Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

मूर्तात्मा सकलः कश्चित्स चान्यो निष्फलः शिवः शिवेनाधिष्ठितश्चेति सर्वत्र लघु कथ्यते

It is commonly said everywhere that one is the embodied, the complete, and another is Shiva, fruitless, established by Shiva Himself.

मूर्त्यात्मैव तदा मूर्तिः शिवस्यास्य भवेदिति तस्य मूर्तौ मूर्तिमतोः पारतंत्र्यं हि निश्चितम्

At that time, the embodiment itself becomes the form of this Shiva; thus, in the form, dependence between the embodied and the form is certain.

अन्यथा निरपेक्षेण मूर्तिः स्वीक्रियते कथम् मूर्तिस्वीकरणं तस्मान्मूर्तौ साध्यफलेप्सया

Otherwise, how could the form be accepted without any consideration? Therefore, the acceptance of form is for the sake of attaining a desired result.

न हि स्वेच्छाशरीरत्वं स्वातंत्र्यायोपपद्यते स्वेच्छैव तादृशी पुंसां यस्मात्कर्मानुसारिणी

Indeed, embodiment by one's own will does not accord with independence, for such will in people always follows action.

स्वीकर्तुं स्वेच्छया देहं हातुं च प्रभवन्त्युत ब्रह्मादयः पिशाचांताः किं ते कर्मातिवर्तिनः

Brahma and others, down to the spirits, are indeed able to assume and abandon bodies at will; but do they transcend action?

इच्छया देहनिर्माणमिन्द्रजालोपमं विदुः अणिमादिगुणैश्वर्यवशीकारानतिक्रमात्

They know that the creation of a body by will is like an illusion, because mastery over powers such as minuteness does not surpass their control.

विश्वरूपं दधद्विष्णुर्दधीचेन महर्षिणा युध्यता समुपालब्धस्तद्रूपं दधता स्वयम्

Vishnu, assuming the form of the universe, was observed by the great sage Dadhichi, who himself took on that form while engaged in battle.

सर्वस्मादधिकस्यापि शिवस्य परमात्मनः शरीरवत्तयान्यात्मसाधर्म्यं प्रतिभाति नः

Even for Shiva, the Supreme Self, who is superior to all, embodiment appears to us as similarity with other selves.

सर्वानुग्राहकं प्राहुश्शिवं परमकारणम् स निर्गृह्णाति देवानां सर्वानुग्राहकः कथम्

They declare Shiva to be the supreme cause, the universal benefactor; but how does He, who grants favor to all, restrain the gods?

चिच्छेद बहुशो देवो ब्रह्मणः पञ्चमं शिरः शिवनिन्दां प्रकुर्वंतं पुत्रेति कुमतेर्हठात्

The god severed again and again the fifth head of Brahma, who, out of stubbornness, was uttering slander against Shiva, calling him 'son.'

विष्णोरपि नृसिंहस्य रभसा शरभाकृतिः बिभेद पद्भ्यामाक्रम्य हृदयं नखरैः खरैः

Even to Vishnu in the form of Narasimha, the fierce form of Sharabha split his heart with sharp claws, trampling him with his feet.

देवस्त्रीषु च देवेषु दक्षस्याध्वरकारणात् वीरेण वीरभद्रेण न हि कश्चिददण्डितः

Among goddesses and gods, due to Daksha's sacrifice, none escaped punishment by the heroic Virabhadra.

पुरत्रयं च सस्त्रीकं सदैत्यं सह बालकैः क्षणेनैकेन देवेन नेत्राग्नेरिंधनीकृतम्

The triple city, along with its women, demons, and children, was in a moment made fuel for the fire of Shiva's eye.

प्रजानां रतिहेतुश्च कामो रतिपतिस्स्वयम् क्रोशतामेव देवानां हुतो नेत्रहुताशने

Kāma, the lord of desire and cause of pleasure among beings, was offered as a sacrifice to the fire from Shiva's eye, while the gods cried out.

गावश्च कश्चिद्दुग्धौघं स्रवन्त्यो मूर्ध्नि खेचराः सरुषा प्रेक्ष्य देवेन तत्क्षणे भस्मसात्कृतः

Some cows, pouring streams of milk on their heads while flying in the sky, were, upon being angrily seen by the god, instantly reduced to ashes.

