Linga Purana

पितामहस् तथा चैषां तारो नाम महाबलः तपसा लब्धवीर्यश् च प्रसादाद्ब्रह्मणः प्रभोः

Their father was Tāra, of immense strength, who gained his power through austerity and by the grace of Brahmā, the Lord.

सो ऽपि तारो महातेजास् त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् विजित्य समरे पूर्वं विष्णुं च जितवान् असौ

That Tāra, radiant with great energy, conquered the three worlds, both moving and unmoving, and previously defeated Viṣṇu in battle.

तयोः समभवद्युद्धं सुघोरं रोमहर्षणम् दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रं तु दिवारात्रम् अविश्रमम्

Between the two, a fierce and hair-raising battle arose, lasting a thousand divine years, day and night without rest.

सरथं विष्णुमादाय चिक्षेप शतयोजनम् तारेण विजितः संख्ये दुद्राव गरुडध्वजः

Taking Viṣṇu along with his chariot, Tāra hurled him a hundred yojanas; conquered in battle, the bearer of the Garuḍa banner fled.

तारो वराञ्छतगुणं लब्ध्वा शतगुणं बलम् पितामहाज्जगत्सर्वम् अवाप दितिनन्दनः

Tāra, having received a boon of strength a hundredfold from the grandfather of all, gained dominion over the entire world, O son of Diti.

देवेन्द्रप्रमुखाञ्जित्वा देवान्देवेश्वरेश्वरः वारयामास तैर् देवान् सर्वलोकेषु मायया

Having defeated the gods led by Indra, the lord of the gods restrained them in all worlds by his illusion.

देवताश् च सहेन्द्रेण तारकाद्भयपीडिताः न शान्तिं लेभिरे शूराः शरणं वा भयार्दिताः

The deities, along with Indra, afflicted and terrified by Tāra, found neither peace nor refuge, overwhelmed by fear.

तदामरपतिः श्रीमान् संनिपत्यामरप्रभुः उवाचाङ्गिरसं देवो देवानामपि संनिधौ

Then the glorious lord of the immortals, gathering with the chiefs of the immortals, spoke to Aṅgiras in the presence of the gods.

भगवंस्तारको नाम तारजो दानवोत्तमः तेन संनिहता युद्धे वत्सा गोपतिना यथा

O revered one, Tāra, the son of Tāra, the foremost among demons, has confronted us in battle as a herdsman would his calves.

भयात्तस्मान्महाभाग बृहद्युद्धे बृहस्पते अनिकेता भ्रमन्त्येते शकुन्ता इव पञ्जरे

Because of him, O illustrious Bṛhaspati, in this great war, these wander homeless, like birds in a cage.

अस्माकं यान्य् अमोघानि आयुधान्य् अङ्गिरो वर तानि मोघानि जायन्ते प्रभावादमरद्विषः

O best of Aṅgiras, our infallible weapons become ineffective through the power of the enemy of the immortals.

दशवर्षसहस्राणि द्विगुणानि बृहस्पते विष्णुना योधितो युद्धे तेनापि न च सूदितः

For ten thousand years, doubled, O Bṛhaspati, Viṣṇu fought in battle, yet even he did not slay him.

यस्तेनानिर्जितो युद्धे विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना कथमस्मद्विधस्तस्य स्थास्यते समरे ऽग्रतः

He whom even the mighty Viṣṇu could not defeat in battle—how can one such as us stand before him in combat?

एवम् उक्तस् तु शक्रेण जीवः सार्धं सुराधिपैः सहस्राक्षेण च विभुं सम्प्राप्याह कुशध्वजम्

Thus addressed by Śakra, Jīva, together with the lords of the gods and the thousand-eyed one, approached the illustrious Kuśadhvaja and spoke.

सो ऽपि तस्य मुखाच्छ्रुत्वा प्रणयात्प्रणतार्तिहा देवैरशेषैः सेन्द्रैस्तु जीवमाह पितामहः

Hearing from his mouth, out of affection and as the remover of distress, Pitāmaha spoke to Jīva in the presence of all the gods with Indra.

