Linga Purana

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.

नारायणमुखोद्गीर्णसर्वात्मा पुरुषोत्तमः अष्टबाहुर्महावक्षा लोकानां योनिरुच्यते

The supreme person, the source of all beings, with eight arms and a mighty chest, was Nārāyaṇa, the all-pervading one, emanating from his mouth.

किमप्यचिन्त्यं योगात्मा योगमास्थाय योगवित् फणासहस्रकलितं तमप्रतिमवर्चसम्

Assuming yoga, the master of yoga, possessing inconceivable power, he shone with unmatched brilliance, adorned by a thousand serpent hoods.

महाभोगपतेर्भोगं साध्वास्तीर्य महोच्छ्रयम् तस्मिन्महति पर्यङ्के शेते चैकार्णवे प्रभुः

Spreading the great serpent's coils as a noble couch, the Lord lay upon that vast, lofty bed in the great ocean.

एवं तत्र शयानेन विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना आत्मारामेण क्रीडार्थं लीलयाक्लिष्टकर्मणा

Thus, Viṣṇu, the mighty Lord, resting there, delighting in his own self, performed playfully, his actions untouched by effort.

शतयोजनविस्तीर्णं तरुणादित्यसन्निभम् वज्रदण्डं महोत्सेधं नाभ्यां सृष्टं तु पुष्करम्

From his navel arose a lotus, a hundred yojanas wide, radiant like the rising sun, with a great stalk, and of immense height.

तस्यैवं क्रीडमानस्य समीपं देवमीढुषः हेमगर्भाण्डजो ब्रह्मा रुक्मवर्णो ह्यतीन्द्रियः

As that god, the praised one, sported thus, near him appeared Brahmā, the golden-embryo, lotus-born, golden-hued, and beyond the senses.

चतुर्वक्त्रो विशालाक्षः समागम्य यदृच्छया श्रिया युक्तेन दिव्येन सुशुभेन सुगन्धिना

The four-faced one, with wide eyes, happened to arrive, adorned with divine, splendid, and fragrant beauty.

क्रीडमानं च पद्मेन दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मा शुभेक्षणम् सविस्मयमथागम्य सौम्यसम्पन्नया गिरा

Seeing Brahmā, whose gaze is auspicious, playing with a lotus, he approached with wonder and addressed him with gentle and pleasing words.

प्रोवाच को भवाञ्छेते ह्य् आश्रितो मध्यमम्भसाम् अथ तस्याच्युतः श्रुत्वा ब्रह्मणस्तु शुभं वचः

He said, 'Who are you, O one who has taken refuge in the midst of the waters?' Then, having heard these auspicious words of Brahmā, Acyuta replied.

उदतिष्ठत पर्यङ्काद् विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः प्रत्युवाचोत्तरं चैव कल्पे कल्पे प्रतिश्रयः

He rose from his couch, his eyes wide with astonishment, and replied, 'In every cycle, I am the refuge.'