Linga Purana

अस्य देवस्य रुद्रस्य मूर्तिभिर् विहितं जगत् क्ष्माबग्निखेन्दुसूर्यात्मपवनात्मा यतो भवः

This world is established by the forms of this god Rudra—earth, fire, moon, sun, wind, and ether arise from him.

तथापि तस्मै दातव्या वचनाच्च गिरेर्मम एषा ह्य् अजा शुक्लकृष्णा लोहिता प्रकृतिर्भवान्

Still, by the word of the Mountain and myself, she must be given to him; she is unborn, white, black, and red—she is Nature, O Lord.

श्रेयो ऽपि शैलराजेन संबन्धो ऽयं तवापि च तव पाद्मे समुद्भूतः कल्पे नाभ्यंबुजादहम्

Yet, this alliance with the king of mountains is auspicious for you as well; in the lotus you were born, and in the kalpa I arose from the navel-lotus.

मदंशस्यास्य शैलस्य ममापि च गुरुर्भवान् बाढम् इत्यजम् आहासौ देवदेवो जनार्दनः

The Lord of gods, Janārdana, said, 'Indeed, you are the guru for both this mountain, full of pride, and for me as well.'

देवाश् च मुनयः सर्वे देवदेवश् च शङ्करः ततश्चोत्थाय विद्वान्सः पद्मनाभः प्रणम्य ताम्

Then all the gods and sages, along with the wise Lord of gods, Śaṅkara, and Padmanābha, rose up and bowed to her.

पादौ प्रक्षाल्य देवस्य कराभ्यां कमलेक्षणः अभ्युक्षद् आत्मनो मूर्ध्नि ब्रह्मणश् च गिरेस् तथा

The lotus-eyed one washed the feet of the god with his hands, and then sprinkled water on his own head, as well as on the heads of Brahmā and the Mountain.

त्वदीयैषा विवाहार्थं मेनजा ह्यनुजा मम इत्युक्त्वा सोदकं दत्त्वा देवीं देवेश्वराय ताम्

Saying, 'She is my younger sister, Menā's daughter, and is to be given in marriage to you,' he gave her, with water, to the Lord of gods.

स्वात्मानमपि देवाय सोदकं प्रददौ हरिः अथ सर्वे मुनिश्रेष्ठाः सर्ववेदार्थपारगाः

Hari also gave himself, with water, to the god; then all the foremost sages, accomplished in the meaning of all the Vedas,

ऊचुर्दाता गृहीता च फलं द्रव्यं विचारतः एष देवो हरो नूनं मायया हि ततो जगत्

said, 'The giver, the receiver, the fruit, and the substance—considering all, this god Hara is surely the universe by his māyā.'

इत्युक्त्वा तं प्रणेमुश् च प्रीतिकण्टकितत्वचः ससृजुः पुष्पवर्षाणि खेचराः सिद्धचारणाः

Having said this, they bowed to him, their skin bristling with joy; the celestial beings, Siddhas, and Cāraṇas showered flowers from the sky.

देवदुन्दुभयो नेदुर् ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः वेदाश् च मूर्तिमन्तस्ते प्रणेमुस्तं महेश्वरम्

The divine drums resounded, the groups of Apsarases danced, and the embodied Vedas bowed to that great Lord.

ब्रह्मणा मुनिभिः सार्धं देवदेवमुमापतिम् देवो ऽपि देवीमालोक्य सलज्जां हिमशैलजाम्

Together with Brahmā and the sages, the Lord of gods, the husband of Umā, gazed upon the daughter of the snowy mountain, bashful before the god.

न तृप्यत्यनवद्याङ्गी सा च देवं वृषध्वजम् वरदो ऽस्मीति तं प्राह हरिं सो ऽप्याह शङ्करम्

He was insatiable in beholding her flawless form, and she, too, gazed at the god bearing the bull-banner. She said to Hari, 'I grant you a boon,' and he in turn addressed Śaṅkara.

त्वयि भक्तिः प्रसीदेति ब्रह्माख्यां च ददौ तु सः ततस्तु पुनरेवाह ब्रह्मा विज्ञापयन्प्रभुम्

'May devotion to you flourish,' he said, and granted him the name Brahmā. Then again Brahmā spoke, making his request to the Lord.

