Liṅga Mahāpurāṇa
अष्टमोऽध्यायः
aṣṭamo’dhyāyaḥ
Chapter 8
Eight letters mantra
SYNOPSIS
The text highlights the significance and transformative power of various sacred mantras dedicated to Lord Śiva and Lord Viṣṇu, emphasizing their ability to bestow liberation and divine grace. It narrates a story set in the Meghavāhana Kalpa of Brahmā, during the Tretāyuga, revolving around a Brāhmaṇa named Dhundhumuka and his son, who faced a series of moral and spiritual challenges.
Dhundhumuka’s son, born under inauspicious circumstances, initially led a sinful life, indulging in immoral acts and straying from the path of virtue. However, his life took a turn when he encountered a great sage reciting Śiva’s mantras. Inspired, he obtained the sacred Pāśupata mantra and performed rigorous penance, reciting the five- and six-syllable mantras of Śiva a hundred thousand times.
As a result of his devotion and penance, the son redeemed not only himself but also his entire family, including his parents and wife. Elevated to divine status, he became the chief of Śiva’s Gaṇas and was praised by Indra and other deities. The story concludes by emphasizing the immense spiritual benefits of reciting mantras such as "Om Namaḥ Śivāya" and "Om Namo Nārāyaṇāya," which can lead one to liberation and unity with the divine. The narrative underscores the transformative power of devotion, repentance, and the repetition of sacred mantras in attaining spiritual fulfillment.
Chapter 8
सूत उवाच
अष्टाक्षरो द्विजश्रेष्ठा नमो नारायणेति च ।
द्वादशाक्षरमंत्रश्च परमः परमात्मनः ॥ १ ॥
मंत्रः षडक्षरो विप्राः सर्ववेदार्थसञ्चयः ।
यश्वोंनमः शिवायेति मंत्रः सर्वार्थसाधकः॥२॥
तथा शिवतरायेति दिव्यः पञ्चाक्षरः शुभः ।
मयस्कराय चेत्येवं नमस्ते शङ्कराय च ॥३॥
सप्ताक्षरोयं रुद्रस्य प्रधानपुरुषस्य वै ।
ब्रह्मा च भगवान्विष्णुः सर्वे देवाः सवासवाः ॥४॥
मंत्रैरेतैर्द्विजश्रेष्ठा मुनयश्च यजंति तम् ।
शङ्करं देवदेवेशं मयस्करमजोद्भवम् ॥५॥
शिवं च शङ्करं रुद्रं देवदेवमुमापतिम् ।
प्राहुर्नमः शिवायेति नमस्ते शङ्कराय च ॥६॥
मयस्कराय रुद्राय तथा शिवतराय च।
वा मुच्येत वै विप्रो ब्रह्महत्यादिभिः क्षणात् ॥७॥
sūta uvāca
aṣṭākṣaro dvijaśreṣṭhā namo nārāyaṇeti ca |
dvādaśākṣaramaṃtraśca paramaḥ paramātmanaḥ || 1 ||
maṃtraḥ ṣaḍakṣaro viprāḥ sarvavedārthasañcayaḥ |
yaśvoṃnamaḥ śivāyeti maṃtraḥ sarvārthasādhakaḥ||2||
tathā śivatarāyeti divyaḥ pañcākṣaraḥ śubhaḥ |
mayaskarāya cetyevaṃ namaste śaṅkarāya ca ||3||
saptākṣaroyaṃ rudrasya pradhānapuruṣasya vai |
brahmā ca bhagavānviṣṇuḥ sarve devāḥ savāsavāḥ ||4||
maṃtrairetairdvijaśreṣṭhā munayaśca yajaṃti tam |
śaṅkaraṃ devadeveśaṃ mayaskaramajodbhavam ||5||
śivaṃ ca śaṅkaraṃ rudraṃ devadevamumāpatim |
prāhurnamaḥ śivāyeti namaste śaṅkarāya ca ||6||
mayaskarāya rudrāya tathā śivatarāya ca|
vā mucyeta vai vipro brahmahatyādibhiḥ kṣaṇāt ||7||
