Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

यथा स्वं कर्म कुर्वन्ति नान्यत्किंचिच्छिवाज्ञया शब्दादयोपि गृह्यंते क्रियन्ते वचनादयः

Each performs its own function, nothing else, by Shiva’s command; sounds and the rest are received, and actions such as speech are carried out.

अविलंघ्या हि सर्वेषामाज्ञा शंभोर्गरीयसी अवकाशमशेषाणां भूतानां संप्रयच्छति

For all, the command of Shambhu is inviolable and supreme; it grants opportunity to all beings without exception.

आकाशः परमेशस्य शासनादेव सर्वगः प्राणाद्यैश्च तथा नामभेदैरंतर्बहिर्जगत्

Space, by the order of the Supreme Lord, is all-pervading; likewise, through breath and other distinctions of name, the world exists within and without.

बिभर्ति सर्वं शर्वस्य शासनेन प्रभञ्जनः हव्यं वहति देवानां कव्यं कव्याशिनामपि

Wind sustains everything by Sharva’s command; it carries offerings for the gods and ancestral oblations for those who consume them.

पाकाद्यं च करोत्यग्निः परमेश्वरशासनात् संजीवनाद्यं सर्वस्य कुर्वत्यापस्तदाज्ञया

Agni performs cooking and other tasks by the Supreme Lord’s command; water, by that order, enacts revival and other functions for all.

विश्वम्भरा जगन्नित्यं धत्ते विश्वेश्वराज्ञया देवान्पात्यसुरान् हंति त्रिलोकमभिरक्षति

The earth always supports the world by the command of the Lord of the universe; she nourishes the gods, destroys the demons, and protects the three worlds.

आज्ञया तस्य देवेन्द्रः सर्वैर्देवैरलंघ्यया आधिपत्यमपां नित्यं कुरुते वरुणस्सदा

By his command, Indra of the gods, with all the other gods, unfailingly exercises sovereignty over the waters; Varuna always rules them.

पाशैर्बध्नाति च यथा दंड्यांस्तस्यैव शासनात् ददाति नित्यं यक्षेन्द्रो द्रविणं द्रविणेश्वरः

He binds the guilty with fetters by that very command; the lord of the Yakshas always gives wealth, as the master of riches.

पुण्यानुरूपं भूतेभ्यः पुरुषस्यानुशासनात् करोति संपदः शश्वज्ज्ञानं चापि सुमेधसाम्

According to merit, he bestows prosperity upon beings by the instruction of the person; he grants enduring knowledge to the wise.

निग्रहं चाप्यसाधूनामीशानश्शिवशासनात् धत्ते तु धरणीं मूर्ध्ना शेषः शिवनियोगतः

He restrains the wicked by Shiva’s command; Shesha, by Shiva’s order, supports the earth upon his head.

यामाहुस्तामसीं रौद्रीं मूर्तिमंतकरीं हरेः सृजत्यशेषमीशस्य शासनाच्चतुराननः

What is called the dark, fierce, and death-bringing form of Hari is created in its entirety by the command of the Lord.

अन्याभिर्मूर्तिभिः स्वाभिः पाति चांते निहन्ति च विष्णुः पालयते विश्वं कालकालस्य शासनात्

With his own various forms, Vishnu protects and, at the end, destroys; he preserves the universe by the command of the Lord of Time.

सृजते त्रसते चापि स्वकाभिस्तनुभिस्त्रिभिः हरत्यंते जगत्सर्वं हरस्तस्यैव शासनात्

He creates, trembles, and, with his three bodies, destroys all worlds at the end; Hari acts by that very command.

सृजत्यपि च विश्वात्मा त्रिधा भिन्नस्तु रक्षति कालः करोति सकलं कालस्संहरति प्रजाः

The soul of the universe creates, and, being threefold, protects; Time accomplishes everything, and Time destroys all beings.

कालः पालयते विश्वं कालकालस्य शासनात् त्रिभिरंशैर्जगद्बिभ्रत्तेजोभिर्वृष्टिमादिशन्

Time preserves the universe by the command of the Lord of Time; with three portions, he sustains the world, sending forth rain and other phenomena.

