Skandapurana 6.1.6

Sanatkumāra said:

Having entered the forest adorned with all kinds of flowers, the gods,

Eager to see [him], entered [crying,] "The god is here! The god is here!"

At the edge of that wondrous forest, those gods did not see [him];

Searching for Mahādeva, he was looked for everywhere by the gods.

He said to him: "Indeed, auspicious ones, you will not see [him] without austerity."

"Searching for the odd-eyed one, you do not see this Śaṃkara."

Recalling in his heart what was fitting, Brahmā then said to the gods:

"The means of attaining darśana of that god is threefold at all times:

It is taught as faith, knowledge, austerity, and indeed yoga.

Yogins see the gods as both with parts and without parts;

those practicing austerity see [him] with parts, but the knowers see [him as] the supreme, without parts.

Even when discernment has arisen, one of poor faith does not see [him];

endowed with supreme devotion, yogins behold the Supreme.

He must be seen as changeless, the lord of primal matter and spirit.

He cannot be seen by the uninitiated; therefore, O gods, take recourse to the Śaiva initiation.

Constantly joined to Maheśvara in action, mind, and speech,

perform austerity—may good fortune be yours—intent upon the worship of Rudra.

For devotees and ascetics who have attained the Śaiva initiation,

he knows that darśana must be granted by him at all times."

Hearing Brahmā's statement, which was indeed beneficial, just as he spoke it,

their minds absorbed in the desire to see Śiva, they said this to Brahmā:

"Intent upon the Śaiva initiation according to proper course and precept,

grant, O Brahmā, initiation unto all of us, which gives delight to Śiva."

Hearing this speech, Brahmā, having deliberated, replied in turn,

wishing swiftly to initiate the immortals with the Śaiva initiation:

"O gods, bring forth abundantly the provisions for the sacrifice to Śiva;

let an altar be fashioned here; Śiva of eightfold form is to be worshipped."

Hearing the lotus-born one's words, the gods thereupon performed everything.

Clothed modestly, bowing down, they followed along with him.

The knowledge of Puṣkara was proclaimed for attaining the grace of Śiva.

The Creator duly performed the sacrifice to the bearer of the crescent moon;

the lotus-born one then, placing the initiation first in proper application,

through grace caused those gods to undertake it with devotion.

Then the great lord [Brahmā] gave to those deities the foremost of vows,

the divine vow, he who knew how to reconcile all things:

The Mahāpāśupata vow, recited in the sanctuary of Śiva,

which is Śaiva, as prescribed, and practiced according to Āgamic ritual,

belonging to sages of intense radiance foremost in the worship of Śiva,

bestowing grace upon all, ordained by Śambhu with all the gods.

Having thus prayed with understanding for that auspicious, tranquil vow belonging to Rudra,

the golden-egg-born one, casting aside doubt, imparted it to them,

granting all desires, rich in the name of ashes, celebrated as ever auspicious,

destroying sin, calming sorrow, increasing nourishment, prosperity, and strength,

granting perfection, creating renown, lovely, freeing from the taints of the Kali age.

Therefore, with every effort, composed in mind, taking the bath of ashes,

the men, self-controlled, initiated, with subdued senses,

all bearing water-pots, all wearing rudrākṣa beads,

completely free from the sight of, speech with, or association with undesirable persons—

thus, all observing the vow in that forest, worshipped Maheśvara,

that Īśāna, the husband of Umā, solely through that vow,

endowed with supreme devotion and with the highest ritual practice.

After a long time, knowing what was in their hearts through meditation,

their sins burned away by the fire of meditating on Rudra, endowed with glory,

Śambhu, having then slain the demon, became visibly manifest, the Lord.

Sanatkumāra said:

The boon given by Brahmā was fulfilled by all the gods, inspired by Śarva;

having been answered, Brahmā too was inspired by Īśāna.

