The Manifestation of the Fiery Linga Between Brahma and Vishnu

Verse 1 (skanda.1.124.1)

मार्कण्डेय उवाच । आज्ञापय विभो मह्यं यथा शंभुः सनातनः । अनुजग्राह मोहांधो वैकुण्ठपरमेष्ठिनौ

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca ājñāpaya vibho mahyaṁ yathā śaṁbhuḥ sanātanaḥ anujagrāha mohāṁdho vaikuṇṭhaparameṣṭhinau

Markandeya said: O lord, be pleased to tell me how the eternal Shambhu showed grace to Vaikuntha and Parameshthin, blinded as they were by delusion.

Verse 2 (skanda.1.124.2)

नंदिकेश्वर उवाच । शृणुष्व सर्वं वक्ष्यामि विस्तरेण यथातथम् । यदेव देवो विदधे दयया भक्तवत्सलः

naṁdikeśvara uvāca śṛṇuṣva sarvaṁ vakṣyāmi vistareṇa yathātatham yadeva devo vidadhe dayayā bhaktavatsalaḥ

Nandikeshvara said: Listen, I shall tell you everything at length, exactly as it happened, of what the Lord, loving toward his devotees, did out of his compassion.

Verse 3 (skanda.1.124.3)

अथोदस्थात्तयोर्मध्ये तथा विवदमानयोः । ज्योतिःस्तंभत्वमभ्येत्य रोदोरंध्रनिरोधकः

athodasthāttayormadhye tathā vivadamānayoḥ jyotiḥstaṁbhatvamabhyetya rodoraṁdhranirodhakaḥ

Then, as the two disputed thus, there arose between them a pillar of light, taking a form so vast that it choked the very gap between heaven and earth.

Verse 4 (skanda.1.124.4)

महता जृंभमाणेन तस्य ब्रह्मांडभेदिनः । अन्तरिक्षमतिश्यामं समुत्क्षिप्तमिवाभवत

mahatā jṛṁbhamāṇena tasya brahmāṁḍabhedinaḥ antarikṣamatiśyāmaṁ samutkṣiptamivābhavata

As that pillar, piercing the very cosmic egg, spread mightily wider, the sky turned deepest black, as if hurled aloft.

Verse 5 (skanda.1.124.5)

विष्वग्विवर्णता तस्य ज्योतिर्लिंगस्य तेजसा । दिशो विरेजिरे सद्यो दूरविस्तारिता इव

viṣvagvivarṇatā tasya jyotirliṁgasya tejasā diśo virejire sadyo dūravistāritā iva

By the splendour of that pillar of light, a strange radiance instantly spread in every direction, as though the quarters of the sky had all at once expanded to vast distances.

Verse 6 (skanda.1.124.6)

तीव्रैस्तस्य महाज्वालैः शोषिता इव सागराः । विमुक्तवीचिसंक्षोभाः स्वामेव प्रकृतिं ययुः

tīvraistasya mahājvālaiḥ śoṣitā iva sāgarāḥ vimuktavīcisaṁkṣobhāḥ svāmeva prakṛtiṁ yayuḥ

Scorched, as it seemed, by its fierce, towering flames, the oceans lost the turmoil of their waves and settled into their own natural stillness.

Verse 7 (skanda.1.124.7)

व्यद्योतंत दिवि प्राग्वद्वहास्तारागणैः सह । तेजःस्तंभात्समुद्भिन्नाः स्फुलिंगा इव केचन

vyadyotaṁta divi prāgvadvahāstārāgaṇaiḥ saha tejaḥstaṁbhātsamudbhinnāḥ sphuliṁgā iva kecana

Some sparks bursting forth from that pillar of light shone in the sky just as before, mingling, it seemed, with the very host of stars.

Verse 8 (skanda.1.124.8)

तेजसा तस्य शोणेन गैरिकेणेव रंजिताः । भौमरविश्रियं सर्वेऽप्यवहन्नवनीभृतः

tejasā tasya śoṇena gairikeṇeva raṁjitāḥ bhaumaraviśriyaṁ sarve'pyavahannavanībhṛtaḥ

Reddened by its ruddy splendour as though smeared with red ochre, all the mountains took on the ruddy beauty of the planet Mars.

Verse 9 (skanda.1.124.9)

समुद्रास्तत्प्रतिच्छायानिर्भराश्लिष्ट यादसः । पद्मरागशिलाखण्डे घटिता इव रेजिरे

samudrāstatpraticchāyānirbharāśliṣṭa yādasaḥ padmarāgaśilākhaṇḍe ghaṭitā iva rejire

The oceans, wholly embraced by its reflected glow, with all their sea-creatures, appeared as though fashioned entirely from fragments of ruby stone.

