Linga Purana

योगे पाशुपते सम्यक् दिनमेकं यतिर्भवेत् तस्मात्सर्वं परित्यज्य चरेत् पाशुपतं व्रतम्

If an ascetic practices the Pāśupata yoga rightly for even a single day, then, renouncing everything, he should undertake the Pāśupata vow.

देवोद्याने वसेत्तत्र शर्वोद्यानमनुत्तमम् मनसा निर्ममे रुद्रो विमानं च सुशोभनम्

There, in the divine garden, he should dwell—Śarva's unsurpassed garden, which Rudra conceived in his mind, along with a splendid palace.

दर्शयामास च तदा देवोद्यानमनुत्तमम् हैमवत्याः स्वयं देवः सनन्दी परमेश्वरः

At that time, the supreme Lord himself, accompanied by Nandī and Haimavatī, revealed that unsurpassed divine garden.

क्षेत्रस्यास्य च माहात्म्यम् अविमुक्तस्य शङ्करः उक्तवान्परमेशानः पार्वत्याः प्रीतये भवः

For the delight of Pārvatī, the supreme Lord Bhava, Śaṅkara, spoke of the greatness of this field, Avimukta.

प्रफुल्लनानाविधगुल्मशोभितं लताप्रतानादिमनोहरं बहिः विरूढपुष्पैः परितः प्रियङ्गुभिः सुपुष्पितैः कण्टकितैश् च केतकैः

It was adorned with blooming bushes of many kinds, enchanting with trailing vines, and all around were lovely flowers—priyaṅgu in full bloom and thorny ketaka.

तमालगुल्मैर्निचितं सुगन्धिभिर् निकामपुष्पैर्वकुलैश् च सर्वतः अशोकपुन्नागशतैः सुपुष्पितैर् द्विरेफमालाकुलपुष्पसंचयैः

It was filled everywhere with fragrant tamāla thickets and clusters of fully blossomed vakula, and with hundreds of flowering aśoka and punnāga trees, their blossoms swarming with bees.

क्वचित् प्रफुल्लाम्बुजरेणुभूषितैर् विहङ्गमैश् चानुकलप्रणादिभिः विनादितं सारसचक्रवाकैः प्रमत्तदात्यूहवरैश् च सर्वतः

In some places, birds dusted with pollen from blooming lotuses sang melodiously, and the air resounded everywhere with the calls of cranes, ruddy geese, and intoxicated dātyūha birds.

क्वचिच्च केकारुतनादितं शुभं क्वचिच्च कारण्डवनादनादितम् क्वचिच्च मत्तालिकुलाकुलीकृतं मदाकुलाभिर् भ्रमराङ्गनादिभिः

Elsewhere, it echoed with the auspicious cries of peacocks, or the calls of waterfowl, or was filled with swarms of intoxicated bees, their buzzing mingling with the songs of female bees.

निषेवितं चारुसुगन्धिपुष्पकैः क्वचित् सुपुष्पैः सहकारवृक्षैः लतोपगूढैस्तिलकैश् च गूढं प्रगीतविद्याधरसिद्धचारणम्

In some places, it was frequented by beautiful, fragrant flowers and blossoming mango trees, hidden by vines and tilaka trees, and filled with the songs of Vidyādharas, Siddhas, and Cāraṇas.

प्रवृत्तनृत्तानुगताप्सरोगणं प्रहृष्टनानाविधपक्षिसेवितम् प्रनृत्तहारीतकुलोपनादितं मृगेन्द्रनादाकुलमत्तमानसैः

There, groups of Apsarases danced, accompanied by joyful birds of many kinds; the calls of dancing parrots resounded, and the place was filled with the roars of lions and the cries of excited waterfowl.

क्वचित् क्वचिद् गन्धकदम्बकैर् मृगैर् विलूनदर्भाङ्कुरपुष्पसंचयम् प्रफुल्लनानाविधचारुपङ्कजैः सरस्तडागैरुपशोभितं क्वचित्

In some places, herds of gandhaka and kadamba deer grazed, scattering sprouts and clusters of flowers; elsewhere, ponds and lakes shone with blooming lotuses of many kinds.

