Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

ते चान्ये च सुरा रुद्रं रुद्राध्यायेन तुष्टुवुः प्रसन्नवदनस्तस्थौ देवानामग्रतः प्रभुः

They and the other gods praised Rudra with hymns to Rudra; the Lord, with a gracious face, stood before the gods.

अपहृत्य स्वलीलार्थं तेषां ज्ञानं महेश्वरः तमपृच्छंस्ततो देवाः को भवानिति मोहिताः

Taking away their knowledge for his own play, the great Lord bewildered them; then the gods asked him, 'Who are you?'

सो ऽब्रवीद्भगवान्रुद्रो ह्यहमेकः पुरातनः

The blessed Rudra replied: 'I alone am the ancient one.'

भविष्यामि च मत्तोन्यो व्यतिरिक्तो न कश्चन अहमेव जगत्सर्वं तर्पयामि स्वतेजसा

'I will be, and there is no one apart from me; I alone am the entire universe, and I satisfy it with my own radiance.'

मत्तो ऽधिकः समो नास्ति मां यो वेद स मुच्यते इत्युक्त्वा भगवान्रुद्रस्तत्रैवांतरधत्त स अपश्यंतस्तमीशानं स्तुवंतश्चैव सामभिः

'There is none greater or equal to me; whoever knows me is liberated.' Having said this, the blessed Rudra vanished there itself, while they, not seeing the Lord, continued to praise him with hymns.

व्रतं पाशुपतं कृत्वा त्वथर्वशिरसि स्थितम् भस्मसंछन्नसर्वांगा बभूवुरमरास्तदा

Having undertaken the Pāśupata vow, which is established in the Atharvaśiras, the immortals then covered all their limbs with ashes.

अथ तेषां प्रसादार्थं पशूनां पतिरीश्वरः

Then, for the sake of granting them grace, the Lord of beings, the Supreme Lord,

सगणश्चोमया सार्धं सान्निध्यमकरोत्प्रभुः यं विनिद्रा जितश्वासा योगिनो दग्धकिल्बिषाः

Together with his attendants and with Umā, the Lord made his presence manifest—he whom the yogis, free from sin, sleepless, and with controlled breath, perceive in their hearts.

हृदि पश्यंति तं देवं ददृशुर्देवपुंगवाः यामाहुः परमां शक्तिमीश्वरेच्छानुवर्तिनीम्

The foremost of the gods beheld that deity whom yogis see in their hearts, the one called the supreme power, who follows the will of the Lord.

तामपश्यन्महेशस्य वामतो वामलोचनाम् ये विनिर्धूतसंसाराः प्राप्ताः शैवं परं पदम्

Those who have cast off worldly existence and attained the supreme Śaiva state saw her, the left-eyed one of Maheśa, standing to his left.

नित्यसिद्धाश्च ये वान्यं ते च दृष्टा गणेश्वराः अथ तं तुष्टुवुर्देवा देव्या सह महेश्वरम्

And those who are ever-perfect, as well as the lords of the gaṇas, saw her too. Then, together with the goddess, the gods praised Maheśvara.

स्तोत्रैर्माहेश्वरैर्दिव्यैः श्रोतैः पौराणिकैरपि देवो ऽपि देवानालोक्य घृणया वृषभध्वजः

With divine hymns dedicated to Maheśvara, and with ancient Purāṇic chants, the gods praised him; and seeing the gods, the Bull-bannered Lord was moved with compassion.

तुष्टो ऽस्मीत्याह सुप्रीतस्स्वभावमधुरां गिरम् अथ सुप्रीतमनसं प्रणिपत्य वृषध्वजम् अर्थमहत्तमं देवाः पप्रच्छुरिममादरात्

He said, 'I am pleased,' speaking words naturally sweet. Then, with minds full of joy, the gods bowed to the Bull-bannered Lord and respectfully asked him this most important question:

भगवन्केन मार्गेण पूजनीयो ऽसि भूतले कस्याधिकारः पूजायां वक्तुमर्हसि तत्त्वतः

"O Lord, by which path should you be worshipped on earth? Who is entitled to your worship? Please tell us the truth of this."

ततः सस्मितमालोक्य देवीं देववरोहरः स्वरूपं दर्शयामास घोरं सूर्यात्मकं परम्

Then Hara, the best of gods, gazing with a smile at the goddess, revealed his own form—terrible, solar, and supreme.