हविर्जुहोमि वह्नौ तु उपाध्यायपदे स्थितः ददासि मम यद्याज्ञां कर्तव्यो ह्यकृतो विधिः

'I offer oblations into the fire, being established in the role of preceptor. If you grant me permission, let the unperformed rite now be done.'

तमाह शङ्करो देवं देवदेवो जगत्पतिः यद्यदिष्टं सुरश्रेष्ठ तत्कुरुष्व यथेप्सितम्

Śaṅkara, Lord of gods and Lord of the universe, said to him, 'O best of gods, whatever you desire, do as you wish.'

कर्तास्मि वचनं सर्वं देवदेव पितामह ततः प्रणम्य हृष्टात्मा ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः

'I will perform all that you command, O Lord of gods, Grandfather,' he said. Then, having bowed, Brahmā, the Grandfather of the worlds, with joyful heart,

हस्तं देवस्य देव्याश् च युयोज परमं प्रभुः ज्वलनश् च स्वयं तत्र कृताञ्जलिरुपस्थितः

joined the hands of the goddess and the god, the supreme Lord; and Fire himself appeared there, with hands joined in reverence.

श्रौतैरेतैर्महामन्त्रैर् मूर्तिमद्भिर् उपस्थितैः यथोक्तविधिना हुत्वा लाजानपि यथाक्रमम्

With these Vedic mantras, embodied and present, and according to the prescribed rite, he offered the parched grains in the fire, step by step.

आनीतान्विष्णुना विप्रान् सम्पूज्य विविधैर्वरैः त्रिश् च तं ज्वलनं देवं कारयित्वा प्रदक्षिणम्

Having brought the Brāhmaṇas by Viṣṇu and honored them with various gifts, he had the god Fire circumambulated three times.

मुक्त्वा हस्तसमायोगं सहितैः सर्वदैवतैः सुरैश् च मानवैः सर्वैः प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना

Then, releasing the joined hands, all the gods, along with all the celestial and human beings, rejoiced inwardly.

ननाम भगवान्ब्रह्मा देवदेवमुमापतिम् ततः पाद्यं तयोर् दत्त्वा शंभोराचमनं तथा

Then the venerable Brahmā bowed to the god of gods, the consort of Umā, and offered water for washing the feet and for sipping to Śambhu.

मधुपर्कं तथा गां च प्रणम्य च पुनः शिवम् अतिष्ठद्भगवान्ब्रह्मा देवैरिन्द्रपुरोगमैः

He also presented the madhuparka and a cow, and after bowing again to Śiva, Brahmā stood there with the gods, Indra at their head.

भृग्वाद्यमुनयः सर्वे चाक्षतैस्तिलतण्डुलैः सूर्यादयः समभ्यर्च्य तुष्टुवुर्वृषभध्वजम्

All the sages beginning with Bhṛgu, and the Sun and others, worshipped the Bull-bannered One with unbroken rice, sesame, and parched grain, and praised him.

शिवः समाप्य देवोक्तं वह्निमारोप्य चात्मनि तया समागतो रुद्रः सर्वलोकहिताय वै

Śiva, having completed the rites spoken by the gods and having placed the fire within himself, was united with her—Rudra, for the welfare of all worlds.

यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि भवोद्वाहं शुचिस्मितः श्रावयेद्वा द्विजाञ्छुद्धान् वेदवेदाङ्गपारगान्

Whoever recites or hears the marriage of Bhava, or has it recited to pure twice-borns learned in the Veda and its branches, with a pure smile—

स लब्ध्वा गाणपत्यं च भवेन सह मोदते यत्रायं कीर्त्यते विप्रैस् तावदास्ते तदा भवः

He attains the favor of Gaṇeśa and rejoices together with Bhava; wherever this is proclaimed by the learned, there Bhava himself abides.

तस्मात् सम्पूज्य विधिवत् कीर्तयेन्नान्यथा द्विजाः उद्वाहे च द्विजेन्द्राणां क्षत्रियाणां द्विजोत्तमाः

Therefore, O twice-borns, having worshipped properly, one should recite this and not otherwise, at the weddings of the best of Brāhmaṇas and Kṣatriyas.

कीर्तनीयमिदं सर्वं भवोद्वाहमनुत्तमम् कृतोद्वाहस्तदा देव्या हैमवत्या वृषध्वजः

This entire, unsurpassed account of the marriage of Bhava should be proclaimed; then the Bull-bannered One was wedded to the goddess, the daughter of Himavat.