19 - Enlightenment of Vişhnu

Suta said:

1. The Supreme Lord said: O excellent among the Devas, I am delighted with you. On beholding me, the great lord, you should cast off all fear.

2-3. Both of you very powerful were born of me formerly. Brahmā, the grandfather of the universe was born from my right side; Vişhnu, the soul of the universe, sprang from my left side. I am extremely pleased with both of you. I shall grant you the boon of your choice.

4. After saying this, the lord, the storehouse of mercy patted Vişhņu with his gentle and smooth hands out of compassion.

5. Then with a delightful mind, Vişhnu bowed and spoke to the great lord who though devoid of Linga was stationed in the Linga.

6. If love has been generated in you, if boon has to be granted to us, may our devotion to you remain perpetual and unswerving.

7. O Devas, the moon-crested lord accordingly granted them an unswerving devotion and faith.

8. Then Vişhnu knelt on the ground and bowed to the lord. With perfect control over himself he spoke to the lord in low tones.

9. O lord of the Devas, our controversy has borne splendid fruits, since you yourself have come over here to remove the same.

10. On hearing this, Lord Shiva again spoke smiling to Vishņu who bowed to him with his head bent down and who stood with palms joined in reverence.

Lord Shiva said:

11. O lord of earth, you are the projector of dissolution, sustenance and creation. O dear Vişhnu, protect this world with all its mobile and immobile beings.

12. O Vişhnu, I am lord Shiva, the unsullied, I divided myself into three forms⁸⁸ under the names of Brahmä, Vişhnu and Rudra with the activities of creation, protection and dissolution.

88. The supreme lord in his qualified (sakala) state is characterized by three functions: viz, creation, sustenance and destruction. The idea is often repeated in the Puranas.

13. O Vişhnu, abandon your delusion. Protect this Brahmä, who in the Padmakalpa, will become your son.

14. Then you will see me thus, so will the lotus-born Brahma too. Thus saying the lord vanished there itself.

15. Ever since then the worship of the Linga was well established in the world. The great goddess is the altar for the Linga. The Linga is the great lord himself.

16-17. Linga is so called because, O gods, everything gets dissolved in it. The brahmin who reads this narrative of Linga, in the presence of the Linga image attains Shiva-hood. No doubt need be entertained in this respect.

Summary of chapter 19 of the Linga Mahā Purana is as follows:

Gratified by Bhagavān Vishṇu's sincere praise and unwavering devotion, Supreme Śiva granted Him cosmic enlightenment, divine weapons including the Sudarśana Cakra, and the cosmic duty of preserving and protecting all universes. Śiva declared that Vishṇu is His very heart and that those who worship Vishṇu with true devotion are intrinsically worshipping Śiva Himself, establishing absolute unity between them.