Linga Purana

वृषारूढाय सर्वस्य हर्त्रे कर्त्रे नमोनमः वीररामातिरामाय रामनाथाय ते विभो

Salutations again and again to the one who rides the bull, the destroyer and creator of all; to the supremely heroic, the delight of heroes, the lord of Rama, to you, O mighty one.

नमो राजाधिराजाय राज्ञामधिगताय ते नमः पालाधिपतये पालाशाकृन्तते नमः

Salutations to the king of kings, who is attained by kings; salutations to the lord of protectors, the one who cuts down the branches of protectors.

नमः केयूरभूषाय गोपते ते नमोनमः नमः श्रीकण्ठनाथाय नमो लिकुचपाणये

Salutations to you, adorned with armlets, O lord of cowherds; salutations again and again. Salutations to Śrīkaṇṭhanātha, salutations to the one holding a club.

भुवनेशाय देवाय वेदशास्त्र नमो ऽस्तु ते सारङ्गाय नमस्तुभ्यं राजहंसाय ते नमः

Salutations to you, lord of the world, O god, essence of the Vedas and scriptures; salutations to you, bearer of the bow, salutations to you, royal swan.

कनकाङ्गदहाराय नमः सर्पोपवीतिने सर्पकुण्डलमालाय कटिसूत्रीकृताहिने

Salutations to you, adorned with golden bracelets and necklaces, wearing a serpent as the sacred thread, with a garland of serpent earrings, and a snake as your girdle.

वेदगर्भाय गर्भाय विश्वगर्भाय ते शिव विररामेति संस्तुत्वा ब्रह्मणा सहितो हरिः

Salutations to you, who holds the Vedas within, who is the womb, who is the womb of the universe, O Śiva. Thus praised as 'Virarāma' by Brahmā together with Hari.

एतत्स्तोत्रवरं पुण्यं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् यः पठेच्छ्रावयेद्वापि ब्राह्मणान् वेदपारगान्

This excellent and holy hymn destroys all sins; whoever recites or causes it to be recited to Brahmins learned in the Vedas—

स याति ब्रह्मणो लोके पापकर्मरतो ऽपि वै तस्माज्जपेत्पठेन्नित्यं श्रावयेद्ब्राह्मणाञ्छुभान्

He attains the world of Brahmā, even if he is engaged in sinful deeds. Therefore, one should always recite, repeat, or have it recited to auspicious Brahmins.

सर्वपापविशुद्ध्यर्थं विष्णुना परिभाषितम्

For the purification from all sins, this was spoken by Viṣṇu.

अथोवाच महादेवः प्रीतो ऽहं सुरसत्तमौ पश्यतां मां महादेवं भयं सर्वं विमुच्यताम्

Then Mahādeva spoke: 'I am pleased, O best of the gods. Behold me, Mahādeva; let all fear be dispelled.'

युवां प्रसूतौ गात्राभ्यां मम पूर्वं महाबलौ अयं मे दक्षिणे पार्श्वे ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः

You two, of great strength, were born from my body before; this is Brahmā, the grandfather of the worlds, at my right side.

वामे पार्श्वे च मे विष्णुर् विश्वात्मा हृदयोद्भवः प्रीतो ऽहं युवयोः सम्यग् वरं दद्मि यथेप्सितम्

And on my left side is Viṣṇu, the soul of the universe, born from my heart. I am well pleased with you both; I grant you the boon you desire.

एवमुक्त्वा तु तं विष्णुं कराभ्यां परमेश्वरः पस्पर्श सुभगाभ्यां तु कृपया तु कृपानिधिः

Having spoken thus, the Supreme Lord touched Viṣṇu with his auspicious hands, full of compassion.

ततः प्रहृष्टमनसा प्रणिपत्य महेश्वरम् प्राह नारायणो नाथं लिङ्गस्थं लिङ्गवर्जितम्

Then, with a joyful heart, Nārāyaṇa bowed to Maheśvara and addressed the lord, who is both within and beyond the liṅga.

यदि प्रीतिः समुत्पन्ना यदि देयो वरश् च नौ भक्तिर्भवतु नौ नित्यं त्वयि चाव्यभिचारिणी

If you are truly pleased and a boon is to be granted to us, may we always have unwavering devotion to you.

