Linga Purana

प्रयागे वा भवेन्मोक्ष इह वा मत्परिग्रहात् प्रयागादपि तीर्थाग्र्याद् अविमुक्तमिदं शुभम्

Liberation may be obtained at Prayāga or here by my acceptance; yet, even above Prayāga, the foremost of sacred fords, this auspicious Avimukta excels.

धर्मस्योपनिषत् सत्यं मोक्षस्योपनिषच् छमः क्षेत्रतीर्थोपनिषदं न विदुर्बुधसत्तमाः

Truth is the Upaniṣad of dharma; tranquility is the Upaniṣad of liberation; but the best of the wise do not know the Upaniṣad of this sacred field and ford.

कामं भुञ्जन् स्वपन् क्रीडन् कुर्वन् हि विविधाः क्रियाः अविमुक्ते त्यजेत्प्राणान् जन्तुर्मोक्षाय कल्पते

Whether enjoying, sleeping, playing, or performing various actions, if a being gives up life at Avimukta, he is destined for liberation.

कृत्वा पापसहस्राणि पिशाचत्वं वरं नृणाम् न तु शक्रसहस्रत्वं स्वर्गे काशीपुरीं विना

Even after committing thousands of sins, it is better for men to become a ghost than to attain the lordship of a thousand Indras in heaven without Kāśī city.

तस्मात्संसेवनीयं हि अविमुक्तं हि मुक्तये जैगीषव्यः परां सिद्धिं गतो यत्र महातपाः

Therefore, Avimukta must indeed be served for liberation; here the great ascetic Jaigīṣavya attained supreme accomplishment.

अस्य क्षेत्रस्य माहात्म्याद् भक्त्या च मम भावितः जैगीषव्यगुहा श्रेष्ठा योगिनां स्थानमिष्यते

Because of the greatness of this field and devotion to me, the cave of Jaigīṣavya is considered the best among yogins, the desired place.

ध्यायन्तस्तत्र मां नित्यं योगाग्निर्दीप्यते भृशम् कैवल्यं परमं याति देवानामपि दुर्लभम्

There, constantly meditating on me, the fire of yoga blazes intensely; one attains the highest liberation, rare even for the gods.

अव्यक्तलिङ्गैर्मुनिभिः सर्वसिद्धान्तवेदिभिः इह सम्प्राप्यते मोक्षो दुर्लभो ऽन्यत्र कर्हिचित्

Here, liberation is attained by sages who know all doctrines, through subtle signs of the linga; elsewhere, it is rarely achieved.

तेभ्यश्चाहं प्रवक्ष्यामि योगैश्वर्यमनुत्तमम् आत्मनश्चैव सायुज्यम् ईप्सितं स्थानमेव च

To them, I shall declare the supreme power of yoga, union with the Self, and the very place that is desired.

कुबेरो ऽत्र मम क्षेत्रे मयि सर्वार्पितक्रियः क्षेत्रसंसेवनादेव गणेशत्वमवाप ह

Here, in my domain, Kubera, having dedicated all his actions to me, attained lordship over the hosts simply by serving this place.

संवर्तो भविता यश् च सो ऽपि भक्तो ममैव तु इहैवाराध्य मां देवि सिद्धिं यास्यत्यनुत्तमाम्

And Samvarta, who will be, is also my devotee; by worshipping me here, O goddess, he too will attain unsurpassed accomplishment.

पराशरसुतौ योगी ऋषिर्व्यासो महातपाः मम भक्तो भविष्यश् च वेदसंस्थाप्रवर्तकः

The yogi Vyasa, son of Parashara, a great ascetic, will also be my devotee and the promoter of the established Vedas.

रंस्यते सो ऽपि पद्माक्षि क्षेत्रे ऽस्मिन्मुनिपुङ्गवः ब्रह्मा देवर्षिभिः सार्द्धं विष्णुर्वापि दिवाकरः

He too, O lotus-eyed one, will delight in this sacred place, that foremost of sages, along with Brahma, the divine seers, Vishnu, or even the Sun.

देवराजस्तथा शक्रो ये ऽपि चान्ये दिवौकसः उपासते महात्मानः सर्वे मामिह सुव्रते

The king of the gods, Shakra, and all other dwellers of heaven—these great souls, O virtuous one, all worship me here.