जाने वो ऽर्तिं सुरेन्द्राणां तथापि शृणु सांप्रतम् विनिन्द्य दक्षं या देवी सती रुद्राङ्गसंभवा

I know your suffering, O lords of the gods; yet listen now. The goddess Satī, born from Rudra's body, having rejected Dakṣa—

उमा हैमवती जज्ञे सर्वलोकनमस्कृता तस्याश्चैवेह रूपेण यूयं देवाः सुरोत्तमाः

Umā, daughter of Himavat, was born, revered by all worlds; and by her form here, you gods, O best of celestials—

विभोर्यतध्वमाक्रष्टुं रुद्रस्यास्य मनो महत् तयोर्योगेन सम्भूतः स्कन्दः शक्तिधरः प्रभुः

When the great mind of Rudra was drawn forth by Viṣṇu, through the union of the two, Skanda, the mighty bearer of power, was born.

षडास्यो द्वादशभुजः सेनानीः पावकिः प्रभुः स्वाहेयः कार्तिकेयश् च गाङ्गेयः शरधामजः

He is six-faced, twelve-armed, the commander of the army, born of fire, lordly, son of Svāhā, called Kārtikeya, son of Gaṅgā, and born in the abode of reeds.

देवः शाखो विशाखश् च नैगमेशश् च वीर्यवान् सेनापतिः कुमाराख्यः सर्वलोकनमस्कृतः

He is the god Śākha, Viśākha, the valiant Naigameśa, the general, known as Kumāra, honored by all the worlds.

लीलयैव महासेनः प्रबलं तारकासुरम् बालो ऽपि विनिहत्यैको देवान् संतारयिष्यति

By his play alone, Mahāsena, though but a child, will single-handedly slay the powerful Tārakāsura and deliver the gods.

एवम् उक्तस् तदा तेन ब्रह्मणा परमेष्ठिना बृहस्पतिस् तथा सेन्द्रैर् देवैर् देवं प्रणम्य तम्

Thus addressed at that time by Brahmā, the supreme lord, Bṛhaspati, along with Indra and the other gods, bowed to that god.

मेरोः शिखरमासाद्य स्मरं सस्मार सुव्रतः स्मरणाद्देवदेवस्य स्मरो ऽपि सह भार्यया

Reaching the summit of Meru, the virtuous one remembered Smara; by remembering the god of gods, Smara too, with his wife, was recalled.

रत्या समं समागम्य नमस्कृत्य कृताञ्जलिः सशक्रमाह तं जीवं जगज्जीवो द्विजोत्तमाः

Coming together with Rati, bowing with joined palms, he, along with Śakra, addressed that living being, the life of the world, O best of twice-born.

स्मृतो यद्भवता जीव सम्प्राप्तो ऽहं तवान्तिकम् ब्रूहि यन्मे विधातव्यं तमाह सुरपूजितः

Remembered by you, O Jīva, I have come into your presence; tell me what I must do—so he spoke, honored by the gods.

तम् आह भगवाञ्छक्रः संभाव्य मकरध्वजम् शङ्करेणांबिकामद्य संयोजय यथासुखम्

Then the blessed Śakra, honoring the bannered one of desire, said: 'Today, unite Śaṅkara and Ambikā as you wish.'

तया स रमते येन भगवान् वृषभध्वजः तेन मार्गेण मार्गस्व पत्न्या रत्यानया सह

By the path through which the Lord with the bull-banner delights with her, so too should you, with your wife Rati, follow that way.

सो ऽपि तुष्टो महादेवः प्रदास्यति शुभां गतिम् विप्रयुक्तस्तया पूर्वं लब्ध्वा तां गिरिजामुमाम्

Then, pleased, Mahādeva will grant you an auspicious state; once separated from her before, he obtained that Girijā, Umā.

एवमुक्तो नमस्कृत्य देवदेवं शचीपतिम् देवदेवाश्रमं गन्तुं मतिं चक्रे तया सह

Thus addressed, bowing to the lord of gods, the husband of Śacī, he resolved to go, together with her, to the hermitage of the lord of gods.