Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

प्रसादमतुलं कर्तुं पुरा दत्तवरस्तयोः आगच्छत्तत्र यत्रेमौ ब्रह्मनारायणौ स्थितौ

To grant them incomparable grace, he who had formerly given them boons, arrived where Brahmā and Nārāyaṇa stood.

अथ तुष्टुवतुर्देवं प्रीतौ भीतौ च कौतुकात् प्रणेमतुश्च बहुशो बहुमानेन दूरतः

Then, delighted and awed, they praised the god, and out of curiosity and fear, bowed repeatedly from a respectful distance.

भवोपि भगवानेतावनुगृह्य पिनाकधृक् सादरं पश्यतोरेव तयोरंतरधीयत

Bhava, the blessed lord, bearer of the Pināka, graciously regarded them, and while they watched, vanished from their sight.

प्रतिकल्पं प्रवक्ष्यामि रुद्राविर्भावकारणम् यतो विच्छिन्नसंताना ब्रह्मसृष्टिः प्रवर्तते

I shall declare, for each cycle, the cause of Rudra's manifestation, by which Brahmā's creation proceeds when its continuity is broken.

कल्पेकल्पे प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मांडसंभवः अवृद्धिहेतोर्भूतानां मुमोह भृशदुःखितः

In every cycle, having created beings, Brahmā, born from the cosmic egg, became greatly troubled and confused due to their lack of growth.

तस्य दुःखप्रशांत्यर्थं प्रजानां च विवृद्धये तत्तत्कल्पेषु कालात्मा रुद्रो रुद्रगणाधिपः

To relieve his sorrow and to increase the progeny, in each cycle, Rudra, lord of the Rudra hosts, manifests as the embodiment of time.

निर्दिष्टः पममेशेन महेशो नीललोहितः पुत्रो भूत्वानुगृह्णाति ब्रह्माणं ब्रह्मणोनुजः

Designated by the supreme lord, Maheśa, blue and red in hue, becomes Brahmā's son and graciously assists him, though younger in birth.

स एव भगवानीशस्तेजोराशिरनामयः अनादिनिधनोधाता भूतसंकोचको विभुः

That very blessed lord, master, repository of energy, without affliction, the origin without beginning or end, the mighty one who contracts all beings.

परमैश्वर्यसंयुक्तः परमेश्वरभावितः तच्छक्त्याधिष्ठितश्शश्वत्तच्चिह्नैरपि चिह्नितः

Endowed with supreme lordship, established in the state of the highest lord, governed by his own power, eternally marked by those signs.

तन्नामनामा तद्रूपस्तत्कार्यकरणक्षमः तत्तुल्यव्यवहारश्च तदाज्ञापरिपालकः

His name is nameless, his form is that form, capable of performing those deeds, conducting himself accordingly, and upholding those commands.