Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

पुरा कल्पे महाकाले प्रपन्ने लोकविश्रुते आयुध्येतां महात्मानौ ब्रह्मविष्णू परस्परम्

Long ago, at the end of a great age, when the world was renowned, the two great souls, Brahmā and Viṣṇu, began to contend with each other.

तयोर्मानं निराकर्तुं तन्मध्ये परमेश्वरः निष्कलस्तंभरूपेण स्वरूपं समदर्शयत्

To dispel their pride, the Supreme Lord, in the form of an endless pillar, revealed his own true nature between them.

ततः स्वलिंगचिह्नत्वात्स्तम्भतो निष्कलं शिवः स्वलिंगं दर्शयामास जगतां हितकाम्यया

Then, from the sign of his own liṅga, Śiva, in the form of the pillar, showed his own liṅga, wishing for the welfare of all beings.

तदाप्रभृति लोकेषु निष्कलं लिंगमैश्वरम् सकलं च तथा बेरं शिवस्यैव प्रकल्पितम्

From that time onward, in the worlds, the liṅga of the Lord is considered formless, and likewise, the image with form is established as Śiva's.

शिवान्येषः तु देवानां बेरमात्रं प्रकल्पितम् तत्तद्बेरं तु देवानां तत्तद्भोगप्रदं शुभम् शिवस्य लिंगबेरत्वं भोगमोक्षप्रदं शुभम्

For the other gods, only the image is established; each god's image grants them their respective enjoyments and is auspicious. But the liṅga-image of Śiva bestows both enjoyment and liberation, and is auspicious.

पुरा कदाचिद्योगींद्र विष्णुर्विषधरासनः सुष्वाप परया भूत्या स्वानुगैरपि संवृतः

Once, O lord of yogis, Viṣṇu, reclining on the serpent, slept in supreme prosperity, surrounded by his attendants.

यदृच्छया गतस्तत्र ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मविदांवरः अपृच्छत्पुंडरीकाक्षं शयनं सर्वसुन्दरम्

By chance, Brahmā, the foremost knower of Brahman, came there and questioned the lotus-eyed one, lying on his beautiful bed.

कस्त्वं पुरुषवच्छेषे दृष्ट्वा मामपि दृप्तवत् उत्तिष्ठ वत्स मां पश्य तव नाथमिहागतम्

Who are you, lying here like a man, looking at me with pride? Arise, child, see me, your master, who has come here.

आगतं गुरुमाराध्यं दृष्ट्वा यो दृप्तवच्चरेत् द्रोहिणस्तस्य मूढस्य प्रायश्चित्तं विधीयते

One who, seeing his guru and lord arrive, behaves with arrogance, is a betrayer and a fool; expiation is prescribed for him.

इति श्रुत्वा वचः क्रुद्धो बहिः शांतवदाचरत् स्वस्ति ते स्वागतं वत्स तिष्ठ पीठमितो विश

Hearing these words, though angry, he acted outwardly calm: 'Peace to you, welcome, child, sit down, take this seat.'

किमु ते व्याग्रवद्वक्त्रं विभाति विषमेक्षणम् वत्स विष्णो महामानमागतं कालवेगतः

Why does your face appear fierce, your gaze uneven, like a tiger's, O Viṣṇu? Great pride has come upon you, driven by time.

पितामहश्च जगतः पाता च तव वत्सक मत्स्थं जगदिदं वत्स मनुषे त्वं हि चोरवत्

O child, the Grandfather is the lord of the world, and you are its protector. This world abides in me, yet you act like a thief among men.

मन्नाभिकमलाज्जातः पुत्रस्त्वं भाषसे वृथा एवं हि वदतोस्तत्र मुग्धयोरजयोस्तदा

Born from the lotus of my navel, you are my son, yet you speak in vain. Thus, as these two deluded and undefeated ones spoke there—

अहमेव बरो न त्वमहं प्रभुरहं प्रभुः परस्परं हंतुकामौ चक्रतुः समरोद्यमम्

'I alone am supreme, not you; I am the lord, not you.' Wishing to kill each other, they prepared for battle.

युयुधाते ऽमरौ वीरौ हंसपक्षींद्रवाहनौ वैरंच्या वैष्णवाश्चैवं मिथो युयुधिरे तदा

Those two immortal heroes, riding the swan and the king of birds, fought each other; thus, the followers of Brahmā and Viṣṇu also fought mutually.

