Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

तावत्कालं गतश्चोर्ध्वं तस्यांतं ज्ञातुमिच्छया श्रांतोत्यंतमदृष्ट्वांतं पापताधः पितामहः

For the same length of time, Brahmā traveled upward, seeking its end; exhausted, he could not see its limit, and thus fell into error.

तथैव भगवान् विष्णुः श्रांतः संविग्नलोचनः क्लेशेन महता तूर्णमधस्तादुत्थितो ऽभवत्

In the same way, the blessed Viṣṇu, weary and with troubled eyes, quickly rose up from below, afflicted by great hardship.

समागतावथान्योन्यं विस्मयस्मेरवीक्षणौ मायया मोहितौ शंभोः कृत्याकृत्यं न जग्मतुः

Then, as they met each other, their gazes were filled with wonder and a smile; both were deluded by Śambhu’s māyā and could not discern what was to be done or not done.

पृष्ठतः पार्श्वतस्तस्य चाग्रतश्च स्थितावुभौ प्रणिपत्य किमात्मेदमित्यचिंतयतां तदा

Standing behind, beside, and in front of him, both bowed down and pondered, 'What is this self?'

अथाविरभवत्तत्र सनादं शब्दलक्षणम् ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म ब्रह्मणः प्रतिपादकम्

Then there appeared there, accompanied by sound, the single-syllabled Brahman, marked by the word 'Om,' which signifies Brahman itself.

तदप्यविदितं तावद्ब्रह्मणा विष्णुना तथा रजसा तमसा चित्तं तयोर्यस्मात्तिरस्कृतम्

Yet, at that time, neither Brahmā nor Viṣṇu knew it, because their minds were veiled by rajas and tamas.

तदा विभक्तमभवच्चतुर्धैकं तदक्षरम् अ उ मेति त्रिमात्राभिः परस्ताच्चार्धमात्रया

Then that single syllable became divided into four: 'a,' 'u,' 'm,' and, beyond these three measures, a half-measure.

तत्राकारः श्रितो भागे ज्वलल्लिंगस्य दक्षिणे उकारश्चोत्तरे तद्वन्मकारस्तस्य मध्यतः

There, the 'a' sound was placed on the right side of the blazing liṅga, the 'u' on the left, and likewise the 'm' in the center.

अर्धमात्रात्मको नादः श्रूयते लिंगमूर्धनि विभक्ते ऽपि तदा तस्मिन्प्रणवे परमाक्षरे

The nāda, consisting of the half-measure, is heard at the summit of the liṅga; even when thus divided, that supreme syllable, praṇava, remains there.

विभावार्थं च तौ देवौ न किंचिदवजग्मतुः वेदात्मना तदाव्यक्तः प्रणवो विकृतिं गतः

For the sake of manifestation, those two gods did not comprehend anything; at that time, the unmanifest praṇava, whose essence is the Veda, underwent transformation.

तत्राकारो ऋगभवदुकारो यजुरव्ययः मकारस्साम संजातो नादस्त्वाथर्वणी श्रुतिः

There, the 'a' became the Ṛg, the imperishable 'u' became the Yajur, the 'm' became the Sāman, and the nāda became the Atharvaṇic revelation.

ऋगयं स्थापयामास समासात्त्वर्थमात्मनः रजोगुणेषु ब्रह्माणं मूर्तिष्वाद्यं क्रियास्वपि

Ṛg, from its essence, established the meaning of itself in summary: Brahmā, the first among forms, in the functions and in the qualities of rajas.

सृष्टिं लोकेषु पृथिवीं तत्त्वेष्वात्मानमव्ययम् कलाध्वनि निवृत्तिं च सद्यं ब्रह्मसु पञ्चसु

Creation in the worlds, earth among the elements, the imperishable self, withdrawal on the path of kalā, and immediately in the five Brahmas.

लिंगभागेष्वधोभागं बीजाख्यं कारणत्रये चतुःषष्टिगुणैश्वर्यं बौद्धं यदणिमादिषु

In the lower part of the liṅga, in the triad of causes called the seed, the sixty-fourfold mastery over the powers beginning with aṇimā.

तदित्थमर्थैर्दशभिर्व्याप्तं विश्वमृचा जगत् अथोपस्थापयामास स्वार्थं दशविधं यजुः

Thus, with these ten meanings, the universe was pervaded by the Ṛg; then, the Yajur established its own tenfold meanings.

