Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

निरुत्तरतरं ब्रह्म निष्कलं शिवमीश्वरम् पशुपाशमयस्यास्य प्रपञ्चस्य सदा पतिम्

The most transcendent Brahman, the partless, Shiva, the Lord, the eternal master of this world made of bound souls and bonds.

अकुतोभयमत्यंतमवृद्धिक्षयमव्ययम् वाह्यमाभ्यंतरं व्याप्तं वाह्याभ्यंतरवर्जितम्

Absolutely fearless, without increase or decrease, imperishable, pervading both outside and inside, yet free from both.

निरस्तातिशयं शश्वद्विश्वलोकविलक्षणम् अलक्षणमनिर्देश्यमवाङ्मनसगोचरम्

Free from all excess, eternally distinct from all worlds, without mark, indescribable, beyond the reach of speech and mind.

प्रकाशैकरसं शांतं प्रसन्नं सततोदितम् सर्वकल्याणनिलयं शक्त्या तादृशयान्वितम्

Of a single essence of light, peaceful, serene, ever-radiant, the abode of all auspiciousness, endowed with such power.

ज्ञात्वा देवं विरूपाक्षं ब्रह्मनारायणौ तदा रचयित्वांजलिं मूर्ध्नि भीतौ तौ वाचमूचतुः

Knowing the god Virūpākṣa, Brahma and Nārāyaṇa then, with hands joined in reverence upon their heads, fearful, spoke these words.

अज्ञो वाहमभिज्ञो वा त्वयादौ देव निर्मितः ईदृशीं भ्रांतिमापन्न इति को ऽत्रापराध्यति

Whether ignorant or knowledgeable, I was created by you, O God, at the beginning; having fallen into such confusion, who here is at fault?

आस्तां ममेदमज्ञानं त्वयि सन्निहते प्रभो निर्भयः को ऽभिभाषेत कृत्यं स्वस्य परस्य वा

Let my ignorance remain, O Lord, with you present; who, without fear, would speak of his own or another's duty?

आवयोर्देवदेवस्य विवादो ऽपि हि शोभनः पादप्रणामफलदो नाथस्य भवतो यतः

Even the dispute between us, O God of gods, is auspicious, for bowing at your feet yields fruit, O Master.

स्तोतुं देव न वागस्ति महिम्नः सदृशी तव प्रभोरग्रे विधेयानां तूष्णींभावो व्यतिक्रमः

To praise you, O Lord, words are lacking, none are worthy of your greatness; before you, silence among the devoted is not a transgression.

किमत्र संघटेत्कृत्यमित्येवावसरोचितम् अजानन्नपि यत्किंचित्प्रलप्य त्वां नतो ऽस्म्यहम्

What action is fitting here? At this moment, not knowing, I utter whatever comes to mind, bowing to you.

कारणत्वं त्वया दत्तं विस्मृतं तव मायया मोहितो ऽहंकृतश्चापि पुनरेवास्मि शासितः

Causality was granted by you, yet forgotten through your māyā; deluded and made proud, I am again instructed by you.

विज्ञापितैः किं बहुभिर्भीतोस्मि भृशमीश्वर यतो ऽहमपरिच्छेद्यं त्वां परिच्छेत्तुमुद्यतः

What use is much explanation? I am deeply afraid, O Lord, for I tried to comprehend you, who cannot be comprehended.

त्वामुशंति महादेवं भीतानामार्तिनाशनम् अतो व्यतिक्रमं मे ऽद्य क्षंतुमर्हसि शंकर

They praise you, O Mahādeva, destroyer of the suffering of the fearful; therefore, today you should forgive my transgression, O Śaṃkara.

इति विज्ञापितस्ताभ्याम् ईश्वराभ्यां महेश्वरः प्रीतो ऽनुगृह्य तौ देवौ स्मितपूर्वमभाषत

Thus addressed by those two lords, the great Lord, pleased, graciously spoke to them with a gentle smile.

वत्सवत्स विधे विष्णो मायया मम मोहितौ युवां प्रभुत्वे ऽहंकृत्य बुद्धवैरो परस्परम्

O Brahmā and Viṣṇu, you both were deluded by my māyā, and, overcome by pride in your own power, you became mutually hostile in understanding.

