Linga Purana

एरकालाभतो ऽन्योन्यं विवादे वृष्णिविग्रहः लीलया चैव कृष्णेन स्वकुलस्य च संहृतिः

Because of obtaining the Eraka grass, the quarrel among themselves, the conflict of the Vṛṣṇis, and the destruction of his own clan by Kṛṣṇa as a divine play—

एरकास्त्रबलेनैव गमनं स्वेच्छयैव तु ब्रह्मणश्चैव मोक्षस्य विज्ञानं तु सुविस्तरम्

By the power of the erakā grass alone, movement occurs at will, and the knowledge of liberation and Brahman is explained in detail.

पुरान्धकाग्निदक्षाणां शक्रेभमृगरूपिणाम् मदनस्यादिदेवस्य ब्रह्मणश् चामरारिणाम्

Of the ancient Andhaka, Agni, Daksha, those who take the forms of Indra, elephant, deer, of Madana, the primordial god, and of Brahman, the enemy of Amara—

हलाहलस्य दैत्यस्य कृतावज्ञा पिनाकिना जालंधरवधश्चैव सुदर्शनसमुद्भवः

Of Halahala, the demon, who was insulted by Pinākin; the killing of Jalandhara, and the origin of Sudarshana—

विष्णोर्वरायुधावाप्तिस् तथा रुद्रस्य चेष्टितम् तथान्यानि च रुद्रस्य चरितानि सहस्रशः

The obtaining of the Varāyudha by Vishnu, the actions of Rudra, and likewise the countless other deeds of Rudra—

हरेः पितामहस्याथ शक्रस्य च महात्मनः प्रभावानुभवश्चैव शिवलोकस्य वर्णनम्

The power and experience of Hari, Pitāmaha, and the great-souled Indra, and the description of the world of Shiva—

भूमौ रुद्रस्य लोकं च पाताले हाटकेश्वरम् तपसां लक्षणं चैव द्विजानां वैभवं तथा

The realm of Rudra on earth, Hāṭakeśvara in the netherworld, the characteristics of austerities, and the splendor of the twice-born—

आधिक्यं सर्वमूर्तीनां लिङ्गमूर्तेर्विशेषतः लिङ्गे ऽस्मिन्नानुपूर्व्येण विस्तरेणानुकीर्त्यते

The supremacy of all forms, especially that of the Linga form, is described here in order and in detail.

एतज्ज्ञात्वा पुराणस्य संक्षेपं कीर्तयेत्तु यः सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो ब्रह्मलोकं स गच्छति

Whoever, having understood this, recites the summary of the Purāṇa, becomes freed from all sins and attains the world of Brahman.

अलिङ्गो लिङ्गमूलं तु अव्यक्तं लिङ्गमुच्यते अलिङ्गः शिव इत्युक्तो लिङ्गं शैवमिति स्मृतम्

The unmanifest is called the root of the Linga; the unmanifest Linga is so named. The unmanifest is called Shiva; the Linga is remembered as Shaiva.

प्रधानं प्रकृतिश्चेति यदाहुर्लिङ्गमुत्तमम् गन्धवर्णरसैर्हीनं शब्दस्पर्शादिवर्जितम्

When they declare the highest Linga as pradhāna and prakṛti, it is devoid of scent, color, and taste, and free from sound, touch, and the like.

अगुणं ध्रुवमक्षय्यम् अलिङ्गं शिवलक्षणम् गन्धवर्णरसैर्युक्तं शब्दस्पर्शादिलक्षणम्

Without qualities, eternal, imperishable, the unmanifest is the mark of Shiva; endowed with scent, color, and taste, it is characterized by sound, touch, and the like.

जगद्योनिं महाभूतं स्थूलं सूक्ष्मं द्विजोत्तमाः विग्रहो जगतां लिङ्गम् अलिङ्गाद् अभवत्स्वयम्

O best of twice-born, the source of the world, the great element, gross and subtle, the form of the worlds, the Linga, arose spontaneously from the unmanifest.

सप्तधाचाष्टधा चैव तथैकादशधा पुनः लिङ्गान्यलिङ्गस्य तथा मायया विततानि तु

Sevenfold, eightfold, and again elevenfold, the Lingas of the unmanifest are thus spread by Māyā.