अन्ये ऽपि योगिनो दिव्याश् छन्नरूपा महात्मनः अनन्यमनसो भूत्वा मामिहोपासते सदा

Other divine yogis, of concealed forms and great souls, always worship me here, having become single-minded.

विषयासक्तचित्तो ऽपि त्यक्तधर्मरतिर्नरः इह क्षेत्रे मृतः सो ऽपि संसारे न पुनर्भवेत्

Even a man whose mind is attached to sense objects, who has abandoned delight in righteousness—if he dies in this place, he is not reborn in the cycle of existence.

ये पुनर्निर्ममा धीराः सत्त्वस्था विजितेन्द्रियाः व्रतिनश् च निरारम्भाः सर्वे ते मयि भाविताः

But those who are steadfast, free from possessiveness, established in purity, self-controlled, devoted to vows, and without undertakings—all of them are absorbed in me.

देवदेवं समासाद्य धीमन्तः संगवर्जिताः गता इह परं मोक्षं प्रसादान्मम सुव्रते

Having approached the God of gods, those wise ones, free from attachment, attain here the highest liberation by my grace, O virtuous one.

जन्मान्तरसहस्रेषु यं न योगी समाप्नुयात् तमिहैव परं मोक्षं प्रसादान्मम सुव्रते

That supreme liberation, which a yogi does not attain even in thousands of lifetimes, is attained here by my grace, O virtuous one.

गोप्रेक्षकम् इदं क्षेत्रं ब्रह्मणा स्थापितं पुरा कैलासभवनं चात्र पश्य दिव्यं वरानने

This place called Goprekshaka was established long ago by Brahma; here, O beautiful-faced one, behold the divine abode of Kailasa.

गोप्रेक्षकम् अथागम्य दृष्ट्वा मामत्र मानवः न दुर्गतिमवाप्नोति कल्मषैश् च विमुच्यते

Having come to Goprekshaka and seen me here, a human does not meet with misfortune and is freed from sins.

कपिलाह्रदम् इत्येवं तथा वै ब्रह्मणा कृतम् गवां स्तन्यजतोयेन तीर्थं पुण्यतमं महत्

This is also called Kapila Lake, so named by Brahma, a most sacred and great pilgrimage site, made with the milk of cows.

अत्रापि स्वयमेवाहं वृषध्वज इति स्मृतः सान्निध्यं कृतवान् देवि सदाहं दृश्यते त्वया

Here too, I am known as Vrishadhvaja; I have established my presence, O goddess, and I am always seen by you.

भद्रतोयं च पश्येह ब्रह्मणा च कृतं ह्रदम् सर्वैर्देवैरहं देवि अस्मिन्देशे प्रसादितः

See here the auspicious waters and the lake made by Brahma; O goddess, in this land I have been propitiated by all the gods.

गच्छोपशमम् ईशेति उपशान्तः शिवस् तथा अत्राहं ब्रह्मणानीय स्थापितः परमेष्ठिना

Go to the place of peace, O Lord—thus, Shiva, having become tranquil, was established here by Brahma, the supreme creator.

ब्रह्मणा चापि संगृह्य विष्णुना स्थापितः पुनः ब्रह्मणापि ततो विष्णुः प्रोक्तः संविग्नचेतसा

Having been gathered by Brahma, it was again established by Vishnu; then Vishnu, his mind troubled, was addressed by Brahma.

मयानीतमिदं लिङ्गं कस्मात् स्थापितवान् असि तमुवाच पुनर् विष्णुर् ब्रह्माणं कुपिताननम्

Brahma said, 'Why have you installed this linga which I brought?' Vishnu, his face angry, replied to Brahma.

रुद्रे देवे ममात्यन्तं परा भक्तिर्महत्तरा मयैव स्थापितं लिङ्गं तव नाम्ना भविष्यति

My devotion to Rudra among the gods is supreme and exceedingly great; it is I who established the linga, and it will bear your name.

हिरण्यगर्भ इत्येवं ततो ऽत्राहं समास्थितः दृष्ट्वैनमपि देवेशं मम लोकं व्रजेन्नरः

Thus, as Hiraṇyagarbha, I am established here; whoever sees this Lord of gods will attain my world.