विटपनिचयलीनं नीलकण्ठाभिरामं मदमुदितविहङ्गं प्राप्तनादाभिरामम् कुसुमिततरुशाखालीनमत्तद्विरेफं नवकिसलयशोभाशोभितं प्रांशुशाखम्

Thick with clusters of trees, charming with blue-throated peacocks, gladdened by the joyful cries of birds, delightful with the sounds that have arisen, filled with intoxicated bees swarming on blossoming branches, adorned with the beauty of fresh shoots, and tall with lofty boughs.

क्वचिद्विलासालसगामिनीभिर् निषेवितं किंपुरुषाङ्गनाभिः

In some places, it was frequented by playful, graceful women, the maidens of the Kimpurusha race.

पारावतध्वनिविकूजितचारुशृङ्गैर् अभ्रङ्कषैः सितमनोहरचारुरूपैः आकीर्णपुष्पनिकरप्रविभक्तहंसैर् विभ्राजितं त्रिदशदिव्यकुलैरनेकैः

Its lovely peaks echoed with the cooing of doves, its white, enchanting forms like shining clouds, resplendent with flocks of swans dividing the heaps of flowers, and crowded with many celestial beings of the gods.

फुल्लोत्पलांबुजवितानसहस्रयुक्तं तोयाशयैः समनुशोभितदेवमार्गम् मार्गान्तराकलितपुष्पविचित्रपङ्क्तिसम्बद्धगुल्मविटपैर् विविधैरुपेतम्

It was adorned with thousands of blooming lotuses and water-lilies, beautifying the divine pathways with pools, and filled with various thickets and groves, lined with rows of brilliantly colored flowers along the paths.

तुङ्गाग्रैर् नीलपुष्पस्तबकभरनतप्रांशुशाखैर् अशोकैर् दोलाप्रान्तान्तनीलश्रुतिसुखजनकैर् भासितान्तं मनोज्ञैः रात्रौ चन्द्रस्य भासा कुसुमिततिलकैरेकतां सम्प्रयातं छायासुप्तप्रबुद्धस्थितहरिणकुलालुप्तदूर्वाङ्कुराग्रम्

With tall branches weighed down by clusters of blue flowers, the lofty Ashoka trees shone, their dark, swinging ends bringing delight, their lovely forms illuminated at night by the moon’s light, mingled with blossoming Tilaka trees, where herds of deer, awakened from sleep in the shade, nibbled at the tender blades of grass.

हंसानां पक्षवातप्रचलितकमलस्वच्छविस्तीर्णतोयं तोयानां तीरजातप्रचकितकदलीचाटुनृत्यन्मयूरम् मायूरैः पक्षचन्द्रैः क्वचिदवनिगतै रञ्जितक्ष्माप्रदेशं देशे देशे विलीनप्रमुदितविलसन्मत्तहारीतवृन्दम्

The waters, clear and wide, were stirred by the wind of swans’ wings, and on the banks, young plantains danced as peacocks performed, their moon-like tails coloring the earth in places, while in others, flocks of joyous, playful parrots vanished into the landscape.

सारङ्गैः क्वचिदुपशोभितप्रदेशं प्रच्छन्नं कुसुमचयैः क्वचिद्विचित्रैः हृष्टाभिः क्वचिदपि किन्नराङ्गनाभिर् वीणाभिः सुमधुरगीतनृत्तकण्ठम्

In some places, the region was adorned by deer, elsewhere hidden by heaps of flowers, and in yet others, delighted Kinnara maidens sang and danced sweetly with their lutes.

संसृष्टैः क्वचिदुपलिप्तकीर्णपुष्पैर् आवासैः परिवृतपादपं मुनीनाम् आ मूलात् फलनिचितैः क्वचिद्विशालैर् उत्तुङ्गैः पनसमहीरुहैरुपेतम्

In some spots, the dwellings of sages were surrounded by trees, their roots heaped with fruit, and everywhere the ground was covered with scattered, mingled flowers, with tall jackfruit and mahua trees rising high.

