Linga Purana

पूजयेन्मां सदा भक्त्या मया सार्धं हि मोदते श्रीशैले संत्यजेद् देहं ब्राह्मणो दग्धकिल्बिषः

One should always worship me with devotion; together with me, he rejoices. If a Brāhmaṇa, freed from sin, gives up his body at Śrīśaila,

मुच्यते नात्र संदेहो ह्य् अविमुक्ते यथा शुभम् महास्नानं च यः कुर्याद् घृतेन विधिनैव तु

He is liberated—of this there is no doubt—just as in Avimukta. And whoever performs the great ablution with ghee, according to the proper method,

स याति मम सायुज्यं स्थानेष्वेतेषु सुव्रते स्नानं पलशतं ज्ञेयम् अभ्यङ्गं पञ्चविंशति

He attains union with me in these places, O virtuous one. The bath is to be known as a hundred palas, and the anointing as twenty-five.

पलानां द्वे सहस्रे तु महास्नानं प्रकीर्तितम् स्नाप्य लिङ्गं मदीयं तु गव्येनैव घृतेन च

A great ablution is declared to be of two thousand palas. One should bathe my liṅga with cow's milk and with ghee.

विशोध्य सर्वद्रव्यैस्तु वारिभिर् अभिषिञ्चति संमार्ज्य शतयज्ञानां स्नानेन प्रयुतं तथा

Having purified it with all substances, one should sprinkle with water, and by cleansing, the merit of a hundred sacrifices is gained, and likewise by bathing, ten million.

पूजया शतसाहस्रम् अनन्तं गीतवादिनाम् महास्नाने प्रसक्तं तु स्नानमष्टगुणं स्मृतम्

By worship with a hundred thousand songs and musical instruments, the great ablution is especially praised; the bath is remembered as eightfold in merit.

जलेन केवलेनैव गन्धतोयेन भक्तितः अनुलेपनं तु तत् सर्वं पञ्चविंशत्पलेन वै

With only water, or with fragrant water, with devotion, all the anointing is to be done with twenty-five palas.

शमीपुष्पं च विधिना बिल्वपत्रं च पङ्कजम् अन्यान्यपि च पुष्पाणि बिल्वपत्रं न संत्यजेत्

Śamī flowers, according to rule, bilva leaves, and lotuses, and other flowers as well—one should not neglect bilva leaves.

चतुर्द्रोणैर् महादेवम् अष्टद्रोणैरथापि वा दशद्रोणैस् तु नैवेद्यम् अष्टद्रोणैरथापि वा

With four droṇas for the Great God, or with eight droṇas, or with ten droṇas for the offering, or with eight droṇas as well.

शतद्रोणसमं पुण्यम् आढके ऽपि विधीयते वित्तहीनस्य विप्रस्य नात्र कार्या विचारणा

The merit of a hundred droṇas is prescribed even with an āḍhaka; for a poor Brāhmaṇa, there should be no hesitation here.

भेरीमृदङ्गमुरजतिमिरापटहादिभिः वादित्रैर्विविधैश्चान्यैर् निनादैर्विविधैरपि

With drums, mṛdaṅgas, cymbals, pipes, and other various instruments, and with various kinds of sounds,

जागरं कारयेद्यस्तु प्रार्थयेच्च यथाक्रमम् स भृत्यपुत्रदारैश् च तथा संबन्धिबान्धवैः

Whoever arranges a night vigil and prays in due order, he, together with his servants, sons, wives, and relatives,

सार्धं प्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा प्रार्थयेल्लिङ्गम् उत्तमम् द्रव्यहीनं क्रियाहीनं श्रद्धाहीनं सुरेश्वर

Having circumambulated together, should pray to the supreme liṅga, even if lacking in wealth, lacking in ritual, or lacking in faith, O Lord of the gods.

कृतं वा न कृतं वापि क्षन्तुमर्हसि शङ्कर इत्युक्त्वा वै जपेद्रुद्रं त्वरितं शान्तिमेव च

Whether it was done or not done, you should forgive, O Śaṅkara—having said this, one should quickly recite the Rudra mantra and also the Śānti mantra.

