Linga Purana

एवं कृत्वा कृतघ्नो ऽपि ब्रह्महा भ्रूणहा तथा वीरहा गुरुघाती च मित्रविश्वासघातकः

Thus, even one who has committed the killing of a Brahmin, a fetus, a hero, a teacher, or betrayed a friend’s trust—

स्तेयी सुवर्णस्तेयी च गुरुतल्परतः सदा मद्यपो वृषलीसक्तः परदारविधर्षकः

A thief, a gold thief, one who violates the teacher’s bed, a habitual drunkard, one attached to outcast women, or who violates another’s wife—

ब्रह्मस्वहा तथा गोघ्नो मातृहा पितृहा तथा देवप्रच्यावकश्चैव लिङ्गप्रध्वंसकस् तथा

One who destroys Vedic offerings, kills a cow, kills mother or father, drives away the gods, or destroys the liṅga—

तथान्यानि च पापानि मानसानि द्विजो यदि वाचिकानि तथान्यानि कायिकानि सहस्रशः

And other sins, whether mental, verbal, or physical, even if committed by the thousands—

कृत्वा विमुच्यते सद्यो जन्मान्तरशतैरपि एतद्रहस्यं कथितम् अघोरेशप्रसंगतः

Having done this, one is immediately freed, even from hundreds of births; this secret has been told by the grace of Aghoreśa.

तस्माज्जपेद्द्विजो नित्यं सर्वपापविशुद्धये

Therefore, a twice-born should always recite for the purification from all sins.

अथान्यो ब्रह्मणः कल्पो वर्तते मुनिपुङ्गवाः विश्वरूप इति ख्यातो नामतः परमाद्भुतः

Now, O foremost sages, another cycle of Brahmā is described, known by name as Viśvarūpa, most wondrous indeed.

विनिवृत्ते तु संहारे पुनः सृष्टे चराचरे ब्रह्मणः पुत्रकामस्य ध्यायतः परमेष्ठिनः

When dissolution had ceased and creation arose again, Brahmā, desiring sons, meditated upon the Supreme Lord.

प्रादुर्भूता महानादा विश्वरूपा सरस्वती विश्वमाल्यांबरधरा विश्वयज्ञोपवीतिनी

Then appeared the great sound, Sarasvatī, of universal form, adorned with the garland and garments of the cosmos, wearing the sacred thread of the universal sacrifice.

विश्वोष्णीषा विश्वगन्धा विश्वमाता महोष्ठिका तथाविधं स भगवान् ईशानं परमेश्वरम्

She bore the universal turban, universal fragrance, was the mother of all, and the great bee; in such a form, the Blessed One meditated upon Īśāna, the Supreme Lord.

शुद्धस्फटिकसंकाशं सर्वाभरणभूषितम् अथ तं मनसा ध्यात्वा युक्तात्मा वै पितामहः

Pure as crystal, adorned with all ornaments, Pitāmaha, with a concentrated mind, meditated upon Him.

ववन्दे देवमीशानं सर्वेशं सर्वगं प्रभुम् ओमीशान नमस्ते ऽस्तु महादेव नमो ऽस्तु ते

He worshipped the god Īśāna, the Lord of all, the omnipresent ruler: 'Om Īśāna, salutations to you; Mahādeva, salutations to you.'

नमो ऽस्तु सर्वविद्यानाम् ईशान परमेश्वर नमो ऽस्तु सर्वभूतानाम् ईशान वृषवाहन

Salutations to you, Īśāna, Supreme Lord of all knowledge; salutations to you, Īśāna, Bull-bannered Lord of all beings.

ब्रह्मणो ऽधिपते तुभ्यं ब्रह्मणे ब्रह्मरूपिणे नमो ब्रह्माधिपतये शिवं मे ऽस्तु सदाशिव

Lord of Brahmā, to you; to Brahmā, to the one of Brahmā's form; salutations to the Lord of Brahmā—may Śiva, Sadāśiva, always be auspicious for me.

ओङ्कारमूर्ते देवेश सद्योजात नमोनमः प्रपद्ये त्वां प्रपन्नो ऽस्मि सद्योजाताय वै नमः

O Lord of gods, embodiment of Om, Sadyojāta, salutations again and again; I take refuge in you, I have sought you—salutations to Sadyojāta.

