Linga Purana

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.

गत्वा तदाश्रये शंभोः सह रत्या महाबलः वसंतेन सहायेन देवं योक्तुमना भवत्

Then, reaching the abode of Śambhu, together with Rati and aided by Spring, the mighty one set his mind on influencing the god.

ततः सम्प्रेक्ष्य मदनं हसन् देवस् त्रियंबकः नयनेन तृतीयेन सावज्ञं तम् अवैक्षत

Then, seeing Madana, the three-eyed god, smiling, looked at him with his third eye, glancing at him with disdain.

ततो ऽस्य नेत्रजो वह्निर् मदनं पार्श्वतः स्थितम् अदहत्तत्क्षणादेव ललाप करुणं रतिः

Then, from his eye, fire arose and burned Madana, who stood nearby, to ashes in that very instant; Rati wailed in grief.

रत्याः प्रलापमाकर्ण्य देवदेवो वृषध्वजः कृपया परया प्राह कामपत्नीं निरीक्ष्य च

Hearing Rati's lament, the god of gods, the bull-bannered one, looked upon the wife of Kāma and spoke to her with great compassion.

अमूर्तो ऽपि ध्रुवं भद्रे कार्यं सर्वं पतिस्तव रतिकाले ध्रुवे भद्रे करिष्यति न संशयः

Though formless, surely, O blessed one, your husband will accomplish all acts at the time of union, O blessed one; there is no doubt.

यदा विष्णुश् च भविता वासुदेवो महायशाः शापाद्भृगोर्महातेजाः सर्वलोकहिताय वै

When Viṣṇu becomes Vāsudeva, of great renown, through the curse of Bhṛgu, blazing with great splendor, for the good of all worlds—

तदा तस्य सुतो यश् च स पतिस्ते भविष्यति सा प्रणम्य तदा रुद्रं कामपत्नी शुचिस्मिता

Then, her son and the one who will be her husband, she—Kāma's wife, pure-smiling—bowed to Rudra at that time.

जगाम मदनं लब्ध्वा वसंतेन समन्विता

Having obtained Madana, she departed, accompanied by Vasanta.

तपसा च महादेव्याः पार्वत्या वृषभध्वज प्रीतिश् च भगवाञ्छर्वो वचनाद्ब्रह्मणस्तदा

Through the austerity of the great goddess Pārvatī, O Bull-bannered One, the blessed Śarva was pleased, as Brahmā had spoken.

हिताय चाश्रमाणां च क्रीडार्थं भगवान्भवः तदा हैमवतीं देवीम् उपयेमे यथाविधि

For the welfare of the hermitages and for play, the blessed Bhava then married the golden-born goddess according to proper rites.