Sūta said-
O excellent Brāhmaṇas, the eight-lettered mantra viz. Oṁ Namo Nārāyaṇāya and the twelve-lettered mantra- Oṁ Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya are the greatest mantras of the great soul. O Brāhmaṇas, the six-syllabled mantra- Om Namaḥ Śivāya reveals the entire meanings of all the Vedic passages. This mantra is the means for achieving all the objects. The divine five-syllable mantra Śivatraya is extremely auspicious. So is the mantra known as Mayaskarāya (salutation with one who brings about excellence). The mantra of seven syllables- Namo Śaṅkarāya is the mantra of Rudra, the Puruṣa in conjunction with Pradhāna. O excellent Brāhmaṇa, lord Viṣṇu, Devas including Indra and the sages, worship Śaṅkara, the lord of the chiefs of the Devas with these mantras. They worship Śiva, who is the source of origin of Brahmā and the consort of Śivā, the lord of the Devas (with these mantras). They say continuously Namaḥ Śivāya, Namaste Śaṅkarāya, Mayaskarāya, Rudrāya and Śivatarāya. By repeating these mantras, a Brāhmaṇa is instantaneously liberated from the sins of Brahmahatyā, etc.
पुरा कश्चिद्विजः शक्तो धुंधुमूक इति श्रुतः ।
आसीत्तृतीये त्रेतायामावर्ते च मनोः प्रभोः ॥ ८॥
मेघवाहनकल्पे वै ब्रह्मणः परमात्मनः । वै
मेघो भूत्वा महादेवं कृत्तिवासमीश्वरम् ॥९॥
बहुमानेन वै रुद्रं देवदेवो जनार्दनः ।
खिन्नोऽतिभाराद्रुद्रस्य निःश्वासोच्छ्वासवर्जितः ॥ १० ॥
विज्ञाप्य शितिकंठाय तपश्चक्रेंबुजेक्षणः ।
तपसा परमैश्वर्यं बलं चैव तथाद्भुतम्॥११॥
लब्धवान्परमेशानाच्छङ्करात्परमात्मनः।
तस्मात्कल्पस्तदा चासीन्मेघवाहनसंज्ञया ॥१२॥
purā kaścidvijaḥ śakto dhuṃdhumūka iti śrutaḥ |
āsīttṛtīye tretāyāmāvarte ca manoḥ prabhoḥ || 8||
meghavāhanakalpe vai brahmaṇaḥ paramātmanaḥ | vai
megho bhūtvā mahādevaṃ kṛttivāsamīśvaram ||9||
bahumānena vai rudraṃ devadevo janārdanaḥ |
khinno’tibhārādrudrasya niḥśvāsocchvāsavarjitaḥ || 10 ||
vijñāpya śitikaṃṭhāya tapaścakreṃbujekṣaṇaḥ |
tapasā paramaiśvaryaṃ balaṃ caiva tathādbhutam||11||
labdhavānparameśānācchaṅkarātparamātmanaḥ|
tasmātkalpastadā cāsīnmeghavāhanasaṃjñayā ||12||
Formerly in the Meghavahana kalpa of Brahmā - the great soul, in the third Manvantara of the Tretāyuga, there was a powerful Brāhmaṇa named Dhundhumuka. The relevant kalpa is known as Meghavāhana because Viṣṇu, the lord of the Devas, assumed the form of a cloud and performed penance in favor of lord Mahādeva, who wore hide as a garment. Because of his high reverence for Rudra, he performed penance leaving the intake and expiration of even the breath. He was overwhelmed and dejected due to much of the burden. He submitted his problem to be a blue-throated lord. The lotus-eyed lord performed penance and as a result of the same, achieved wonderful strength from Śiva - the great soul.
