Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

अष्टेष्टकाभिः प्रसादं कृत्वा लिंगं च मृन्मयम् तत्रावाह्य महादेवं सांबं सगणमव्ययम्

He constructed an altar with eight bricks and made a clay linga; there he invoked the great god Mahadeva, together with Ambika and his attendants, the imperishable one.

भक्त्या पञ्चाक्षरेणैव पुत्रैः पुष्पैर्वनोद्भवैः समभ्यर्च्य चिरं कालं चचार परमं तपः

With devotion, using only the five-syllable mantra and forest flowers gathered by his sons, he worshipped for a long time and performed supreme austerity.

ततस्तपश्चरत्तं तं बालमेकाकिनं कृशम् उपमन्युं द्विजवरं शिवसंसक्तमानसम्

Then, as he was practicing austerity, that young, solitary, emaciated Upamanyu, the best of twice-born, whose mind was fixed on Shiva—

पुरा मरीचिना शप्ताः केचिन्मुनिपिशाचकाः संपीड्य राक्षसैर्भावैस्तपसोविघ्नमाचरन्

Some sage-demons, once cursed by Marichi, afflicted him with demonic powers, causing obstacles to his austerity.

स च तैः पीड्यमानो ऽपि तपः कुर्वन्कथञ्चन सदा नमः शिवायेति क्रोशति स्मार्तनादवत्

Even while being tormented by them, he somehow continued his austerity, always crying out 'Salutations to Shiva!' in a voice filled with remembrance.

तन्नादश्रवणादेव तपसो विघ्नकारिणः ते तं बालं समुत्सृज्य मुनयस्समुपाचरन्

Just by hearing that cry, those who were causing obstacles to his austerity abandoned the boy, and the sages approached him together.

तपसा तस्य विप्रस्य चोपमन्योर्महात्मनः चराचरं च मुनयः प्रदीपितमभूज्जगत्

Through the austerity of that noble Brahmin Upamanyu, the entire world, both moving and unmoving, became illuminated, along with the sages.

अथ सर्वे प्रदीप्तांगा वैकुण्ठं प्रययुर्द्रुतम् प्रणम्याहुश्च तत्सर्वं हरये देवसत्तमाः

Then, all of them, their bodies blazing, quickly went to Vaikuntha, and after bowing, reported everything to Hari, the best of gods.

श्रुत्वा तेषां तदा वाक्यं भगवान्पुरुषोत्तमः किमिदन्त्विति संचिन्त्य ज्ञात्वा तत्कारणं च सः

Hearing their words, the blessed Supreme Person, pondering, thought, 'What is this?' and, understanding the cause, he—

जगाम मन्दरं तूर्णं महेश्वरदिदृक्षया दृष्ट्वा देवं प्रणम्यैवं प्रोवाच सुकृतांजलिः

He swiftly went to Mount Mandara, desiring to see the great Lord; having seen the god, he bowed and, with hands joined in reverence, spoke thus.

भगवन्ब्राह्मणः कश्चिदुपमन्युरिति श्रुतः क्षीरार्थमदहत्सर्वं तपसा तन्निवारय

O Lord, there is a certain brahmin known as Upamanyu, who, seeking milk, has given up everything for austerity; restrain him from this by your power.

इति श्रुत्वा वचो विष्णोः प्राह देवो महेश्वरः शिशुं निवारयिष्यामि तत्त्वं गच्छ स्वमाश्रमम्

Hearing these words of Viṣṇu, the god Maheśvara replied: 'I will restrain the boy; you return to your own hermitage.'

तच्छ्रुत्वा शंभुवचनं स विष्णुर्देववल्लभः जगामाश्वास्य तान्सर्वान्स्वलोकममरादिकान्

Hearing Śambhu’s words, Viṣṇu, beloved of the gods, comforted all those immortals and returned to his own world.

एतस्मिन्नंतरे देवः पिनाकी परमेश्वरः शक्रस्य रूपमास्थाय गन्तुं चक्रे मतिं ततः

Meanwhile, the god Pinākī, Supreme Lord, assuming the form of Indra, resolved in his mind to go there.

