Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

सव्योत्तरेतरपदं तदर्हितकरां बुजम् स्वगणैः सर्वतो जुष्टं सर्वलक्षणलक्षितम्

With one foot placed over the other, his hands in a posture befitting worship, surrounded on all sides by his own attendants, marked by every auspicious sign—

वीज्यमानं विशोषजैः स्त्रीजनैस्तीव्रभावनैः शस्यमानं सदावेदैरनुगृह्णंतमीश्वरम्

He was being fanned by devoted women with lotus-leaf fans, praised continually by the Vedas, and graciously blessing all as the Lord.

दृष्ट्वैवमीशममराः संतोषसलिलेक्षणाः दंडवद्दूरतो वत्स नमश्चक्रुर्महागणाः

Seeing the Lord in this way, the immortals, their eyes filled with the water of satisfaction, prostrated themselves from afar, O child, and the great hosts offered their salutations.

तानवेक्ष्य पतिर्देवान्समीपे चाह्वयद्गणैः अथ संह्लादयन्देवान्देवो देवशिखामणिः अवोचदर्थगंभीरं वचनं मधुमंगलम्

Observing the gods, the Lord summoned them near with his attendants; then, delighting the gods, the crest-jewel of gods spoke words deep in meaning and sweet in blessing.

वत्सकाः स्वस्तिवः कच्चिद्वर्तते मम शासनात् जगच्च देवतावंशः स्वस्वकर्मणि किं नवा

Children, is all well with you? Does the world and the lineage of gods abide by my command? Is each engaged in their proper duty or not?

प्रागेव विदितं युद्धं ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोर्मयासुराः भवतामभितापेन पौनरुक्त्येन भाषितम्

I was already aware of the battle between Brahmā and Viṣṇu, O gods; your repeated anxious words have made it clear.

इति सस्मितया माध्व्या कुमारपरिभाषया समतोषयदंबायाः स पतिस्तत्सुरव्रजम्

Thus, with a gentle smile, by the sweet words of the boy, the Lord pleased the Mother, and then went to the assembly of the gods.

अथ युद्धांगणं गंतुं हरिधात्रोरधीश्वरः आज्ञापयद्गणेशानां शतं तत्रैव संसदि

Then, to proceed to the battlefield, the Lord of Hari and Brahma commanded a hundred leaders of the hosts right there in the assembly.

ततो वाद्यं बहुविधं प्रयाणाय परेशितुः गणेश्वराश्च संनद्धा नानावाहनभूषणाः

Then, many kinds of instruments sounded for the departure of the Supreme Lord, and the chiefs of the hosts, adorned with various vehicles and ornaments, were fully equipped.

प्रणवाकारमाद्यंतं पञ्चमंडलमंडितम् आरुरोह रथं भद्रमंबिकापतिरीश्वरः ससूनुगणमिंद्राद्याः सर्वेप्यनुययुः सुराः

The Lord, husband of Bhadrāmbikā, mounted a chariot adorned with five circles, having the form of the sacred syllable Om from beginning to end; all the gods, with their sons and hosts, including Indra, followed him.

संमानितः पशुपतिः परया च देव्या साकं तयोः समरभूमिमगात्ससैन्यः

Honored by the supreme goddess, Paśupati, together with her, went to the field of battle with his army.

समीक्ष्यं तु तयोर्युद्धं निगूढो ऽभ्रं समास्थितः समाप्तवाद्यनिर्घोषः शांतोरुगणनिःस्वनः

Observing their battle, he concealed himself in the clouds; the tumult of instruments ceased, and the loud sounds of the hosts became quiet.

अथ ब्रह्माच्युतौ वीरौ हंतुकामौ परस्परम् माहेश्वरेण चा ऽस्त्रेण तथा पाशुपतेन च

Then Brahma and Acyuta, both heroes, desiring to slay each other, employed the weapon of Maheśvara and also the Pāśupata weapon.

अस्त्रज्वालैरथो दग्धं ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोर्जगत्त्रयम् ईशोपि तं निरीक्ष्याथ ह्यकालप्रलयं भृशम्

Then, by the flames of those weapons, the three worlds of Brahma and Viṣṇu were burned; seeing that, the Lord perceived a terrible untimely dissolution.

महानलस्तंभविभीषणाकृतिर्बभूव तन्मध्यतले स निष्कलः

He became, in the midst of that, an immense, pillar-like, terrifying form of fire, without parts.

ते अस्त्रे चापि सज्वाले लोकसंहरणक्षमे निपतेतुः क्षणे नैव ह्याविर्भूते महानले

Those weapons, blazing and capable of destroying the worlds, fell in a moment, for the great fire had appeared.

दृष्ट्वा तदद्भुतं चित्रमस्त्रशांतिकरं शुभम् किमेतदद्भुताकारमित्यूचुश्च परस्परम्

Seeing that wondrous, marvelous, auspicious thing that calmed the weapons, they said to each other, 'What is this, of such a wondrous form?'

अतींद्रियमिदं स्तंभमग्निरूपं किमुत्थितम् अस्योर्ध्वमपि चाधश्चावयोर्लक्ष्यमेव हि

'This pillar, beyond the senses, of fiery form—what has arisen? Its top and bottom are not seen by either of us.'

इति व्यवसितौ वीरौ मिलितौ वीरमानिनौ तत्परौ तत्परीक्षार्थं प्रतस्थाते ऽथ सत्वरम्

Thus resolved, the two heroes, proud of their valor, joined together and quickly set out to examine it.

आवयोर्मिश्रयोस्तत्र कार्यमेकं न संभवेत् इत्युक्त्वा सूकरतनुर्विष्णुस्तस्यादिमीयिवान्

'For us two, joined here, one task is not possible,' saying this, Viṣṇu took the form of a boar and went to seek its base.