Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

तथाप्यन्योन्यमात्सर्यादन्योन्यातिशयाशिनः तपसा तोषयित्वा स्वं पितरं परमेश्वरम्

Yet, out of mutual rivalry and the desire to surpass one another, they pleased their own father, the Supreme Lord, through austerities.

लब्ध्वा सर्वात्मना तस्य प्रसादात्परमेष्ठिनः ब्रह्मनारायणौ पूर्वं रुद्रः कल्पान्तरे ऽसृजत्

Having obtained, by the grace of the Supreme Lord, all powers, Rudra in a previous cycle created Brahmā and Nārāyaṇa.

कल्पान्तरे पुनर्ब्रह्मा रुद्रविष्णू जगन्मयः विष्णुश्च भगवान्रुद्रं ब्रह्माणमसृजत्पुनः

In another cycle, Brahmā created Rudra and Viṣṇu, who embody the universe; and again, the blessed Viṣṇu created Rudra and Brahmā.

नारायणं पुनर्ब्रह्मा ब्रह्माणमसृजत्पुनः एवं कल्पेषु कल्पेषु ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः

Again, Brahmā created Nārāyaṇa, and again Brahmā was created by the Lord; thus, in each cycle of creation, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara arise.

परस्परेण जायंते परस्परहितैषिणः तत्तत्कल्पान्तवृत्तान्तमधिकृत्य महर्षिभिः

They are born from one another, each seeking the good of the other; regarding the events at the end of each cycle, the great sages have spoken.

प्रभावः कथ्यते तेषां परस्परसमुद्भवात् शृणु तेषां कथां चित्रां पुण्यां पापप्रमोचिनीम्

Their power is described as arising mutually from each other; listen to their wondrous story, which is meritorious and frees from sin.

कल्पे तत्पुरुषे वृत्तां ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः पुरा नारायणो नाम कल्पे वै मेघवाहने

In that cycle, in the Tatpuruṣa creation, of Brahmā the supreme lord, formerly, Nārāyaṇa was named in the Meghavāhana cycle.

दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रं तु मेघो भूत्वावहद्धराम् तस्य भावं समालक्ष्य विष्णोर्विश्वजगद्गुरुः

For a divine thousand years, becoming a cloud, he bore the earth; observing the state of Viṣṇu, the teacher of the universe—

सर्वस्सर्वात्मभावेन प्रददौ शक्तिमव्ययाम् शक्तिं लब्ध्वा तु सर्वात्मा शिवात्सर्वेश्वरात्तदा

He, being the self of all, granted the imperishable power to all; having obtained that power from Śiva, the Lord of all, the self of all—

ससर्ज भगावन् विष्णुर्विश्वं विश्वसृजा सह विष्णोस्तद्वैभवं दृष्ट्वा सृष्टस्तेन पितामहः

The blessed Viṣṇu then created the universe together with the creator of the world; seeing that glory of Viṣṇu, the Grandfather (Brahmā) was created by him.

ईर्ष्यया परया ग्रस्तः प्रहसन्निदमब्रवीत् गच्छ विष्णो मया ज्ञातं तव सर्गस्य कारणम् आवयोरधिकश्चास्ति स रुद्रो नात्र संशयः

Overcome by intense jealousy, he laughed and spoke thus: 'Go, Viṣṇu, I have understood the cause of your creation; there is one greater than both of us—he is Rudra, of this there is no doubt.'

तस्य देवाधिदेवस्य प्रसादात्परमेष्ठिनः स्रष्टा त्वं भगवानाद्यः पालकः परमार्थतः

By the grace of that Lord of lords, the supreme lord, you, O blessed one, are the first creator, and truly the protector.

अहं च तपसाराध्य रुद्रं त्रिदशनायकम् त्वया सह जगत्सर्वं स्रक्ष्याम्यत्र न संशयः

And I, by ascetic practice, will worship Rudra, the leader of the gods; together with you, I will create the entire world—of this there is no doubt.

एवं विष्णुमुपालभ्य भगवानब्जसम्भवः एवं विज्ञापयामास तपसा प्राप्य शंकरम्

Thus, having addressed Viṣṇu, the blessed one born from the lotus thus made his request, having attained Śaṅkara through austerity.

