Linga Purana

ज्ञात्वा च विविधोत्पत्तिं ब्रह्मणो लोकतन्त्रिणः इमं परमसादृश्यं प्रश्नम् अभ्यवदद्धरिः

Having understood the various origins of Brahmā, the ruler of the worlds, Hari answered this supreme question of resemblance.

अस्मान्महत्तरं भूतं गुह्यमन्यन्न विद्यते महतः परमं धाम शिवम् अध्यात्मिनां पदम्

There is nothing greater or more secret than this being; the supreme abode of the great, the seat of Śiva for those devoted to the inner self.

द्विविधं चैवमात्मानं प्रविभज्य व्यवस्थितः निष्कलस्तत्र यो ऽव्यक्तः सकलश् च महेश्वरः

Thus, the self is established, divided in two ways: there, Maheśvara is both the unmanifest without parts and the manifest with parts.

यस्य मायाविधिज्ञस्य अगम्यगहनस्य च पुरा लिङ्गोद्भवं बीजं प्रथमं त्वादिसर्गिकम्

For him, who knows the workings of māyā and whose nature is inaccessible and profound, the first seed of the linga, similar to you, arose in the beginning.

मम योनौ समायुक्तं तद्बीजं कालपर्ययात् हिरण्मयमकूपारे योन्यामण्डमजायत

That seed, united with my womb, in the course of time, produced the golden egg within the womb.

शतानि दश वर्षाणाम् अण्डम् अप्सु प्रतिष्ठितम् अन्ते वर्षसहस्रस्य वायुना तद्द्विधा कृतम्

For ten hundred years, the egg rested in the waters; at the end of a thousand years, it was split by the wind.

कपालमेकं द्यौर्जज्ञे कपालमपरं क्षितिः उल्बं तस्य महोत्सेधो यो ऽसौ कनकपर्वतः

One shell became the sky, another shell became the earth; its thick membrane, of great height, is that golden mountain.

ततश् च प्रतिसंध्यात्मा देवदेवो वरः प्रभुः हिरण्यगर्भो भगवांस् त्व् अभिजज्ञे चतुर्मुखः

Then, from that conjunction, the supreme Lord of gods, the blessed Hiraṇyagarbha, was born—he who has four faces.

आ तारार्केन्दुनक्षत्रं शून्यं लोकमवेक्ष्य च को ऽहमित्यपि च ध्याते कुमारास्ते ऽभवंस्तदा

Seeing the world empty, up to the stars, planets, moon, and sun, and meditating, 'Who am I?'—then, O Kumāras, I came into being.

प्रियदर्शनास्तु यतयो यतीनां पूर्वजास् तव भूयो वर्षसहस्रान्ते तत एवात्मजास्तव

The ascetics, delightful to behold, who were your elder brothers among the sages, at the end of another thousand years, became your sons from that very source.

भुवनानलसंकाशाः पद्मपत्रायतेक्षणाः श्रीमान्सनत्कुमारश् च ऋभुश्चैवोर्ध्वरेतसौ

Radiant as fire among worlds, with eyes long as lotus petals, the illustrious Sanatkumāra and Ṛbhu, both of pure celibacy—

सनकः सनातनश्चैव तथैव च सनन्दनः उत्पन्नाः समकालं ते बुद्ध्यातीन्द्रियदर्शनाः

Sanaka, Sanātana, and likewise Sanandana—all these were born at the same time, possessing insight beyond the senses.

उत्पन्नाः प्रतिभात्मानो जगतां स्थितिहेतवः नारप्स्यन्ते च कर्माणि तापत्रयविवर्जिताः

Born as embodiments of intuitive wisdom, causes of the world's stability, they do not engage in actions and are free from the threefold afflictions.

अल्पसौख्यं बहुक्लेशं जराशोकसमन्वितम् जीवनं मरणं चैव संभवश् च पुनः पुनः

Life and death, and repeated birth, are joined with little happiness, much suffering, old age, and sorrow.

अल्पभूतं सुखं स्वर्गे दुःखानि नरके तथा विदित्वा चागमं सर्वम् अवश्यं भवितव्यताम्

Happiness in heaven is slight, and there is suffering in hell as well; knowing all this doctrine, one must accept the certainty of fate.

