Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

स्थोत्सवादिकल्याणं जनावासं तु सर्वतः अत्र दत्तं हुतं जप्तं सर्वं कोटिगुणं भवेत्

All auspicious festivals and gatherings of people will take place here; whatever is given, offered, or recited here becomes a millionfold in merit.

मत्क्षेत्रादपि सर्वस्मात्क्षेत्रमेतन्महत्तरम् अत्र संस्मृतिमात्रेण मुक्तिर्भवति देहिनाम्

This field is greater than all my other sacred fields; here, merely by remembering, embodied beings attain liberation.

तस्मान्महत्तरमिदं क्षेत्रमत्यंतशोभनम् सर्वकल्याणसंपूर्णं सर्वमुक्तिकरं शुभम्

Therefore, this field is supremely excellent, filled with all auspiciousness, and bestows liberation upon all.

अर्चयित्वा ऽत्र मामेव लिंगे लिंगिनमीश्वरम् सालोक्यं चैव सामीप्यं सारूप्यं सार्ष्टिरेव च

By worshipping me here, as the Lord in the liṅga, one attains residence in my world, nearness, likeness, and even sovereignty.

सायुज्यमिति पञ्चैते क्रियादीनां फलं मतम् सर्वेपि यूयं सकलं प्राप्स्यथाशु मनोरथम्

These five—union, residence, nearness, likeness, and sovereignty—are considered the fruits of rites; all of you will swiftly attain every desired object.

इत्यनुगृह्य भगवान्विनीतौ विधिमाधवौ यत्पूर्वं प्रहतं युद्धे तयोः सैन्यं परस्परम्

Thus, having shown favor, the Lord restored the armies of Vinīta and Vidhimādhava, which had previously been destroyed in their battle.

तदुत्थापयदत्यर्थं स्वशक्त्यामृतधारया तयोर्माढ्यं च वैरं च व्यपनेतुमुवाच तौ

He revived them completely with a stream of nectar from his own power, and to remove the enmity between them, he spoke to the two.

सकलं निष्कलं चेति स्वरूपद्वयमस्ति मे नान्यस्य कस्यचित्तस्मादन्यः सर्वोप्यनीश्वरः

I possess two forms: with attributes and without attributes; no one else has this, therefore all others are not supreme.

पुरस्तात्स्तंभरूपेण पश्चाद्रूपेण चार्भकौ ब्रह्मत्वं निष्कलं प्रोक्तमीशत्वं सकलं तथा

Formerly, as the pillar-form before you and as the child-form after, the state of Brahmā is said to be without attributes, and the state of Lordship is with attributes.

द्वयं ममैव संसिद्धं न मदन्यस्य कस्यचित् तस्मादीशत्वमन्येषां युवयोरपि न क्वचित्

Both are perfected only in me, not in anyone else; therefore, neither of you nor anyone else possesses Lordship.

तदज्ञानेन वां वृत्तमीशमानं महाद्भुतम् तन्निराकर्तुमत्रैवमुत्थितो ऽहं रणक्षितौ

That wondrous contest for supremacy between you two happened out of ignorance; to dispel it, I have manifested here on the battlefield.

त्यजतं मानमात्मीयं मयीशे कुरुतं मतिम् मत्प्रसादेन लोकेषु सर्वोप्यर्थः प्रकाशते

Abandon your own pride and direct your minds toward me, the Lord; by my grace, all purposes are revealed in the worlds.

गुरूक्तिर्व्यंजकं तत्र प्रमाणं वा पुनः पुनः ब्रह्मतत्त्वमिदं गूढं भवत्प्रीत्या भणाम्यहम्

The teacher's statement is the indicator and repeated authority; this secret truth of Brahman I declare out of affection for you.

अहमेव परं ब्रह्म मत्स्वरूपं कलाकलम् ब्रह्मत्वादीश्वरश्चाहं कृत्यं मेनुग्रहादिकम्

I alone am the supreme Brahman, my form is both with and without parts; because of Brahmanhood, I am also the Lord, and the acts of creation and grace are mine.

बृहत्त्वाद्बृंहणत्वाच्च ब्रह्माहं ब्रह्मकेशवौ समत्वाद्व्यापकत्वाच्च तथैवात्माहमर्भकौ

Because of vastness and causing expansion, I am Brahman; you, Brahmā and Keśava, are equal to me, and because of pervasiveness, I am also the Self, O children.

अनात्मानः परे सर्वे जीवा एव न संशयः अनुग्रहाद्यं सर्गांगं जगत्कृत्यं च पंकजम्

All others are not the Self, they are only living beings—there is no doubt; creation, maintenance, and the lotus-born world arise from my grace.

ईशत्वादेव मे नित्यं न मदन्यस्य कस्यचित् आदौ ब्रह्मत्त्वबुद्ध्यर्थं निष्कलं लिंगमुत्थितम्

Because of my lordship alone, which is eternal and belongs to none but me, at first the formless liṅga arose for the purpose of realizing Brahmanhood.

तस्मादज्ञातमीशत्वं व्यक्तं द्योतयितुं हि वाम् सकलोहमतो जातः साक्षादीशस्तु तत्क्षणात्

Therefore, since my lordship was unknown, O Vāmā, I became manifest to reveal it; thus, I became possessed of all attributes, and the Lord appeared directly at that very moment.

सकलत्वमतो ज्ञेयमीशत्वं मयि सत्वरम् यदिदं निष्कलं स्तंभं मम ब्रह्मत्वबोधकम्

Thus, know that my lordship is to be understood as possessing all attributes; this formless pillar is the means for realizing my Brahman-nature.

लिंगलक्षणयुक्तत्वान्मम लिंगं भवेदिदम् तदिदं नित्यमभ्यर्च्यं युवाभ्यामत्र पुत्रकौ

Because it possesses the characteristics of a liṅga, this is my liṅga; therefore, O sons, this must always be worshipped by you here.