Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

रे रे केतक दुष्टस्त्वं शठ दूरमितो व्रज ममापि प्रेम ते पुष्पे मा भूत्पूजास्वितः परम्

O ketaka, you are wicked and deceitful—go far from here! May my worship never again include your flower, nor may it be supreme therein.

इत्युक्ते तत्र देवेन केतकं देवजातयः सर्वानि वारयामासुस्तत्पार्श्वादन्यतस्तदा

When the god spoke thus, all the divine beings there restrained the ketaka from approaching, keeping it away from his side.

नमस्ते नाथ मे जन्मनिष्फलं भवदाज्ञया सफलं क्रियतां तात क्षम्यतां मम किल्बिषम्

Salutations to you, Lord! Let my birth, made fruitless by your command, now be made fruitful, O Father. Forgive my sin.

ज्ञानाज्ञानकृतं पापं नाशयत्येव ते स्मृतिः तादृशे त्वयि दृष्टे मे मिथ्यादोषः कुतो भवेत्

Sin, whether born of knowledge or ignorance, is surely destroyed by remembrance of you. When one beholds you thus, how could false blame arise for me?

तथा स्तुतस्तु भगवान्केतकेन सभातले न मे त्वद्धारणं योग्यं सत्यवागहमीश्वरः

Thus praised by ketaka on the assembly floor, the Lord said: 'It is not fitting for me to bear you; I am one who speaks the truth, O Lord.'

मदीयास्त्वां धरिष्यंइ जन्म ते सफलं ततः त्वं वै वितानव्याजेन ममोपरि भविष्यसि

But I shall bear you as my own; thus your birth will be fulfilled. By the pretext of the canopy, you shall be above me.

इत्यनुगृह्य भगवान्केतकं विधिमाधवौ विरराज सभामध्ये सर्वदेवैरभिष्टुतः

Thus having shown favor to ketaka, the Lord, along with Vidhi and Mādhava, shone in the midst of the assembly, praised by all the gods.

तत्रांतरे तौ च नाथं प्रणम्य विधिमाधवौ बद्धांजलिपुटौ तूष्णीं तस्थतुर्दक्षवामगौ

Meanwhile, Vidhi and Mādhava, having bowed to the Lord, stood silently to the right and left, with hands joined in reverence.

तत्र संस्थाप्य तौ देवं सकुटुंबं वरासने पूजयामासतुः पूज्यं पुण्यैः पुरुषवस्तुभिः

There, seating the Lord with his family upon a seat of honor, they worshipped him with pure offerings worthy of the noble.

पौरुषं प्राकृतं वस्तुज्ञेयं दीर्घाल्पकालिकम् हारनूपुरकेयूरकिरीटमणिकुंडलैः

The masculine, natural substance to be known is adorned with necklaces, anklets, armlets, crowns, jewels, and earrings, whether lasting long or short in time.

यज्ञसूत्रोत्तरीयस्रक्क्षौममाल्यांगुलीयकैः पुष्पतांबूलकर्पूरचंदनागुरुलेपनैः

With sacred threads, upper garments, garlands, silks, flower wreaths, rings, and anointments of flowers, betel, camphor, sandalwood, and aloe.

धूपदीपसितच्छत्रव्यजनध्वजचामरैः अन्यैर्दिव्योपहारैश्च वाङ्मनोतीतवैभवैः

With incense, lamps, white umbrellas, fans, banners, yak-tail whisks, and other divine offerings, whose splendor surpasses speech and mind.

पतियोग्यैः पश्वलभ्यैस्तौ समर्चयतां पतिम् यद्यच्छ्रेष्ठतमं वस्तु पतियोग्यं हितद्ध्वजे

Let them worship the Lord with whatever is most excellent and fitting for the Lord, acquired by men or animals, and suitable for the banner of the Lord.

तद्वस्त्वखिलमीशोपि पारं पर्यचिकीर्षया सभ्यानां प्रददौ हृष्टः पृथक्तत्र यथाक्रमम्

Desiring to reach the highest, the Lord joyfully gave all those objects to the assembly, distributing them there separately and in due order.

