Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

ततो वाराणसीं प्राप्य मुदितास्सर्व एव ते तदोत्तरप्रवाहायां गंगायामवगाह्य च

Then, having reached Vārāṇasī, all of them, filled with joy, entered the northern-flowing Gaṅgā and bathed there.

अविमुक्तेश्वरं लिंगं दृष्ट्वाभ्यर्च्य विधानतः प्रयातुमुद्यतास्तत्र ददृशुर्दिवि भास्वरम्

Having seen and duly worshipped the liṅga of Avimukteśvara, as they were about to depart, they saw something radiant in the sky.

सूर्यकोटिप्रतीकाशं तेजोदिव्यं महाद्भुतम् आत्मप्रभावितानेन व्याप्तसर्वदिगन्तरम्

It was a divine, wondrous light, resembling ten million suns, whose own brilliance filled all directions.

अथ पाशुपताः सिद्धाः भस्मसञ्छन्नविग्रहाः मुनयो ऽभ्येत्य शतशो लीनाः स्युस्तत्र तेजसि

Then, hundreds of accomplished Pāśupata sages, their bodies covered in ash, approached and merged into that light.

तथा विलीयमानेषु तपस्विषु महात्मसु सद्यस्तिरोदधे तेजस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्

As those great ascetics were thus dissolving, that wondrous light instantly disappeared, as if it had never been.

तद्दृष्ट्वा महदाश्चर्यं नैमिषीया महर्षयः किमेतदित्यजानन्तो ययुर्ब्रह्मवनं प्रति

Seeing this great marvel, the great sages of Naimiṣa, not knowing what it was, set out towards Brahmāvana.

प्रागेवैषां तु गमनात्पवनो लोकपावनः दर्शनं नैमिषीयाणां संवादस्तैर्महात्मनः

But before they arrived, Vāyu, purifier of the worlds, appeared to the Naimiṣa sages, and there was a conversation with those great souls.

शद्धां बुद्धिं ततस्तेषां सांबे सानुचरे शिवे समाप्तिं चापि सत्रस्य दीर्घपूर्वस्य सत्रिणाम्

He inspired in them faith and understanding in Śiva, the Lord with his attendants, and also brought the long sacrificial session of the sacrificers to completion.

विज्ञाप्य जगतां धात्रे ब्रह्मणे ब्रह्मयोनये स्वकार्ये तदनुज्ञातो जगाम स्वपुरं प्रति

Having informed Brahmā, the creator and source of the universe, of his own task, and having received permission, he returned to his own abode.

अथ स्थानगतो ब्रह्मा तुम्बुरोर्नारदस्य च परस्पर स्पर्धितयोर्गाने विवदमानयोः

Then, as Brahmā sat in his place, Tumburu and Nārada, out of mutual rivalry, began to dispute in song.

तदुद्भावितगानोत्थरसैर्माध्यस्थमाचरन् गन्धर्वैरप्सरोभिश्च सुखमास्ते निषेवितः

Delighting in the melodies that arose from their singing, Brahmā, attended by Gandharvas and Apsarases, sat comfortably in their midst.

तदानवसरादेव द्वाःस्थैर्द्वारि निवारिताः मुनयो ब्रह्मभवनाद्बहिः पार्श्वमुपाविशन्

At that moment, because there was no opportunity, the sages were stopped at the door by the doorkeepers and sat down outside Brahmā’s abode.

अथ तुम्बुरुणा गाने समतां प्राप्य नारदः साहचर्येष्वनुज्ञातो ब्रह्मणा परमेष्ठिना

Then, when Nārada had attained equality with Tumburu in singing, he was permitted by Brahmā, the supreme lord, to join in companionship.

त्यक्त्वा परस्परस्पर्धां मैत्रीं च परमां गतः सह तेनाप्सरोभिश्च गन्धर्वैश्च समावृतः

Abandoning their mutual rivalry, they attained the highest friendship, surrounded together by Apsarases and Gandharvas.

उपवीणयितुं देवं नकुलीश्वरमीश्वरम् भवनान्निर्ययौ धातुर्जलदादंशुमानिव

Then, to play the lute before the Lord Nakulīśvara, the Lord, Nārada departed from the house of the Creator, like the sun emerging from a cloud.

