Linga Purana

पुरुषरूपाय पुरुषैकतत्पुरुषाय वै नमः

To the One of human form, to the One who is the sole Supreme Person, I bow.

पुरुषार्थप्रदानाय पतये परमेष्ठिने ईशानाय नमस्तुभ्यम् ईश्वराय नमोनमः

To the Giver of the aims of human life, to the Lord, to the Supreme Creator, to the Ruler, I bow to You; to the Lord, I bow again and again.

ब्रह्मणे ब्रह्मरूपाय नमः साक्षाच्छिवाय ते सर्वविष्णुर्नृसिंहस्य रूपमास्थाय विश्वकृत्

To Brahmā, to the One of Brahmā’s form, I bow; to You, who are directly Śiva; having assumed the form of Viṣṇu and Narasiṃha, the Maker of the universe.

हिरण्यकशिपुं हत्वा करजैर्निशितैः स्वयम् दैत्येन्द्रैर्बहुभिः सार्धं हितार्थं जगतां प्रभुः

Having slain Hiraṇyakaśipu with Your own sharp nails, together with many demon lords, for the sake of the world’s welfare, O Lord.

सैंहीं समानयन्योनिं बाधते निखिलं जगत् यत्कृत्यमत्र देवेश तत्कुरुष्व भवानिह

Assuming the lion’s womb, You trouble the entire world; whatever is to be done here, O Lord of gods, do that—be present here.

उग्रो ऽसि सर्वदुष्टानां नियन्तासि शिवो ऽसि नः कालकूटादिवपुषा त्राहि नः शरणागतान्

You are fierce among all the wicked, You are our controller, You are auspicious for us; with the form of Kālakūṭa and others, protect us who have taken refuge.

शुक्रं तु वृत्तं विश्वेश क्रीडा वै केवलं वयम् तवोन्मेषनिमेषाभ्याम् अस्माकं प्रलयोदयौ

O Lord of the universe, the pure is indeed a sport for You; by Your opening and closing of the eyes are our dissolution and creation.

उन्मीलयेत् त्वयि ब्रह्मन् विनाशो ऽस्ति न ते शिव संतप्तास्मो वयं देव हरिणामिततेजसा

If You open Your eyes, O Brahman, there is no destruction; if not, O Śiva, we are tormented, O God, by the immeasurable radiance of Hari.

सर्वलोकहितायैनं तत्त्वं संहर्तुमिच्छसि विज्ञापितस् तथा देवः प्रहसन्प्राह तान् सुरान्

For the welfare of all worlds, You wish to destroy this essence; thus addressed, the god, smiling, spoke to those gods.

अभयं च ददौ तेषां हनिष्यामीति तं प्रभुः सो ऽपि शक्रः सुरैः सार्धं प्रणिपत्य यथागतम्

The Lord granted them safety, saying, 'I will slay him.' Then Indra, together with the gods, bowed down and departed as they had come.

जगाम भगवान् ब्रह्मा तथान्ये च सुरोत्तमाः अथोत्थाय महादेवः शारभं रूपमास्थितः

The blessed Brahmā went away, as did the other foremost gods; then Mahādeva arose, assuming the form of Śarabha.

ययौ प्रान्ते नृसिंहस्य गर्वितस्य मृगाशिनः अपहृत्य तदा प्राणान् शरभः सुरपूजितः

He went to the edge where the proud, beast-devouring Narasiṃha was; then Śarabha, honored by the gods, took his life.

सिंहात्ततो नरो भूत्वा जगाम च यथाक्रमम् एवं स्तुतस्तदा देवैर् जगाम स यथाक्रमम्

Then, becoming a man from a lion, he departed in due order; thus praised by the gods at that time, he went on in due order.

यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि संस्तवं शार्वमुत्तमम् रुद्रलोकमनुप्राप्य रुद्रेण सह मोदते

Whoever recites or hears this excellent hymn to Śarva, having attained the world of Rudra, rejoices there together with Rudra.

कथं देवो महादेवो विश्वसंहारकारकः शरभाख्यं महाघोरं विकृतं रूपमास्थितः

How did the god, the great lord, the cause of the destruction of the universe, assume the terrifying and deformed form called Śarabha?