भगवन् देवदेवेश विश्वेश्वर महेश्वर तव वामांगजो विष्णुर्दक्षिणांगभवो ह्यहम्

O blessed one, Lord of gods, Lord of the universe, great Lord, Viṣṇu was born from your left side, and I indeed from your right.

मया सह जगत्सर्वं तथाप्यसृजदच्युतः स मत्सरादुपालब्धस्त्वदाश्रयबलान्मया

Together with me, the entire world was created by Acyuta; he was reproached by me out of envy, relying on your strength.

मद्भावान्नाधिकस्तेति भावस्त्वयि महेश्वरे त्वत्त एव समुत्पत्तिरावयोस्सदृशी यतः

Because of my nature, I am not superior; this is the truth regarding you, O great Lord, for from you alone is the origin of us both, since we are alike.

तस्य भक्त्या यथापूर्वं प्रसादं कृतवानसि तथा ममापि तत्सर्वं दातुमर्हसि शंकर

As you have formerly bestowed your grace upon him out of devotion, so, O Śaṅkara, you should grant all that to me as well.

इति विज्ञापितस्तेन भगवान् भगनेत्रहा न्यायेन वै ददौ सर्वं तस्यापि स घृणानिधिः

Thus addressed by him, the blessed one, destroyer of Bhaga's eye, justly granted everything to him also, being a treasure of compassion.

लब्ध्वैवमीश्वरादेव ब्रह्मा सर्वात्मतां क्षणात् त्वरमाणोथ संगम्य ददर्श पुरुषोत्तमम्

Thus having obtained the state of being the self of all from the Lord, Brahmā, in an instant, hurried and met the supreme person.

क्षीरार्णवालये शुभ्रे विमाने सूर्यसंनिभे हेमरत्नान्विते दिव्ये मनसा तेन निर्मिते

In the pure abode of the ocean of milk, in a celestial palace shining like the sun, adorned with gold and jewels, divine, created by his mind.

अनंतभोगशय्यायां शयानं पंकजेक्षणम् चतुर्भुजमुदारांगं सर्वाभरणभूषितम्

Lying upon the endless serpent-bed, lotus-eyed, four-armed, noble-bodied, adorned with every ornament.

शंखचक्रधरं सौम्यं चन्द्रबिंबसमाननम् श्रीवत्सवक्षसं देवं प्रसन्नमधुरस्मितम्

Bearing conch and discus, gentle in demeanor, with a face like the orb of the moon, marked with the Srivatsa on his chest, the god smiling sweetly and graciously.

धरामृदुकरांभोजस्पर्शरक्तपदांबुजम् क्षीरार्णवामृतमिव शयानं योगनिद्रया

His feet, reddened by the touch of the earth's tender lotus-hands, resting as if upon the nectar of the milk ocean, lying in yogic sleep.

तमसा कालरुद्राख्यं रजसा कनकांडजम् सत्त्वेन सर्वगं विष्णुं निर्गुणत्वे महेश्वरम्

Through darkness, he is called Kālarudra; through passion, born of gold; through purity, he is all-pervading Viṣṇu; in transcendence, he is Maheśvara.

तं दृष्ट्वा पुरुषं ब्रह्मा प्रगल्भमिदमब्रवीत् ग्रसामि त्वामहं विष्णो त्वमात्मानं यथा पुरा

Seeing that supreme person, Brahmā spoke boldly: 'I shall consume you, O Viṣṇu, just as you once absorbed yourself.'

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रतिबुद्ध्य पितामहम् उदैक्षत महाबाहुस्स्मितमीषच्चकार च

Hearing those words, awakening, the mighty-armed Viṣṇu looked upon the ancestor and gave a slight smile.

तस्मिन्नवसरे विष्णुर्ग्रस्तस्तेन महात्मना सृष्टश्च ब्रह्मणा सद्यो भ्रुवोर्मध्यादयत्नतः

At that moment, Viṣṇu was consumed by that great soul, and instantly created again by Brahmā, emerging effortlessly from between his brows.

तस्मिन्नवसरे साक्षाद्भगवानिन्दुभूषणः शक्तिं तयोरपि द्रष्टुमरूपो रूपमास्थितः

At that moment, the blessed lord, adorned with the moon, assumed a form to witness both of them, though his true nature is beyond form.