Linga Purana

नमश्चन्द्राग्निसूर्याय मुक्तिवैचित्र्यहेतवे वरदायावताराय सर्वकारणहेतवे

Homage to the one who is the moon, fire, and sun, the cause of the diversity of liberation, the giver of boons, the one who descends, the cause of all causes.

कपालिने करालाय पतये पुण्यकीर्त्तये अमोघायाग्निनेत्राय लकुलीशाय शंभवे

To the skull-bearer, the fierce one, the lord, famed for virtue, the unfailing one, the fire-eyed, the lord with the club, the auspicious one—salutations.

भिषक्तमाय मुण्डाय दण्डिने योगरूपिणे मेघवाहाय देवाय पार्वतीपतये नमः

Salutations to the supreme physician, the skull-bearer, the staff-holder, the embodiment of yoga, the cloud-rider, the god, the lord of Pārvatī.

अव्यक्ताय विशोकाय स्थिराय स्थिरधन्विने स्थाणवे कृत्तिवासाय नमः पञ्चार्थहेतवे

To the unmanifest, the sorrowless, the steadfast, the firm-bowed, the immovable, the one clothed in hides, the cause of the five meanings—salutations.

वरदायैकपादाय नमश्चन्द्रार्धमौलिने नमस्ते ऽध्वरराजाय वयसां पतये नमः

Salutations to the boon-giver, the one-footed, the wearer of the crescent moon, the lord of sacrifices, the master of ages.

योगीश्वराय नित्याय सत्याय परमेष्ठिने सर्वात्मने नमस्तुभ्यं नमः सर्वेश्वराय ते

Salutations to the lord of yogis, the eternal, the true, the supreme, the soul of all; salutations to you, the lord of all.

एकद्वित्रिचतुःपञ्चकृत्वस् ते ऽस्तु नमोनमः दशकृत्वस्तु साहस्रकृत्वस्ते च नमोनमः

Let there be salutations to you once, twice, thrice, four, five, and ten times; let there be salutations to you a thousand times.

नमो ऽपरिमितं कृत्वा-नन्तकृत्वो नमोनमः नमोनमो नमो भूयः पुनर्भूयो नमोनमः

Having offered countless salutations, infinite times, again and again, and yet again, salutations to you.

नाम्नामष्टशतेनैवं स्तुत्वामृतमयेन तु पुनस्तु प्रार्थयामास नृसिंहः शरभेश्वरम्

Thus, having praised you with eight hundred immortal names, Narasiṃha again prayed to Śarabheśvara.

यदा यदा ममाज्ञानम् अत्यहङ्कारदूषितम् तदा तदापनेतव्यं त्वयैव परमेश्वर

Whenever my ignorance, corrupted by excessive ego, arises, at that time, O Supreme Lord, may you remove it yourself.

एवं विज्ञापयन्प्रीतः शङ्करं नरकेसरी नन्वशक्तो भवान् विष्णो जीवितान्तं पराजितः

Thus, expressing himself in this way to Śaṅkara, the lion-man, said: 'Indeed, O Viṣṇu, you are powerless, defeated at the end of life.'

तद्वक्त्रशेषमात्रान्तं कृत्वा सर्वस्य विग्रहम् शुक्तिशित्यं तदा मङ्गं वीरभद्रः क्षणात्ततः

Then, having made only the face remain, and having destroyed the entire form, Vīrabhadra instantly subdued that fierce being.

अथ ब्रह्मादयः सर्वे वीरभद्र त्वया दृशा जीविताः स्मो वयं देवाः पर्जन्येनेव पादपाः

Then all the gods, beginning with Brahmā, said: 'O Vīrabhadra, by your sight we gods have been revived, like trees by rain.'

यस्य भीषा दहत्यग्निर् उदेति च रविः स्वयम् वातो वाति च सो ऽसि त्वं मृत्युर्धावति पञ्चमः

By whose command fire burns, the sun rises by itself, and the wind blows—such are you; death runs as the fifth.

यदव्यक्तं परं व्योम कलातीतं सदाशिवम् भगवंस्त्वामेव भवं वदन्ति ब्रह्मवादिनः

That which is unmanifest, the supreme space, beyond divisions, the eternal Śiva—O Lord, the knowers of Brahman declare you alone to be that.

