Linga Purana

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.

जगाम रंहसा तत्र यत्रास्ते नरकेसरी ततस्तं बोधयामास वीरभद्रो हरो हरिम्

He swiftly went there, where the lion among men resides; then Virabhadra awakened Hari, Hara awakened Hari.

उवाच वाक्यमीशानः पिता पुत्रमिवौरसम् जगत्सुखाय भगवन्न् अवतीर्णो ऽसि माधव

Īśāna spoke these words, as a father to his own son: For the happiness of the world, O blessed one, you have descended, O Mādhava.

स्थित्यर्थेन च युक्तो ऽसि परेण परमेष्ठिना जन्तुचक्रं भगवता रक्षितं मत्स्यरूपिणा

You are engaged in sustaining, by the Supreme Lord; the circle of beings has been protected by the Blessed One in the form of a fish.

पुच्छेनैव समाबध्य भ्रमन्नेकार्णवे पुरा बिभर्षि कूर्मरूपेण वाराहेणोद्धृता मही

Binding with the tail, you once moved in the single ocean; you bore the earth as a tortoise, and lifted it as a boar.

अनेन हरिरूपेण हिरण्यकशिपुर्हतः वामनेन बलिर्बद्धस् त्वया विक्रमता पुनः

With this form of Hari, Hiraṇyakaśipu was slain; with the dwarf, Bali was bound by your stride again.

त्वम् एव सर्वभूतानां प्रभावः प्रभुर् अव्ययः यदा यदा हि लोकस्य दुःखं किंचित् प्रजायते

You alone are the power and the imperishable lord of all beings; whenever any suffering arises in the world,

तदा तदावतीर्णस्त्वं करिष्यसि निरामयम् नाधिकस्त्वत्समो ऽप्यस्ति हरे शिवपरायण

Then, at those times, you descend and make it free from affliction; none is greater or equal to you, O Hari, devoted to Śiva.

त्वया धर्माश् च वेदाश् च शुभे मार्गे प्रतिष्ठिताः यदर्थम् अवतारो ऽयं निहतः सो ऽपि केशव

By you, dharma and the Vedas are established on the auspicious path; for this purpose is your descent, and that one was slain, O Keśava.

अत्यन्तघोरं भगवन् नरसिंह वपुस्तव उपसंहर विश्वात्मंस् त्वमेव मम संनिधौ

Your form as Narasiṃha is exceedingly fierce, O Lord; withdraw it, for you are the soul of the universe, and remain with me.

इत्युक्तो वीरभद्रेण नृसिंहः शान्तया गिरा ततो ऽधिकं महाघोरं कोपं प्रज्वालयद्धरिः

Thus addressed by Virabhadra, Narasiṃha, with gentle words, Hari ignited an even greater, terrible wrath.

आगतो ऽसि यतस्तत्र गच्छ त्वं मा हितं वद इदानीं संहरिष्यामि जगदेतच्चराचरम्

Go to the place from which you came; do not speak of what is beneficial. Now I will withdraw this entire world, moving and unmoving.

संहर्तुर् न हि संहारः स्वतो वा परतो ऽपि वा शासितं मम सर्वत्र शास्ता को ऽपि न विद्यते

For the destroyer, there is no destruction, neither by himself nor by another; everywhere my command prevails, and no one is found as my ruler.

मत्प्रसादेन सकलं समर्यादं प्रवर्तते अहं हि सर्वशक्तीनां प्रवर्तकनिवर्तकः

By my grace, everything proceeds within its boundaries; I am indeed the originator and terminator of all powers.

यद् यद् विभूतिमत् सत्त्वं श्रीमदूर्जितमेव वा तत्तद्विद्धि गणाध्यक्ष मम तेजोविजृम्भितम्

Whatever being possesses glory, fortune, or might, know that, O chief of hosts, as the expansion of my radiance.

देवतापरमार्थज्ञा ममैव परमं विदुः मदंशाः शक्तिसम्पन्ना ब्रह्मशक्रादयः सुराः

Those who know the highest truth of the deities know only mine as supreme; Brahmā, Indra, and other gods, endowed with power, are my portions.

मन्नाभिपङ्कजाज्जातः पुरा ब्रह्मा चतुर्मुखः तल्ललाटसमुत्पन्नो भगवान्वृषभध्वजः

Long ago, Brahmā with four faces was born from my navel-lotus; the blessed Bull-bannered One arose from my forehead.

रजसाधिष्ठितः स्रष्टा रुद्रस्तामस उच्यते अहं नियन्ता सर्वस्य मत्परं नास्ति दैवतम्

The creator is established in rajas, Rudra is said to be of tamas; I am the controller of all—there is no deity higher than me.

विश्वाधिकः स्वतन्त्रश् च कर्ता हर्ताखिलेश्वरः इदं तु मत्परं तेजः कः पुनः श्रोतुमिच्छति

Transcending the universe, independent, I am the doer, the destroyer, the lord of all; this, my supreme radiance—who indeed wishes to hear of it?

अतो मां शरणं प्राप्य गच्छ त्वं विगतज्वरः अवेहि परमं भावम् इदं भूतमहेश्वरः

Therefore, taking refuge in me, go forth free from distress; know this highest state—this is the Lord of beings, the great Lord.

कालो ऽस्म्यहं कालविनाशहेतुर् लोकान् समाहर्तुम् अहं प्रवृत्तः मृत्योर्मृत्युं विद्धि मां वीरभद्र जीवन्त्येते मत्प्रसादेन देवाः

I am Time, the cause of the destruction of time; I have arisen to gather up the worlds. Know me, O Vīrabhadra, as Death of death; these gods live by my grace.