Linga Purana

नारायणाय सर्वाय ब्रह्मणे परमात्मने कर्त्रे धर्त्रे धरायास्तु हर्त्रे देवारिणां स्वयम् कर्त्रे नेत्रे सुरेन्द्राणां शास्त्रे च सकलस्य च

Homage to Nārāyaṇa, the All, to Brahmā, the Supreme Self, the Creator, the Sustainer, the Uplifter of the Earth, the Destroyer of the enemies of the gods, the very leader and guide of the lords of gods, and the author of all scripture.

त्वमष्टमूर्तिस्त्वमनन्तमूर्तिस् त्वमादिदेवस्त्वमनन्तवेदितः त्वया कृतं सर्वमिदं प्रसीद सुरेश लोकेश वराह विष्णो

You are the One with eight forms, you are the One with infinite forms, you are the primordial god, you are known by the infinite; all this is done by you—be gracious, Lord of gods, Lord of the world, Boar, Viṣṇu.

तथैकदंष्ट्राग्रमुखाग्रकोटिभागैकभागार्धतमेन विष्णो हताः क्षणात् कामद दैत्यमुख्याः स्वदंष्ट्रकोट्या सह पुत्रभृत्यैः

Thus, in a moment, the chief demons, along with their sons and servants, were slain by you, O wish-fulfilling one, with just a fraction of the tip of your single-tusked mouth.

त्वयोद्धृता देव धरा धरेश धराधराकार धृताग्रदंष्ट्रे धराधरैः सर्वजनैः समुद्रैः सुरासुरैः सेवितचन्द्रवक्त्र

By you, O Lord, the earth was lifted, O Lord of the earth, with the mountains held on your prominent tusk, attended by all beings, oceans, gods, and demons, with your moon-like face served by them.

त्वयैव देवेश विभो कृतश् च जयः सुराणामसुरेश्वराणाम् अहो प्रदत्तस्तु वरः प्रसीद वाग्देवता वारिजसंभवाय

By you alone, O Lord of gods, O mighty one, victory was achieved for the gods over the lords of demons; ah, the boon was granted—be gracious to the goddess of speech, born from the lotus.

निहिता रसातलगता वसुंधरा तव पृष्ठतः सकलतारकादयः

The earth, placed in the netherworld, was set behind you, along with all the stars and others.

जगतां हिताय भवता वसुंधरा भगवन् रसातलपुटं गता तदा अबलोद्धृता च भगवंस्तवैव सकलं त्वयैव हि धृतं जगद्गुरो

For the good of the worlds, O blessed one, you took the earth into the cavity of the netherworld, and then, O Lord, you alone lifted her up; indeed, you alone uphold all, O teacher of the world.

इति वाक्पतिर्बहुविधैस्तवार्चनैः प्रणिपत्य विष्णुममरैः प्रजापतिः विविधान्वरान् हरिमुखात्तु लब्धवान् हरिनाभिवारिजदेहभृत् स्वयम्

Thus, the lord of speech, having worshipped Vishnu with many kinds of praises and having bowed down with the immortals, Prajapati obtained various boons from Hari, who bears the lotus from his navel, by Hari's own grace.

अथ तामुद्धृतां तेन धरां देवा मुनीश्वराः मूर्ध्न्यारोप्य नमश्चक्रुश् चक्रिणः संनिधौ तदा

Then, the gods and great sages, having lifted up the earth, placed her upon their heads and bowed in reverence in the presence of the wielder of the discus.

अनेनैव वराहेण चोद्धृतासि वरप्रदे कृष्णेनाक्लिष्टकार्येण शतहस्तेन विष्णुना

By this very Boar, O bestower of boons, you have been lifted up—by Krishna, whose actions are effortless, by Vishnu of a hundred arms.

धरणि त्वं महाभोगे भूमिस्त्वं धेनुरव्यये लोकानां धारिणी त्वं हि मृत्तिके हर पातकम्

O Earth, of great form, you are the ground, the inexhaustible cow; you are the supporter of the worlds—O clay, remove our sin.

मनसा कर्मणा वाचा वरदे वारिजेक्षणे त्वया हतेन पापेन जीवामस्त्वत्प्रसादतः

O bestower of boons, lotus-eyed one, by mind, deed, and speech, through the destruction of sin by you, we live by your grace.

इत्युक्ता सा तदा देवी धरा देवैर् अथाब्रवीत् वराहदंष्ट्राभिन्नायां धरायां मृत्तिकां द्विजाः

Thus addressed, the goddess Earth then spoke to the gods concerning the clay from the earth that had been pierced by the Boar's tusks.

