Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

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.

तद्वज्रं निजवज्रेण संसृष्टमिव सर्वतः तृणेनाभिहतं तेन तिर्यगग्रं पपात ह

That thunderbolt, meeting the Yakṣa’s own, was struck in every way by the blade of grass and fell sideways to the ground.

ततश्चान्ये सुसंरब्धा लोकपाला महाबलाः ससृजुस्तृणमुद्दिश्य स्वायुधानि सहस्रशः

Then, other mighty guardians of the worlds, enraged, hurled their weapons by the thousands at the blade of grass.

प्रजज्ज्वाल महावह्निः प्रचंडः पवनो ववौ प्रवृद्धो ऽपांपतिर्यद्वत्प्रलये समुपस्थिते

A great fire blazed forth, a fierce wind blew, and the lord of waters swelled, as happens when dissolution approaches.

एवं देवैस्समारब्धं तृणमुद्दिश्य यत्नतः व्यर्थमासीदहो कृष्ण यक्षस्यात्मबलेन वै

Thus, O Krishna, all the gods, striving together against the blade of grass, were rendered futile by the Yakṣa’s own power.

तदाह यक्षं देवेंद्रः को भवानित्यमर्षितः ततस्स पश्यतामेव तेषामंतरधादथ

Then Indra, the lord of the gods, angrily said to the Yaksha, 'Who are you?' But as they all watched, he vanished from sight.

तदंतरे हैमवती देवी दिव्यविभूषणा आविरासीन्नभोरंगे शोभमाना शुचिस्मिता

At that moment, the goddess of the Himalayas, adorned with divine ornaments, appeared in the sky, radiant and smiling beautifully.

तां दृष्ट्वा विस्मयाविष्टा देवाः शक्रपुरोगमाः प्रणम्य यक्षं पप्रच्छुः को ऽसौ यक्षो विलक्षणः

Seeing her, the gods led by Shakra were filled with wonder; bowing to her, they asked the Yaksha, 'Who is this extraordinary Yaksha?'

सा ऽब्रवीत्सस्मितं देवी स युष्माकमगोचरः तेनेदं भ्रम्यते चक्रं संसाराख्यं चराचरम्

Smiling, the goddess replied, 'He is beyond your perception. By him, this wheel called samsara, moving and unmoving, is set in motion.'

तेनादौ क्रियते विश्वं तेन संह्रियते पुनः न तन्नियन्ता कश्चित्स्यात्तेन सर्वं नियम्यते

By him, the universe is created at first, and by him it is again dissolved; there is no other controller—by him alone all is governed.

इत्युक्त्वा सा महादेवी तत्रैवांतरधत्त वै देवाश्च विस्मिताः सर्वे तां प्रणम्य दिवं ययुः

Having spoken thus, the great goddess vanished there itself; and all the gods, amazed, bowed to her and returned to heaven.