सत्त्वं गुणेषु विष्णुं च मूर्तिष्वाद्यं क्रियास्वपि स्थितिं लोकेष्वंतरिक्षं विद्यां तत्त्वेषु च त्रिषु

Sattva among the qualities, Viṣṇu as the first among forms and in actions, preservation in the worlds, the mid-region, knowledge among the three principles.

कलाध्वसु प्रतिष्ठां च वामं ब्रह्मसु पञ्चसु मध्यं तु लिंगभागेषु योनिं च त्रिषु हेतुषु

Establishment in the paths of kalā, the left among the five Brahmas, the middle among the parts of the liṅga, and the yoni among the three causes.

प्राकृतं च यथैश्वर्यं तस्माद्विश्वं यजुर्मयम् ततोपस्थापयामास सामार्थं दशधात्मनः

And the natural sovereignty as it is; therefore, the universe is composed of Yajur. Then, the Sāman established its own tenfold meanings.

तमोगुणेष्वथो रुद्रं मूर्तिष्वाद्यं क्रियासु च संहृतिं त्रिषु लोकेषु तत्त्वेषु शिवमुत्तमम्

Among the qualities of tamas, Rudra as the first among forms and in actions, dissolution in the three worlds, and the supreme Śiva among the principles.

विद्याकलास्वघोरं च तथा ब्रह्मसु पञ्चसु लिंगभागेषु पीठोर्ध्वं बीजिनं कारणत्रये

In the forms of knowledge and art, in the five Brahmas, in the portions of the liṅga above the pedestal, the seed exists within the three causes.

पौरुषं च तथैश्वर्यमित्थं साम्ना ततं जगत् अथाथर्वाह नैर्गुण्यमर्थं प्रथममात्मनः

Likewise, the principle of Puruṣa and sovereignty; thus, by the Sāman, the universe is pervaded. Then Atharvan declares the original transcendence of qualities for the Self.

ततो महेश्वरं साक्षान्मूर्तिष्वपि सदाशिवम् क्रियासु निष्क्रियस्यापि शिवस्य परमात्मनः

Thereafter, Maheśvara is directly present, and Sadāśiva too, in forms and in actions, even though Śiva, the supreme Self, is beyond action.

भूतानुग्रहणं चैव मुच्यंते येन जंतवः लोकेष्वपि यतो वाचो निवृत्ता मनसा सह

And by whom the granting of beings occurs, by whom creatures are liberated; in the worlds, where speech, together with mind, turns back.

तदूर्ध्वमुन्मना लोकात्सोमलोकमलौकिकम् सोमस्सहोमया यत्र नित्यं निवसतीश्वरः

Above that is the Unmanā world, beyond the lunar world, beyond the mundane, where Soma, with the sacrificial offerings, where the Lord eternally resides.

तदूर्ध्वमुन्मना लोकाद्यं प्राप्तो न निवर्तते शांतिं च शांत्यतीतां च व्यापिकां चै कलास्वपि

Above that Unmanā world, one who attains does not return; and both peace and that which is beyond peace, and the all-pervading power, even among the arts.

तत्पूरुषं तथेशानं ब्रह्म ब्रह्मसु पञ्चसु मूर्धानमपि लिंगस्य नादभागेष्वनुत्तमम्

That Puruṣa, that Īśāna, Brahma among the five Brahmas, and even the summit of the liṅga, in the supreme portions of sound.

यत्रावाह्य समाराध्यः केवलो निष्कलः शिवः तत्तेष्वपि तदा बिंदोर्नादाच्छक्तेस्ततः परात्

Where the pure, partless Śiva is invoked and worshipped, even there, from the bindu, from the sound, from the power, and beyond that.

तत्त्वादपि परं तत्त्वमतत्त्वं परमार्थतः कारणेषु त्रयातीतान्मायाविक्षोभकारणात्

Beyond even that principle is the supreme reality, which is not a principle in the highest sense, transcending the three causes, the source of the agitation of Māyā.

अनंताच्छुद्धविद्यायाः परस्ताच्च महेश्वरात् सर्वविद्येश्वराधीशान्न पराच्च सदाशिवात्

Beyond the infinite pure knowledge, and beyond Maheśvara, beyond all the lords of knowledge, and beyond Sadāśiva as well.