Linga Purana

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.

एवं संपीड्य वै देवान् अन्धको ऽपि महासुरः यदृच्छया गिरिं प्राप्तो मन्दरं चारुकन्दरम्

Thus, after tormenting the gods, Andhaka, the great demon, by chance arrived at the mountain Mandara, the beautiful cave.

ततस्ते समस्ताः सुरेन्द्राः ससाध्याः सुरेशं महेशं पुरेत्याहुरेवम् द्रुतं चाल्पवीर्यप्रभिन्नाङ्गभिन्ना वयं दैत्यराजस्य शस्त्रैर्निकृत्ताः

Then all the lords of the gods, along with the Sādhyas, approached the great lord Maheśa in the city and said: 'We, whose limbs are broken and weakened in strength, have been cut down by the weapons of the king of the demons.'

इतीदमखिलं श्रुत्वा दैत्यागमम् अनौपमम् गणेश्वरैश् च भगवान् अन्धकाभिमुखं ययौ

Having heard all this—the unparalleled arrival of the demon—the Blessed Lord, along with the lords of the hosts, went forth to confront Andhaka.

जयेति वाचा भगवन्तम् ऊचुः किरीटबद्धाञ्जलयः समन्तात्

With voices raised in victory, those crowned ones, palms joined in reverence, addressed the Blessed Lord from all sides.

अथाशेषासुरांस्तस्य कोटिकोटिशतैस् ततः भस्मीकृत्य महादेवो निर्बिभेदान्धकं तदा

Then, Mahadeva destroyed all those countless millions of demons, and at that moment pierced Andhaka.

शूलेन शूलिना प्रोतं दग्धकल्मषकञ्चुकम् दृष्ट्वान्धकं ननादेशं प्रणम्य स पितामहः

Seeing Andhaka impaled by the trident-bearer, his cloak of sin burned away, the grandsire bowed and roared aloud.

तन्नादश्रवणान्नेदुर् देवा देवं प्रणम्य तम् ननृतुर्मुनयः सर्वे मुमुदुर्गणपुङ्गवाः

Hearing that roar, the gods resounded in joy, bowing to that god; all the sages danced, and the leaders of the hosts rejoiced.

ससृजुः पुष्पवर्षाणि देवाः शंभोस्तदोपरि त्रैलोक्यमखिलं हर्षान् ननन्द च ननाद च

The gods showered flowers upon Shambhu, and the entire three worlds, out of joy, exulted and resounded.

दग्धो ऽग्निना च शूलेन प्रोतः प्रेत इवान्धकः सात्त्विकं भावमास्थाय चिन्तयामास चेतसा

Andhaka, burned by fire and impaled on the trident, like a corpse, assumed a sattvic state and reflected in his mind.

जन्मान्तरे ऽपि देवेन दग्धो यस्माच्छिवेन वै आराधितो मया शंभुः पुरा साक्षान्महेश्वरः

Even in a previous birth, I was burned by Shiva, the god, whom I had worshipped directly as Maheshvara.