Matsyapurana 47.118

47.118

taṃ dṛṣṭvā tu pibantaṃ sā kaṇadhūmam avāṅmukham
yakṣeṇa pātyamānaṃ ca kuṇḍadhāreṇa pātitam //

There she saw the sage suspended with his head downwards and imbibing the smoke of the chaff; while a Yakṣa had just thrown him down the side of the Kuṇḍa. She found him all absorbed in his austerities, looking very lean and having all his body covered with ashes. Seeing the sage like that, she set herself to serve him according to the injunctions of her father. In other words, she began to serve the sage by shampooing his legs and winning his pleasure by her sweet and flattering speech; and, adapting herself to suit his pleasure, she practised penances along with him for many a year. On the lapse of a thousand years of practising this vow of smoke, the God Śiva, becoming satisfied, appeared to grant boons to Śukra, and said:—“Śukra! You alone have undergone this penance, none other has done so, consequently, you alone will have the glory of conquering all the Devas by your asceticism, intellect, knowledge of the Śâstras, splendour, and power; and O, Bhṛigunandana! in addition to all these, you will achieve all the rest of your desires. Do not say so before any one, but you alone will accomplish everything.”—119-125.