जपित्वैवं महाबीजं तथा पञ्चाक्षरस्य वै स एवं सर्वतीर्थेषु सर्वयज्ञेषु यत्फलम्

Having recited in this way the great seed-mantra, as well as the five-syllabled mantra, one thereby attains the fruit gained from all sacred waters and all sacrifices.

तत्फलं समवाप्नोति वाराणस्यां यथा मृतः तथैव मम सायुज्यं लभते नात्र संशयः

He obtains that very fruit which is attained by dying in Vārāṇasī; in the same way, he attains union with me—of this there is no doubt.

मत्प्रियार्थमिदं कार्यं मद्भक्तैर्विधिपूर्वकम् ये न कुर्वन्ति ते भक्ता न भवन्ति न संशयः

For my sake, this should be performed by my devotees according to prescribed rules; those who do not do so are not my devotees—of this there is no doubt.

निशम्य वचनं देवी गत्वा वाराणसीं पुरीम् अविमुक्तेश्वरं लिङ्गं पयसा च घृतेन च

Hearing these words, the goddess went to the city of Vārāṇasī and worshipped the liṅga of Avimukteśvara with water and with ghee.

अर्चयामास देवेशं रुद्रं भुवननायकम् अविमुक्ते च तपसा मन्दरस्य महात्मनः

She worshipped the Lord of gods, Rudra, the ruler of the worlds, at Avimukta, and performed austerities for the great soul Mandara.

कल्पयामास वै क्षेत्रं मन्दरे चारुकन्दरे तत्रान्धकं महादैत्यं हिरण्याक्षसुतं प्रभुः

She established a sacred field at Mandara, in the beautiful cave; there, the Lord graciously granted the demon Andhaka, son of Hiraṇyākṣa,

अनुगृह्य गणत्वं च प्रापयामास लीलया एतद्वः कथितं सर्वं कथासर्वस्वमादरात्

And, by his play, bestowed upon him the status of a gaṇa. All this, the essence of the story, has been told to you with respect.

यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि क्षेत्रमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् सर्वक्षेत्रेषु यत्पुण्यं तत्सर्वं सहसा लभेत्

Whoever recites or hears this supreme glory of the sacred field, immediately obtains all the merit that is gained in all holy places.

श्रावयेद्वा द्विजान्सर्वान् कृतशौचान् जितेन्द्रियान् स एव सर्वयज्ञस्य फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः

Or, if he causes all the twice-born, who are pure and self-controlled, to hear it, that man attains the fruit of all sacrifices.

अन्धको नाम दैत्येन्द्रो मन्दरे चारुकन्दरे दमितस्तु कथं लेभे गाणपत्यं महेश्वरात्

How did Andhaka, the lord of the demons, who was subdued in the beautiful cave at Mandara, obtain the status of a gaṇa from Maheśvara?

वक्तुमर्हसि चास्माकं यथावृत्तं यथाश्रुतम् अन्धकानुग्रहं चैव मन्दरे शोषणं तथा

You should tell us, as it happened and as you have heard, about the favor shown to Andhaka at Mandara and also about the drying up there.

वरलाभमशेषं च प्रवदामि समासतः हिरण्याक्षस्य तनयो हिरण्यनयनोपमः

I shall briefly tell of all the boons he obtained: Hiraṇyākṣa’s son, who was equal to gold in appearance,

पुरान्धक इति ख्यातस् तपसा लब्धविक्रमः प्रसादाद्ब्रह्मणः साक्षाद् अवध्यत्वमवाप्य च

He was formerly known as Andhaka, who gained strength through austerity; by the direct favor of Brahmā, he obtained invulnerability.

त्रैलोक्यमखिलं भुक्त्वा जित्वा चेन्द्रपुरं पुरा लीलया चाप्रयत्नेन त्रासयामास वासवम्

Having enjoyed the entire three worlds and conquered Indra’s city in the past, he, with ease and playfulness, terrified Vāsava.

बाधितास्ताडिता बद्धाः पातितास्तेन ते सुराः विविशुर्मन्दरं भीता नारायणपुरोगमाः

The gods were oppressed, struck, bound, and cast down by him; frightened, they entered Mandara, led by Nārāyaṇa.