Linga Purana

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.

विविशुर्हृदयं सर्वे दग्धसंसारबीजिनः पञ्चाक्षरस्य वै बीजं संस्मरन्तः सुशोभनम्

All of them, their seeds of worldly existence burned away, entered the heart, beautifully remembering the five-syllabled seed-mantra.

सर्वपापहरं दिव्यं पुरा चैव प्रकाशितम् नीललोहितमूर्तिस्थं पुनश्चक्रे वपुः शुभम्

That divine form, destroyer of all sins, which had been revealed before, again took on an auspicious body, abiding in the blue-red form.

तं दृष्ट्वा शैलजा प्राह हृष्टसर्वतनूरुहा स्तुवती चरणौ नत्वा क इमे भगवन्निति

Seeing him, the daughter of the mountain, her whole body thrilled with joy, praised him, bowed at his feet, and asked, 'O Lord, who are these?'

तामुवाच सुरश्रेष्ठस् तदा देवीं गिरीन्द्रजाम् मदीयं व्रतमाश्रित्य भक्तिमद्भिर् द्विजोत्तमैः

Then the best of gods spoke to the goddess, daughter of the mountain: 'O beautiful one, by following my vow, these devoted and excellent twice-born ones—'

यैर्यैर्योगा इहाभ्यस्तास् तेषाम् एकेन जन्मना क्षेत्रस्यास्य प्रभावेन भक्त्या च मम भामिनि

'By whatever yogas have been practiced here by them, in a single birth, through the power of this sacred place and by devotion to me, O lovely one—'

अनुग्रहो मया ह्येवं क्रियते मूर्तितः स्वयम् तस्माद् एतन् महत् क्षेत्रं ब्रह्माद्यैः सेवितं तथा

'Thus, by my own form, I grant favor; therefore, this great sacred place, served by Brahma and others—'

श्रुतिमद्भिश् च विप्रेन्द्रैः संसिद्धैश् च तपस्विभिः प्रतिमासं तथाष्टम्यां प्रतिमासं चतुर्दशीम्

'By learned brahmins, by accomplished ascetics, every month on the eighth and fourteenth days, it is worshipped.'

उभयोः पक्षयोर्देवि वाराणस्यामुपास्यते शशिभानूपरागे च कार्तिक्यां च विशेषतः

'On both fortnights, O goddess, in Varanasi it is worshipped, especially during the eclipses of the moon and sun, and in the month of Kartika.'

सर्वपर्वसु पुण्येषु विषुवेष्वयनेषु च पृथिव्यां सर्वतीर्थानि वाराणस्यां तु जाह्नवीम्

'At all sacred festivals, solstices, and equinoxes, all the holy places on earth are found at Varanasi, and the Jahnavi there—'

उत्तरप्रवहां पुण्यां मम मौलिविनिःसृताम् पितुस्ते गिरिराजस्य शुभां हिमवतः सुताम्

'The sacred river flowing north, issuing from my crest, and your father's, O daughter of the Himalaya, the auspicious daughter of the snowy mountain.'

पुण्यस्थानस्थितां पुण्यां पुण्यदिक्प्रवहां सदा भजन्ते सर्वतो ऽभ्येत्य ये ताञ्छृणु वरानने

O beautiful-faced one, listen to those who always worship the sacred, meritorious place, established in a holy region, and who come there from all directions.

संनिहत्य कुरुक्षेत्रं सार्धं तीर्थशतैस् तथा पुष्करं निमिषं चैव प्रयागं च पृथूदकम्

Kurukshetra, together with hundreds of sacred fords, as well as Pushkara, Nimiṣa, Prayaga, and Prithudaka, are all gathered there.

द्रुमक्षेत्रं कुरुक्षेत्रं नैमिषं तीर्थसंयुतम् क्षेत्राणि सर्वतो देवि देवता ऋषयस् तथा

Drumakshetra, Kurukshetra, Naimisha with its sacred fords, and all such fields, O goddess, along with the deities and sages, are present there.

संध्या च ऋतवश्चैव सर्वा नद्यः सरांसि च समुद्राः सप्त चैवात्र देवतीर्थानि कृत्स्नशः

The twilights, the seasons, all rivers, all lakes, and the seven oceans, as well as all the divine fords, are entirely present there.

भागीरथीं समेष्यन्ति सर्वपर्वसु सुव्रते अविमुक्तेश्वरं दृष्ट्वा दृष्ट्वा चैव त्रिविष्टपम्

O virtuous one, at every festival, the Bhagirathi comes together there, beholding Avimukteshvara and also beholding heaven itself.

कालभैरवमासाद्य धूतपापानि सर्वशः भवन्ति हि सुरेशानि सर्वपर्वसु पर्वसु

Having approached Kalabhairava, all sins are completely destroyed; at every festival, the lords of the gods become pure.

पृथिव्यां यानि पुण्यानि महान्त्यायतनानि च प्रविशन्ति सदाभ्येत्य पुण्यं पर्वसु पर्वसु अविमुक्तं क्षेत्रवरं महापापनिबर्हणम्

All the great and holy shrines on earth always enter Avimukta, the supreme field, at every festival, which removes great sins.

केदारे चैव यल्लिङ्गं यच्च लिङ्गं महालये

And the linga at Kedara, and the linga at Mahalaya,

मध्यमेश्वरसंज्ञं च तथा पाशुपतेश्वरम् शङ्कुकर्णेश्वरं चैव गोकर्णौ च तथा ह्युभौ

The one called Madhyameshvara, likewise Pashupateshvara, Shankukarṇeshvara, and both Gokarna shrines,

द्रुमचण्डेश्वरं नाम भद्रेश्वरम् अनुत्तमम् स्थानेश्वरं तथैकाग्रं कालेश्वरम् अजेश्वरम्

Drumachandeshvara by name, the excellent Bhadreshvara, Sthanesvara, Ekaagra, Kaleshvara, and Ajeshvara,