तस्मिन्कल्पे मुनेः शापाद्धुंधुमूकसमुद्भवः।
धुंधुमूकात्मजस्तेन दुरात्मा च बभूव सः ॥१३॥
धुंधुमूकः पुरासक्तो भार्यया सह मोहितः ।
तस्यां वै स्थापितो गर्भः कामासक्तेन चेतसा ॥ १४ ॥
tasminkalpe muneḥ śāpāddhuṃdhumūkasamudbhavaḥ|
dhuṃdhumūkātmajastena durātmā ca babhūva saḥ ||13||
dhuṃdhumūkaḥ purāsakto bhāryayā saha mohitaḥ |
tasyāṃ vai sthāpito garbhaḥ kāmāsaktena cetasā || 14 ||
In the Meghavāhana kalpa, due to the curse of a sage, the son of Dhundhumuka became wicked. Formerly, Dhundhumuka had been deluded by his wife. He was too attracted to her. A foetus was procreated by him in her womb with his mind drawn by lust.
अमावस्यामहन्येव मुहूर्ते रुद्रदैवते ।
अंतर्वत्नी तदा भार्या भुक्ता तेन यथासुखम् ॥ १५ ॥
amāvasyāmahanyeva muhūrte rudradaivate |
aṃtarvatnī tadā bhāryā bhuktā tena yathāsukham || 15 ||
It was a moonless day during the daytime in the course of Rudra muhūrta that the pregnant wife enjoyed by him.
असूत सा च तनयं विशल्याख्या प्रयत्नतः ।
रुद्रे मुहूर्ते मंदेन वीक्षिते मुनिसत्तमाः ॥ १६ ॥
मातुः पितुस्तथारिष्टं स सञ्जात स्तथात्मनः ।
ऋषी तमूचतुर्विप्रा धुंधुमूकं मिथस्तदा ॥ १७॥
मित्रावरुणनामानौ दुष्पुत्र इति सत्तमौ ।
वसिष्टः प्राह नीचोऽपि प्रभावाद्वै बृहस्पते ॥ १८॥
पुत्रस्तवासौ दुर्बुद्धिरपि मुच्यति किल्बिषात्।
दुःखितो धुंधुमूकोऽसौ दृष्ट्वा पुत्रमवस्थितम्॥१९॥
जातकर्मादिकं कृत्वा विधिवत्स्वयमेव च ।
अध्यापयामास च तं विधिनैव द्विजोत्तमाः ॥२०॥
asūta sā ca tanayaṃ viśalyākhyā prayatnataḥ |
rudre muhūrte maṃdena vīkṣite munisattamāḥ || 16 ||
mātuḥ pitustathāriṣṭaṃ sa sañjāta stathātmanaḥ |
ṛṣī tamūcaturviprā dhuṃdhumūkaṃ mithastadā || 17||
mitrāvaruṇanāmānau duṣputra iti sattamau |
vasiṣṭaḥ prāha nīco’pi prabhāvādvai bṛhaspate || 18||
putrastavāsau durbuddhirapi mucyati kilbiṣāt|
duḥkhito dhuṃdhumūko’sau dṛṣṭvā putramavasthitam||19||
jātakarmādikaṃ kṛtvā vidhivatsvayameva ca |
adhyāpayāmāsa ca taṃ vidhinaiva dvijottamāḥ ||20||
Her name was Viśalyā. With great strain, she gave birth to a son in Rudra muhūrta under the influence of Śani (Saturn). He turned an unlucky omen towards his father and mother as well as himself. The excellent sages Mitra and Varuṇa said to Dhundhumukha in secret that he was a wicked son. Vasiṣṭha said- "The boy is base and wicked. He would be liberated from the sin by the sage Bṛhaspati. At this, Dhundhumukha was dejected, finding the son in such a plight. He himself performed the post-birth and other rites for him. Thereafter, he taught him the Vedas.