देवः प्रदत्तवान् देवाः स्वात्मन्यव्यभिचारिणीम् ब्रह्मणे विष्णवे चैव श्रद्धां शीतांशुभूषणः

The god, adorned with the cool-rayed moon, granted to Brahmā and Viṣṇu unwavering faith in himself.

जानुभ्यामवनीं गत्वा पुनर्नारायणः स्वयम् प्रणिपत्य च विश्वेशं प्राह मन्दतरं वशी

Then Nārāyaṇa himself, going down to the ground on his knees, bowed to the Lord of the universe and spoke softly, with self-control.

आवयोर्देवदेवेश विवादमतिशोभनम् इहागतो भवान् यस्माद् विवादशमनाय नौ

O Lord of gods, Lord of lords, you have come here because of the excellent dispute between us, to bring an end to our quarrel.

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा पुनः प्राह हरो हरिम् प्रणिपत्य स्थितं मूर्ध्ना कृताञ्जलिपुटं स्मयन्

Hearing those words, Hara again spoke to Hari, who stood with bowed head, palms joined in reverence, and a smile on his face.

प्रलयस्थितिसर्गाणां कर्ता त्वं धरणीपते वत्स वत्स हरे विष्णो पालयैतच्चराचरम्

O King of the earth, you are the creator of dissolution, maintenance, and creation. O child, O child, O Hari, O Viṣṇu, protect all this, the moving and the unmoving.

त्रिधा भिन्नो ह्यहं विष्णो ब्रह्मविष्णुभवाख्यया सर्गरक्षालयगुणैर् निष्कलः परमेश्वरः

O Viṣṇu, I am indeed divided threefold as Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Bhava, by the qualities of creation, preservation, and dissolution, yet I am the supreme Lord, indivisible.

संमोहं त्यज भो विष्णो पालयैनं पितामहम् पाद्मे भविष्यति सुतः कल्पे तव पितामहः

Abandon delusion, O Viṣṇu, and protect this Grandfather (Brahmā). In the Padma Kalpa, he will be your son, and you will be his Grandfather.

तदा द्रक्ष्यसि मां चैवं सो ऽपि द्रक्ष्यति पद्मजः एवमुक्त्वा स भगवांस् तत्रैवान्तरधीयत

Then you will see me in this way, and so too will the lotus-born one see me. Having spoken thus, the Blessed Lord vanished there itself.

तदाप्रभृति लोकेषु लिङ्गार्चा सुप्रतिष्ठिता लिङ्गवेदी महादेवी लिङ्गं साक्षान्महेश्वरः

From that time onward, the worship of the liṅga became firmly established in the worlds; the liṅga altar is the great goddess, and the liṅga itself is the great Lord manifest.

लयनाल्लिङ्गमित्युक्तं तत्रैव निखिलं सुराः यस्तु लैङ्गं पठेन्नित्यम् आख्यानं लिङ्गसन्निधौ

Because of dissolution, it is called liṅga; there, all the gods reside. Whoever recites the liṅga narrative daily in the presence of the liṅga—

स याति शिवतां विप्रो नात्र कार्या विचारणा

That brāhmaṇa attains the state of Śiva; there is no need for further deliberation.

कथं पाद्मे पुरा कल्पे ब्रह्मा पद्मोद्भवो ऽभवत् भवं च दृष्टवांस्तेन ब्रह्मणा पुरुषोत्तमः

How, in the Padma Kalpa of old, did Brahmā, the lotus-born, arise, and how did the supreme person see Bhava through him?

एतत्सर्वं विशेषेण सांप्रतं वक्तुमर्हसि आसीदेकार्णवं घोरम् अविभागं तमोमयम्

You should now tell all this in detail: There was a single, terrible ocean, undivided and filled with darkness.

मध्ये चैकार्णवे तस्मिन् शङ्खचक्रगदाधरः जीमूताभो ऽम्बुजाक्षश् च किरीटी श्रीपतिर्हरिः

In the midst of that single ocean, Hari, the consort of Śrī, bearing conch, discus, and mace, with a crown, cloud-hued and lotus-eyed, was present.