Skandapurana 1.1.1.49.3

1.1.1.49.3

vedeṣu mama māhātmyaṃ viśvādhikatayā śrutam ..
na jānāte imau mugdhau krodhato galitasmṛtī .. 28 ..
sarvopi jaṃturātmānamadhikaṃ manyate bhṛśam ..
amatānyasamādhikyastvadhaḥ patati durmatiḥ .. 29 ..
yadyahaṃ kvāpi bhuvane dāsyāmi mitimātmanaḥ ..
tadā tadrūpavijñānātsa ātmā sopi māmiyāt .. 1.3.1.1.30 ..
iti niścitya manasā svayameva sadāśivaḥ ..
āvayoryudhyatormadhye vahnistaṃbhaḥ samudyataḥ .. 31 ..
atītya sakalām̐llokānsarvato'gniriva jvalan .. 32 ..
anādyaṃtatayā cātha dṛgārtau saṃvyatiṣṭhatām ..
tejaḥstaṃbhaṃ jvalaṃtaṃ tamālokya śithilāśayau .. 33 ..
āvayoḥ purato jātā vāṇī cāpyaśarīriṇī ..
kimarthaṃ bālakau yuddhaṃ kalpyate mūḍhamānasau .. 34 ..
yuvayorbalavaiṣamyaṃ śiva eva vivekṣyate ..
tejaḥstabhamayaṃ rūpamidaṃ śaṃbhorvyavasthitam .. 35 ..
ādyaṃtayoryadi yuvāmīkṣiṣāthāṃ balādhikau ..
iti tāṃ giramākarṇya niyuddhādviratau tadā .. 36 ..
ahaṃ viṣṇuśca gatimānvicetuṃ tadvyavasthitau ..
agnistaṃbhamayaṃ rūpaṃ śaṃbhorādyaṃtavarjitam .. 37 ..
ālokituṃ vyavasitāvāvāmādyaṃtabhāgataḥ ..
biṃbitaṃ vyomagaṃ caṃdraṃ yathā bālau jighṛkṣataḥ ..38..
tathaivāvāṃ samudyuktau paricchettuṃ ca tanmahaḥ..
atha viṣṇurmahotsāhātkroḍo'bhūtsumahāvapuḥ .. 39 ..
tanmūlavicayā'yācca bhūmigarbhaṃ vyadārayat ..
ahaṃ ca haṃsatāṃ prāpto mahāvegaṃ samutpatan .. 1.3.1.1.40 ..
didṛkṣustacchirobhāgaṃ viyadūrdhvamagāhiṣam ..
adhodhodārayankṣoṇimaśeṣāmapi mādhavaḥ .. 41 ..
āvirbhūtamivādhastādagnistaṃbhamavaikṣata ..
anekakoṭivarṣāṇi vicinvannapi tejasaḥ .. 42 ..
apaśyannādimakṣayyamārtarūpaḥ sa vihvalaḥ ..

"My greatness is heard in the Vedas as transcending all. / These two deluded ones, their memory lost through anger, do not know it.
Every creature considers itself exceedingly superior. / But the fool who does not acknowledge the equality or superiority of others falls downward.
If in any world I give a measure of myself, / then, from realizing that form, he too may attain measure of the Self."
Deciding thus in his mind, Sadāśiva himself / arose as a pillar of fire between the two of us as we fought,
surpassing all the worlds, blazing on every side like fire.
Then, because it had neither beginning nor end, they stood with eyes pained, / their resolve broken upon seeing that blazing pillar of fire.
And before us a bodiless voice arose: / "Why is a battle undertaken, you two children of foolish mind?
Śiva alone will judge the difference between your powers. / This form standing here, composed of a pillar of fire, belongs to Śambhu.
If you two see its beginning and end, [that one is] superior in power." / Hearing those words, the two of us then ceased from combat,
and I and Viṣṇu, who possesses movement, resolved to search it out. / That form composed of a pillar of fire belonging to Śambhu was devoid of beginning or end;
the two of us resolved to inspect it from its beginning and its end. / Just as two children wish to seize the moon reflected in the sky,
so the two of us set out to measure that great splendor. / Then Viṣṇu, with great zeal, became a boar of immense body,
and to seek its base he tore open the interior of the earth. / And I, having assumed the state of a wild gander, flying up with great speed,
desirous to see its crown, plunged upward into the sky. / Rending the entire earth lower and lower, Mādhava
beheld the pillar of fire as if appearing from below. / Though searching for many crores of years,
not seeing the imperishable beginning of the splendor, he became afflicted in form and distressed.