Linga Purana

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.

दृष्ट्वा सुरासुरमहोरगसिद्धसाध्यास् तस्मिन् क्षणे हरिविरिञ्चिमुखा नृसिंहम् धैर्यं बलं च समवाप्य ययुर्विसृज्य आ दिङ्मुखान्तम् असुरक्षणतत्पराश् च

Seeing this, the gods, asuras, great serpents, siddhas, and sādhyas—at that moment, led by Hari and Brahmā—gained courage and strength, and departed in all directions, intent on protecting the asuras.

ततस्तैर्गतैः सैष देवो नृसिंहः सहस्राकृतिः सर्वपात् सर्वबाहुः सहस्रेक्षणः सोमसूर्याग्निनेत्रस् तदा संस्थितः सर्वमावृत्य मायी

Then, after they had gone, that god Narasiṃha, of a thousand forms, all-pervading, with a thousand arms, a thousand eyes, with the moon, sun, and fire as his eyes, stood there, pervading all, the master of illusion.

तं तुष्टुवुः सुरश्रेष्ठा लोका लोकाचले स्थिताः सब्रह्मकाः ससाध्याश् च सयमाः समरुद्गणाः

The best of the gods, stationed in the worlds and on the world-mountains, along with Brahmā, the Sādhyas, Yama, and the hosts of Maruts, praised him.

परात्परतरं ब्रह्म तत्त्वात् तत्त्वतमं भवान् ज्योतिषां तु परं ज्योतिः परमात्मा जगन्मयः

'You are the Supreme beyond the supreme Brahman, the essence beyond all essences; you are the supreme light among all lights, the supreme self, the one who pervades the universe.'

स्थूलं सूक्ष्मं सुसूक्ष्मं च शब्दब्रह्ममयः शुभः वागतीतो निरालंबो निर्द्वन्द्वो निरुपप्लवः

Gross, subtle, and most subtle, composed of the sound-Brahman, auspicious, transcending speech, unsupported, beyond duality, and free from disturbance.

यज्ञभुग्यज्ञमूर्तिस्त्वं यज्ञिनां फलदः प्रभुः भवान्मत्स्याकृतिः कौर्मम् आस्थाय जगति स्थितः

You are the enjoyer of sacrifices, the very form of sacrifice, the giver of fruits to sacrificers, O Lord; you have assumed the forms of the fish and the tortoise and are established in the world.

वाराहीं चैव तां सैंहीम् आस्थायेहव्यवस्थितः देवानां देवरक्षार्थं निहत्य दितिजेश्वरम्

Assuming the forms of the boar and the lion, you have stood firm, and for the protection of the gods, you slew the lord of the Daityas.

द्विजशापच्छलेनैवम् अवतीर्णो ऽसि लीलया न दृष्टं यत्त्वदन्यं हि भवान् सर्वं चराचरम्

By the pretext of a brahmin’s curse, you have descended playfully; for there is nothing other than you, O Lord, all that moves and does not move is you.

भवान्विष्णुर्भवान् रुद्रो भवानेव पितामहः भवानादिर्भवानन्तो भवानेव वयं विभो

You are Viṣṇu, you are Rudra, you are indeed the Grandfather; you are the beginning, you are the end, and you, O Lord, are indeed us.

भवानेव जगत्सर्वं प्रलापेन किमीश्वर मायया बहुधा संस्थम् अद्वितीयमयं प्रभो

You alone are the entire universe; what is the use of further speech, O Lord? By your māyā you exist in many forms, yet you are the non-dual essence, O Master.