मन्त्रेणानेन यो बिभ्रत् मूर्ध्नि पापात्प्रमुच्यते आयुष्मान् बलवान् धन्यः पुत्रपौत्रसमन्वितः

Whoever bears this clay on his head with this mantra is freed from sin, becomes long-lived, strong, fortunate, and blessed with sons and grandsons.

क्रमाद्भुवि दिवं प्राप्य कर्मान्ते मोदते सुरैः अथ देवे गते त्यक्त्वा वराहे क्षीरसागरम्

Step by step, having attained heaven on earth at the end of his deeds, he rejoices with the gods; then, when the god departs, having left the Boar form, he enters the ocean of milk.

वाराहरूपमनघं चचाल च धरा पुनः तस्य दंष्ट्राभराक्रान्ता देवदेवस्य धीमतः

The earth again trembled as the sinless one in the form of the Boar, whose mighty chest was pressed by the weight of the tusks of the wise Lord of gods.

यदृच्छया भवः पश्यन् जगाम जगदीश्वरः दंष्ट्रां जग्राह दृष्ट्वा तां भूषणार्थमथात्मनः

By chance, Bhava (Shiva), seeing this, the Lord of the universe, took up the tusk, having seen it, for his own adornment.

दधार च महादेवः कूर्चान्ते वै महोरसि देवाश् च तुष्टुवुः सेन्द्रा देवदेवस्य वैभवम्

And Mahadeva bore it at the end of his matted locks upon his great chest, and the gods, along with Indra, praised the glory of the Lord of gods.

धरा प्रतिष्ठिता ह्येवं देवदेवेन लीलया भूतानां संप्लवे चापि विष्णोश्चैव कलेवरम्

Thus, the earth was established by the Lord of gods in sport, both at the time of the deluge of beings and also the body of Vishnu.

ब्रह्मणश् च तथान्येषां देवानामपि लीलया विभुरङ्गविभागेन भूषितो न यदि प्रभुः

And likewise, by the play of Brahma and the other gods, the Lord is adorned by the division of their bodies, unless the Lord himself does not wish it.

कथं विमुक्तिर्विप्राणां तस्माद्दंष्ट्री महेश्वरः

How then would there be liberation for the Brahmins, unless Maheshvara bore the tusk?

नृसिंहेन हतः पूर्वं हिरण्याक्षाग्रजः श्रुतम् कथं निषूदितस्तेन हिरण्यकशिपुर्वद

Formerly, the elder brother of Hiranyaksha was slain by Narasimha, as is heard; tell how Hiranyakashipu was destroyed by him.

हिरण्यकशिपोः पुत्रः प्रह्राद इति विश्रुतः धर्मज्ञः सत्यसम्पन्नस् तपस्वी चाभवत्सुधीः

Hiranyakashipu's son, known as Prahlada, was wise in righteousness, endowed with truth, an ascetic, and of excellent intellect.

जन्मप्रभृति देवेशं पूजयामास चाव्ययम् सर्वज्ञं सर्वगं विष्णुं सर्वदेवभवोद्भवम्

From birth, he worshipped the imperishable Lord of gods—Vishnu, the all-knowing, all-pervading, source of all the gods.

तमादिपुरुषं भक्त्या परब्रह्मस्वरूपिणम् ब्रह्मणो ऽधिपतिं सृष्टिस्थितिसंहारकारणम्

That primeval person, embodiment of the Supreme Brahman, the lord of Brahma, the cause of creation, preservation, and destruction, he worshipped with devotion.

सो ऽपि विष्णोस्तथाभूतं दृष्ट्वा पुत्रं समाहितम् नमो नारायणायेति गोविन्देति मुहुर्मुहुः

He too, seeing his son in such a state, composed and focused, repeatedly uttered, 'Salutations to Nārāyaṇa! Salutations to Govinda!'

स्तुवन्तं प्राह देवारिः प्रदहन्निव पापधीः न मां जानासि दुर्बुद्धे सर्वदैत्यामरेश्वरम्

Seeing him praising thus, the enemy of the gods, burning with wicked thoughts, said: 'You do not know me, fool, the eternal lord of all Daityas and gods.'

प्रह्राद वीर दुष्पुत्र द्विजदेवार्तिकारणम् को विष्णुः पद्मजो वापि शक्रश् च वरुणो ऽथवा

'Prahlāda, O misguided son, cause of distress to twice-born and gods! Who is Viṣṇu, or the lotus-born, or Indra, or even Varuṇa?'

वायुः सोमस्तथेशानः पावको मम यः समः मामेवार्चय भक्त्या च स्वल्पं नारायणं सदा

'Vāyu, Soma, Īśāna, Pāvaka—whoever is equal to me—worship me alone with devotion; always disregard Nārāyaṇa as insignificant.'