Linga Purana

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.

ततः पुनरपि ब्रह्मा मम लिङ्गमिदं शुभम् स्थापयामास विधिवद् भक्त्या परमया युतः

Then again, Brahma installed my auspicious linga here, according to the proper rites, endowed with supreme devotion.

स्वर्लीनेश्वर इत्येवम् अत्राहं स्वयमागतः प्राणान् इह नरस्त्यक्त्वा न पुनर्जायते क्वचित्

Thus, as Svarlīneśvara, I myself have come here; a man who abandons his life here is never born again anywhere.

अनन्या सा गतिस्तस्य योगिनां चैव या स्मृता अस्मिन्नपि मया देशे दैत्यो दैवतकण्टकः

That is the unique path for him, and for yogis it is remembered as such; even in this place, I destroyed the demon who was a thorn to the gods.

व्याघ्ररूपं समास्थाय निहतो दर्पितो बली व्याघ्रेश्वर इति ख्यातो नित्यमत्राहमास्थितः

Assuming the form of a tiger, the proud and mighty demon was slain; I am always established here, known as Vyāghreśvara.

न पुनर्दुर्गतिं याति दृष्ट्वैनं व्याघ्रमीश्वरम् उत्पलो विदलश्चैव यौ दैत्यौ ब्रह्मणा पुरा

One who sees this tiger-form Lord does not again fall into misfortune; Utpala and Vidala, those two demons, were formerly slain by Brahma.

स्त्रीवध्यौ दर्पितौ दृष्ट्वा त्वयैव निहतौ रणे सावज्ञं कन्दुकेनात्र तस्येदं देहमास्थितम्

Those two arrogant ones, killers of women, were slain by you in battle; with contempt, by a ball, this body was assumed here.

आदावत्राहमागम्य प्रस्थितो गणपैः सह ज्येष्ठस्थानमिदं तस्माद् एतन्मे पुण्यदर्शनम्

At first, I came here together with the gaṇas and departed; this is the foremost place, therefore it is my sacred vision.

देवैः समन्ताद् एतानि लिङ्गानि स्थापितान्यतः दृष्ट्वापि नियतो मर्त्यो देहभेदे गणो भवेत्

The gods established these lingas all around; even by seeing them, a mortal, steadfast, becomes a gaṇa at the separation from the body.

पित्रा ते शैलराजेन पुरा हिमवता स्वयम् मम प्रियहितं स्थानं ज्ञात्वा लिङ्गं प्रतिष्ठितम्

Formerly, your father, the king of mountains, Himavat himself, knowing my beloved and beneficial place, established the linga.

शैलेश्वरमिति ख्यातं दृश्यतामिह चादरात् दृष्ट्वैतन्मनुजो देवि न दुर्गतिमतो व्रजेत्

It is known as Śaileśvara; let it be seen here with reverence; seeing this, O Devi, a man does not go to misfortune.