Linga Purana

निर्लेपो निष्प्रपञ्चात्मा निर्व्यग्रो व्यग्रनाशनः स्तव्यस्तवप्रियः स्तोता व्यासमूर्तिरनाकुलः

Untainted, essence beyond the world, undisturbed, destroyer of agitation, worthy of praise, fond of hymns, the praiser, form of Vyasa, untroubled.

निरवद्यपदोपायो विद्याराशिरविक्रमः प्रशान्तबुद्धिरक्षुद्रः क्षुद्रहा नित्यसुन्दरः

Means to flawless attainment, treasury of knowledge, unwavering in valor, tranquil-minded, not petty, destroyer of the petty, eternally beautiful.

धैर्याग्र्यधुर्यो धात्रीशः शाकल्यः शर्वरीपतिः परमार्थगुरुर् दृष्टिर् गुरुर् आश्रितवत्सलः

Foremost in courage, lord of the earth, master of divisions, lord of night, supreme teacher of truth, vision, guru, affectionate to those who seek refuge.

रसो रसज्ञः सर्वज्ञः सर्वसत्त्वावलंबनः एवं नाम्नां सहस्रेण तुष्टाव वृषभध्वजम्

Essence, knower of essence, omniscient, support of all beings; thus, with a thousand names, he praised the bull-bannered one.

स्नापयामास च विभुः पूजयामास पङ्कजैः परीक्षार्थं हरेः पूजाकमलेषु महेश्वरः

The mighty one bathed him and worshipped with lotuses, for the sake of testing Hari, offering lotuses in worship to Maheshvara.

गोपयामास कमलं तदैकं भुवनेश्वरः हृतपुष्पो हरिस्तत्र किमिदं त्वभ्यचिन्तयत्

The lord of the world concealed one lotus; deprived of a flower, Hari there wondered, 'What is this?'

ज्ञात्वा स्वनेत्रमुद्धृत्य सर्वसत्त्वावलम्बनम् पूजयामास भावेन नाम्ना तेन जगद्गुरुम्

Knowing, he took out his own eye, support of all beings, and worshipped the teacher of the world with devotion and that name.

ततस्तत्र विभुर्दृष्ट्वा तथाभूतं हरो हरिम् तस्मादवतताराशु मण्डलात्पावकस्य च

Then, seeing Hari thus, the mighty Hara swiftly descended from the circle of fire.

कोटिभास्करसंकाशं जटामुकुटमण्डितम् ज्वालामालावृतं दिव्यं तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रं भयङ्करम्

Resembling millions of suns, adorned with matted hair and crown, enveloped in a garland of flames, divine, sharp-fanged, terrifying.

शूलटङ्कगदाचक्रकुन्तपाशधरं हरम् वरादभयहस्तं च द्वीपिचर्मोत्तरीयकम्

Bearing spear, club, mace, discus, lance, noose, Hara with hands granting boons and fearlessness, clad in tiger skin.

इत्थंभूतं तदा दृष्ट्वा भवं भस्मविभूषितम् हृष्टो नमश्चकाराशु देवदेवं जनार्दनः

Seeing Bhava thus, adorned with ashes, Janardana, delighted, immediately bowed to the god of gods.

दुद्रुवुस्तं परिक्रम्य सेन्द्रा देवास्त्रिलोचनम् चचाल ब्रह्मभुवनं चकम्पे च वसुंधरा

The gods, along with Indra, fled after circling him, the three-eyed one; the world of Brahma trembled, and the earth quaked.

ददाह तेजस्तच्छंभोः प्रान्तं वै शतयोजनम् अधस्ताच्चोर्ध्वतश्चैव हाहेत्यकृत भूतले

The radiance of Śambhu burned for a hundred yojanas in every direction, both below and above, and on earth there arose cries of 'Alas!'.

तदा प्राह महादेवः प्रहसन्निव शङ्करः सम्प्रेक्ष्य प्रणयाद्विष्णुं कृताञ्जलिपुटं स्थितम्

Then Mahādeva, Śaṅkara, as if smiling, spoke after looking affectionately at Viṣṇu, who stood with joined palms.

