Linga Purana

अतस्तत्र पठेद्विद्वाञ् छिवभक्तो दृढव्रतः यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि स्तवं सर्वमनुत्तमम्

Therefore, in those situations, a learned devotee of Shiva, firm in vow, who recites or listens to this supreme hymn in its entirety—

स रुद्रत्वं समासाद्य रुद्रस्यानुचरो भवेत्

He attains the state of Rudra and becomes an attendant of Rudra.

जलन्धरं जटामौलिः पुरा जम्भारिविक्रमम् कथं जघान भगवान् भगनेत्रहरो हरः

How did the matted-haired Lord, destroyer of Bhaga's eye, once slay Jalandhara, who was mighty like Jambha?

वक्तुमर्हसि चास्माकं रोमहर्षण सुव्रत जलन्धर इति ख्यातो जलमण्डलसंभवः

You ought to tell us, O Romaharshana, steadfast in vows, about Jalandhara, famed as born from the circle of water.

आसीदन्तकसंकाशस् तपसा लब्धविक्रमः तेन देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सयक्षोरगराक्षसाः

He was like Death in appearance, having gained strength through austerity; by him, the gods, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Nagas, and Rakshasas—

निर्जिताः समरे सर्वे ब्रह्मा च भगवानजः जित्वैव देवसंघातं ब्रह्माणं वै जलन्धरः

All were defeated in battle, including Brahma, the unborn Lord. Having conquered the host of gods, Jalandhara subdued Brahma.

जगाम देवदेवेशं विष्णुं विश्वहरं गुरुम् तयोः समभवद्युद्धं दिवारात्रम् अविश्रमम्

He went to Vishnu, Lord of gods, destroyer of the universe, and teacher; between them a battle arose, unceasing day and night.

जलन्धरेशयोस्तेन निर्जितो मधुसूदनः जलन्धरो ऽपि तं जित्वा देवदेवं जनार्दनम्

In that battle between Jalandhara and the lord, Madhusudana was defeated; Jalandhara, having conquered him, also overcame Janardana, the god of gods.

प्रोवाचेदं दितेः पुत्रान् न्यायधीर्जेतुमीश्वरम् सर्वे जिता मया युद्धे शङ्करो ह्यजितो रणे

He spoke thus to the sons of Diti, wise in justice, to conquer the Lord: 'All have been defeated by me in battle; Shankara alone is unconquered in war.'

तं जित्वा सर्वमीशानं गणपैर् नन्दिना क्षणात् अहमेव भवत्वं च ब्रह्मत्वं वैष्णवं तथा

Having conquered all, including Ishana, with his attendants and Nandi in an instant, I alone shall become you, Brahma, and Vishnu as well.

वासवत्वं च युष्माकं दास्ये दानवपुङ्गवाः जलन्धरवचः श्रुत्वा सर्वे ते दानवाधमाः

And I shall grant you the status of Indra, O foremost among Danavas. Hearing Jalandhara's words, all those lowly Danavas—

जगर्जुरुच्चैः पापिष्ठा मृत्युदर्शनतत्पराः दैत्यैरेतैस्तथान्यैश् च रथनागतुरङ्गमैः

Roared loudly, wicked and intent on facing death; with those Daityas and others, with chariots, elephants, and horses—

संनद्धैः सह संनह्य शर्वं प्रति ययौ बली भवो ऽपि दृष्ट्वा दैत्येन्द्रं मेरुकूटमिव स्थितम्

Fully armed, together they prepared for battle and advanced against Sharva. Bhava, seeing the king of Daityas standing like the peak of Meru—

अवध्यत्वम् अपि श्रुत्वा तथान्यैर् भगनेत्रहा ब्रह्मणो वचनं रक्षन् रक्षको जगतां प्रभुः

Hearing even of his invulnerability, and likewise that he had destroyed Bhaga's and Netra's eyes, the Lord, protector of the worlds, upheld Brahma's command.

सांबः सनन्दी सगणः प्रोवाच प्रहसन्निव किं कृत्यमसुरेशान युद्धेनानेन सांप्रतम्

Samba, together with Sanandi and his attendants, spoke, almost laughing: 'What is the use, Lord of Asuras, of this battle now?'

मद्बाणैर्भिन्नसर्वाङ्गो मर्तुमभ्युद्यते मुदा जलन्धरो ऽपि तद्वाक्यं श्रुत्वा श्रोत्रविदारणम्

Jalandhara, his entire body pierced by my arrows and ready to die with joy, heard those words, which were like a tearing of the ears.