अभवे च भवे तुभ्यं तथा नातिभवे नमः भवोद्भव भवेशान मां भजस्व महाद्युते

Salutations to you in non-being and being, and also in neither excessive being; O source of being, Lord of existence, O radiant one, favor me.

वामदेव नमस्तुभ्यं ज्येष्ठाय वरदाय च नमो रुद्राय कालाय कलनाय नमो नमः

Salutations to you, Vāmadeva, to the eldest and the bestower of boons; salutations to Rudra, to Time, to the measurer—salutations again and again.

नमो विकरणायैव कालवर्णाय वर्णिने बलाय बलिनां नित्यं सदा विकरणाय ते

Salutations to you, O Vikaraṇa, of the color of Time, the colored one, the strong one, always among the strong; salutations always to you, O Vikaraṇa.

बलप्रमथनायैव बलिने ब्रह्मरूपिणे सर्वभूतेश्वरेशाय भूतानां दमनाय च

Salutations to you, destroyer of strength, the strong one, of Brahmā's form, Lord of all beings, and subduer of creatures.

मनोन्मनाय देवाय नमस्तुभ्यं महाद्युते वामदेवाय वामाय नमस्तुभ्यं महात्मने

Salutations to you, O god of exalted mind, O radiant one; salutations to Vāmadeva, to the gentle one, to the great soul.

ज्येष्ठाय चैव श्रेष्ठाय रुद्राय वरदाय च कालहन्त्रे नमस्तुभ्यं नमस्तुभ्यं महात्मने

Salutations to the eldest and the best, to Rudra, the bestower of boons, to the destroyer of Time; salutations to you, O great soul.

इति स्तवेन देवेशं ननाम वृषभध्वजम् यः पठेत् सकृदेवेह ब्रह्मलोकं गमिष्यति

Thus, with this hymn, he worshipped the Lord of gods, the Bull-bannered one; whoever recites it even once here will go to the world of Brahmā.

श्रावयेद्वा द्विजान् श्राद्धे स याति परमां गतिम् एवं ध्यानगतं तत्र प्रणमन्तं पितामहम्

Or, if he causes it to be heard by twice-born men at a śrāddha, he attains the highest state; thus, Pitāmaha was there, absorbed in meditation and offering salutations.

उवाच भगवानीशः प्रीतो ऽहं ते किमिच्छसि ततस्तु प्रणतो भूत्वा वाग्विशुद्धं महेश्वरम्

The Blessed Lord spoke: 'I am pleased with you; what do you desire?' Then, having bowed, Pitāmaha addressed Maheśvara with purified speech.

उवाच भगवान् रुद्रं प्रीतं प्रीतेन चेतसा यदिदं विश्वरूपं ते विश्वगौः श्रेयसीश्वरी

The Blessed Lord spoke to Rudra, pleased in mind: 'This universal form of yours, the universal cow, is the most auspicious ruler.'

एतद्वेदितुमिच्छामि यथेयं परमेश्वर कैषा भगवती देवी चतुष्पादा चतुर्मुखी

I wish to know this, O Supreme Lord: who is this blessed Goddess, four-footed and four-faced?

चतुःशृङ्गी चतुर्वक्त्रा चतुर्दंष्ट्रा चतुःस्तनी चतुर्हस्ता चतुर्नेत्रा विश्वरूपा कथं स्मृता

How is she described as four-horned, four-mouthed, four-tusked, four-breasted, four-armed, four-eyed, and of universal form?

किंनामगोत्रा कस्येयं किंवीर्या चापि कर्मतः तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा देवदेवो वृषध्वजः

What is her name and lineage? Whose is she? What is her power and her actions? Hearing these words, the Lord of gods, the Bull-bannered One,

प्राह देववृषं ब्रह्मा ब्रह्माणं चात्मसंभवम् रहस्यं सर्वमन्त्राणां पावनं पुष्टिवर्धनम्

spoke to the divine bull and to Brahmā, self-born: the secret of all mantras, pure and bestowing nourishment.