46 - Installation of the Linga

The sages said:

1. O Suta of great intelligence, O Romaharshana, the mode of performing Shraddha of living persons has been recounted by you for the sake of our liberation despite the fact that we are foolish.

2-6. O sage of good holy rites, how is the installation of Rudra, Aditya and Vasus, of Indra and others; how is the installation of Shiva the deity represented by the Linga; how are the following deities installed: — Vishnu, Indra, Brahma, Agni, Yama, Nirruti, Varuna, Vayu, Soma, Yaksha, Kubera, Ishana, Earth, Shri, Durga, Shiva the excellent daughter of the Himavan, Skanda, Ganaraja and Nandin in particular? It behoves you to describe in detail the characteristics of the installation of other Devas and Ganas.

7. O sage of good holy rites, you arc conversant with the reality of all objects. You are another physical form of Krishna Dvaipayana.

8-9. "Sumantu, Jaimini and Paila are great sages. Romaharshana is capable of devoutly serving his preceptor." Thus is the great story sung about Vyasa on the banks of the Bhagirathi. You are the chief disciple of that lustrous person, equal to or non-different from him.

10. You are equal to Vaishampayana among the disciples of Vyasa on the earth. Hence, it behoves you now to mention everything to us.

11-13. After saying thus, the sages stood there for a while. At that time a mysterious thing happened in front of him (Suta) and the sages. Goddess Sarasvati herself uttered these words from the sky: —

“May the questions of the sages stop. The whole world is identical with the Linga. Everything is founded on the Linga. Hence, one shall eschew everything, install the Linga and worship it.

14. One shall pierce the cosmic egg instantaneously by performing the rite of installing the Linga which acts like a large sword fixed to the path of the good. The devotee shall then unhesitatingly go out.

15-21. All these are firmly founded on the Linga: — Upendra, Brahma, Indra, Yama, Varuna, Kubera, Ishvara and others. They have installed Maheshvara, Shiva, whose physical form is the Linga. O brahmins, they have become the chief among their kinsmen by installing Shiva thus.

Brahma, Hara, Vishnu, Rama, Dhara, Lakshmi, Dhruti, smruti, Prajna, Dhara, Durga, Shachi, Rudras, Vasus, Skanda, Vishakha, Shakha, Naigamesha, guardians of the quarters, planets, the Ganas, Nandin, Ganapati, Pitrus, sages, those lustrous ones beginning with Kubera, ²⁸⁵ Adityas, Vasus, Samkhyas, the excellent physicians Ashvins, Vishvedevas, Sadhyas, Pashus, birds and animals — nay everything beginning with Brahma and ending with an immobile thing is founded on the Linga. Hence, one shall eschew everything and install the unchanging Linga. If one worships it, it is as good as worshipping everything installed assiduously.

285. Kuberadyah — yakshas with their leader Kubera.