तं दृष्ट्वा षट्कुलीयास्ते नारदं मुनिगोवृषम् प्रणम्यावसरं शंभोः पप्रच्छुः परमादरात्

Seeing Nārada, the bull among sages, those of the six lineages bowed to him and, with great reverence, asked about the opportunity to see Śambhu.

स चावसर एवायमितोंतर्गम्यतामिति वदन्ययावन्यपरस्त्वरया परया युतः

He replied, 'Now is the time; let us go inside,' and, joined by great eagerness, he quickly led the others in.

ततो द्वारि स्थिता ये वै ब्रह्मणे तान्न्यवेदयन् तेन ते विविशुर्वेश्म पिंडीभूयांडजन्मनः

Then he informed those standing at the door for Brahmā, and so they, the offspring of the cosmic egg, entered the house together.

प्रविश्य दूरतो देवं प्रणम्य भुवि दंडवत् समीपे तदनुज्ञाताः परिवृत्योपतस्थिरे

Entering, they bowed to the Lord from a distance, prostrating themselves on the ground, and, having been permitted, they approached and stood nearby.

तांस्तत्रावस्थितान् पृष्ट्वा कुशलं कमलासनः वृत्तांतं वो मया ज्ञातं वायुरेवाह नो यतः

Having asked about their well-being as they stood there, the lotus-seated one said, 'I have learned your story, for Vāyu himself told us.'

भवद्भिः किं कृतं पश्चान्मारुतेंतर्हिते सति इत्युक्तवति देवेशे मुनयो ऽवभृथात्परम्

When the Lord of the gods asked, 'What did you do after Vāyu disappeared?' the sages, having completed their ablutions, replied.

गंगातीर्थेस्य गमनं यात्रां वाराणसीं प्रति दर्शनं तत्र लिंगानां स्थापितानां सुरेश्वरैः

They spoke of their journey to the holy places of the Gaṅgā, their pilgrimage to Vārāṇasī, and the sight of the liṅgas established there by the lords of the gods.

अविमुक्तेश्वरस्यापि लिंगस्याभ्यर्चनं सकृत् आकाशे महतस्तस्य तेजोराशेश्च दर्शनम्

They also described their worship, even once, of the liṅga of Avimukteśvara, and their vision of that great mass of light in the sky.

मुनीनां विलयं तत्र निरोधं तेजसस्ततः याथात्म्यवेदनं तस्य चिंतितस्यापि चात्मभिः

They told of the dissolution of the sages there, the merging into the light, and the realization of its true nature, even as conceived by themselves.

सर्वं सविस्तरं तस्मै प्रणम्याहुर्मुहुर्मुहुः मुनिभिः कथितं श्रुत्वा विश्वकर्मा चतुर्मुखः

Having bowed repeatedly, the sages recounted everything in detail to him; hearing what was told, Viśvakarman, the four-faced one, listened.

कंपयित्वा शिरः किंचित्प्राह गंभीरया गिरा प्रत्यासीदति युष्माकं सिद्धिरामुष्मिकी परा

Shaking his head slightly, he spoke in a deep voice, 'The highest success for you all is now at hand.'

भवद्भिर्दीर्घसत्रेण चिरमाराधितः प्रभुः प्रसादाभिमुखो भूत इति भुतार्थसूचितम्

'By you, through a long sacrifice, the Lord has been worshipped for a long time; he is now disposed to grant favor, as the meaning of your actions indicates.'

वाराणस्यां तु युष्माभिर्यद्दृष्टं दिवि दीप्तिमत् तल्लिंगसंज्ञितं साक्षात्तेजो माहेश्वरं परम्

What you saw in Varanasi, shining in the sky, is that very linga, the manifest, supreme, divine radiance of Maheshvara.

तत्र लीनाश्च मुनयः श्रौतपाशुपतव्रताः मुक्ता बभूवुः स्वस्थाश्च नैष्ठिका दग्धकिल्बिषाः

There, sages devoted to Vedic and Pashupata vows, having merged, became liberated, steadfast, resolute, and freed from all sin.