रम्यं प्रियङ्गुतरुमञ्जरिसक्तभृङ्गं भृङ्गावलीकवलिताम्रकदम्बपुष्पम्

Beautiful with clusters of Priyangu trees where bees clung, and the blossoms of mango and Kadamba trees were enveloped by swarms of bees.

पुष्पोत्करानिलविघूर्णितवारिरम्यं रम्यद्विरेफविनिपातितमञ्जुगुल्मम् गुल्मान्तरप्रसभभीतमृगीसमूहं वातेरितं तनुभृतामपवर्गदातृ

Lovely with waters stirred by breezes carrying heaps of flowers, with charming thickets where intoxicated bees fell, and among the bushes, herds of frightened deer scattered, driven by the wind.

चन्द्रांशुजालशबलैस् तिलकैर् मनोज्ञैः सिन्दूरकुङ्कुमकुसुम्भनिभैर् अशोकैः चामीकरद्युतिसमैरथ कर्णिकारैः पुष्पोत्करैरुपचितं सुविशालशाखैः

Adorned with enchanting Tilaka trees, dappled by the moon’s rays, with Ashoka trees the color of vermilion, saffron, and red dye, and with Karnikara trees shining like gold, the place was filled with heaps of blossoms and broad branches.

क्वचिदञ्जनचूर्णाभैः क्वचिद् विद्रुमसन्निभैः क्वचित्काञ्चनसंकाशैः पुष्पैर् आचितभूतलम्

In some places, the ground was covered with flowers like black collyrium, in others like coral, and elsewhere like gold.

पुन्नागेषु द्विजशतविरुतं रक्ताशोकस्तबकभरनतम् रम्योपान्तक्लमहारभवनं फुल्लाब्जेषु भ्रमरविलसितम्

Among the Punnaga trees, the air was filled with the cries of many birds; the branches of red Ashoka trees were weighed down, and in the pleasant groves, bees played among blooming lotuses.

सकलभुवनभर्ता लोकनाथस्तदानीं तुहिनशिखरपुत्र्या सार्धमिष्टैर्गणेशैः विविधतरुविशालं मत्तहृष्टान्नपुष्टैर् उपवनम् अतिरम्यं दर्शयामास देव्याः

Then, the Lord of all worlds, accompanied by the daughter of the snowy peak, and with the beloved Ganeshas, showed the goddess a most delightful grove, vast with various trees and filled with exuberant, well-nourished animals.

पुष्पैर्वन्यैः शुभशुभतमैः कल्पितैर्दिव्यभूषैर् देवीं दिव्यामुपवनगतां भूषयामास शर्वः सा चाप्येनं तुहिनगिरिसुता शङ्करं देवदेवं पुष्पैर्दिव्यैः शुभतरतमैर् भूषयामास भक्त्या

With forest flowers, both auspicious and most auspicious, fashioned as divine ornaments, Shiva adorned the goddess, who had entered the grove; and she, the daughter of the snowy mountain, with devotion, adorned Shankara, the god of gods, with the most excellent divine flowers.

सम्पूज्य पूज्यं त्रिदशेश्वराणां सम्प्रेक्ष्य चोद्यानम् अतीव रम्यम् गणेश्वरैर् नन्दिमुखैश् च सार्धम् उवाच देवं प्रणिपत्य देवी

Having worshipped the most worshipful of the gods, and gazed upon the exceedingly beautiful garden, the goddess, together with the Ganeshas and Nandimukha, bowed and spoke to the god.

उद्यानं दर्शितं देव प्रभया परया युतम् क्षेत्रस्य च गुणान्सर्वान् पुनर्मे वक्तुमर्हसि

O Lord, you have shown me the garden, radiant with supreme splendor; now, please tell me again all the virtues of this sacred place.

अस्य क्षेत्रस्य माहात्म्यम् अविमुक्तस्य सर्वथा वक्तुमर्हसि देवेश देवदेव वृषध्वज

O Lord of gods, god of gods, bearer of the bull-banner, you must fully tell me the greatness of this field, Avimukta.