Linga Purana

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.

नद्येषा वरुणा देवि पुण्या पापप्रमोचनी क्षेत्रमेतद् अलंकृत्य जाह्नव्या सह संगता

This river, O Devi, is Varuṇā, sacred and remover of sin; having adorned this field, she has joined with Jāhnavī.

स्थापितं ब्रह्मणा चापि संगमे लिङ्गमुत्तमम् संगमेश्वरम् इत्येवं ख्यातं जगति दृश्यताम्

The excellent linga was established by Brahma at the confluence; it is known in the world as Saṃgameśvara, let it be seen.

संगमे देवनद्या हि यः स्नात्वा मनुजः शुचिः अर्चयेत् संगमेश्वरं तस्य जन्मभयं कुतः

A pure man who bathes at the confluence of the divine rivers and worships Saṃgameśvara—how can he fear rebirth?

इदं मन्ये महाक्षेत्रं निवासो योगिनां परम् क्षेत्रमध्ये च यत्राहं स्वयं भूत्वाग्रमास्थितः

I consider this a great field, the supreme abode of yogis; and in the midst of the field, I myself have taken the foremost place.

मध्यमेश्वरमित्येवं ख्यातः सर्वसुरासुरैः सिद्धानां स्थानमेतद्धि मदीयव्रतधारिणाम्

This is known as Madhyameśvara by all the gods and demons; it is truly the abode of the perfected ones, and of those who uphold my vows.

योगिनां मोक्षलिप्सूनां ज्ञानयोगरतात्मनाम् दृष्ट्वैनं मध्यमेशानं जन्म प्रति न शोचति

Those yogis who desire liberation, whose minds delight in the yoga of knowledge—upon seeing this Madhyameśāna, do not grieve for birth.

स्थापितं लिङ्गमेतत्तु शुक्रेण भृगुसूनुना नाम्ना शुक्रेश्वरं नाम सर्वसिद्धामरार्चितम्

This liṅga was established by Śukra, the son of Bhṛgu; it is called Śukreśvara by name, and is worshipped by all the perfected beings and immortals.

दृष्ट्वैनं नियतः सद्यो मुच्यते सर्वकिल्बिषैः मृतश् च न पुनर्जन्तुः संसारी तु भवेन्नरः

Upon seeing this, one who is disciplined is instantly freed from all sins; and after death, a person does not become bound in saṃsāra again.

पुरा जम्बूकरूपेण असुरो देवकण्टकः ब्रह्मणो हि वरं लब्ध्वा गोमायुर्बन्धशङ्कितः

Long ago, the demon Devakaṇṭaka took the form of a jackal; having obtained a boon from Brahmā, Gomāyu, fearing bondage—

निहतो हिमवत्पुत्रि जम्बूकेशस्ततो ह्यहम् अद्यापि जगति ख्यातं सुरासुरनमस्कृतम्

—was slain by me, the daughter of Himavat, in the form of Jambūkeśa; thus, even today, I am renowned in the world, worshipped by gods and demons.

दृष्ट्वैनमपि देवेशं सर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयात् ग्रहैः शुक्रपुरोगैश् च एतानि स्थापितानि ह

Even by seeing this Lord of the gods, one attains all desires; these have been established by the planets, with Śukra at their head.

पश्य पुण्यानि लिङ्गानि सर्वकामप्रदानि तु एवमेतानि पुण्यानि मन्निवासानि पार्वति

Behold these meritorious liṅgas, which indeed grant all desires; in this way, O Pārvatī, these sacred places are my abodes.

कथितानि मम क्षेत्रे गुह्यं चान्यदिदं शृणु चतुःक्रोशं चतुर्दिक्षु क्षेत्रमेतत्प्रकीर्तितम्

I have described these in my field; now hear another secret: this field is said to extend four krośas in all directions.

योजनं विद्धि चार्वङ्गि मृत्युकाले ऽमृतप्रदम् महालयगिरिस्थं मां केदारे च व्यवस्थितम्

Know, O beautiful one, that it measures a yojana; at the time of death, it bestows immortality. I am established on the great mountain and in Kedāra.

गणत्वं लभते दृष्ट्वा ह्य् अस्मिन्मोक्षो ह्यवाप्यते गाणपत्यं लभेद्यस्माद् यतः सा मुक्तिरुत्तमा

By seeing this, one attains the state of a Gaṇa; here, liberation is indeed obtained. From this, one attains the state of Gāṇapatya, for that is the highest liberation.

ततो महालयात् तस्मात् केदारान्मध्यमादपि स्मृतं पुण्यतमं क्षेत्रम् अविमुक्तं वरानने

Therefore, O beautiful-faced one, among Mahālaya, Kedāra, and Madhyama, the most sacred field is remembered as Avimukta.

केदारं मध्यमं क्षेत्रं स्थानं चैव महालयम् मम पुण्यानि भूर्लोके तेभ्यः श्रेष्ठतमं त्विदम्

Kedāra, the central field, and the place called Mahālaya—these are my sacred places on earth, but this one is the most excellent among them.

यतः सृष्टास्त्विमे लोकास् ततः क्षेत्रमिदं शुभम् कदाचिन्न मया मुक्तम् अविमुक्तं ततो ऽभवत्

Because these worlds were created from here, this field is auspicious; I have never abandoned it, and thus it is called Avimukta.

अविमुक्तेश्वरं लिङ्गं मम दृष्ट्वेह मानवः सद्यः पापविनिर्मुक्तः पशुपाशैर्विमुच्यते

By seeing my liṅga called Avimukteśvara here, a person is instantly freed from sin and released from the bonds of saṃsāra.

शैलेशं संगमेशं च स्वर्लीनं मध्यमेश्वरम् हिरण्यगर्भम् ईशानं गोप्रेक्षं वृषभध्वजम्

Śaileśa, Saṃgameśa, Svarlīna, Madhyameśvara, Hiraṇyagarbha, Īśāna, Goprekṣa, Vṛṣabhadhvaja—