विवादं युद्धपर्यंतं कृत्वा नोपरतौ किल ततश्च्छिन्ना प्रजासृष्टिर्जगत्कारणभूतयोः

Having engaged in dispute, which led even to battle, you did not desist; thus, the creation of beings was interrupted, though you are the causes of the world.

अज्ञानमानप्रभवाद्वैमत्याद्युवयोरपि तन्निवर्तयितुं युष्मद्दर्पमोहौ मयैव तु

Because of ignorance and pride, discord arose between you two; to remove that, I myself brought about your pride and delusion.

एवं निवारितावद्यलिंगाविर्भावलीलया तस्माद्भूयो विवादं च व्रीडां चोत्सृज्य कृत्स्नशः

Thus, you were restrained by the play of the liṅga's manifestation; therefore, abandoning all dispute and shame completely,

यथास्वं कर्म कुर्यातां भवंतौ वीतमत्सरौ पुरा ममाज्ञया सार्धं समस्तज्ञानसंहिताः

You two, free from envy, should each perform your own duties as before, in accordance with my command and together with all the collections of knowledge.

युवाभ्यां हि मया दत्ता कारणत्वप्रसिद्धये मंत्ररत्नं च सूत्राख्यं पञ्चाक्षरमयं परम्

For, to establish your fame as causes, I gave you both the supreme mantra-jewel, known as the Sūtra, composed of five syllables.

मयोपदिष्टं सर्वं तद्युवयोरद्य विस्मृतम् ददामि च पुनः सर्वं यथापूर्वं ममाज्ञया

All that I instructed you has today been forgotten by you both; I now give it again, entirely as before, by my command.

यतो विना युवां तेन न क्षमौ सृष्टिरक्षणे एवमुक्त्वा महादेवो नारायणपितामहौ

For without that, you two are not able to create or protect; having said this, the great Lord addressed Nārāyaṇa and the Grandsire.

मंत्रराजं ददौ ताभ्यां ज्ञानसंहितया सह तौ लब्ध्वा महतीं दिव्यामाज्ञां माहेश्वरीं पराम्

He gave them the king of mantras, together with the collection of knowledge; having received the supreme, divine command of Maheśvara,

महार्थं मंत्ररत्नं च तथैव सकलाः कलाः दंडवत्प्रणतिं कृत्वा देवदेवस्य पादयोः

The great mantra-jewel and all the arts as before, they, having made prostration like a staff at the feet of the God of gods,

अतिष्ठतां वीतभयावानंदास्तिमितौ तदा एतस्मिन्नंतरे चित्रमिंद्रजालवदैश्वरम्

Stood there, free from fear, filled with joy and calm; at that moment, a wondrous, magical, divine liṅga disappeared somewhere.

लिंगं क्वापि तिरोभूतं न ताभ्यामुपलभ्यते ततो विलप्य हाहेति सद्यःप्रणयभंगतः

The liṅga was not found by them anywhere; then, lamenting with cries of 'Alas!', their affection was suddenly broken.

किमसत्यमिदं वृत्तमिति चोक्त्वा परस्परम् अचिंत्यवैभवं शंभोर्विचिंत्य च गतव्यथौ

Saying to each other, 'What is this strange event?', and reflecting on the inconceivable greatness of Śambhu, their distress vanished.

अभ्युपेत्य परां मैत्रीमालिंग्य च परस्परम् जगद्व्यापारमुद्दिश्य जग्मतुर्देवपुंगवौ

Having attained supreme friendship, embracing each other, those foremost of gods departed, intent on the activity of the world.

ततः प्रभृति शक्राद्याः सर्व एव सुरासुराः ऋषयश्च नरा नागा नार्यश्चापि विधानतः लिंगप्रतिष्ठा कुर्वंति लिंगे तं पूजयंति च

From that time onward, all the gods and asuras, beginning with Indra, as well as sages, men, nāgas, and women, according to rule, establish the liṅga and worship him in the liṅga.