अथ जगाम मुनेस्तु तपोवनं गजवरेण सितेन सदाशिवः सह सुरासुरसिद्धमहोरगैरमरराजतनुं स्वयमास्थितः

Then Sadāśiva, together with the gods, asuras, siddhas, and great serpents, himself taking on the form of the king of the immortals, went to the sage’s forest of austerity, riding on a splendid white elephant.

स वारणश्चारु तदा विभुं तं निवीज्य वालव्यजनेन दिव्यम् दधार शच्या सहितं सुरेंद्रं करेण वामेन शितातपत्रम्

That beautiful elephant then fanned the mighty lord with a divine yak-tail fan, while Indra, together with Śacī, held a shining white parasol in his left hand.

रराज भगवान्सोमः शक्ररूपी सदाशिवः तेनातपत्रेण यथा चन्द्रबिंबेन मन्दरः

The blessed Soma, Sadāśiva in the form of Indra, shone resplendent with that parasol, just as Mount Mandara shines with the orb of the moon.

आस्थायैवं हि शक्रस्य स्वरूपं परमेश्वरः जगामानुग्रहं कर्तुमुपमन्योस्तदाश्रमम्

Thus assuming the very form of Indra, the Supreme Lord went to Upamanyu’s hermitage to bestow his grace.

तं दृष्ट्वा परमेशानं शक्ररूपधरं शिवम् प्रणम्य शिरसा प्राह महामुनिवरः स्वयम्

Seeing the Supreme Lord, Śiva, in the form of Indra, the great sage himself bowed his head and spoke.

पावितश्चाश्रमस्सो ऽयं मम देवेश्वर स्वयम् प्राप्तो यत्त्वं जगन्नाथ भगवन्देवसत्तम

O Lord of the gods, my hermitage is purified by your very presence; that you, O Lord of the universe, best among gods, have come here yourself.

एवमुक्त्वा स्थितं प्रेक्ष्य कृतांजलिपुटं द्विजम् प्राह गंभीरया वाचा शक्ररूपधरो हरः

Having spoken thus, and seeing the brahmin standing with hands joined in reverence, Hara, bearing the form of Indra, addressed him in a deep voice.

तुष्टो ऽस्मि ते वरं ब्रूहि तपसानेन सुव्रत ददामि चेप्सितान्सर्वान्धौम्याग्रज महामुने

I am pleased with you; ask for a boon, O steadfast one, by this austerity. O great sage, elder brother of Dhaumya, I will grant you all your desires.

एवमुक्तस्तदा तेन शक्रेण मुनिपुंगवः वारयामि शिवे भक्तिमित्युवाच कृताञ्जलिः

Thus addressed by that Indra, the foremost of sages, with hands joined, replied: 'I ask for devotion to Śiva.'

त्रैलोक्याधिपतिं शक्रं सर्वदेवनमस्कृतम्

Indra, lord of the three worlds, honored by all the gods—

मद्भक्तो भव विप्रर्षे मामेवार्चय सर्वदा ददामि सर्वं भद्रं ते त्यज रुद्रं च निर्गुणम्

Become my devotee, O best of sages; always worship me alone. I will grant you every blessing; abandon Rudra, the formless one.

रुद्रेण निर्गुणेनापि किं ते कार्यं भविष्यति देवपङ्क्तिबहिर्भूतो यः पिशाचत्वमागतः

What purpose will Rudra, the formless one, serve for you? He, cast out from the ranks of the gods, has become like a demon.

तच्छ्रुत्वा प्राह स मुनिर्जपन्पञ्चाक्षरं मनुम् मन्यमानो धर्मविघ्नं प्राह तं कर्तुमागतम्

Hearing this, the sage, reciting the five-syllable mantra, thought this to be an obstacle to righteousness, and said so to him.

त्वयैवं कथितं सर्वं भवनिंदारतेन वै प्रसंगादेव देवस्य निर्गुणत्वं महात्मनः

All this has been spoken by you, out of a tendency to disparage Bhava, and thus, incidentally, you have described the supreme god as without attributes.

त्वं न जानामि वै रुद्रं सर्वदेवेश्वरेश्वरम् ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेशानां जनक प्रकृतेः परम्

I do not truly know Rudra, the Lord of all gods and lords, the father of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesha, who is beyond Prakriti.