When a divine thousand years had passed, that lord of the chiefs of the gods,

a beacon, compassion arisen [in him] for the gods, came within their sight,

together with various kinds of attendants adorned with diverse ornaments,

crushing the arrogance born of great arrogance, terrible, destroyers of terrible things,

assuming forms at will, free from desire yet endowed with all desires,

tearing open the broad temples of lordly elephants, having lion bodies,

with divine virtues such as atomicity, known by names such as the powers of yoga,

with shaking manes and girdles, produced from the clattering of their fangs.

with ferocious faces like tigers and serpents, as well as crows, herons, and owls,

formless, of uniform form, handsome, multiform,

with one, two, or three heads, many-headed, or headless,

with one, two, or three topknots, adorned with various forms,

many-eyed and eyeless, with one, two, or three eyes,

with one ear, two ears, many ears, or earless,

with one, two, or three fine noses, many-nosed, or noseless,

with one shin, two shins, many shins, or shinless,

with one foot, two feet, many feet, or footless,

fair and dark, dark and fair, black, and variegated,

wearing garlands and bracelets of serpents, wearing the sacred thread,

bearing tridents, swords, and paṭṭiśas, armed with bhuśuṇḍīs and clubs,

holding discuses, saws, bows, arrows, and staves in their hands,

holding maces, mallets, stones, and pestles as weapons in their hands,

bearing thunderbolts, spears, bolts, darts, lances, and knives,

playing bhambhā drums, kettledrums, vīṇās, paṇavas, and flutes,

mṛdaṅgas, clear ḍhakkās, kāhalās, ānakas, and dundubhis,

by players of diverse musical instruments such as huḍuṅkas, horns, and others.

Thus, surrounded by ferocious, terrible ones of various kinds, possessing terrifying prowess,

leaders of the Gaṇas most difficult to overcome, like the sun surrounded by planets,

Mahādeva appeared, encircled by his own retinues,

while Brahmā and the other gods looked on then, O Vyāsa.

Then the gods, headed by Brahmā, upon seeing the leader of the Gaṇas before them,

overwhelmed by his splendor, became bewildered in mind.

Then, gathering their resolve and beholding the god according to rule,

their minds and bodies gladdened through the application of the sixfold Veda,

with folded hands placed on their heads and bowing down to the earth at his feet,

they praised Īśvara, the maker of creation, destruction, and maintenance:

The gods said:

Obeisance to Śiva, the peaceful one, accompanied by his retinue, joined with Nandin,

seated upon a bull, gentle, bearing the trident and spear!

Obeisance to the one clad in the quarters and hides, pure, of fierce splendor,

the Brahman, embodied as Brahman, and united through Brahman!

Obeisance to the destroyer of Andhaka! Obeisance, obeisance to the Supreme Lord,

to Rudra, the five-faced, the remover of all diseases!

Obeisance, obeisance to the Lord of the mountain, the Lord of gods, to Īśāna,

to the one whose form is Bhīma, Ugra, and others, to Vijaya! Obeisance, obeisance!

Obeisance to the sovereign of gods and asuras, to the master of ascetics,

to Caṇḍa, possessing fierce punishment, bearing the excellent staff of the skull-topped staff!

Obeisance indeed to the one known as the auspicious Virūpākṣa, whose form is the universe,

peaceful, captivating, three-eyed! Obeisance, obeisance!

Obeisance to the Ordainer, of universal form, the destroyer of Daityas,

exceedingly compassionate to devotees, devoted to the knowledge of Rudra,

misshapen, handsome, bearer of hundreds of forms,

five-faced, auspicious-faced, moon-faced! Obeisance, obeisance!

Obeisance, obeisance to the boon-giver, the Boar, the excellent Tortoise!

O Three-eyed One, slayer of Tripura, let protection be granted to us

who have sought refuge in you with voice, mind, and bodily disposition, O Maheśvara!

Sanatkumāra said:

Thus praised at that time by the gods, headed by Viriñci, Hara,

the Lord, looking upon the emaciated bodies of the gods,

with the stream of his divine majesty, with an inner self of threefold piercing,

perceiving the worship of Brahmā and the others, the Lord of gods spoke:

“Well done, well done, O fortunate ones! A perpetual observance has been maintained!

Through this divine rite, I have indeed been thoroughly propitiated

by you with intense faith, in longing for my darśana.

For mortals and even deities who abide in observances see me.

Whatever it may be, I grant to you certain auspicious boons,

one by one, or two or three together, equally to all of you.

For the accomplishment of all your desires, I shall grant this boon to you!”

And for your benefit I came towards Ujjayinī.

The skull was cast down by me; what further [need be said]? May good fortune be yours!"