ज्ञातं मयेदमधुना देवकार्यं जनार्दन सुदर्शनाख्यं चक्रं च ददामि तव शोभनम्

Now I have understood this divine purpose, O Janārdana; I give to you the splendid discus called Sudarśana.

यद्रूपं भवता दृष्टं सर्वलोकभयंकरम् हिताय तव यत्नेन तव भावाय सुव्रत

The form you have seen, which terrifies all the worlds, has appeared for your benefit, O steadfast one, and for the sake of your own being.

शान्तं रणाजिरे विष्णो देवानां दुःखसाधनम् शान्तस्य चास्त्रं शान्तः स्याच् छान्तेनास्त्रेण किं फलम्

Peace in battle, O Viṣṇu, is the cause of suffering for the gods; for the peaceful, a weapon is peaceful—what fruit is there in a peaceful weapon?

शान्तस्य समरे चास्त्रं शान्तिरेव तपस्विनाम् योद्धुः शान्त्या बलच्छेदः परस्य बलवृद्धिदः

For the peaceful in battle, their weapon is indeed peace; for ascetics, peace is strength; by peace, the warrior cuts the strength of the foe and increases his own.

देवैरशान्तैर्यद्रूपं मदीयं भावयाव्ययम् किमायुधेन कार्यं वै योद्धुं देवारिसूदन

When the gods are not at peace, my imperishable form is to be contemplated; O slayer of the gods' enemies, what use is a weapon for fighting?

क्षमा युधि न कार्यं वै योद्धुं देवारिसूदन अनागते व्यतीते च दौर्बल्ये स्वजनोत्करे

Forgiveness is not to be practiced in battle, O slayer of the gods' enemies, whether in the future, the past, in weakness, or when surrounded by your own people.

अकालिके त्वधर्मे च अनर्थे वारिसूदन एवमुक्त्वा ददौ चक्रं सूर्यायुतसमप्रभम्

But when the time is not right, or in unrighteousness or calamity, O slayer of foes, having spoken thus, he gave the discus, shining like ten thousand suns.

नेत्रं च नेता जगतां प्रभुर्वै पद्मसन्निभम् तदाप्रभृति तं प्राहुः पद्माक्षमिति सुव्रतम्

He also gave an eye, the leader of the worlds, resembling a lotus; from that time, O steadfast one, he was called 'Lotus-eyed'.

दत्त्वैनं नयनं चक्रं विष्णवे नीललोहितः पस्पर्श च कराभ्यां वै सुशुभाभ्यामुवाच ह

Having given him the eye and the discus, Nīlalohita touched Viṣṇu with his beautiful hands and spoke.

वरदो ऽहं वरश्रेष्ठ वरान्वरय चेप्सितान् भक्त्या वशीकृतो नूनं त्वयाहं पुरुषोत्तम

I am the bestower of boons, choose the highest boons you desire; by your devotion, O best of men, I am truly won over by you.

इत्युक्तो देवदेवेन देवदेवं प्रणम्य तम् त्वयि भक्तिर्महादेव प्रसीद वरमुत्तमम्

Thus addressed by the god of gods, he bowed to him and said: 'May I have devotion to you, O Mahādeva; grant me the supreme boon.'

नान्यमिच्छामि भक्तानाम् आर्तयो नास्ति यत्प्रभो तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य दयावान् सुतरां भवः

I desire nothing else; for your devotees, O Lord, there is no distress. Hearing these words, he became exceedingly compassionate.

पस्पर्श च ददौ तस्मै श्रद्धां शीतांशुभूषणः प्राह चैवं महादेवः परमात्मानमच्युतम्

He touched him and bestowed faith upon him, the one adorned with the cool-rayed moon; and Mahādeva spoke thus to Acyuta, the supreme self.

मयि भक्तश् च वन्द्यश् च पूज्यश्चैव सुरासुरैः भविष्यसि न संदेहो मत्प्रसादात्सुरोत्तम

By my grace, you shall be devoted to me, worshipped and honored by gods and demons alike, O best of the gods—there is no doubt.

यदा सती दक्षपुत्री विनिन्द्यैव सुलोचना मातरं पितरं दक्षं भविष्यति सुरेश्वरी

When Satī, the daughter of Dakṣa, with beautiful eyes, reproaches her mother and father, Dakṣa, she will become the queen of the gods.