किं किं धैर्यं कृतं तेन ब्रूहि सर्वम् अशेषतः एवमभ्यर्थितो देवैर् मतिं चक्रे कृपालयः

What courage did he display in that? Tell me everything in full. Thus requested by the gods, the compassionate one resolved in his mind.

यत्तेजस्तु नृसिंहाख्यं संहर्तुं परमेश्वरः तदर्थं स्मृतवान् रुद्रो वीरभद्रं महाबलम्

To destroy that energy known as Narasiṃha, the supreme lord Rudra remembered Vīrabhadra, of great might, for that purpose.

आत्मनो भैरवं रूपं महाप्रलयकारकम् आजगाम पुरा सद्यो गणानामग्रतो हसन्

He himself, taking on the Bhairava form, the cause of the great dissolution, once came forth at once, laughing, before the hosts.

साट्टहासैर् गणवरैर् उत्पतद्भिर् इतस्ततः नृसिंहरूपैरत्युग्रैः कोटिभिः परिवारितः

With the chief gaṇas, roaring with loud laughter, leaping here and there, surrounded by countless extremely fierce forms of Narasiṃha.

तावद्भिर् अभितो वीरैर् नृत्यद्भिश् च मुदान्वितैः क्रीडद्भिश् च महाधीरैर् ब्रह्माद्यैः कन्दुकैरिव

Surrounded on all sides by such heroic ones, dancing with joy, playing, and by the greatly steadfast ones like Brahmā and others, as if with balls.

अदृष्टपूर्वैरन्यैश् च वेष्टितो वीरवन्दितः कल्पान्तज्वलनज्वालो विलसल्लोचनत्रयः

Encircled by others never seen before, honored by heroes, his three eyes shining like the fire at the end of an age.

आत्तशस्त्रो जटाजूटे ज्वलद्बालेन्दुमण्डितः बालेन्दुद्वितयाकारतीक्ष्णदंष्ट्राङ्कुरद्वयः

Armed, with matted locks adorned with the blazing crescent moon, his two sharp fangs resembling the twin forms of the crescent moon.

आखण्डलधनुःखण्डसंनिभभ्रूलतायुतः महाप्रचण्डहुङ्कारबधिरीकृतदिङ्मुखः

With eyebrows like the fragments of Indra's bow, he deafened the quarters with his mighty, fierce roar.

नीलमेघाञ्जनाकारभीषणश्मश्रुरद्भुतः वादखण्डम् अखण्डाभ्यां भ्रामयंस्त्रिशिखं मुहुः

Terrifying, with a beard like a dark raincloud or collyrium, wondrous, he repeatedly whirled his trident with both unbroken hands.

वीरभद्रो ऽपि भगवान् वीरशक्तिविजृम्भितः स्वयं विज्ञापयामास किमत्र स्मृतिकारणम्

Vīrabhadra too, the blessed one, manifesting heroic power, himself asked, 'What is the reason for this remembrance?'

आज्ञापय जगत्स्वामिन् प्रसादः क्रियतां मयि अकाले भयमुत्पन्नं देवानामपि भैरव

'Command, O Lord of the world, let your favor be shown to me. Even the gods are struck with fear at this untimely terror, O Bhairava.'

ज्वलितः स नृसिंहाग्निः शमयैनं दुरासदम् सान्त्वयन् बोधयादौ तं तेन किं नोपशाम्यति

That Narasiṃha-fire blazes forth; pacify him, who is hard to approach. Appease and instruct him at first—why does he not become calm?

ततो मत्परमं भावं भैरवं संप्रदर्शय सूक्ष्मं सूक्ष्मेण संहृत्य स्थूलं स्थूलेन तेजसा

Then, reveal my supreme state, the subtle Bhairava, by withdrawing the gross with the gross radiance and the subtle with the subtle.

वक्त्रमानय कृत्तिं च वीरभद्र ममाज्ञया इत्यादिष्टो गणाध्यक्षः प्रशान्तवपुरास्थितः

Bring the face and the skin, O Virabhadra, by my command; thus instructed, the chief of the hosts stood with a tranquil form.