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.
यस्तु पूजयते नित्यं श्रद्धायुक्तेन चेतसा। त्र्यंबकाच्युतब्रह्माद्यास्तेन स्युः पूजितास्त्रयः॥६.१.
Whoever worships always, with a mind endowed with faith, the linga of Shiva—by him, the Three—Tryambaka, Achyuta, and Brahma—are worshipped.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन शिवलिंगं प्रपूजयेत्। स्पर्शयेदीक्षयेन्नित्यं कीर्तयेच्च द्विजोत्तमाः॥६.१.
Therefore, with every effort, one should worship the Shiva linga, touch it, behold it daily, and praise it, O best of twice-born.
सूत उवाच। तस्मिन्नुत्पाटिते लिंगे भूतलाद्द्विजसत्तमाः। पातालाज्जाह्नवीतोयं तेन मार्गेण निःसृतम्। सर्वपापहरं नॄणां सर्वकामप्रदायकम्॥६.२.
Sūta said: When that linga was uprooted from the earth, O best of Brahmins, water from the Ganges emerged from the netherworld by that path, removing all sins of men and granting all desires.
तत्र स्वयमभूत्पूर्वं यत्तद्द्विजवरोत्तमाः। शृणुध्वं वदतो मेऽद्य लोकविस्मयकारकम्॥६.२.
There, what happened before occurred of its own accord, O foremost of Brahmins; listen as I tell you today, a story that causes wonder in the world.
त्रिशंकुर्नाम राजेंद्रश्चंडालत्वं समागतः। तत्र स्नातः पुनर्लेभे शरीरं पार्थिवोचितम्॥६.२.
A king named Trishanku, having become a chandala, bathed there and regained a body suitable for a king.
ऋषयः ऊचुः। चंडालत्वं कथं प्राप्तस्त्रिशंकुर्नृपसत्तमः। एतत्त्वं सर्वमाचक्ष्व विस्तरात्सूतनन्दन॥६.२.
The sages said: How did King Trishanku, best of kings, come to be a chandala? Tell us all this in detail, O son of Sūta.
सूत उवाच। अहं वः कीर्तयिष्यामि कथामेतां पुरातनीम्। सर्वपापहरां मेध्यां त्रिशंकुनृपसंभवाम्॥६.२.
Sūta said: I shall recount to you this ancient tale, which destroys all sins and is pure, concerning King Trishanku.
सूर्यवंशोद्भवः पूर्वं त्रिशंकुरिति विश्रुतः। आसीत्पार्थिवशार्दूलः शार्दूलसमविक्रमः॥६.२.
Formerly, Trishanku, renowned as born of the solar dynasty, was a tiger among kings, equal in prowess to a tiger.
वसिष्ठस्य मुनेः शिष्यो यज्वा दानपतिः प्रभुः। तेनेष्टं च मखैः सर्वैरग्निष्टोमादिभिः सदा॥६.२.
He was a disciple of the sage Vasishtha, a performer of sacrifices, a lord of charity and power; he always performed all sacrifices, including Agnishtoma and others.
संपूर्णदक्षिणैरेव वत्सरं वत्सरं प्रति। तथा दानानि सर्वाणि प्रदत्तानि महात्मना॥६.२.
With abundant gifts each year, likewise, all charities were given by that great soul.