तव नामापि संकीर्त्य प्रयाति त्रिदिवालयम्। महादेव महादेव महादेवेति कीर्तनात्॥६.१.
by merely reciting your name, he attains the abode of the gods—by chanting 'Mahadeva, Mahadeva, Mahadeva.'
कोटयो ब्रह्महत्यानामगम्यागमकोटयः। सद्यः प्रलयमायांति महादेवेति कीर्तनात्॥६.१.
Millions of the gravest sins, millions of forbidden acts, are instantly dissolved by the chanting of 'Mahadeva.'
विप्रो यथा मनुष्याणां नदीनां वा महार्णवः। तथा त्वं सर्वदेवानामाधिपत्ये व्यवस्थितः॥६.१.
Just as a Brahmin is foremost among men, or the ocean among rivers, so you are established as the lord over all the gods.
नक्षत्राणां यथा चंद्रः प्रदीप्तानां दिवाकरः। तथा त्वं सर्वदेवानामाधिपत्ये व्यवस्थितः॥६.१.
As the moon among stars, as the sun among shining ones, so you are established as the lord over all the gods.
धातूनां कांचनं यद्वद्गंधर्वाणां च नारदः। तथा त्वं सर्वदेवानामाधिपत्ये व्यवस्थितः॥६.१.
As gold among metals, as Narada among the Gandharvas, so you are established as the lord over all the gods.
ओषधीनां यथा सस्यं नगानां हेमपर्वतः। तथा त्वं सर्वदेवानामाधिपत्ये व्यवस्थितः॥६.१.
As grain among plants, as the golden mountain among mountains, so you are established as the lord over all the gods.
तस्मात्कुरु प्रसादं नः सर्वेषां च नृणां विभो। संधारय पुनर्लिंगं स्वकीयं सुरसत्तम॥६.१.
Therefore, show us your favor, O mighty one, to all of us and to all people; uphold again your own linga, O best of gods.
नोचेज्जगत्त्रयं देव नूनं नाशममुपेष्यति। यद्येतद्भूतले लिङ्गं पतति स्थास्यति प्रभो॥६.१.
Otherwise, O god, the three worlds will surely come to ruin if this linga falls and remains on the earth, O lord.
सूत उवाच। तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा भगवान्बृषभध्वजः। प्रोवाच प्रणतान्सर्वांस्तान्देवान्व्रीडयान्वितः॥६.१.
Suta said: Hearing their words, the blessed one, the bull-bannered god, addressed all those gods who had bowed, filled with modesty.
मया सतीवियोगार्तियुक्तेन सुरसत्तम। लिंगमेतत्परित्यक्तं शापव्याजाद्द्विजन्मनाम्॥६.१.
'Because of my grief at separation from Sati, O best of gods, I abandoned this linga, using the pretext of a curse from the twice-born.'
कोऽलं पातयितुं लिंगं ममैतद्भुवनत्रये। देवो वा ब्राह्मणो वापि वेत्थ यूयमपि स्फुटम्॥६.१.
'Who is able to cast down this linga of mine in the three worlds—whether god or Brahmin? You all know this clearly.'
तस्मान्नैव धरिष्यामि लिंगमेतद्धरातलात्। किमनेन करिष्यामि भार्यया परिवर्जितः॥६.१.
'Therefore, I will not take up this linga from the earth; what use do I have for it, bereft of my wife?'
देवा ऊचुः। तव कांता सती नाम या मृता प्राक्सुरोत्तम। सा जाता मेनकागर्भे गौरी नाम हिमाचलात्॥६.१.
The gods said: Your beloved, named Satī, who died before, O best of gods, has been born from Menakā as Gaurī, from Himāchala.
भविष्यति पुनर्भार्या तवैव त्रिपुरांतक। तस्माल्लिंगं समादाय कुरु क्षेमं दिवौकसाम्॥६.१.
She will again become your wife, O destroyer of Tripura; therefore, take up the liṅga and ensure the welfare of the gods.
देवदेव उवाच। अद्यप्रभृति मे लिंगं यदि देवा द्विजातयः। पूजयंति प्रयत्नेन तर्हीदं धारयाम्यहम्॥६.१.
The god of gods said: From today onward, if the gods and the twice-born worship my liṅga with devotion, then I shall uphold it.
ब्रह्मोवाच। अहं तव स्वयं लिंगं पूजयिष्यामि शंकर। तथान्ये विबुधाः सर्वे किं पुनर्भुवि मानवाः॥६.१.