सर्वैश्वर्यगुणोपेतं सर्वतेजोमयं परम् शक्तिभिर्मूर्तिभिश्चांगैर्ग्रहैर्देवैश्च संवृतम्

Endowed with all lordly qualities, filled with supreme radiance, surrounded by powers, forms, limbs, planets, and gods,

अष्टबाहुं चतुर्वक्त्रमर्धनारीकमद्भुतम् दृष्ट्वैवमद्भुताकारं देवा विष्णुपुरोगमाः

With eight arms, four faces, and a wondrous half-female form—seeing such a marvelous appearance, the gods, led by Viṣṇu,

बुद्ध्वा दिवाकरं देवं देवीं चैव निशाकरम् पञ्चभूतानि शेषाणि तन्मयं च चराचरम्

Understood the god as the sun, the goddess as the moon, and that the five elements and all that moves and does not move are composed of them.

एवमुक्त्वा नमश्चक्रुस्तस्मै चार्घ्यं प्रदाय वै

Having spoken thus, they bowed to him and offered arghya.

सिंदूरवर्णाय सुमण्डलाय सुवर्णवर्णाभरणाय तुभ्यम् पद्माभनेत्राय सपंकजाय ब्रह्मेन्द्रनारायणकारणाय

To you, who are of vermilion hue, perfectly formed, adorned with golden ornaments, lotus-eyed, holding a lotus, and the cause of Brahmā, Indra, and Nārāyaṇa,

सुरत्नपूर्णं ससुवर्णतोयं सुकुंकुमाद्यं सकुशं सपुष्पम् प्रदत्तमादाय सहेमपात्रं प्रशस्तमर्घ्यं भगवन्प्रसीद

We offer you the most excellent arghya, filled with precious gems, gold, water, fine saffron, kuśa grass, and flowers, presented in a golden vessel—O Lord, be gracious.

नमश्शिवाय शांताय सगणायादिहेतवे रुद्राय विष्णवे तुभ्यं ब्रह्मणे सूर्यमूर्तये

Salutations to Śiva, the peaceful one, with his attendants, the primal cause; to Rudra, to Viṣṇu, to you, to Brahmā, and to the sun-formed one.

यश्शिवं मण्डले सौरे संपूज्यैव समाहितः प्रातर्मध्याह्नसायाह्ने प्रदद्यादर्घ्यमुत्तमम्

Whoever, with concentrated mind, worships Śiva in the solar maṇḍala and offers the finest arghya in the morning, at noon, and in the evening—

प्रणमेद्वा पठेदेताञ्छ्लोकाञ्छ्रुतिमुखानिमान् न तस्य दुर्ल्लभं किंचिद्भक्तश्चेन्मुच्यते दृढम्

One should bow and recite these verses, which are the essence of the scriptures; for a devoted person, nothing is unattainable, and he is firmly liberated.

तस्मादभ्यर्चयेनित्यं शिवमादित्यरूपिणम् धर्मकामार्थमुक्त्यर्थं मनसा कर्मणा गिरा

Therefore, one should always worship Shiva, who is in the form of the sun, for the sake of righteousness, desire, wealth, and liberation, with mind, action, and speech.

अथ देवान्समालोक्य मण्डलस्थो महेश्वरः सर्वागमोत्तरं दत्त्वा शास्त्रमंतरधाद्धरः

Then, seeing the gods, Maheshvara, seated in the circle, imparted the supreme scripture of all traditions and then vanished.

तत्र पूजाधिकारो ऽयं ब्रह्मक्षत्रविशामिति ज्ञात्वा प्रणम्य देवेशं देवा जग्मुर्यथागतम्

There, knowing that the right to worship belongs to Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas, the gods bowed to the Lord of the gods and departed as they had come.

अथ कालेन महता तस्मिञ्छास्त्रे तिरोहिते भर्तारं परिपप्रच्छ तदंकस्था महेश्वरी

After a long time, when that scripture had disappeared, Maheshvari, seated on the lap of her husband, questioned him.

तया स चोदितो देवो देव्या चन्द्रविभूषणः अवदत्करमुद्धृत्य शास्त्रं सर्वागमोत्तरम्

Prompted by the goddess, the god adorned with the moon raised his hand and spoke, revealing the supreme scripture of all traditions.