Linga Purana

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.

साहङ्कारमिदं श्रुत्वा हरेर् अमितविक्रमः विहस्योवाच सावज्ञं ततो विस्फुरिताधरः

Hearing this proud speech, Hari of immeasurable valor laughed, and then, with lips curled in scorn, spoke disdainfully.

किं न जानासि विश्वेशं संहर्तारं पिनाकिनम् असद्वादो विवादश् च विनाशस्त्वयि केवलः

Do you not know the Lord of the universe, the destroyer, the wielder of the pināka bow? Your false argument and dispute lead only to your own ruin.

तवान्योन्यावताराणि कानि शेषाणि सांप्रतम् कृतानि येन केनापि कथाशेषो भविष्यति

What other incarnations of yours and his remain now? By whom have they been performed? The end of these stories will come by someone or other.

दोषं त्वं पश्य एतत्त्वम् अवस्थामीदृशीं गतः तेन संहारदक्षेण क्षणात्संक्षयमेष्यसि

See your own fault, you have come to such a state; by that one skilled in destruction, you will be annihilated in a moment.

प्रकृतिस्त्वं पुमान् रुद्रस् त्वयि वीर्यं समाहितम् त्वन्नाभिपङ्कजाज्जातः पञ्चवक्त्रः पितामहः

You are Prakṛti, Rudra is Puruṣa, his power is established in you; from the lotus of your navel was born the five-faced Pitāmaha.

सृष्ट्यर्थेन जगत्पूर्वं शङ्करं नीललोहितम् ललाटे चिन्तयामास तपस्युग्रे व्यवस्थितः

For the purpose of creation, the world was first conceived by Śaṅkara, blue and red, who, engaged in severe austerity, contemplated it on his forehead.

तल्ललाटादभूच्छंभोः सृष्ट्यर्थं तन्न दूषणम् अंशो ऽहं देवदेवस्य महाभैरवरूपिणः

From that forehead of Śambhu arose, for the sake of creation, that (being); this is not a fault. I am a portion of the god of gods, the one of the form of Mahābhairava.

त्वत्संहारे नियुक्तो ऽस्मि विनयेन बलेन च एवं रक्षो विदार्यैव त्वं शक्तिकलया युतः

I am appointed in your destruction, both by humility and by strength; thus, tearing apart the demon, you are endowed with a portion of power.

अहङ्कारावलेपेन गर्जसि त्वमतन्द्रितः उपकारो ह्यसाधूनाम् अपकाराय केवलम्

You roar, unwearied, out of pride and arrogance; your help to the wicked is only for their harm.

यदि सिंह महेशानं स्वपुनर्भूत मन्यसे न त्वं स्रष्टा न संहर्ता न स्वतन्त्रो हि कुत्रचित्

If, O lion, you consider yourself to be the great Lord, reborn, you are not the creator, nor the destroyer, nor are you ever independent.

कुलालचक्रवच्छक्त्या प्रेरितो ऽसि पिनाकिना अद्यापि तव निक्षिप्तं कपालं कूर्मरूपिणः

Like a potter’s wheel, you are set in motion by the wielder of the pināka bow; even now, the skull of the tortoise-formed one is fixed upon you.

हरहारलतामध्ये मुग्ध कस्मान्न बुध्यसे विस्मृतं किं तदंशेन दंष्ट्रोत्पातनपीडितः

Why, O deluded one, do you not realize, in the midst of Hara’s garland, have you forgotten, being afflicted by the rising of the tusk, that portion?

वाराहविग्रहस्ते ऽद्य साक्रोशं तारकारिणा दग्धो ऽसि यस्य शूलाग्रे विष्वक्सेनच्छलाद्भवान्

Today, in your boar form, you were burned by the enemy of Tāraka, with a loud cry, at whose trident’s tip you, Viṣvaksena, were destroyed by a ruse.

दक्षयज्ञे शिरश्छिन्नं मया ते यज्ञरूपिणः अद्यापि तव पुत्रस्य ब्रह्मणः पञ्चमं शिरः

At Dakṣa’s sacrifice, I cut off your head, O you who are the form of sacrifice; even now, the fifth head of your son Brahmā remains.

छिन्नं तमेनाभिसंधं तदंशं तस्य तद्बलम् निर्जितस्त्वं दधीचेन संग्रामे समरुद्गणः

That portion, that power, was severed by him with intent; you, along with the hosts of Maruts, were defeated in battle by Dadhichi.

कण्डूयमाने शिरसि कथं तद्विस्मृतं त्वया चक्रं विक्रमतो यस्य चक्रपाणे तव प्रियम्

How could you forget, when your head was itching, the discus—beloved to you, O wielder of the discus—which belonged to him who acted valiantly?

कुतः प्राप्तं कृतं केन त्वया तदपि विस्मृतम् ते मया सकला लोका गृहीतास्त्वं पयोनिधौ

From where did you obtain it, and by whom was it made? Have you also forgotten that? I have seized all the worlds, while you were in the ocean of milk.

निद्रापरवशः शेषे स कथं सात्त्विको भवान् त्वदादिस्तम्बपर्यन्तं रुद्रशक्तिविजृम्भितम्

How can you be called sattvic, when you lie asleep overcome by slumber, while the power of Rudra expands from the base of your pillar up to its summit?

शक्तिमानभितस्त्वं च ह्य् अनलस्त्वं च मोहितः तत्तेजसो ऽपि माहात्म्यं युवां द्रष्टुं न हि क्षमौ

Though you are powerful and fiery, you are deluded; even you two are not capable of beholding the greatness of that energy.

स्थूला ये हि प्रपश्यन्ति तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम् द्यावापृथिव्या इन्द्राग्नियमस्य वरुणस्य च

Those who perceive as gross that supreme abode of Vishnu—of heaven and earth, Indra, Agni, Yama, and Varuna—