Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

खादनाश्चाप्यशीलाश्च भूताद्याः परिकीर्तिताः प्रथमो महतः सर्गो ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः

Those beings beginning with the elements are described as eaters and lacking in conduct; the first creation from the Great Principle is of Brahmā, the supreme lord.

तन्मात्राणां द्वितीयस्तु भूतसर्गः स उच्यते वैकारिकस्तृतीयस्तु सर्ग ऐन्द्रियकः स्मृतः

The second is the creation of the elements from the subtle essences, called the elemental creation; the third, arising from the senses, is known as the sensory creation.

इत्येष प्रकृतेः सर्गः सम्भृतो ऽबुद्धिपूर्वकः मुख्यसर्गश्चतुर्थस्तु मुख्या वै स्थावराः स्मृताः

Thus, the creation of nature is completed, arising without intellect; the fourth main creation is indeed the immobile beings, so recognized.

तिर्यक्स्रोतस्तु यः प्रोक्तस्तिर्यग्योनिः स पञ्चमः तदूर्ध्वस्रोतसः षष्ठो देवसर्गस्तु स स्मृतः

The creation with lateral flow, as described, is the fifth, belonging to animals; the creation with upward flow is the sixth, known as the divine creation.

ततो ऽर्वाक् स्रोतसां सर्गः सप्तमः स तु मानुषः अष्टमो ऽनुग्रहः सर्गः कौमारो नवमः स्मृतः

Then, the creation with downward flow is the seventh, which is human; the eighth is the creation of grace, and the ninth is called the child creation.

प्राकृताश्च त्रयः पूर्वे सर्गास्ते ऽबुद्धिपूर्वकाः बुद्धिपूर्वं प्रवर्तन्ते मुख्याद्याः पञ्च वैकृताः

The first three creations are natural and arise without intellect; the five beginning with the main creation proceed with intellect and are called modified.

अग्रे ससर्ज वै ब्रह्मा मानसानात्मनः समान् सनन्दं सनकञ्चैव विद्वांसञ्च सनातनम्

In the beginning, Brahmā created from his mind those who are alike: Sananda, Sanaka, and the wise Sanātana.

ऋभुं सनत्कुमारञ्च पूर्वमेव प्रजापतिः सर्वे ते योगिनो ज्ञेया वीतरागा विमत्सराः

The progenitor also previously created Ṛbhu and Sanatkumāra; all these are to be known as yogis, free from passion and envy.

इश्वरासक्तमनसो न चक्रुः सृष्टये मतिम् तेषु सृष्ट्यनपेक्षेषु गतेषु सनकादिषु

Their minds attached to the Lord did not incline toward creation; when Sanaka and the others departed, indifferent to creation,

स्रष्टुकामः पुनर्ब्रह्मा तताप परमं तपः तस्यैवं तप्यमानस्य न किंचित्समवर्तत

Desiring to create again, Brahmā performed supreme austerity; while he was thus engaged in austerity, nothing came forth.

ततो दीर्घेण कालेन दुःखात्क्रोधो व्यजायत क्रोधाविष्टस्य नेत्राभ्यां प्रापतन्नश्रुबिन्दवः

Then, after a long time, out of sorrow, anger arose; as he was seized by anger, drops of tears fell from his eyes.

ततस्तेभ्यो ऽश्रुबिन्दुभ्यो भूताः प्रेतास्तदाभवन् सर्वांस्तानश्रुजान्दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मात्मानमनिंदत

Then, from those drops of tears, beings called pretas arose at that time; seeing all those beings born from his tears, Brahma became displeased with himself.

तस्य तीव्रा ऽभवन्मूर्छा क्रोधामर्षसमुद्भवा मूर्छितस्तु जहौ प्राणान्क्रोधाविष्टः प्रजापतिः

From that, a severe fainting arose in him, born from anger and resentment; overcome by anger, the lord of creatures lost his life-breath while unconscious.

ततः प्राणेश्वरो रुद्रो भगवान्नीललोहितः प्रसादमतुलं कर्तुं प्रादुरासीत्प्रभोर्मुखात्

Then, the Lord of Life, Rudra, the blessed one, blue and red in hue, appeared from the mouth of the supreme to bestow incomparable grace.