के वयमेव धातुक्ये वेदने परमेश्वरः न विद्धि परमं धाम रूपलावण्यवर्णने

Who are we, indeed, in the realm of elements and perception? The Supreme Lord is not to be known by descriptions of form, beauty, or color.

उपसर्गेषु सर्वेषु त्रायस्वास्मान् गणाधिप एकादशात्मन् भगवान् वर्तते रूपवान् हरः

In all calamities, protect us, O lord of the gaṇas, eleven-formed one; the blessed Hara exists in manifold forms.

ईदृशान् ते ऽवताराणि दृष्ट्वा शिव बहूंस्तमः कदाचित् संदिहेन् नास्मांस् त्वच्चिन्तास्तमया तथा

Having witnessed such numerous incarnations of yours, O Shiva, darkness may sometimes arise, but we are not affected, for our thoughts are dispelled by contemplation of you.

गुञ्जागिरिवरतटा-मितरूपाणि सर्वशः अभ्यसंहर गम्यं ते न नीतव्यं परापरा

All the various forms you have assumed on the slopes of Guñja Mountain, withdraw them; your destination is not to be led by distinctions of higher and lower.

द्वे तनू तव रुद्रस्य वेदज्ञा ब्राह्मणा विदुः घोराप्यन्या शिवाप्यन्या ते प्रत्येकमनेकधा

The Brahmins who know the Vedas recognize two bodies of Rudra: one fierce, the other auspicious; each of these is manifold in its own way.

इहास्मान्पाहि भगवन् नित्याहतमहाबलः भवता हि जगत्सर्वं व्याप्तं स्वेनैव तेजसा

Protect us here, O Lord, ever unconquered and mighty; for the entire world is pervaded by your own radiance.

ब्रह्मविष्ण्विन्द्रचन्द्रादि वयं च प्रमुखाः सुराः सुरासुराः सम्प्रसूतास् त्वत्तः सर्वे महेश्वर

Brahma, Vishnu, Indra, Chandra, and we foremost gods, as well as all gods and demons, have arisen from you, O Maheshvara.

ब्रह्मा च इन्द्रो विष्णुश् च यमाद्या न सुरासुरान् ततो निगृह्य च हरिं सिंह इत्य् उपचेतसम्

Brahma, Indra, Vishnu, Yama and others, after subduing gods and demons, addressed Hari as 'Lion' in their minds.

यतो बिभर्षि सकलं विभज्य तनुमष्टधा अतो ऽस्मान् पाहि भगवन् सुरान् दानैर् अभीप्सितैः

Since you bear all things, dividing your body into eight forms, therefore protect us, O Lord, with the gifts desired by the gods.

उवाच तान् सुरान्देवो महर्षींश् च पुरातनान् यथा जले जलं क्षिप्तं क्षीरं क्षीरे घृतं घृते

The divine Lord spoke to those gods and ancient sages: 'Just as water merges in water, milk in milk, ghee in ghee—'

एक एव तदा विष्णुः शिवलीनो न चान्यथा एष एव नृसिंहात्मा सदर्पश् च महाबलः

At that time, Vishnu alone was merged in Shiva, and not otherwise; this very one is the soul of Narasimha, proud and immensely strong.

जगत्संहारकारेण प्रवृत्तो नरकेसरी याजनीयो नमस्तस्मै मद्भक्तिसिद्धिकाङ्क्षिभिः

The lion-man, engaged in the destruction of the world, is to be worshipped; salutations to him by those who seek the attainment of devotion to me.

एतावदुक्त्वा भगवान् वीरभद्रो महाबलः अपश्यन् सर्वभूतानां तत्रैवान्तरधीयत

Having spoken thus, the mighty Virabhadra vanished from sight among all beings right there.

नृसिंहकृत्तिवसनस् तदाप्रभृति शङ्करः वक्त्रं तन्मुण्डमालायां नायकत्वेन कल्पितम्

From that time onward, Shankara wore the skin of Narasimha; his face was established as the leader in the garland of skulls.