दिवि वर्षत्यसौ भानुर्देवदेवस्य शासनात् पुष्णात्योषधिजातानि भूतान्याह्लादयत्यपि

In the sky, the sun pours down rain by the command of the God of gods; he nourishes the plants and delights all beings.

देवैश्च पीयते चंद्रश्चन्द्रभूषणशासनात् आदित्या वसवो रुद्रा अश्विनौ मरुतस्तथा

By the order of the moon-crested Lord, the gods drink the moon; the Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, Ashvins, and Maruts as well.

खेचरा ऋषयस्सिद्धा भोगिनो मनुजा मृगाः पशवः पक्षिणश्चैव कीटाद्याः स्थावराणि च

Celestial beings, sages, perfected ones, enjoyers, humans, wild animals, cattle, birds, insects, and immobile beings too—

नद्यस्समुद्रा गिरयः काननानि सरांसि च वेदाः सांगाश्च शास्त्राणि मंत्रस्तोममखादयः

Rivers, oceans, mountains, forests, lakes, the Vedas with their limbs, treatises, mantras, hymns, and sacrifices—

कालाग्न्यादिशिवांतानि भुवनानि सहाधिपैः ब्रह्मांडान्यप्यसंख्यानि तेषामावरणानि च

Worlds from Kālāgni to Śiva, along with their rulers, countless universes and their coverings—

वर्तमानान्यतीतानि भविष्यन्त्यपि कृत्स्नशः दिशश्च विदिशश्चैव कालभेदाः कलादयः

All that exists now, has passed, or will come to be; all directions and intermediate quarters, divisions of time and its parts—

यच्च किंचिज्जगत्यस्मिन् दृश्यते श्रूयते ऽपि वा तत्सर्वं शंकरस्याज्ञा बलेन समधिष्ठितम्

Whatever is seen or heard in this world, all of it is established by the power of Śaṅkara’s command.

आज्ञाबलात्तस्य धरा स्थितेह धराधरा वारिधराः समुद्राः ज्योतिर्गणाः शक्रमुखाश्च देवाः स्थिरं चिरं वा चिदचिद्यदस्ति

By the force of his command, the earth stands firm here, as do mountains, clouds, oceans, hosts of luminaries, the gods led by Indra, and whatever exists, moving or unmoving, conscious or unconscious.

अत्याश्चर्यमिदं कृष्ण शंभोरमितकर्मणः आज्ञाकृतं शृणुष्वैतच्छ्रुतं श्रुतिमुखे मया

This is most wondrous, O Krishna, the work of Śambhu, whose deeds are boundless; listen to this, which I have heard from the mouth of the Veda.

पुरा किल सुराः सेंद्रा विवदंतः परस्परम् असुरान्समरे जित्वा जेताहमहमित्युत

Long ago, the gods with Indra, quarreling among themselves, defeated the demons in battle and boasted, 'I am the victor! No, I am!'

तदा महेश्वरस्तेषां मध्यतो वरवेषधृक् स्वलक्षणैर्विहीनांगः स्वयं यक्ष इवाभवत्

Then, the great Lord appeared among them in a wondrous form, lacking distinguishing marks, manifesting himself as a Yakṣa.

स तानाह सुरानेकं तृणमादाय भूतले य एतद्विकृतं कर्तुं क्षमते स तु दैत्यजित्

He said to those gods, taking a blade of grass from the earth, 'Whoever among you can alter this is truly the conqueror of the demons.'

यक्षस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा वज्रपाणिः शचीपतिः किंचित्क्रुद्धो विहस्यैनं तृणमादातुमुद्यतः

Hearing the Yakṣa’s words, Vajrapāṇi, the lord of Śacī, somewhat angered, laughed and tried to pick up the blade of grass.

न तत्तृणमुपदातुं मनसापि च शक्यते यथा तथापि तच्छेत्तुं वज्रं वज्रधरो ऽसृजत्

He could not even grasp that blade of grass with his mind, let alone his hand; yet, to cut it, the wielder of the thunderbolt hurled his weapon.