Chapter 24 - Mahālayeśvara (mahālaya-īśvara-liṅga)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Note: This Liṅga is called Mahālayeśvasa as everything in the universe merged into this Liṅga at the time of Pralaya.

Īśvara said:

1-8. O highly fortunate one, Mahālayeśvara is the splendid twenty-fourth deity. Formerly I was asked by you thus: “O Lord, this has been heard by me that the three worlds including the mobile and immobile beings beginning with Brahmā and ending with a blade of grass, were created, upheld and pervaded by you, by you alone, the pure one, the great omnipresent soul. The silence-observing, immutable sages were very much pleased and joyous. O Maheśvara, they call you the cause of the three worlds. The three worlds beginning with Bhūḥ and Bhuvaḥ have been created by you. All that has to be created, that has already been created and that has been dissolved, extends to thousands. The creation, sustenance and destruction of Devas, Dānavas, Gandharvas, Sages, Cāraṇas and Serpents have been witnessed by you time and again. But where do you station yourself, O Lord, and re-create the universe consisting of the mobile and immobile beings? You annihilate this sportingly. It behoves you to mention this: What is this Mahālaya existing in the form of a planet pertaining to Rudra, wherein the entire aggregate of the three worlds beginning with Bhūḥ and Bhuvaḥ has been held by you?” Now I shall tell you. Listen with attention.

9-19. At the end of Pralaya, all the elements beginning with earth, were held in one place that is Mahālaya in Mahākālavana. The spot named Mahālaya is excessively delightful to me. It is splendid and auspicious. Its excellence surpasses that of Brahmaloka and other worlds. A Liṅga identical with the supreme Brahman stands there for ever. It is in the middle of that Liṅga that all the mobile and immobile beings are retained. Brahmā and other Devas and Viṣṇu too are all stationed there. O goddess, everything abides in the space within the Liṅga. From that Liṅga arose the great Ātman, Mahāmati (the Cosmic Intellect), Bhūtādi (the Principle Mahat), Ahaṃkāra (the great Ego), Viṣṇu and Śaṃbhu, O Pārvatī. Similarly wisdom, intelligence, fortitude, fame, memory, bashfulness and Sarasvatī (goddess of speech) sprang from it. It has hands and feet everywhere; it has eyes, heads and faces everywhere. It has ears everywhere. It pervades everything in the world and it stands supreme. From this were born the Liṅgas, the five great Bhūtas viz. earth, wind, ether, water and fire. They get dissolved there. Just as earth, water, and firmament so also the four kinds of living organisms viz. Aṇḍaja (‘born of eggs’), the Udbhijja (trees etc. that pierce the ground and come out), Svedaja (sweat-born ones, worms etc.) and Jarāyuja (viviparous ones). The significant marks of the fourfold birth are seen in this same Liṅga. Tapas, Karman, Puṇya, Vrata, Dāna, Rajas, Satīva and Tamas—all these originate from that Liṅga. In it abides the true refulgence, the eternal Brahman. So also the subtle unmanifest cause which is of the nature of both Sat and Asat, from which was born Pitāmaha (Grandfather i.e. Brahmā), the Sole Prajāpati (Patriarch).

20-25. Viśvedevas, Ādityas, Vasus, Aśvins, Yakṣas, Sādhyas, Piśācas, Guhyakas, Pitṛs, Āpaḥ (waters), heaven, earth, wind, ether, quarters, years, seasons, months, fortnights, days (i.e. daytime and night), indeed everything else was born with the Lokas as witness. Whatever is visible now becomes merged therein. Hence it is famous in all the three worlds by the name Mahālaya. It is situated to the south of Muktīśvara Deva. A man who worships that Mahālaya Liṅga as the form of Rudra, shall become the conqueror of the three worlds and be always renowned. When the great Īśvara, the meritorious Mahālayeśvara, is adored with great devotion, O blessed one, all the Devas too are worshipped, because he is worshipped by them also.