Linga Purana

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.

तस्मादेतन्मया लब्धम् अन्यथा नोपपद्यते यः स्मरेन्मनसा रुद्रं प्राणान्ते सकृदेव वा

Therefore, this has come to me; otherwise, it could not be. Whoever remembers Rudra in mind, even once at the end of life—

स याति शिवसायुज्यं किं पुनर्बहुशः स्मरन् ब्रह्मा च भगवान्विष्णुः सर्वे देवाः सवासवाः

He attains union with Shiva—how much more so if he remembers him many times! Brahma, the Blessed Vishnu, and all the gods with Indra—

शरणं प्राप्य तिष्ठन्ति तमेव शरणं व्रजेत् एवं संचिन्त्य तुष्टात्मा सो ऽन्धकश् चान्धकार्दनम्

Having taken refuge, they remain in him alone; one should seek refuge in him. Thus reflecting, Andhaka, destroyer of the Andhakas, became content in heart.

सगणं शिवमीशानम् अस्तुवत्पुण्यगौरवात् प्रार्थितस्तेन भगवान् परमार्तिहरो हरः

With his followers, he praised Shiva, the Lord, out of reverence for his merit. Requested by him, the Blessed Hara, remover of supreme distress, was pleased.

हिरण्यनेत्रतनयं शूलाग्रस्थं सुरेश्वरः प्रोवाच दानवं प्रेक्ष्य घृणया नीललोहितः

The Lord of the gods, seeing the son of Hiraṇyanetra impaled on the tip of the trident, addressed the demon with compassion, he who is blue and red.

तुष्टो ऽस्मि वत्स भद्रं ते कामं किं करवाणि ते वरान्वरय दैत्येन्द्र वरदो ऽहं तवान्धक

I am pleased, child; blessings to you. What boon shall I grant you? Choose your wish, O lord of demons, for I am the giver of boons to you, Andhaka.

श्रुत्वा वाक्यं तदा शंभोर् हिरण्यनयनात्मजः हर्षगद्गदया वाचा प्रोवाचेदं महेश्वरम्

Hearing these words of Shambhu, the son of Hiraṇyanetra, his voice choked with joy, spoke to Maheshvara:

भगवन्देवदेवेश भक्तार्तिहर शङ्कर त्वयि भक्तिः प्रसीदेश यदि देयो वरश् च मे

O Blessed One, Lord of gods, remover of devotees' distress, Shankara—if you are pleased, Lord, and a boon is to be given to me, may I have devotion to you.

श्रुत्वा भवो ऽपि वचनम् अन्धकस्य महात्मनः प्रददौ दुर्लभां श्रद्धां दैत्येन्द्राय महाद्युतिः

Hearing the words of the great-souled Andhaka, Bhava, the resplendent one, granted to the lord of demons a rare faith.

गाणपत्यं च दैत्याय प्रददौ चावरोप्य तम् प्रणेमुस्तं सुरेन्द्राद्या गाणपत्ये प्रतिष्ठितम्

He also granted Gāṇapatya to the demon, installing him; the lords of the gods and others bowed to him, established in Gāṇapatya.

कथमस्य पिता दैत्यो हिरण्याक्षः सुदारुणः विष्णुना सूदितो विष्णुर् वाराहत्वं कथं गतः

How was his father, the fierce demon Hiraṇyākṣa, slain by Viṣṇu? How did Viṣṇu take the form of a Boar?

तस्य शृङ्गं महेशस्य भूषणत्वं कथं गतम् एतत्सर्वं विशेषेण सूत वक्तुमिहार्हसि

How did his tusk become the ornament of the great Lord Maheśa? Sūta, you ought to tell all this here in detail.

हिरण्यकशिपोर्भ्राता हिरण्याक्ष इति स्मृतः पुरान्धकासुरेशस्य पिता कालान्तकोपमः

Hiraṇyākṣa is remembered as the brother of Hiraṇyakaśipu, and the father of Andhaka, the lord of demons, terrible as Death itself.

देवाञ्जित्वाथ दैत्येन्द्रो बद्ध्वा च धरणीमिमाम् नीत्वा रसातलं चक्रे वन्दीम् इन्दीवरप्रभाम्

Having conquered the gods, the lord of the demons bound this earth, took her to the netherworld, and made her his captive, shining like a blue lotus.

ततः सब्रह्मका देवाः परिम्लानमुखश्रियः बाधितास्ताडिता बद्ध्वा हिरण्याक्षेण तेन वै

Then the gods, along with Brahmā, their faces faded and distressed, were oppressed, struck, and bound by Hiraṇyākṣa.

बलिना दैत्यमुख्येन क्रूरेण सुदुरात्मना प्रणम्य शिरसा विष्णुं दैत्यकोटिविमर्दनम्

By that powerful, cruel, and wicked chief of the demons, they bowed their heads to Viṣṇu, the destroyer of millions of demons.

सर्वे विज्ञापयामासुर् धरणीबन्धनं हरेः श्रुत्वैतद्भगवान् विष्णुर् धरणीबन्धनं हरिः

All of them petitioned him regarding the binding of the earth; hearing this, the blessed Viṣṇu, Hari, learned of the earth's captivity.

भूत्वा यज्ञवराहो ऽसौ यथा लिङ्गोद्भवे तथा दैत्यैश् च सार्धं दैत्येन्द्रं हिरण्याक्षं महाबलम्

He became the sacrificial Boar, just as at the emergence of the Liṅga, and together with the demons, confronted the mighty demon king Hiraṇyākṣa.

दंष्ट्राग्रकोट्या हत्वैनं रेजे दैत्यान्तकृत्प्रभुः कल्पादिषु यथापूर्वं प्रविश्य च रसातलम्

With the tip of his tusk he slew him; the lord, destroyer of demons, shone forth, and as before at the beginning of the kalpa, entered the netherworld.

आनीय वसुधां देवीम् अङ्कस्थामकरोद्बहिः ततस् तुष्टाव देवेशं देवदेवः पितामहः

He brought up the goddess Earth, placed her on his lap, and then the god of gods, Pitāmaha, praised the Lord.