Verse 10 (skanda.1.124.10)

प्रवालगुच्छैः प्रत्यग्रैर्लंबिता इव पादपाः । नद्यश्च निर्भरोत्फुल्लकह्लारा इव रेजिरे

pravālagucchaiḥ pratyagrairlaṁbitā iva pādapāḥ nadyaśca nirbharotphullakahlārā iva rejire

The trees appeared as though hung with fresh clusters of coral, and the rivers seemed adorned throughout with fully blossomed red water-lilies.

Verse 11 (skanda.1.124.11)

मही कुंकुमलिप्तेव दिशः सिंदूरिता इव । सर्वारुणमिव व्योम समगत्प्रत्यदृश्यत

mahī kuṁkumalipteva diśaḥ siṁdūritā iva sarvāruṇamiva vyoma samagatpratyadṛśyata

The earth seemed smeared with saffron and the quarters seemed reddened with vermilion; the whole sky appeared to have turned entirely crimson at once.

Verse 12 (skanda.1.124.12)

ब्रह्मांडकर्परमभूत्तन्महः पूरितांतरम् । शोणितेनेव संपूर्णं कपालं कृत्तिवाससः

brahmāṁḍakarparamabhūttanmahaḥ pūritāṁtaram śoṇiteneva saṁpūrṇaṁ kapālaṁ kṛttivāsasaḥ

That radiance filled the interior of the cosmic egg entirely, as though the very skull-bowl of the Lord clad in an elephant's hide had been filled full with blood.

Verse 13 (skanda.1.124.13)

एवं प्रवर्द्धमानेन तेजःस्तम्भेन तेन च । अरुणाकारतां भेजे विश्वं स्थावरजंगमम्

evaṁ pravarddhamānena tejaḥstambhena tena ca aruṇākāratāṁ bheje viśvaṁ sthāvarajaṁgamam

Thus, by that ever-swelling pillar of light, the entire universe of moving and unmoving things took on a ruddy hue.

Verse 14 (skanda.1.124.14)

तेजोलिंगं तदाश्चर्यं दृष्ट्वा त्यक्तमिथः क्रुधौ । अचिंतयेतामेकैकं चतुर्मुखचतुर्भुजौ

tejoliṁgaṁ tadāścaryaṁ dṛṣṭvā tyaktamithaḥ krudhau aciṁtayetāmekaikaṁ caturmukhacaturbhujau

On beholding that wondrous pillar of light, the four-faced Brahma and the four-armed Vishnu both abandoned their mutual anger and each began to ponder alone.

Verse 15 (skanda.1.124.15)

किमेष वसुधां भित्त्वा शेषादीनां फणाभृताम् । फणामाणिक्यमहसां राशिरुन्मुखतां गतः

kimeṣa vasudhāṁ bhittvā śeṣādīnāṁ phaṇābhṛtām phaṇāmāṇikyamahasāṁ rāśirunmukhatāṁ gataḥ

Could this be a mass of radiance from the jewels set in the hoods of Shesha and the other serpent-lords, having burst through the earth and risen upward?

Verse 16 (skanda.1.124.16)

किं वा कल्पांतसुलभप्रादुर्भावाः प्रभाकराः । द्वादशापि नभोभूम्योर्मध्ये युगपदुत्थिताः

kiṁ vā kalpāṁtasulabhaprādurbhāvāḥ prabhākarāḥ dvādaśāpi nabhobhūmyormadhye yugapadutthitāḥ

Or are these the twelve suns, so easily manifest at the time of cosmic dissolution, that have all at once risen together between sky and earth?

Verse 17 (skanda.1.124.17)

आहोस्विन्मेघ संघर्षाद्वितता व्योममध्यतः । अन्योन्यं मिलिताः क्षिप्रा निपतंत्यवनीतले

āhosvinmegha saṁgharṣādvitatā vyomamadhyataḥ anyonyaṁ militāḥ kṣiprā nipataṁtyavanītale

Or is it lightning, spread through the midst of the sky from the clash of storm-clouds, that, mingling together, swiftly falls to the earth's surface?

Verse 18 (skanda.1.124.18)

प्रतिघ्नन्नेष तेजोभिरक्ष्णोः शक्तिमनुक्षणम् । स्वनिर्विशेषिताशेषभूतजालः प्रवर्द्धते

pratighnanneṣa tejobhirakṣṇoḥ śaktimanukṣaṇam svanirviśeṣitāśeṣabhūtajālaḥ pravarddhate

Continually blunting the very power of the eyes with its brilliance, and rendering the whole mass of beings indistinguishable within itself, it goes on growing.

Verse 19 (skanda.1.124.19)

एष उद्दीप्यमानोऽपि संतापाय न कल्पते । नेदीयांस्यपि भूतानि न निर्दहति वह्निवत्

eṣa uddīpyamāno'pi saṁtāpāya na kalpate nedīyāṁsyapi bhūtāni na nirdahati vahnivat

Yet, blazing though it is, it does not scorch; unlike ordinary fire, it does not burn even the beings closest to it.

