Linga Purana

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.

दृष्ट्वा देवं प्रणम्यैवं प्रोवाचेदं कृताञ्जलिः भगवन् ब्राह्मणः कश्चिद् उपमन्युरितिश्रुतः

Seeing the god, he bowed and, with joined palms, spoke: 'Lord, there is a certain brahmin named Upamanyu, so it is heard.'

क्षीरार्थमदहत्सर्वं तपसा तं निवारय एतस्मिन्नन्तरे देवः पिनाकी परमेश्वरः शक्ररूपं समास्थाय गन्तुं चक्रे मतिं तदा

'He has given all for the sake of milk; restrain him from his austerity.' Meanwhile, the god Pinaki, the Supreme Lord, assuming the form of Shakra, then resolved to go.

अथ जगाम मुनेस्तु तपोवनं गजवरेण सितेन सदाशिवः सह सुरासुरसिद्धमहोरगैर् अमरराजतनुं स्वयमास्थितः

Then Sadashiva, together with the gods, asuras, siddhas, and great serpents, assuming the body of the king of the immortals, went to the sage's forest of austerity on a great white elephant.

वामेन शच्या सहितं सुरेन्द्रं करेण चान्येन सितातपत्रम्

With Shachi on his left and a white parasol in his other hand,

रराज भगवान् सोमः शक्ररूपी सदाशिवः सितातपत्रेण यथा चन्द्रबिंबेन मन्दरः

The blessed Soma, Sadashiva in the form of Shakra, shone with the white parasol as Mandara does with the orb of the moon.

आस्थायैवं हि शक्रस्य स्वरूपं परमेश्वरः जगामानुग्रहं कर्तुम् उपमन्योस् तदाश्रमम्

Thus assuming the very form of Shakra, the Supreme Lord went then to Upamanyu's hermitage to bestow his grace.

तं दृष्ट्वा परमेशानं शक्ररूपधरं शिवम् प्रणम्य शिरसा प्राह मुनिर्मुनिवराः स्वयम्

Seeing the Supreme Lord Shiva, bearing the form of Shakra, the sage himself, foremost among sages, bowed his head and spoke.

पावितश्चाश्रमश्चायं मम देवेश्वरः स्वयम् प्राप्तः शक्रो जगन्नाथो भगवान्भानुना प्रभुः

'This hermitage is purified, for the Lord of gods himself has come; Shakra, Lord of the universe, the blessed, radiant master.'

एवमुक्त्वा स्थितं वीक्ष्य कृताञ्जलिपुटं द्विजम् प्राह गंभीरया वाचा शक्ररूपधरो हरः

Having spoken thus, seeing the brahmin standing with palms joined, Hara, bearing the form of Shakra, addressed him with deep words.

तुष्टो ऽस्मि ते वरं ब्रूहि तपसानेन सुव्रत ददामि चेप्सितान् सर्वान् धौम्याग्रज महामते

'I am pleased with you; ask a boon, O steadfast one. By this austerity, I will grant you all you desire, O wise elder brother of Dhaumya.'