Linga Purana

तं दृष्ट्वा बालमीशानं मायया तस्य मोहिता उत्थाप्याघ्राय वक्षोजं स्तनं सा प्रददौ द्विजाः

Seeing that child Īśāna, deluded by his māyā, she lifted him up, smelled his chest, and gave him her breast, O twice-born.

स्तनजेन तदा सार्धं कोपमस्याः पपौ पुनः क्रोधेनानेन वै बालः क्षेत्राणां रक्षको ऽभवत्

Along with her milk, he drank her anger; by this anger, the child became the protector of the sacred fields.

मूर्तयो ऽष्टौ च तस्यापि क्षेत्रपालस्य धीमतः एवं वै तेन बालेन कृता सा क्रोधमूर्छिता

Eight forms of that wise Kṣetrapāla also arose; thus, by that child, she who was overcome by wrath was pacified.

कृतमस्याः प्रसादार्थं देवदेवेन ताण्डवम् संध्यायां सर्वभूतेन्द्रैः प्रेतैः प्रीतेन शूलिना

For her appeasement, the God of gods performed the Tāṇḍava dance at twilight, together with all the lords of beings, spirits, and the pleased wielder of the trident.

पीत्वा नृत्यामृतं शंभोर् आकण्ठं परमेश्वरी ननर्त सा च योगिन्यः प्रेतस्थाने यथासुखम्

Having drunk the nectar of Śambhu's dance to the full, the Supreme Lady danced, and the yoginīs, in the place of spirits, danced as they pleased.

तत्र सब्रह्मका देवाः सेन्द्रोपेन्द्राः समन्ततः प्रणेमुस्तुष्टुवुः कालीं पुनर्देवीं च पार्वतीम्

There, the gods with Brahmā, Indra, and Upendra all around, bowed and praised Kālī and again the goddess Pārvatī.

एवं संक्षेपतः प्रोक्तं ताण्डवं शूलिनः प्रभोः योगानन्देन च विभोस् ताण्डवं चेति चापरे

Thus, in brief, has the Tāṇḍava of the trident-bearing Lord been told, and also the Tāṇḍava of the mighty one, filled with yogic bliss, as others call it.

पुरोपमन्युना सूत गाणपत्यं महेश्वरात् क्षीरार्णवः कथं लब्धो वक्तुमर्हसि सांप्रतम्

O Sūta, tell now how Upamanyu obtained the Gāṇapatya teaching from Maheśvara, and how the ocean of milk was gained.

एवं कालीम् उपालभ्य गते देवे त्रियंबके उपमन्युः समभ्यर्च्य तपसा लब्धवान्फलम्

Thus, after propitiating Kālī and when the three-eyed god had departed, Upamanyu, having worshipped with austerity, obtained the fruit.

उपमन्युरिति ख्यातो मुनिश् च द्विजसत्तमाः कुमार इव तेजस्वी क्रीडमानो यदृच्छया

O best of twice-born, there was a sage known as Upamanyu, radiant like a youth, who played about as he pleased.

कदाचित् क्षीरम् अल्पं च पीतवान् मातुलाश्रमे ईर्ष्यया मातुलसुतो ह्य् अपिबत् क्षीरम् उत्तमम्

Once, in his uncle’s hermitage, he drank a little milk; out of jealousy, his cousin drank the finest milk.

पीत्वा स्थितं यथाकामं दृष्ट्वा प्रोवाच मातरम् मातर्मातर्महाभागे मम देहि तपस्विनि

Having drunk as much as he wished, and seeing this, he said to his mother: 'Mother, O greatly fortunate one, O ascetic, give me some.'

गव्यं क्षीरम् अतिस्वादु नाल्पमुष्णं नमाम्यहम् उपलालितैवं पुत्रेण पुत्रम् आलिङ्ग्य सादरम्

'Cow’s milk is very sweet, not at all hot; I bow to you.' Thus cherished by her son, she embraced him affectionately.

दुःखिता विललापार्ता स्मृत्वा नैर्धन्यमात्मनः स्मृत्वा स्मृत्वा पुनः क्षीरम् उपमन्युरपि द्विजाः देहि देहीति तामाह रोदमानो महाद्युतिः

Distressed, she lamented in anguish, recalling her own poverty; again and again remembering, Upamanyu too, O twice-born, cried out to her, 'Give, give,' weeping, radiant as he was.