Brahmā said: I myself will worship your liṅga, O Śaṅkara, and so will all the other gods; what then of men on earth?
ततः प्रविश्य पातालं देवैः सार्धं पितामहः। स्वयमेवाकरोत्पूजां तस्य लिंगस्य भक्तितः॥६.१.
Then the Grandfather, entering the netherworld together with the gods, himself performed worship of that liṅga with devotion.
तस्मादनंतरं विष्णुः श्रद्धापूतेन चेतसा। तथान्ये विबुधाः सर्वे शक्राद्याः श्रद्धयान्विताः॥६.१.
After that, Viṣṇu, with a mind purified by faith, and all the other gods, Indra and the rest, worshipped with devotion in the same way.
ततस्तुष्टो महादेवः पितामहमिदं वचः। प्रोवाच वासुदेवं च विनयावनतं स्थितम्॥६.१.
Then, pleased, Mahādeva spoke these words to the Grandfather and to Vāsudeva, who stood there with humility.
भवद्भ्यां परितुष्टोऽस्मि तस्मान्मत्तः प्रगृह्यताम्। वरमिष्टं महाभागौ यद्यपि स्यात्सुदुर्लभम्॥६.१.
I am pleased with you both; therefore, receive from me a boon of your choosing, O greatly fortunate ones, even if it is very difficult to obtain.
तावूचतुः। यदि तुष्टोसि देवेश त्रिभागेन समाश्रयम्। आवाभ्यां देहि लिंगेन येनैकत्राश्रयो भवेत्॥६.१.
They said: If you are pleased, O Lord of gods, grant that by means of the liṅga we both may have a share in it by a third, so that there may be a single abode.
सूत उवाच। स तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय लिंगमादाय च प्रभुः। स्थाने नियोजयामास सर्वदेवाधिपूजितम्॥६.१.
Sūta said: He agreed, saying 'So be it,' and, taking the liṅga, the Lord installed it in its place, worshipped by all the gods.
ततो हाटकमादाय तदाकारं पितामहः। कृत्वा लिंगं स्वयं तत्र स्थापयामास हर्षितः॥६.१.
Then the Grandfather, taking gold and shaping it into that form, joyfully established the liṅga there himself.
प्रोवाच चाथ भो विप्राः साधुनादेन नादयन्। लोकत्रयं समस्तानां शृण्वतां त्रिदिवौकसाम्॥६.१.
Then, O brāhmaṇas, he proclaimed, resounding with a righteous sound, so that all the three worlds and the gods in heaven could hear:
मया ह्याद्यं त्विदं लिंगं हाटकेन विनिर्मितम्। ख्यातिं यास्यति सर्वत्र पाताले हाटकेश्वरम्॥६.१.
By me, this first liṅga has been made of gold; it will become renowned everywhere in the netherworld as Hāṭakeśvara.
तथान्ये मनुजा ये च हाटकादीनि भक्तितः। मणिमुक्तासुरत्नैश्च कृत्वा लिंगानि कृत्स्नशः॥६.१.
Likewise, other men who, with devotion, make liṅgas entirely from gold and other precious materials, from gems, pearls, and divine jewels—
त्रिकालं पूजयिष्यंति ते यास्यंति परां गतिम्। मृन्मयं संपरित्यज्य नीचधातुमयं तथा॥६.१.
They, worshipping at the three times, will attain the highest state, abandoning those made of clay or base metals.
एवमुक्त्वा चतुर्वक्त्रः सह सर्वैर्दिवालयैः। जगाम त्रिदिवं सोऽपि कैलासं शशिशेखरः॥६.१.
Having thus spoken, the Four-faced one, together with all the gods, went to heaven, and the moon-crested one to Kailāsa.
एतस्मात्कारणाल्लिंगं पूज्यतेऽत्र सुरासुरैः। हरस्य चोत्तमांगानि परित्यज्य विशेषतः॥६.१.
For this reason, the liṅga is worshipped here by gods and demons, especially having set aside the upper parts of Hara.
ततः प्रभृति तल्लिंगं स्वयं ब्रह्मा व्यवस्थितः। भगवान्वासुदेवश्च तेन पूज्यं शिवं हि तत्॥६.१.
From then on, Brahmā himself and the blessed Vāsudeva have been established to worship that liṅga, for it is indeed Śiva.