Verse 20 (skanda.1.124.20)

एतस्य कांतिसंक्रांत्या जगदेव न केवलम् । मदीयमपि शोणत्वमनुप्राप्तमहो वपुः

etasya kāṁtisaṁkrāṁtyā jagadeva na kevalam madīyamapi śoṇatvamanuprāptamaho vapuḥ

By the pervasion of its splendour, not only the world but, wonder of wonders, even my own body has turned crimson!

Verse 21 (skanda.1.124.21)

कस्मादेष समुत्पन्नः किं मूलः किमुपाधिकः । कुतस्त्यः किमुपादानः कया भक्त्या प्रकाशते

kasmādeṣa samutpannaḥ kiṁ mūlaḥ kimupādhikaḥ kutastyaḥ kimupādānaḥ kayā bhaktyā prakāśate

From what has this arisen? What is its root? What is its basis? Whence does it come, what is its material cause, and by what power does it shine forth?

Verse 22 (skanda.1.124.22)

कियानवधिरेतस्य विष्वक्तिर्यगधोर्ध्वतः । अवगाढश्च पातालं कियन्मात्रमसाविति

kiyānavadhiretasya viṣvaktiryagadhordhvataḥ avagāḍhaśca pātālaṁ kiyanmātramasāviti

What is its extent — sideways, obliquely, below, and above? And to what depth has it plunged into the netherworld?

Verse 23 (skanda.1.124.23)

तदेतदखिलं ज्ञातुं मनः पर्युत्सुकं मुहुः । इच्छत्युत्पतितुं व्योम प्रवेष्टुं च रसातलम्

tadetadakhilaṁ jñātuṁ manaḥ paryutsukaṁ muhuḥ icchatyutpatituṁ vyoma praveṣṭuṁ ca rasātalam

To know all this fully, my mind grows restlessly eager again and again; it longs to soar into the sky and to plunge into the netherworld.

Verse 24 (skanda.1.124.24)

इति चिंताभराक्रांतौ तेजःस्तंभावलोकनात् । उभावप्यवकुलितौ वैकुण्ठपरमेष्ठिनौ

iti ciṁtābharākrāṁtau tejaḥstaṁbhāvalokanāt ubhāvapyavakulitau vaikuṇṭhaparameṣṭhinau

Thus, overwhelmed by the weight of this anxiety arising from the sight of the pillar of light, both Vaikuntha and Parameshthin grew agitated.

Verse 25 (skanda.1.124.25)

अभाषत च गोविंदः सुतरामेव गर्वितम् । हिरण्यगर्भमालोक्य स्मयमानमुखांबुजः

abhāṣata ca goviṁdaḥ sutarāmeva garvitam hiraṇyagarbhamālokya smayamānamukhāṁbujaḥ

Then Govinda, beholding Hiranyagarbha still exceedingly proud, and with a smile playing upon his lotus face, spoke thus.

Verse 26 (skanda.1.124.26)

विष्णुरुवाच । अयमेवावयोर्ब्रह्मन्नन्योन्योत्कर्षकांक्षिणोः । सत्यमेव परीक्षायै निकषः समुपस्थितः

viṣṇuruvāca ayamevāvayorbrahmannanyonyotkarṣakāṁkṣiṇoḥ satyameva parīkṣāyai nikaṣaḥ samupasthitaḥ

Vishnu said: O Brahman, for us two, each desiring superiority over the other, here indeed stands a true touchstone by which to be tested.

Verse 27 (skanda.1.124.27)

अमुष्य तेजसां राशेरपरिच्छेद्यसंपदः । आद्यंतौ ज्ञातुमेकेन न शक्यं ध्रुवमावयोः

amuṣya tejasāṁ rāśeraparicchedyasaṁpadaḥ ādyaṁtau jñātumekena na śakyaṁ dhruvamāvayoḥ

The beginning and end of this mass of radiance, whose splendour is beyond all measure, cannot certainly be known by either one of us alone.

Verse 28 (skanda.1.124.28)

यः पश्येन्मूलमग्रं वा तेजसोस्य स्वयंभुवः । स एव नावभ्यधिको जगतां नाथकोऽपि सः

yaḥ paśyenmūlamagraṁ vā tejasosya svayaṁbhuvaḥ sa eva nāvabhyadhiko jagatāṁ nāthako'pi saḥ

Whoever among us beholds the root or the summit of this self-born splendour shall alone be greater than the other, and he alone shall be lord of the worlds.

Verse 29 (skanda.1.124.29)

नंदिकेश्वर उवाच । इत्युभावपि विनिश्चिताशयौ मूलमग्रमपि तस्य वीक्षितुम् । तेजसोतिमहतो बभूवतुः स्पर्धया विरचितोद्यमौ मिथः

naṁdikeśvara uvāca ityubhāvapi viniścitāśayau mūlamagramapi tasya vīkṣitum tejasotimahato babhūvatuḥ spardhayā viracitodyamau mithaḥ

Nandikeshvara said: Thus both, their minds firmly resolved to behold the root and the summit of that immense splendour, set about the endeavour in mutual rivalry with one another.