कोलाहलो महानासीत्तत्र तद्वस्तु गृह्णताम् तत्रैव ब्रह्मविष्णुभ्यां चार्चितः शंकरः पुरा

A great tumult arose there as those objects were being taken; and there, in ancient times, Śaṅkara was worshipped by Brahmā and Viṣṇu.

प्रसन्नः प्राह तौ नम्रौ सस्मितं भक्तिवर्धनः तुष्टो ऽहमद्य वां वत्सौ पूजया ऽस्मिन्महादिने

Pleased, he spoke to the two who had bowed, with a smile that increased their devotion: 'I am satisfied with you today, O dear ones, by this worship on this great day.'

दिनमेतत्ततः पुण्यं भविष्यति महत्तरम् शिवरात्रिरिति ख्याता तिथिरेषा मम प्रिया

Therefore, this day will become supremely holy; this lunar date, known as Śivarātri, is dear to me.

एतत्काले तु यः कुर्यात्पूजां मल्लिंगबेरयोः कुर्यात्तु जगतः कृत्यं स्थितिसर्गादिकं पुमान्

Whoever, at this time, performs worship of the garlanded liṅga images, indeed accomplishes the duties of the world—maintenance, creation, and so on.

शिवरात्रावहोरात्रं निराहारो जितेंद्रियः अर्चयेद्वा यथान्यायं यथाबलमवंचकः

On Śivarātri, day and night, one who is fasting, self-controlled, and worships according to rule and to the best of his ability, without deceit—

यत्फलं मम पूजायां वर्षमेकं निरंतरम् तत्फलं लभते सद्यः शिवरात्रौ मदर्चनात्

The fruit gained by worshipping me continuously for a whole year is obtained at once by worshipping me on Śivarātri.

मद्धर्मवृद्धिकालो ऽयं चंद्रकाल इवांबुधेः प्रतिष्ठाद्युत्सवो यत्र मामको मंगलायनः

This is the time for the increase of my dharma, like the waxing phase of the moon; it is the festival of my establishment, the auspicious path for my devotees.

यत्पुनः स्तंभरूपेण स्वाविरासमहं पुरा स कालो मार्गशीर्षे तु स्यादार्द्रा ऋक्षमर्भकौ

Again, when I first appeared in the form of a pillar, that time falls in Mārgaśīrṣa, under the Ārdrā constellation, in the early part of the month.

आर्द्रायां मार्गशीर्षे तु यः पश्येन्मामुमासखम् मद्बेरमपि वा लिंगं स गुहादपि मे प्रियः

Whoever sees me, accompanied by Umā, or my image or the liṅga, in Ārdrā during Mārgaśīrṣa, is dearer to me than one hidden in a cave.

अलं दर्शनमात्रेण फलं तस्मिन्दिने शुभे अभ्यर्चनं चेदधिकं फलं वाचामगोचरम्

On that auspicious day, mere sight alone is enough for the fruit; but if worship is performed, the result is beyond words.

रणरंगतले ऽमुष्मिन्यदहं लिंगवर्ष्मणा जृंभितो लिंगवत्तस्माल्लिंगस्थानमिदं भवेत्

On that battlefield, when I manifested in the form of the liṅga, from that liṅga the place of the liṅga became established.

अनाद्यंतमिदं स्तंभमणुमात्रं भविष्यति दर्शनार्थं हि जगतां पूजनार्थं हि पुत्रको

This pillar, without beginning or end, will be of the size of an atom, for the sake of being seen by the world and for the purpose of worship, O dear one.

भोगावहमिदं लिंगं भुक्तिं मुक्त्येकसाधनम् दर्शनस्पर्शनध्यानाज्जंतूनां जन्ममोचनम्

This liṅga bestows enjoyment, and is the sole means to both worldly pleasure and liberation; by seeing, touching, or meditating on it, living beings are freed from birth.

अनलाचलसंकाशं यदिदं लिंगमुत्थितम् अरुणाचलमित्येव तदिदं ख्यातिमेष्यति

This liṅga which has arisen, resembling a mountain of fire, will become renowned as Aruṇācala.

अत्र तीर्थं च बहुधा भविष्यति महत्तरम् मुक्तिरप्यत्र जंतूनां वासेन मरणेन च

Here, there will be many great sacred bathing places; and by dwelling or dying here, living beings attain liberation.