Linga Purana

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—

उपशान्तं शिवं चैव ज्येष्ठस्थाननिवासिनम् शुक्रेश्वरं च विख्यातं व्याघ्रेशं जम्बुकेश्वरम्

Upaśānta, Śiva, the resident of the most ancient place, the renowned Śukreśvara, Vyāghreśa, and Jambukeśvara—

दृष्ट्वा न जायते मर्त्यः संसारे दुःखसागरे एवम् उक्त्वा महादेवो दिशः सर्वा व्यलोकयत्

Upon seeing these, a mortal is not born again in the ocean of suffering that is saṃsāra. Having spoken thus, Mahādeva gazed in all directions.

विलोक्य संस्थिते पश्चाद् देवदेवे महेश्वरे अकस्मादभवत्सर्वः स देशोज्ज्वलितो यथा

After seeing the great Lord of gods, Maheshvara, established there, suddenly that entire place became radiant, as if illuminated.

ततः पाशुपताः सिद्धा भस्माभ्यङ्गसितप्रभाः माहेश्वरा महात्मानस् तथा वै नियतव्रताः

Then the accomplished followers of Pashupati, their bodies shining white with sacred ash, the great-souled devotees of Maheshvara, steadfast in their vows, appeared there.

बहवः शतशो ऽभ्येत्य नमश्चक्रुर्महेश्वरम् पुनर्निरीक्ष्य योगेशं ध्यानयोगं च कृत्स्नशः

Many hundreds approached and bowed to Maheshvara, and again gazed upon the Lord of Yoga, wholly absorbed in yogic meditation.

तस्थुरात्मानमास्थाय लीयमाना इवेश्वरे स्थितानां स तदा तेषां देवदेव उमापतिः

They stood, established in their own selves, as if merging into Ishvara; and at that time, the Lord of gods, the husband of Uma, was present among them.

स बिभ्रत्परमां मूर्तिं बभूव पुरुषः प्रभुः कृत्स्नं जगदिहैकस्थं कर्तुम् अन्त इव स्थितः

He, bearing the supreme form, became manifest as the Lord, as if standing alone to encompass the entire world within himself.

तस्य तां परमां मूर्तिम् आस्थितस्य जगत्प्रभोः न शशाक पुनर्द्रष्टुं हृष्टरोमा गिरीन्द्रजा

When the Lord of the world assumed that supreme form, the daughter of the mountain, her hair standing on end, was unable to look upon him again.

ततस्त्वदृष्टमाकारं बुद्ध्वा सा प्रकृतिस्थितम् प्रकृतेर्मूर्तिमास्थाय योगेन परमेश्वरी

Then, realizing that form was unseen by you and abiding in her own nature, the supreme goddess, through yoga, assumed the form of Prakriti.

तं शशाक पुनर्द्रष्टुं हरस्य च महात्मनः ततस्ते लयमाधाय योगिनः पुरुषस्य तु

She was then able to see again both him and the great-souled Hara; and the yogis, having established dissolution, beheld the Purusha.