The gods said:

"What benefit has been done for us by you casting down the skull?

Why was the earth shaken, and the three worlds thrown into turmoil?

This cannot be without purpose, O god; let the reason for this be told!"

Mahādeva said:

"Indeed, this frightening [act] was performed and directed for your benefit;

it was for the protection of the deities. Hear the reason for this:

There was an Asura named Drohaṇa, powerful and possessing magical powers of illusion;

he remained taking support in the base of the nether regions.

Of that powerful Daitya, Daityas who conquer the enemy's strongholds,

knowing you to be engaged in austerity, many of them advanced [against you].

Wishing to slay [the gods] along with Indra, moving invisibly by illusion,

towards this city Kuśasthalī, rich with golden spires,

they marched out, prepared, with upraised weapons to slay the gods.

By the falling of the skull, by the shaking of the earth,

and by that exceedingly dreadful sound, the vital breaths departed from their bodies.

Their undertaking was for the destruction of the order of the worlds;

arrogant through royal sovereignty, they were therefore slain by me."

The gods said:

"And again, such grace has been bestowed upon the confident;

you are the granter of grace to the gods, served by the remembrance of your virtues.

O Bhīma, [we are] exceedingly gladdened by divine sights for the sake of fame."

Having spoken thus, Bhava raised the bowing gods and spoke again:

Śiva said:

"Accompanied by worship, constantly attended with fierce [devotion],

accomplished by the practice of meditation—which does not exist for others—

[your] austerity, hard to do and hard to practice, with thought, word, and bodily devotion;

endowed with this austerity, painful and unbearable,

great, accomplished by the body, accumulated by you over a long time—

may your splendor and your austerity increase on all sides!"

Sanatkumāra said:

Having been addressed thus by the God of gods, the gods, headed by Brahmā,

kneeling on their knees, lifting up their faces, spoke to Īśvara:

The gods said:

"You are the giver of life, you are the cause; O god, you are seen [as the goal] of austerities;

therefore, O granter of boons, to us and to men engaged [in striving],

grant protection, O Lord of gods, O bestower of fearlessness to devotees!"

Īśvara said:

"With effort and according to rule, a clearly manifest darśana has indeed been given to you;

furthermore, I will give you many boons, even those very difficult to obtain."

When this was spoken by the Lord, Brahmā spoke words,

standing in front of the gods, to Bhava, who arose at the sound of the [sacred] word:

"O Lord, we have obtained an abundant and great boon;

may we always have sovereignty, and an imperishable dwelling place!"

Śiva said:

"Those who are my devotees in this world, and those who have been slain by me,

they do not go to a bad state of existence; they attain the highest good understanding.

Together there with their matted crests of hair and heads, tridents in hand,

these terrible gaṇas of yours shine, standing at my left side.

For their suppression and for your awakening,

the skull was cast down with perturbation onto the surface of the earth by me.

My grace was granted to those devotees who desire devotion.

My eternal residence is in this forest, as I was entreated by the trees.

O sinless gods, because I have arrived at Mahākālavana,

and because you performed austerity here, Mahākālavana

will become renowned in the world, endowed with two names and secret;

a secret forest and a cremation ground, the greatest and supreme among sacred fields.

And this practice of the vow of the skull has indeed been proclaimed by me."

Eating from a skull vessel, adorned by the observance of the skull,

holding a skull in his hand, contented, sustained by alms, engaged in the vow,

dwelling in the cremation ground, terrible, his mind seemingly deranged and bewildered by the vow,

rejoicing among all beings, always equal toward the pleasant and the unpleasant,

all his limbs adorned with ashes, and possessed of exceptional knowledge,

with senses conquered, free from all attachment, collecting only clay, ashes, and water,

constantly disciplined, ever-pervading, repeating mantras, having mastered the supreme sitting posture,

visiting sacred holy fords and hermitages, focused on the Lord residing in himself—

transcending the world is this supreme knowledge, the great Pāśupata vow.

Undertaking this observance of the skull, it was formerly performed by myself.

The skull is supremely secret, purifying, and the destroyer of sin.

Indeed, this observance of the skull is difficult to maintain and exceedingly wondrous,

extremely fierce, dreadful, not terrible [to devotees], and thrilling.

The man who, out of delusion, despises this great vow, remaining in sin,