Linga Purana

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.'

एवमुक्तस्तदा तेन शक्रेण मुनिसत्तमः वरयामि शिवे भक्तिम् इत्युवाच कृताञ्जलिः

Thus addressed by Shakra, the best of sages, with joined palms, said: 'I choose devotion to Shiva as my boon.'

ततो निशम्य वचनं मुनेः कुपितवत्प्रभुः प्राह सव्यग्रमीशानः शक्ररूपधरः स्वयम्

Hearing the sage's words, the Lord, appearing somewhat angry, himself, bearing the form of Shakra, spoke with agitation.

मां न जानासि देवर्षे देवराजानमीश्वरम् त्रैलोक्याधिपतिं शक्रं सर्वदेवनमस्कृतम्

'Do you not know me, O divine sage? I am the king of the gods, the Lord, Shakra, ruler of the three worlds, honored by all the gods.'

मद्भक्तो भव विप्रर्षे मामेवार्चय सर्वदा ददामि सर्वं भद्रं ते त्यज रुद्रं च निर्गुणम्

'Become my devotee, O best of brahmins; always worship me. I will grant you all good things; abandon Rudra, the attributeless one.'

ततः शक्रस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा श्रोत्रविदारणम् उपमन्युरिदं प्राह जपन् पञ्चाक्षरं शुभम्

Then, hearing Shakra's words, which pierced the ears, Upamanyu, reciting the auspicious five-syllable mantra, spoke this.

मन्ये शक्रस्य रूपेण नूनम् अत्रागतः स्वयम् कर्तुं दैत्याधमः कश्चिद् धर्मविघ्नं च नान्यथा

'I think, surely, someone has come here in the form of Shakra, some lowly demon, to obstruct dharma; it cannot be otherwise.'

त्वयैव कथितं सर्वं भवनिन्दारतेन वै प्रसंगाद्देवदेवस्य निर्गुणत्वं महात्मनः

It was you yourself who, out of a tendency to revile, happened to declare everything about the supreme god’s transcendence and greatness.

बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन मयाद्यानुमितं महत् भवान्तरकृतं पापं श्रुता निन्दा भवस्य तु

What more need be said by me here? Today I have understood the great sin committed by another against Bhava, namely, the slander of Bhava that I heard.

श्रुत्वा निन्दां भवस्याथ तत्क्षणादेव संत्यजेत् स्वदेहं तं निहत्याशु शिवलोकं स गच्छति

Upon hearing slander of Bhava, one should immediately abandon their own body at that very moment; by doing so, killing themselves, they swiftly attain Shiva’s world.

यो वाचोत्पाटयेज्जिह्वां शिवनिन्दारतस्य तु त्रिः सप्तकुलमुद्धृत्य शिवलोकं स गच्छति

Whoever tears out the tongue of one who delights in slandering Shiva, after uplifting twenty-one generations, goes to Shiva’s world.