तेनाधीतं यथान्यायं धौंधुमूकेन सुव्रताः ।
कृतोद्वाहस्तदा गत्वा गुरुशुश्रूषणे रतः ॥२१॥
tenādhītaṃ yathānyāyaṃ dhauṃdhumūkena suvratāḥ |
kṛtodvāhastadā gatvā guruśuśrūṣaṇe rataḥ ||21||
O sages of holy rites, everything went on perfectly well and the son of Dhundhumuka achieved all the knowledge. His marriage was performed and he felt inclined to serve his father.
अनेनैव मुनिश्रेष्ठा धौंधुमूकेन दुर्मदात् ।
भुक्त्वान्यां वृषलीं दृष्ट्वा स्वभार्यावद्दिवानिशम् ॥ २२ ॥
एकशय्यासनगतो धौंधुमूको द्विजाधमः ।
तथा चचार दुर्बुद्धिस्त्यक्त्वा धर्मगतिं पराम् ॥ २३ ॥
anenaiva muniśreṣṭhā dhauṃdhumūkena durmadāt |
bhuktvānyāṃ vṛṣalīṃ dṛṣṭvā svabhāryāvaddivāniśam || 22 ||
ekaśayyāsanagato dhauṃdhumūko dvijādhamaḥ |
tathā cacāra durbuddhistyaktvā dharmagatiṃ parām || 23 ||
O sages, in the height of his arrogance, Dhundhumuka sought a Śūdra woman and also enjoyed with her like his wife, by day and night, seated with her in the same seat and lying with her in the same bed. The base Brāhmaṇa - the son of Dhundhumukha of the wicked intellect, discarded the path of virtue ultimately.
माध्वी पीता तया सार्धं तेन रागविवृद्धये ।
केनापि कारणेनैव तामुद्दिश्य द्विजोत्तमाः ॥ २४ ॥
निहता सा च पापेन वृषली गतमङ्गला ।
ततस्तस्यास्तदा तस्य भ्रातृभिर्निहतः पिता ॥ २५॥
माता च तस्य दुर्बुद्धे-
(???) धोन्धुमूकस्य शोभना।
भार्या च तस्य दुर्बुद्धेः
श्यालास्ते चापि सुव्रताः ॥ २६ ॥
राज्ञा क्षणादहो नष्टं कुलं तस्याश्च तस्य च।
गत्वासौ धौंधुमूकश्च येन केनापि लीलया ॥२७॥
दृष्ट्वा तु तं मुनिश्रेष्ठं रुद्रजाप्यपरायणम् ।
लब्ध्वा पाशुपतं तद्वै पुरा देवान्महेश्वरात् ॥ २८ ॥
लब्ध्वा पञ्चाक्षरं चैव षडक्षरमनुत्तमम् ।
पुनः पञ्चाक्षरं चैव जप्त्वा लक्षं पृथक् पृथक् ॥ २९॥
व्रतं कृत्वा च विधिना दिव्यं द्वादशमासिकम् ।
कालधर्मं गतः कल्पे पूजितश्च यमेन वै ॥ ३० ॥
mādhvī pītā tayā sārdhaṃ tena rāgavivṛddhaye |
kenāpi kāraṇenaiva tāmuddiśya dvijottamāḥ || 24 ||
nihatā sā ca pāpena vṛṣalī gatamaṅgalā |
tatastasyāstadā tasya bhrātṛbhirnihataḥ pitā || 25||
mātā ca tasya durbuddhe-
(!!!) mūsya śobhanā |
bhāryā ca tasya durbuddheḥ
śyālāste cāpi suvratāḥ || 26 ||
rājñā kṣaṇādaho naṣṭaṃ kulaṃ tasyāśca tasya ca|
gatvāsau dhauṃdhumūkaśca yena kenāpi līlayā ||27||
dṛṣṭvā tu taṃ muniśreṣṭhaṃ rudrajāpyaparāyaṇam |
labdhvā pāśupataṃ tadvai purā devānmaheśvarāt || 28 ||
labdhvā pañcākṣaraṃ caiva ṣaḍakṣaramanuttamam |
punaḥ pañcākṣaraṃ caiva japtvā lakṣaṃ pṛthak pṛthak || 29||
vrataṃ kṛtvā ca vidhinā divyaṃ dvādaśamāsikam |
kāladharmaṃ gataḥ kalpe pūjitaśca yamena vai || 30 ||