जलंधरासुरो दीर्णश्चक्रीकृत्य जलं पदा बद्ध्वानंतेन यो विष्णुं चिक्षेप शतयोजनम्

The demon Jalandhara was torn apart, having made water into a discus, and, binding Vishnu, hurled him a hundred yojanas away.

तमेव जलसंधायी शूलेनैव जघान सः तच्चक्रं तपसा लब्ध्वा लब्धवीर्यो हरिस्सदा

That same one, joining water, was slain by the spear; and Vishnu, always empowered, obtained that discus through austerity.

जिघांसतां सुरारीणां कुलं निर्घृणचेतसाम् त्रिशूलेनान्धकस्योरः शिखिनैवोपतापितम्

The heartless clan of the enemies of the gods, seeking to kill, was struck down by the trident upon Andhaka’s chest, as by the peacock’s lord.

कण्ठात्कालांगनां सृष्ट्वा दारको ऽपि निपातितः कौशिकीं जनयित्वा तु गौर्यास्त्वक्कोशगोचराम्

Having created Kālā, the maiden of death, from his own throat, even the boy was cast down; and having generated Kauśikī, who dwelled within the sheath of Gaurī’s skin.

शुंभस्सह निशुंभेन प्रापितो मरणं रणे श्रुतं च महदाख्यानं स्कान्दे स्कन्दसमाश्रयम्

Śumbha, together with Niśumbha, was brought to death in battle; and the great story, the refuge of Skanda, has been heard in the Skanda Purāṇa.

वधार्थे तारकाख्यस्य दैत्येन्द्रस्येन्द्रविद्विषः ब्रह्मणाभ्यर्थितो देवो मन्दरान्तःपुरं गतः

For the destruction of Tāraka, the demon king, hater of Indra, the god, urged by Brahmā, entered the palace of Mandara.

विहृत्य सुचिरं देव्या विहारा ऽतिप्रसङ्गतः रसां रसातलं नीतामिव कृत्वाभिधां ततः

There, delighting for a long time with the goddess, deeply absorbed in pleasure, he gave her the name Rasā, as if she had been led to the netherworld.

देवीं च वंचयंस्तस्यां स्ववीर्यमतिदुर्वहम् अविसृज्य विसृज्याग्नौ हविः पूतमिवामृतम्

Deceiving the goddess there, he did not release his exceedingly powerful seed, but, as clarified butter is offered into fire, he discharged it, pure as nectar.

गंगादिष्वपि निक्षिप्य वह्निद्वारा तदंशतः तत्समाहृत्य शनकैस्तोकंस्तोकमितस्ततः

Depositing it in the Gaṅgā and other rivers, through the agency of fire, in part; then, gathering it little by little from here and there.

स्वाहया कृत्तिकारूपात्स्वभर्त्रा रममाणया सुवर्णीभूतया न्यस्तं मेरौ शरवणे क्वचित्

By Svāhā, taking the form of the Kṛttikā stars, delighting with her own husband, and made golden, it was placed somewhere on Mount Meru, in the thicket of reeds.

संदीपयित्वा कालेन तस्य भासा दिशो दश रञ्जयित्वा गिरीन्सर्वान्कांचनीकृत्य मेरुणा

In time, having kindled all ten directions with his radiance, and having colored all the mountains, making them golden with Meru’s brilliance.

ततश्चिरेण कालेन संजाते तत्र तेजसि कुमारे सुकुमारांगे कुमाराणां निदर्शने

Then, after a long time, from that energy, a boy was born there, with delicate limbs, as an exemplar among boys.

तच्छैशवं स्वरूपं च तस्य दृष्ट्वा मनोहरम् सह देवसुरैर्लोकैर्विस्मिते च विमोहिते

Seeing his charming childhood form, together with the gods, asuras, and all the worlds, they were amazed and bewildered.

देवो ऽपि स्वयमायातः पुत्रदर्शनलालसः सह देव्यांकमारोप्य ततो ऽस्य स्मेरमाननम्

The god himself came, longing to see his son; together with the goddess, he took him onto her lap, and then his face shone with a smile.