उञ्छवृत्त्यार्जितान् बीजान् स्वयं पिष्ट्वा च सा तदा बीजपिष्टं तदालोड्य तोयेन कलभाषिणी

Then she herself ground seeds obtained by gleaning, and mixing the ground seeds with water, she spoke gently.

ऐह्येहि मम पुत्रेति सामपूर्वं ततः सुतम् आलिङ्ग्यादाय दुःखार्ता प्रददौ कृत्रिमं पयः

‘Come here, my son,’ she said with soothing words; then, embracing her sorrowful child, she gave him the artificial milk.

पीत्वा च कृत्रिमं क्षीरं मात्रा दत्तं द्विजोत्तमाः नैतत्क्षीरमिति प्राह मातरं चातिविह्वलः

Having drunk the artificial milk given by his mother, O best of twice-born, he said, deeply troubled, 'This is not milk,' to his mother.

दुःखिता सा तदा प्राह सम्प्रेक्ष्याघ्राय मूर्धनि संमार्ज्य नेत्रे पुत्रस्य कराभ्यां कमलायते

Then, seeing him, she sorrowfully spoke, smelling his head, and gently wiping her son’s lotus-like eyes with her hands.

तटिनी रत्नपूर्णास्ते स्वर्गपातालगोचराः भाग्यहीना न पश्यन्ति भक्तिहीनाश् च ये शिवे

There are rivers filled with jewels, accessible in heaven and the netherworlds; those without fortune, and those without devotion to Shiva, do not see them.

राज्यं स्वर्गं च मोक्षं च भोजनं क्षीरसंभवम् न लभन्ते प्रियाण्येषां नो तुष्यति सदा भवः

Kingdom, heaven, liberation, and food produced from milk—they do not obtain these dear things, for Shiva is never pleased with them.

भवप्रसादजं सर्वं नान्यदेवप्रसादजम् अन्यदेवेषु निरता दुःखार्ता विभ्रमन्ति च

All is obtained by Shiva’s grace, not by the favor of other gods; those devoted to other deities, afflicted by suffering, wander in delusion.

क्षीरं तत्र कुतो ऽस्माकं महादेवो न पूजितः पूर्वजन्मनि यद्दत्तं शिवमुद्यम्य वै सुत

How could we have milk here, when Mahadeva has not been worshipped? Whatever was given in a former birth, O son, by worshipping Shiva—

तदेव लभ्यं नान्यत्तु विष्णुमुद्यम्य वा प्रभुम् निशम्य वचनं मातुर् उपमन्युर्महाद्युतिः

That alone is obtained, not anything else, even by worshipping Vishnu, the Lord. Hearing his mother’s words, Upamanyu, radiant as he was—

बालो ऽपि मातरं प्राह प्रणिपत्य तपस्विनीम् त्यज शोकं महाभागे महादेवो ऽस्ति चेत्क्वचित्

Though a child, bowed to his ascetic mother and said: 'Abandon grief, O greatly fortunate one; Mahadeva exists somewhere.'

चिराद्वा ह्यचिराद्वापि क्षीरोदं साधयाम्यहम् तां प्रणम्यैवमुक्त्वा स तपः कर्तुं प्रचक्रमे

'Whether after a long time or soon, I will obtain the ocean of milk.' Thus speaking, bowing to her, he began to undertake austerities.

तमाह माता सुशुभं कुर्विति सुतरां सुतम् अनुज्ञातस्तया तत्र तपस्तेपे सुदुस्तरम्

His mother said to him, 'Perform auspicious acts,' and especially permitted her son; thus, with her consent, he undertook severe austerities there.

हिमवत्पर्वतं प्राप्य वायुभक्षः समाहितः तपसा तस्य विप्रस्य विधूपितमभूज्जगत्

Reaching Mount Himavat, sustained by air, concentrated, by his austerity that Brahmin shook the whole world.

प्रणम्याहुस्तु तत्सर्वे हरये देवसत्तमाः श्रुत्वा तेषां तदा वाक्यं भगवान्पुरुषोत्तमः

Having bowed, all those excellent gods spoke to Hari; hearing their words, the blessed Supreme Person,

किमिदं त्विति संचिन्त्य ज्ञात्वा तत्कारणं च सः जगाम मन्दरं तूर्णं महेश्वरदिदृक्षया

Thinking, 'What is this?', and knowing the reason, he quickly went to Mandara, desiring to see Maheshvara.