सुरेश्वरमुवाचेदं सुरेतरबलेश्वरः वाक्येनालं महाबाहो देवदेव वृषध्वज

The Lord of the non-gods' army then addressed the Lord of the gods: 'Enough of words, mighty-armed one, O God of gods, bearer of the bull-banner!'

चन्द्रांशुसन्निभैः शस्त्रैर् हर योद्धुमिहागतः निशम्यास्य वचः शूली पादाङ्गुष्ठेन लीलया महांभसि चकाराशु रथाङ्गं रौद्रमायुधम्

Having come here to fight, O Hara, with weapons shining like moonbeams, upon hearing his words, the wielder of the trident, with a mere touch of his big toe, playfully fashioned a terrible discus weapon in the great ocean.

कृत्वार्णवांभसि सितं भगवान् रथाङ्गं स्मृत्वा जगत्त्रयमनेन हताः सुराश् च दक्षान्धकान्तकपुरत्रययज्ञहर्ता लोकत्रयान्तककरः प्रहसंतदाह

Having made the white discus in the ocean, the Blessed Lord, recalling how with this he had destroyed the three worlds, the gods, Daksha, Andhaka, the triple city, and the sacrificial rites, and who is the ender of the three worlds, laughed and spoke.

पादेन निर्मितं दैत्य जलन्धर महार्णवे बलवान् यदि चोद्धर्तुं तिष्ठ योद्धुं न चान्यथा

'O Jalandhara, if you are strong enough, stand and fight, for this discus, created by my foot in the great ocean, is to be lifted; otherwise, do not.'

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा क्रोधेनादीप्तलोचनः प्रदहन्निव नेत्राभ्यां प्राहालोक्य जगत्त्रयम्

Hearing those words, his eyes blazing with anger, as if burning with his gaze, he looked upon the three worlds and spoke.

गदामुद्धृत्य हत्वा च नन्दिनं त्वां च शङ्कर हत्वा लोकान्सुरैः सार्धं डुण्डुभान् गरुडो यथा

'Having raised my mace, I will slay Nandi and you, O Shankara, and, having killed the worlds together with the gods, I will strike the Dundubha drums as Garuda did.'

हन्तुं चराचरं सर्वं समर्थो ऽहं सवासवम् को महेश्वर मद्बाणैर् अच्छेद्यो भुवनत्रये

'I am capable of destroying all that moves and does not move, along with Indra and his followers. Who, O Maheshvara, in the three worlds, is invulnerable to my arrows?'

बालभावे च भगवान् तपसैव विनिर्जितः ब्रह्मा बली यौवने वै मुनयः सुरपुङ्गवैः

'Even in childhood, the Blessed Lord was conquered by austerity; Brahma, mighty in his youth, by sages and the foremost of gods.'

दग्धं क्षणेन सकलं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् तपसा किं त्वया रुद्र निर्जितो भगवानपि

'In a moment, the entire three worlds, with all that moves and does not move, were burned by austerity. Why, Rudra, have you not been conquered, even though you are the Blessed Lord?'

इन्द्राग्नियमवित्तेशवायुवारीश्वरादयः न सेहिरे यथा नागा गन्धं पक्षिपतेरिव

'Indra, Agni, Yama, Kubera, Vayu, Varuna, and others could not endure, just as serpents cannot bear the scent of Garuda.'

न लब्ध्वा दिवि भूमौ च बाहवो मम शङ्कर समस्तान्पर्वतान्प्राप्य घर्षिताश् च गणेश्वर

'Not finding my arms, O Shankara, either in heaven or on earth, I rubbed them against all the mountains, O Lord of the Ganas.'

गिरीन्द्रो मन्दरः श्रीमान् नीलो मेरुः सुशोभनः घर्षितो बाहुदण्डेन कण्डूनोदार्थम् आपतत्

'The illustrious king of mountains, Mandara, the beautiful Nila, and Meru, were all rubbed by my arm-staff, to relieve an itch.'

गङ्गा निरुद्धा बाहुभ्यां लीलार्थं हिमवद्गिरौ नारीणां मम भृत्यैश् च वज्रो बद्धो दिवौकसाम्

'The Ganga was blocked by my arms for sport on Mount Himavat; for my female servants, the thunderbolt of the gods was bound.'