तावद्विमानगतयः सर्वा वै देवजातयः दिदृक्षवः समाजग्मुः समरं तं महाद्भुतम्

Then, all the races of gods, traveling in their aerial chariots, came together, eager to witness that wondrous battle.

क्षिपंतः पुष्पवर्षाणि पश्यंतः स्वैरमंबरे सुपर्णवाहनस्तत्र क्रुद्धो वै ब्रह्मवक्षसि

Showering down rains of flowers, watching freely in the sky, there, the one riding Garuḍa became angry at Brahmā's chest.

मुमोच बाणानसहानस्त्रांश्च विविधान्बहून् मुमोचा ऽथ विधिः क्रुद्धो विष्णोरुरसि दुःसहान्

Then the enraged Brahmā released countless arrows and various formidable weapons upon Viṣṇu’s chest.

बाणाननलसंकाशानस्त्रांश्च बहुशस्तदा तदाश्चर्यमिति स्पष्टं तयोः समरगोचरम्

At that time, he discharged many weapons and arrows blazing like fire; truly, the spectacle of their battle was astonishing.

समीक्ष्य दैवतगणाः शशंसुर्भृशमाकुलाः ततो विष्णुः सुसंक्रुद्धः श्वसन्व्यसनकर्शितः

Observing this, the hosts of gods, greatly distressed, spoke anxiously; then Viṣṇu, deeply angered and breathing heavily in affliction—

माहेश्वरास्त्रं मतिमान् संदधे ब्रह्मणोपरि ततो ब्रह्मा भृशं क्रुद्धः कंपयन्विश्वमेव हि

—the wise one, Viṣṇu, readied the mighty Maheśvara missile against Brahmā; then Brahmā, exceedingly enraged, shook the entire universe.

अस्त्रं पाशुपतं घोरं संदधे विष्णुवक्षसि ततस्तदुत्थितं व्योम्नि तपनायुतसन्निभम्

He set the dreadful Pāśupata weapon upon Viṣṇu’s chest; then that missile, rising up, shone in the sky like ten thousand suns.

सहस्रमुखमत्युग्रं चंडवातभयंकरम् अस्त्रद्वयमिदं तत्र ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोर्भयंकरम्

That weapon, with a thousand terrible mouths, fierce and fearsome as a violent wind, was a terror to both Brahmā and Viṣṇu.

इत्थं बभूव समरो ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोः परस्परम् ततो देवगणाः सर्वे विषण्णा भृशमाकुलाः ऊचुः परस्परं तात राजक्षोभे यथा द्विजाः

Thus the battle between Brahmā and Viṣṇu became mutually destructive; then all the hosts of gods, deeply troubled and dismayed, spoke among themselves, ‘O sages, this is like the turmoil of kings.’

सृष्टिः स्थितिश्च संहारस्तिरो भावोप्यनुग्रहः यस्मात्प्रवर्तते तस्मै ब्रह्मणे च त्रिशूलिने

From whom creation, preservation, dissolution, concealment, and grace proceed—to that Brahmā and the wielder of the trident—

अशक्यमन्यैर्यदनुग्रहं विना तृणक्षयोप्यत्र यदृच्छया क्वचित्

Without their favor, not even the destruction of a blade of grass is possible here by anyone else, even by chance.

इति देवाभयं कृत्वा विचिन्वंतः शिवक्षयम् जग्मुः कैलासशिखरं यत्रास्ते चंद्रशेखरः

Thus, having become fearful, the gods sought out the abode of Śiva; they went to the peak of Kailāsa, where the moon-crested Lord abides.

दृष्ट्वैवममरा हृष्टाः पदंतत्पारमेश्वरम् प्रणेमुः प्रणवाकारं प्रविष्टास्तत्र सद्मनि

Seeing thus, the delighted immortals reached the supreme abode of the Lord; they entered that mansion, bowing in the form of the sacred syllable Oṃ.

तेपि तत्र सभामध्ये मंडपे मणिविष्टरे विराजमानमुमया ददृशुर्देवपुंगवम्

There, in the center of the assembly, upon a jeweled seat within the pavilion, they beheld the illustrious Lord of gods, shining with Umā.