तेभ्यः प्रधानदेवानां त्रयमासीच्छिवात्मकम् एकस्मात्त्रिष्वभूद्विश्वम् एकेन परिरक्षितम्

From them, among the chief gods, three arose, having the nature of Shiva. From one, the universe came forth in three ways, and by one it is preserved.

एकेनैव हृतं विश्वं व्याप्तं त्वेवं शिवेन तु अलिङ्गं चैव लिङ्गं च लिङ्गालिङ्गानि मूर्तयः

By one alone, the universe is withdrawn, and thus pervaded by Shiva. The unmanifest and the Linga, the forms of Linga and unmanifest, are the manifestations.

यथावत्कथिताश्चैव तस्माद्ब्रह्म स्वयं जगत् अलिङ्गी भगवान् बीजी स एव परमेश्वरः

As described, therefore, Brahma himself is the world. The Lord, unmanifest, is the seed; he alone is the supreme ruler.

बीजं योनिश् च निर्बीजं निर्बीजो बीजमुच्यते बीजयोनिप्रधानानाम् आत्माख्या वर्तते त्विह

The seed, the womb, and the seedless; the seedless is called the seed. Among the seed, womb, and pradhāna, the self-named exists here.

परमात्मा मुनिर्ब्रह्म नित्यबुद्धस्वभावतः विशुद्धो ऽयं तथा रुद्रः पुराणे शिव उच्यते

The supreme self, the sage Brahma, by nature eternally wise, is pure; likewise Rudra, who in the Purāṇa is called Shiva.

शिवेन दृष्टा प्रकृतिः शैवी समभवद्द्विजाः सर्गादौ सा गुणैर्युक्ता पुराव्यक्ता स्वभावतः

When seen by Shiva, Prakriti became Shaivi, O twice-born; at the beginning of creation, she, though previously unmanifest by nature, became endowed with the gunas.

अव्यक्तादिविशेषान्तं विश्वं तस्याः समुच्छ्रितम् विश्वधात्री त्वजाख्या च शैवी सा प्रकृतिः स्मृता

From her arose the universe, from the unmanifest to the particular; she is called the bearer of the universe and, known as Aja, that Shaivi Prakriti is remembered thus.

तामजां लोहितां शुक्लां कृष्णामेकां बहुप्रजाम् जनित्रीमनुशेते स्म जुषमाणः स्वरूपिणीम्

That unborn one, red, white, and black, the single mother of many beings—he, delighting in his own form, lay with her, the mother and source.

तामेवाजामजो ऽन्यस्तु भुक्तभोगां जहाति च अजा जनित्री जगतां साजेन समधिष्ठिता

Another unborn one, having enjoyed her pleasures, departs; the unborn mother of worlds is established together with the unborn.

प्रादुर्बभूव स महान् पुरुषाधिष्ठितस्य च अजाज्ञया प्रधानस्य सर्गकाले गुणैस् त्रिभिः

From her, by command of the unborn, at the time of creation, the Mahat arose, endowed with the three gunas and presided over by Purusha.

सिसृक्षया चोद्यमानः प्रविश्याव्यक्तमव्ययम् व्यक्तसृष्टिं विकुरुते चात्मनाधिष्ठितो महान्

Urged by the desire to create, Mahat, entering the unmanifest and imperishable, produces the manifest creation, being established in itself.

महतस्तु तथा वृत्तिः संकल्पाध्यवसायिका महतस् त्रिगुणस् तस्माद् अहंकारो रजो ऽधिकः

From Mahat arises the function of resolve and determination; from Mahat, which is threefold in quality, comes ahamkara, predominated by rajas.

तेनैव चावृतः सम्यग् अहंकारस् तमो ऽधिकः महतो भूततन्मात्रं सर्गकृद्वै बभूव च

Covered by that very ahamkara, which is predominated by tamas, from Mahat arose the subtle elements, which are indeed the creators of beings.

अहंकाराच्छब्दमात्रं तस्मादाकाशमव्ययम् सशब्दमावृणोत्पश्चाद् आकाशं शब्दकारणम्

From ahamkara comes the subtle element of sound; from that, the imperishable ether; ether, possessing sound, then enveloped it, and is the cause of sound.

तन्मात्राद्भूतसर्गश् च द्विजास्त्वेवं प्रकीर्तितः स्पर्शमात्रं तथाकाशात् तस्माद्वायुर् महान्मुने

From the subtle elements, the creation of the elements is thus declared, O twice-born; from ether comes the subtle element of touch, and from that, air, O great sage.