Ling Purana
Part I Chapter 16
Sages asked – O Sutji! Lord is formless (अलिंगी) then how is he worshiped with form (लिंग) ? What is linga (लिंग) and what is lingi (लिंगी)?
Sutji replied; O great sages! Once upon a time a similar question was asked by Gods to Lord Brahma, I will tell you what Brahma had explained to Devatas. Brahma said Ling is nature (प्रक्रिति) and Lingi is Lord himself as Supreme God (परमेश्वर).
O Great Sages! During the time of creation (सृष्टि) all Gods have gone to Jana Loak (जन लोक) , but Lord Vishnu was there to protect me in deep sea. After thousand cycles of four epochs (युग) and after departure of all Gods to Satya Loak (सत्य लोक), without my presence and without rain all vegetation had dried and all living animal, human, goblins (पिशाच), demons (राक्षस), gandharvas (गन्धर्व)etc. had perished from heat of sun. In that deep dark sea, I saw the soul of universe, great yogi, Parabrahma (परब्रह्म) who has thousand head, thousand eyes, thousand legs and thousand hands. Who is everywhere and who creates whole universe, Brahma from his Raja guna, Shankar from Tamo Guna and Vishnu from Sato Guna. I have seen this non manifest Narayan who is the master of universal destiny (कालो के काल). Seeing that Lotus eyed God in that deep sea sleeping I asked deluded by his potency of Maya – Who are you? I shook him up from sleep with my hand; He got up from my ruthless impact.
That Lotus eyed Hari got up from yogic sleep and said in sweet voice. O Great Grand Father, O Dear you are welcome. I got perplexed listening to him. Due to the effect of Rajo Gun I retorted Lord Janardana. You are calling me dear even after dissolution of Universe. O Anantha! You are behaving with me like a Guru. Why are you calling like this in illusion? Lord Vishnu seeing me deluded by arrogance explained; O Grandfather! I am only Supreme Being (परमात्मा), WHO creates, nourishes and destroys the universe. I am only the great light the Supreme Being and Omnipresent (परमेश्वर).
All that is seen moving, not moving and all that is heard is under my power. This universe is created by me with 24 elements (तत्व). With my potency I can create several universes. With my intellect first Sat, Raj and Tam gunas are produced, after that five Tanamatra, and five great elements, the earth, water, fire air and ether(आकाश) are produce and then mind is produced. Ten Indriyas are produced at last. From sky to earth every thing is produced by my divine play (लीला).
O Gods- after listening this from Lord Vishnu we had a great battle. It was very scary due to the increased egotism by Rajogun. At that moment there was a great Light of Ling appeared between us for realization. That ling was surrounded by several types of fire, more potent than universal fire of annihilation. Its effulgence was great nighter increasing or decreasing, without origin, middle or end, reason for the un-manifest universe. We got astonished seeing that great Ling. Lord Hari proposed to examine that brilliant fiery Ling. He asked me to go up to find the top and Himself would go down to find the bottom.
O Great Sages then Lord Vishnu took the form of Varah and I took the form of Swan. Since then I am also know as Swan God. With white colour feather I became magnificent swan. I went up at the speed of mind or air. Lord Vishnu also became great bore size of 10 Yogen(योजन) long and wide and 100 yogen(योजन) in volume like a Meru mountain. He had white sharp teeth, like a great demolisher, magnificent great black bore form went down the earth. 1000 years passed quickly during this journey by Lord Vishnu in boar form, but he could not find the bottom of the Ling. Similarly for same time I also went up but due to my arrogance I fell down tired. Lord Vishnu also came up silently He was sad and tired.
At that point in time there was a great voice of OM emanating from that Ling. We got stunned Listening to that great sound, and asked what is this? On the right side of the Ling we saw the Eternal God the AUM. That Eternal God AUM has A (अकार) in the beginning, then U (उकार)and M (मकार )and Naad in the middle. This is the form of AUM, A (अकार) is like Solar system, North U(उकार) a divine name. M (मकार ) is like Lunar system and in the middle of it Great Lord is sitting like clear Crystal color. That lord is transcendental without duality and devoid (शून्य) very sacred from inside and outside. No bottom middle or top, cause of bliss (आनन्द). Rig, Yajur and Samvada acknowledge HIM as Brahm(ब्रह्म). HE is Madhava, Veda discuss about this transcendental universal form. That’s why the cause of great Rishi ved is also known as Risher Veda. From this Parmeswar (परमेश्वर) is known to Rishis.
Gods said: Lord Rudra is beyond word and thought that one letter Brahm (ब्रह्म) cannot be realized by dialogue. That one letter Braham is the only nector, and cause of eternal bliss, Prabrahma(परब्रह्म) and Paramatma(परमात्मा). From that single letter A (अकार) manifest the Brahma, form U (उकार) Lord Hari and blue throated Shankar from M (मकार ). Creator is A (अकार), U (उकार) is alluring factor and M (मकार ) always blesses them. M (मकार ) is essence (बीजी), and A (अकार) is seed (बीज). Hari who is U (उकार) is beginning the Chief (प्रधान) the Chief God (परमेस्वर).
The essence (बीजी), seed (बीज) and Vagina (योनि) all three are Great Lord Maheswar. In this Ling A (अकार) is Seed, Lord is soul and U (उकार) is Vagina (योनि).
(Translation from Ling Puran Hindi version published by Randhir Prakashan Haridwar)
Note:
There are 18 Maha-puran and 18 Up-puran(minor), each Purana eulogizes one or other Gods. It can be classified as Vishnu, Shiv, Devi, Ganesh and Kumar related. Purana are in story form and Sutji or the son of Vyas Muni is the main narrator. All Purana were initially told by Lord Brahma to Gods. Vyas muni has summarized and organized them.
Why is there minor difference in story in different Purana?
When you look into introduction of Purana they tell you which Kalpa the puran belongs to. There is a repetition of same story in each Kalp with minor difference. Discrepancy of legend of The Origin of ling also has same reason.
There is a tendency of mixing and adding the story from different source to make it simple and complete but unrealistic. Because these stories are accounts of what had already happened in the past at different time, it should be presented as it is.
Best way to do this is to directly translate from Sanskrit texts. Most of the English translation of Hindu Scriptures was done by intellectual as piece literature or mythology. Their main aim was to present it to wider population. There is also propensity to disrespect one God from other. There are very few scholars who are also spiritual guru to translate spiritual scripture.
My English and Sanskrit are not strong enough to justify direct translation from Sanskrit text. Because there are very good Hindi translation of scriptures, alternative best way is to translate from Hindi to English as it is.
There is an additional problem in translation, to find a correct word without changing the meaning. . I would rather grateful to anyone who can help to improve the translation and correct any mistranslation.