He consumed wine with her for the increase of lust in himself. But, O Brāhmaṇas, for the same vogue reasons, the inauspicious Śūdra woman was killed by the sinner. Thereafter, his father, mother, and the legal wife of the wicked son of Dhundhumukha, were killed by her brothers. O excellent sages, those brothers-in-law were also killed by the king. Thus, she and his family were destroyed in an instant. The son of Dhundhumuka wandered here and there in the course of his sporting activities. Accidentally, he met with a great sage who was repeating the names of Śiva. He at once obtained from him the Pāśupata mantra of lord Maheśvara. After attaining the five-syllabled mantra and the six-syllabled mantra, he repeated them a hundred thousand times. He performed the divine holy rites as prescribed in the scriptures for twelve months. During the course of that kalpa, he passed away and was welcomed by Yama.
उद्धृता च तथा माता पिता श्यालाश्च सुव्रताः ।
पत्नी च सुभगा जाता सुस्मिता च पतिव्रता ॥ ३१ ॥
ताभिर्विमानमारुह्य देवैः सेंद्रैरभिष्टुतः ।
गाणपत्यमनुप्राप्य रुद्रस्य दयितोऽभवत् ॥ ३२ ॥
तस्मादष्टाक्षरान्मंत्रात्तथा वै द्वादशाक्षरात् ।
भवेत्कोटिगुणं पुण्यं नात्र कार्या विचारणा ॥ ३३ ॥
तस्माज्जपेद्धि यो नित्यं प्रागुक्तेनविधानतः ।
शक्तिबीजसमायुक्तं स याति परमां गतिम् ॥३४॥
एतद्वः कथितं सर्वं कथासर्वस्वमुत्तमम् ।
यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि श्रावयेद्वा द्विजोत्तमान् ॥ ३५॥
स याति ब्रह्मलोकं तु रुद्रजाप्यमनुत्तमम् ॥ ३६॥
uddhṛtā ca tathā mātā pitā śyālāśca suvratāḥ |
patnī ca subhagā jātā susmitā ca pativratā || 31 ||
tābhirvimānamāruhya devaiḥ seṃdrairabhiṣṭutaḥ |
gāṇapatyamanuprāpya rudrasya dayito’bhavat || 32 ||
tasmādaṣṭākṣarānmaṃtrāttathā vai dvādaśākṣarāt |
bhavetkoṭiguṇaṃ puṇyaṃ nātra kāryā vicāraṇā || 33 ||
tasmājjapeddhi yo nityaṃ prāguktenavidhānataḥ |
śaktibījasamāyuktaṃ sa yāti paramāṃ gatim ||34||
etadvaḥ kathitaṃ sarvaṃ kathāsarvasvamuttamam |
yaḥ paṭhecchṛṇuyādvāpi śrāvayedvā dvijottamān || 35||
sa yāti brahmalokaṃ tu rudrajāpyamanuttamam || 36||
O noble sages, his mother, father, brothers-in-law, and fortunate wife were redeemed. The chaste lady kept on smiling. Then he mounted the aerial chariot with them and was eulogized by Indra and all other Devas. He became the chief of the Gaṇas and the favorite of Rudra. Thus, the merit is increased ten million times with the use of eight-syllable and twelve-syllable mantras. There is no doubt about this. Therefore, a person who continuously recites these mantras in accordance with the provision of the scriptures and in combination with the Śakti mantra achieves the greatest god. This excellent story has been completely narrated to you. A person who reads it, listens or reads it out to others, attains the place of Brahmā.
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