Linga Purana

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.

अथ तामाह देवेशो रुद्राणी त्वं भविष्यसि ब्राह्मणानां हितार्थाय परमार्था भविष्यसि

Then the Lord of gods said to her: 'You shall become Rudrāṇī, for the welfare of the brahmins, you shall be the supreme purpose.'

तथैनां पुत्रकामस्य ध्यायतः परमेष्ठिनः प्रददौ देवदेवेशः चतुष्पादां जगद्गुरुः

Thus, to Brahma, who was meditating with the desire for a son, the Lord of gods, the teacher of the world, gave her, four-footed.

ततस्तां ध्यानयोगेन विदित्वा परमेश्वरीम् ब्रह्मा लोकगुरोः सो ऽथ प्रतिपेदे महेश्वरीम्

Then, knowing her through the yoga of meditation as the supreme goddess, Brahma, the teacher of the world, accepted the Great Goddess.

गायत्रीं तु ततो रौद्रीं ध्यात्वा ब्रह्मानुयन्त्रितः इत्येतां वैदिकीं विद्यां रौद्रीं गायत्रीमीरिताम्

Then, compelled by Brahma, he meditated on the Raudrī Gāyatrī; thus, this Vedic knowledge called the Raudrī Gāyatrī was revealed.

जपित्वा तु महादेवीं ब्रह्मा लोकनमस्कृताम् प्रपन्नस्तु महादेवं ध्यानयुक्तेन चेतसा

Having recited prayers to the great goddess, who is revered by the worlds, and having taken refuge in the Great God with a mind absorbed in meditation—

ततस्तस्य महादेवो दिव्ययोगं बहुश्रुतम् ऐश्वर्यं ज्ञानसंपत्तिं वैराग्यं च ददौ प्रभुः

Then, the Great God granted him divine yoga, vast knowledge, lordly power, attainment of wisdom, and detachment.

ततो ऽस्य पार्श्वतो दिव्याः प्रादुर्भूताः कुमारकाः पीतमाल्यांबरधराः पीतस्रगनुलेपनाः

After that, from his side, divine boys appeared, adorned with yellow garlands and garments, and anointed with yellow unguents.

पीताभोष्णीषशिरसः पीतास्याः पीतमूर्धजाः ततो वर्षसहस्रान्त उषित्वा विमलौजसः

With yellow turbans on their heads, yellow faces, and yellow hair, they, possessing pure brilliance, dwelt there for a thousand years.

योगात्मानस्तपोह्लादाः ब्राह्मणानां हितैषिणः धर्मयोगबलोपेता मुनीनां दीर्घसत्त्रिणाम्

Endowed with yoga, delighting in austerity, wishing for the welfare of the Brahmins, and possessed of the strength of dharma and yoga, they were sages performing long sacrificial rites.

उपदिश्य महायोगं प्रविष्टास्ते महेश्वरम् एवमेतेन विधिना ये प्रपन्ना महेश्वरम्

After instructing in the great yoga, they entered into the Great Lord; in this very manner, those who take refuge in the Great Lord—