ऋभुं सनत्कुमारं च दृष्ट्वा तव वशे स्थितौ त्रयस्तु त्रीन् गुणान् हित्वा चात्मजाः सनकादयः

Seeing Ṛbhu and Sanatkumāra under your control, your three sons—Sanaka and the others—abandoned the three qualities.

ववर्तेन तु ज्ञानेन प्रवृत्तास्ते महौजसः ततस्तेषु प्रवृत्तेषु सनकादिषु वै त्रिषु

They, of great energy, set forth on the path of knowledge; thus, when Sanaka and the others proceeded among those three—

भविष्यसि विमूढस्त्वं मायया शङ्करस्य तु एवं कल्पे तु वैवृत्ते संज्ञा नश्यति ते ऽनघ

You will become deluded by the māyā of Śaṅkara; thus, when the cycle turns, O sinless one, your awareness will be lost.

कल्पे शेषाणि भूतानि सूक्ष्माणि पार्थिवानि च सर्वेषां ह्यैश्वरी माया जागृतिः समुदाहृता

At the end of the cycle, the remaining beings, both subtle and earthly, are said to awaken through the divine māyā of all.

यथैष पर्वतो मेरुर् देवलोको ह्युदाहृतः तस्य चेदं हि माहात्म्यं विद्धि देववरस्य ह

Just as this mountain Meru is called the world of the gods, so you should know this greatness of the best of gods.

ज्ञात्वा चेश्वरसद्भावं ज्ञात्वा मामंबुजेक्षणम् महादेवं महाभूतं भूतानां वरदं प्रभुम्

Knowing the true nature of the Lord, and knowing me, lotus-eyed, as Mahādeva, the great being, the bestower of boons and master of beings—

प्रणवेनाथ साम्ना तु नमस्कृत्य जगद्गुरुम् त्वां च मां चैव संक्रुद्धो निःश्वासान्निर्दहेदयम्

With the syllable Oṃ and with Sāman hymns, bowing to the teacher of the world, both you and I, if angered, could burn this world with our breaths.

एवं ज्ञात्वा महायोगम् अभ्युत्तिष्ठन्महाबलम् अहं त्वामग्रतः कृत्वा स्तोष्याम्यनलसप्रभम्

Knowing thus the great yoga, rising up with great power, I, placing you at the forefront, will praise the one whose radiance is like fire.

ब्रह्माणमग्रतः कृत्वा ततः स गरुडध्वजः अतीतैश् च भविष्यैश् च वर्तमानैस्तथैव च

Then, placing Brahmā at the front, he of the Garuḍa banner, with those of the past, future, and present—

नामभिश्छान्दसैश्चैव इदं स्तोत्रमुदीरयत् नमस्तुभ्यं भगवते सुव्रतानन्ततेजसे

With names and Vedic meters, he uttered this hymn: 'Salutations to you, O blessed one, of excellent vows and infinite splendor.'

नमः क्षेत्राधिपतये बीजिने शूलिने नमः सुमेढ्रायार्च्यमेढ्राय दण्डिने रूक्षरेतसे

Homage to the Lord of the field, to the bearer of seed, to the one with the spear; homage to the one of noble phallus, to the one worthy of worship, to the staff-bearer, to the one of harsh seed.

नमो ज्येष्ठाय श्रेष्ठाय पूर्वाय प्रथमाय च नमो मान्याय पूज्याय सद्योजाताय वै नमः

Homage to the eldest, to the best, to the one who is first and foremost; homage to the venerable, to the worshipful, to the one who is born instantly.

गह्वराय घटेशाय व्योमचीरांबराय च नमस्ते ह्यस्मदादीनां भूतानां प्रभवे नमः

To the one dwelling in caves, to the Lord of vessels, to the one whose garment is the sky—homage; homage to the Lord of beings, beginning with us.

वेदानां प्रभवे चैव स्मृतीनां प्रभवे नमः प्रभवे कर्मदानानां द्रव्याणां प्रभवे नमः

Homage to the Lord of the Vedas, and to the Lord of the Smṛtis; homage to the Lord of actions and gifts, and to the Lord of substances.