Chapter 5 - Anādikalpeśvara (anādikalpa-īśvara-liṅga)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Note: As the name indicates, this Liṅga [i.e., Anādikalpeśvara] was there before the creation of the universe. It is this Liṅga which created or manifested the universe.

1-7a. O Pārvatī, know the deity Anādikalpeśvara as the fifth one in this series. It is praised in hymns as destructive of all sins, beginningless and eternal.

Formerly, O goddess, at the beginning of the Kalpa, this Liṅga manifested itself when there was neither fire nor sun, neither earth nor quarters and firmament, neither wind nor water, neither heaven nor moon nor planets, neither Devas, Asuras nor Gandharvas, neither Piśācas nor Rākṣasas.

It was from this Liṅga that the universe, including the mobile and immobile beings, came forth. In due course, O Daughter of the Mountain, it (universe) gets dissolved in this Liṅga.

The races of Devas, sages and Pitṛs originated from this Liṅga, so also the Manvantaras, the families and genealogy of the kings.

Whatever creations there are, all the dissolutions thereof, oceans, mountains, rivers, forests, worlds beginning with Bhūrloka, nether worlds that are known as seven, movements of the sun, the moon, the planets, the constellations and other luminaries, everything visible and invisible—all these originated from this Liṅga, O lady of excellent countenance.

7b-21. This Liṅga has been mentioned by the great sages as the primordial cause which, they say, has the name Avyakta (the unmanifest) too. It is the subtle Puruṣa, the eternal one, the existent and the non-existent, the stable (permanent) one, the never-fading one, without old age, the immeasurable one requiring no other basis for support. It is devoid of odour, colour and taste. Nor has it sound and touch. Great sages call this Liṅga as the immutable thing without any beginning and end, the source of origin of the universe, the cause of the three Guṇas. It has nothing similar to it. It cannot be comprehended clearly. Hence at the close of Pralaya, it was entirely divine.

I am the most enlightened one on the earth, without a beginning. I am the cause of the universe. I am the cause of everything. I am one whose nature cannot be fully comprehended. I am the greatest one who has no other activities.

Revealing the Prakṛti and the Puruṣa, the Lord of the Cosmos immediately caused agitation in them through the great Yogic power.

Just as sweet scent by its sheer proximity causes excitement of the mind and not by active assistance, so also this great Īśvara, the beginningless one, is called the Lord engaged in the causation of the universe.

Agitated by that Liṅga, O Pārvatī, Pradhāna becomes well-known as Brahmāṇḍa (Cosmic Egg), the support of all the worlds. In this Aṇḍa the entire universe, inclusive of Devas, Asuras and mortal beings, becomes evolved and dissolved. Its frontier or limit is not attained (known). The same Lord of the earth is at first the cause of agitation and is worthy of being agitated. In the state of Pradhāna it can get itself ready to expand or contract.

That Lord of the universe, though devoid of attributes, is the enjoyer. He has the attribute of Rajas and adopting the form of Brahmā causes the creation to take place.

In the capacity of Brahmā, he creates the worlds. Then, when Sattva becomes predominant, he attains the form of Viṣṇu and engages in protection by means of righteousness. Thereafter, when the Guṇa of Tamas becomes manifest, he attains Rudratva. As Rudra he brings all the universe to an end, the three worlds to their annihilation. Thus he lies at rest as attributeless or functions as endowed with the three Guṇas.

Just as a farmer is the sower of seeds at the outset, then the protector and thereafter the reaper, so also he attains the states of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Rudra and adopts those names thereby.

22-31. In the state of Brahmā, he creates the worlds; he annihilates them in the state of Rudra; and in the state of Viṣṇu, he sustains them all. These three states are always remembered. Rajas is Brahmā, Tamas is Rudra and Sattva is Viṣṇu, the Lord of the universe. These alone are the three Vedas and these alone are the three Naras (Men).

In every Kalpa the deity is spoken as Anādi (beginningless) by Devas, Pitṛs, Gaṇas and Siddhas. Hence he is Anādikalpeśvara. Mahākālavana exists always.

O lady of wide eyes, this name was obtained (by the deity) when there arose a dispute between Brahmā and Keśava. At the beginning of the Kalpa, the dispute was as to the cause of the creation. Each said, “I am the greater one, I am the greater one.”

Then from the firmament, a divine voice without a body arose: “There is a Liṅga named Kalpeśvara in Mahākālavana. He who sees its beginning or end shall become the Lord. There is no doubt about it. No dispute need be indulged in.”

Thereafter, O goddess, Brahmā went to the limitless upper world. On hearing that utterance, Viṣṇu hastened to the nether worlds. Neither the beginning nor the end was seen either by Brahmā or by Keśava. Both of them were surprised. They commended each other and stood in front. By means of the diverse hymns occurring in the Vedas, they began to eulogize: “There is neither beginning, nor end. No Kalpa is seen here. Hence from today, in this excellent Mahākālavana, this will become well-known by the name Anādikalpa.

32-36. Even a man of wicked mind, defiled by the five (great) sins, may attain Śiva by seeing the deity Śiva, named Anādikalpeśvara. May those people always attain welfare to whom you have granted your vision. Blessed are those in the mortal world, who have sought refuge in you. By your vision, O Lord, men obtain that merit or even more than that which is attained through holy baths in all the Tīrthas.

O Lord, people fall into worldly existence, chaotic due to pleasure and pain, as long as the Lord, the redeemer from the ocean of worldly existence, is not seen. When the sins of the people get dissolved, your vision becomes possible.

37-41. A Brāhmaṇa’s slayer, he who imbibes liquor, a thief or he who lies,on the bed of his preceptor and a man who associates with them and perpetrates great sinful deeds—these attain the great region from where there is no return.

O Lord, by worshipping you, one obtains that merit which is obtained by means of a horse-sacrifice or Rājasūya.

Those men by whom the great Lord Śiva, Anādikalpeśvara, has not been seen are mere brutes in the world. Their birth in the world is purposeless.”

After saying thus, O lady of excellent countenance, Lord Keśava and Brahmā stationed themselves on the left and right sides of that Liṅga.

Thus, O goddess, the sin-destroying power has been narrated to you. Merely by listening to this, the greatest region is attained.