Linga Purana

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.'

प्रह्राद जीविते वाञ्छा तवैषा शृणु चास्ति चेत् श्रुत्वापि तस्य वचनं हिरण्यकशिपोः सुधीः

'Prahlāda, if you desire life, listen—if you have any wish.' Even after hearing these words of Hiraṇyakaśipu, the wise one—

प्रह्रादः पूजयामास नमो नारायणेति च नमो नारायणायेति सर्वदैत्यकुमारकान्

Prahlāda continued to worship, saying, 'Salutations to Nārāyaṇa!' and taught all the sons of the Daityas to do the same.

अध्यापयामास च तां ब्रह्मविद्यां सुशोभनाम् दुर्लङ्घ्यां चात्मनो दृष्ट्वा शक्रादिभिर् अपि स्वयम्

He also instructed them in that splendid knowledge of Brahman, which is insurmountable even by Indra and others, having realized it himself.

पुत्रेण लङ्घितामाज्ञां हिरण्यः प्राह दानवान् एतं नानाविधैर्वध्यं दुष्पुत्रं हन्तुमर्हथ

Seeing his command transgressed by his son, Hiraṇyakaśipu said to the Dānavas: 'This wicked son, deserving death in many ways, should be killed by you.'

एवमुक्तास्तदा तेन दैत्येन सुदुरात्मना निजघ्नुर्देवदेवस्य भृत्यं प्रह्रादमव्ययम्

Thus addressed by that Daitya of evil mind, they struck at Prahlāda, the imperishable servant of the Lord of gods.

तत्र तत्प्रतिकृतं तदा सुरैर् दैत्यराजतनयं द्विजोत्तमाः क्षीरवारिनिधिशायिनः प्रभोर् निष्फलं त्वथ बभूव तेजसा

Then, O best of twice-born, whatever was done there by the gods to the son of the Daitya king, all became fruitless by the power of the Lord who lies on the ocean of milk.

तदाथ गर्वभिन्नस्य हिरण्यकशिपोः प्रभुः तत्रैवाविरभूद्धन्तुं नृसिंहाकृतिमास्थितः

Then, as Hiraṇyakaśipu's pride was shattered, the Lord appeared there, assuming the form of Narasiṃha, to slay him.

जघान च सुतं प्रेक्ष्य पितरं दानवाधमम् बिभेद तत्क्षणादेव करजैर् निशितैः शतैः

He killed the wretched Dānava, seeing his son, and in that very instant tore him apart with hundreds of sharp claws.

ततो निहत्य तं दैत्यं सबान्धवमघापहः पीडयामास दैत्येन्द्रं युगान्ताग्निरिवापरः

Having slain that Daitya along with his kin, the remover of sin began to torment the Daitya king, like another fire at the end of an age.

नादैस्तस्य नृसिंहस्य घोरैर्वित्रासितं जगत् आ ब्रह्मभुवनाद् विप्राः प्रचचाल च सुव्रताः

By the terrifying roars of Narasiṃha, the world was struck with fear; O sages, even up to Brahmā's realm, the steadfast ones trembled.