दशधा चैकधा चक्रे स्वात्मानं प्रभुरीश्वरः ते तेनोक्ता महात्मानो दशधा चैकधा कृताः

The Lord, the sovereign, made himself tenfold and also single; by him, those great souls were addressed, having been made tenfold and single.

यूयं सृष्टा मया वत्सा लोकानुग्रहकारणात् तस्मात्सर्वस्य लोकस्य स्थापनाय हिताय च

You have been created by me, dear ones, for the purpose of benefiting the worlds; therefore, for the establishment and welfare of all beings—

प्रजासन्तानहेतोश्च प्रयतध्वमतन्द्रिताः एवमुक्ताश्च रुरुदुर्दुद्रुवुश्च समन्ततः

For the sake of the continuation of beings, strive diligently without fatigue; thus addressed, they wept and fled in all directions.

रोदनाद्द्रावणाच्चैव ते रुद्रा नामतः स्मृताः ये रुद्रास्ते खलु प्राणा ये प्राणास्ते महात्मकाः

Because of their weeping and running, they became known by the name 'Rudras'; those Rudras are indeed the life-breaths, and those life-breaths are truly great souls.

ततो मृतस्य देवस्य ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः घृणी ददौ पुनः प्राणान्ब्रह्मपुत्रो महेश्वरः

Then, to the dead god Brahma, the supreme lord, the compassionate Maheshvara, son of Brahma, again gave back the life-breaths.

प्रहृष्टवदनो रुद्रः प्राणप्रत्यागमाद्विभोः अभ्यभाषत विश्वेशो ब्रह्माणं परमं वचः

Rudra, his face beaming with joy at the return of the life-breaths to the mighty one, the Lord of all, spoke these supreme words to Brahma.

माभैर्माभैर्महाभाग विरिंच जगतां गुरो मया ते प्राणिताः प्राणाः सुखमुत्तिष्ठ सुव्रत

Do not fear, do not fear, O greatly fortunate one, O Virincha, teacher of the worlds; by me your life-breaths have been restored—rise happily, O virtuous one.

स्वप्नानुभूतमिव तच्छ्रुत्वा वाक्यं मनोहरम् हरं निरीक्ष्य शनकैर्नेत्रैः फुल्लाम्बुजप्रभैः

Hearing those charming words, as if experienced in a dream, he gazed slowly upon Hara with eyes shining like blossoming lotuses.

तथा प्रत्यागतप्राणः स्निग्धगम्भीरया गिरा उवाच वचनं ब्रह्मा तमुद्दिश्य कृताञ्जलिः

Thus, with his life-breath restored, Brahma, with hands joined and voice gentle and deep, spoke these words to him.

त्वं हि दर्शनमात्रेण चानन्दयसि मे मनः को भवान् विश्वमूर्त्या वा स्थित एकादशात्मकः

For by your very sight you gladden my mind; who are you, standing here as the universal form, composed of eleven aspects?

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा व्याजहार महेश्वरः स्पृशन् काराभ्यां ब्रह्माणं सुसुखाभ्यां सुरेश्वरः

Hearing those words, Maheshvara, the Lord of gods, touching Brahma with his gentle hands, spoke.

मां विद्धि परमात्मानं तव पुत्रत्वमागतम् एते चैकादश रुद्रास्त्वां सुरक्षितुमागताः

Know me as the supreme self, who has come as your son; and these eleven Rudras have come to protect you.

तस्मात्तीव्रामिमाम्मूर्छां विधूय मदनुग्रहात् प्रबुद्धस्व यथापूर्वं प्रजा वै स्रष्टुमर्हसि

Therefore, casting off this intense faintness by my grace, awaken as before; you ought to create beings again.

एवं भगवता प्रोक्तो ब्रह्मा प्रीतमना ह्यभूत् नानाष्टकेन विश्वात्मा तुष्टाव परमेश्वरम्

Thus addressed by the blessed one, Brahma became pleased in mind; the soul of the universe praised the supreme lord with various hymns of eight verses.

नमस्ते भगवन् रुद्र भास्करामिततेजसे नमो भवाय देवाय रसायाम्बुमयात्मने शर्वाय क्षितिरूपाय नन्दीसुरभये नमः

Salutations to you, blessed Rudra, whose radiance equals the sun; obeisance to Bhava, the god, whose essence is water and sap; to Sharva, whose form is earth, to Nandi and Surabhi, I bow.