मानं कुमारं रक्तवाससम्

Wearing red garlands and garments, with red eyes and full of splendour, he saw that great-souled Kumāra clad in red.

परं ध्यानं समाश्रित्य बुबुधे देवमीश्वरम् स तं प्रणम्य भगवान् ब्रह्मा परमयन्त्रितः

Relying on supreme meditation, he realized the god, the Lord; bowing to him, the venerable Brahmā, greatly restrained, paid homage.

वामदेवं ततो ब्रह्मा ब्रह्म वै समचिन्तयत् तथा स्तुतो महादेवो ब्रह्मणा परमेश्वरः

Then Brahmā contemplated Vāmadeva as Brahman; thus praised by Brahmā, the supreme Lord, Mahādeva, was worshipped.

प्रतीतहृदयः सर्व इदमाह पितामहम् ध्यायता पुत्रकामेन यस्मात्ते ऽहं पितामह

With his heart completely understood, he spoke to Pitāmaha: 'Because you, desiring sons, have meditated upon me, O Pitāmaha—'

दृष्टः परमया भक्त्या स्तुतश् च ब्रह्मपूर्वकम् तस्माद्ध्यानबलं प्राप्य कल्पे कल्पे प्रयत्नतः

'I have been seen with supreme devotion and praised in accordance with Brahman; therefore, by the power of meditation, you shall attain, in every kalpa, through effort—'

वेत्स्यसे मां प्रसंख्यातं लोकधातारमीश्वरम् ततस्तस्य महात्मानश् चत्वारस्ते कुमारकाः

'You will know me as the one counted, the Lord, the supporter of the worlds.' Then, from him, those four great-souled Kumāras were born.

संबभूवुर्महात्मानो विशुद्धा ब्रह्मवर्चसः विरजाश् च विबाहुश् च विशोको विश्वभावनः

They were born as great souls, pure, radiant with the brilliance of Brahman: Virajā, Vibāhu, Viśoka, and Viśvabhāvana.

ब्रह्मण्या ब्रह्मणस्तुल्या वीरा अध्यवसायिनः रक्तांबरधराः सर्वे रक्तमाल्यानुलेपनाः

Devoted to Brahman, equal to Brahmā, heroic and resolute, all wearing red garments, adorned with red garlands and unguents.

रक्तकुङ्कुमलिप्ताङ्गा रक्तभस्मानुलेपनाः ततो वर्षसहस्रान्ते ब्रह्मत्वे ऽध्यवसायिनः

Their bodies smeared with red saffron and anointed with red ashes, at the end of a thousand years, they attain the state of Brahma.

गृणन्तश् च महात्मानो ब्रह्म तद्वामदैविकम् अनुग्रहार्थं लोकानां शिष्याणां हितकाम्यया

And those great souls praise that supreme, dual, divine Brahman, wishing for the welfare of the worlds and their disciples, out of compassion.

धर्मोपदेशमखिलं कृत्वा ते ब्रह्मणः प्रियाः पुनरेव महादेवं प्रविष्टा रुद्रमव्ययम्

Having imparted all the teachings of righteousness, those dear to Brahma again enter into the imperishable Rudra, the Great God.

ये ऽपि चान्ये द्विजश्रेष्ठा युञ्जाना वाममीश्वरम् प्रपश्यन्ति महादेवं तद्भक्तास् तत्परायणाः

And other excellent twice-born ones, who worship the left-sided Lord, see the Great God—devoted to him, they are dedicated to him.

ते सर्वे पापनिर्मुक्ता विमला ब्रह्मचारिणः रुद्रलोकं गमिष्यन्ति पुनरावृत्तिदुर्लभम्

All of them, freed from sin, pure, and observing celibacy, will go to the world of Rudra, where return is difficult.

एकत्रिंशत्तमः कल्पः पीतवासा इति स्मृतः ब्रह्मा यत्र महाभागः पीतवासा बभूव ह

The thirty-first kalpa is known as Pītavāsā, in which the illustrious Brahma became Pītavāsā.

ध्यायतः पुत्रकामस्य ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः प्रादुर्भूतो महातेजाः कुमारः पीतवस्त्रधृक्

As Brahma, the supreme lord, was meditating with the desire for a son, a radiant youth appeared, wearing yellow garments.

पीतगन्धानुलिप्ताङ्गः पीतमाल्यांबरो युवा हेमयज्ञोपवीतश् च पीतोष्णीषो महाभुजः

His body was anointed with yellow fragrance, adorned with yellow garlands and clothes, youthful, with a golden sacred thread, a yellow turban, and mighty arms.

तं दृष्ट्वा ध्यानसंयुक्तो ब्रह्मा लोकमहेश्वरम् मनसा लोकधातारं प्रपेदे शरणं विभुम्

Seeing him, Brahma, absorbed in meditation, approached in his mind that Lord of the worlds, the creator, seeking refuge in the mighty one.

ततो ध्यानगतस्तत्र ब्रह्मा माहेश्वरीं वराम् गां विश्वरूपां ददृशे महेश्वरमुखाच्च्युताम्

Then, as Brahma was absorbed in meditation, he saw the excellent Māheśvarī, the universal form of the earth, emerging from the face of the Great Lord.

चतुष्पदां चतुर्वक्त्रां चतुर्हस्तां चतुःस्तनीम् चतुर्नेत्रां चतुःशृङ्गीं चतुर्दंष्ट्रां चतुर्मुखीम्

She had four feet, four faces, four arms, four breasts, four eyes, four horns, four fangs, and four mouths.

द्वात्रिंशद्गुणसंयुक्ताम् ईश्वरीं सर्वतोमुखीम् स तां दृष्ट्वा महातेजा महादेवीं महेश्वरीम्

Endowed with thirty-two qualities, the sovereign goddess, facing in all directions—seeing her, the radiant Great Goddess, the consort of the Great Lord—

पुनराह महादेवः सर्वदेवनमस्कृतः मतिः स्मृतिर्बुद्धिरिति गायमानः पुनः पुनः

Again, the Great God, worshipped by all the gods, repeatedly sang: 'Intellect, memory, wisdom.'

एह्येहीति महादेवि सातिष्ठत्प्राञ्जलिर्विभुम् विश्वमावृत्य योगेन जगत्सर्वं वशीकुरु

'Come, come, O Great Goddess!'—so saying, with joined palms, he stood before the Lord, and, encompassing the universe through yoga, he brought all the worlds under control.