Skandapurana 1.1.12

Brahmā said:

While the great seer, attended by sages, was thus speaking,

the mountain-born goddess cast away her doubt concerning the slaying of a devotee of Śiva.

Then from the sky arose a voice delightful to the ear:

"Do not go anywhere, O daughter of the mountain, for the expiation of sin.

The Gaṅgā, the Yamunā, the Sindhu, the Godā, and the Sarasvatī,

the Narmadā, the Kāverī, the Śoṇa, and the river Śoṇanadī—

let these nine sacred fords manifest right here on the surface of the rock.

In that [rock] split by your sword, O goddess, perform the aghamarṣaṇa rite.

In this month of Āśvayuja, when the constellation Jyeṣṭhā has arrived,

immerse yourself in the sword-ford and dwell there for a month holding the liṅga.

Having completed a solar month here that is equal to [a day of] the world-guardians,

having then obtained purification from sin for the liṅga resting on your hand,

consecrate it before the sacred ford for the sake of grace to the worlds.

When, having emerged and bathed in this best of sacred fords, the benevolent liṅga is worshipped,

the pacification of the three afflictions for the three worlds will take place, without doubt.

Consecrate the stationary liṅga that removes all sin near the sacred ford

with firm devotion, forever for the welfare of the world.

Under the constellation whose deity is the Viśvedevas, celebrate the union of Devakī.

Accompanied by a great festival lasting for a period of ten days,

and having performed the concluding bath under the auspicious constellation whose deity is Fire,

worship at evening, according to rule, my form as the Crimson Mountain.

Then I will show you my form made of light.

This which is done by you will serve for the protection of the worlds."

Having heard those words and the words of the great seer, that

daughter of the mountain began to perform both through austerity.

With her sword she split the rock-surface, undisturbed.

At that very moment, a group of nine sacred fords burst forth there.

Meditating on the liṅga situated upon his throat, the mountain-born goddess

immersed herself in that sacred ford with the permission of the sages.

The group of nine sacred fords that arose there had the luster of crystal;

by her dwelling inside it, it was instantly turned dark-blue by her radiance.

As the daughter of the mountain dwelt in the sacred ford for thirty days,

the mind of Śambhu, tormented by separation, became agitated.

There, with her splendor she created day-lotuses, with her eyes a forest of blue water-lilies,

and with her gentle smile the night-blooming lotus of the water.

Through that dwelling in water by the goddess, the worlds became free from misfortune,

and swiftly achieved their goals, endowed with the fruits of their respective seasons.

At the end of the month, having emerged and likewise celebrated the festival of the goddess,

in the month of Kārttika, under the constellation named Kṛttikā, at the rising of night,

having worshipped with offerings accomplished through austerity that yielded abundant prosperity,

the Mother of the World praised the liṅga embodied as the mountain of Aruṇa:

"Homage to you who possess the universal form, who bear the body of the Crimson Mountain,

who are the mountain-liṅga made of light, the destroyer of all fallen sins!

Your majesty is incomprehensible even to Brahmā and to Viṣṇu.

Though having the nature of fire, you have become tranquil to bestow grace upon the world;

and through your power you fashion the aggregate of cosmic principles, having the form of the fire of cosmic dissolution.

O best of mountains, Lord of the Aruṇa mountain, ocean of beauty and charm!

This wondrous form of yours is known through the Veda and worshipped by the gods.

O God, you are declared to be the primal seed of all lights!

For supreme and divine is your splendor, O god, Maheśvara,

which was previously seen by Brahmā and by Viṣṇu as he searched.

Today I have become purified, O Lord of gods, from the darśana of you.

Show me that divine, supreme splendor which removes all flaws.”

As the goddess was thus entreating, Śiva, embodied as Aruṇagiri,

manifested, filling the mid-space of the worlds with bursts of splendor.

Resembling the rising of ten million suns, equal to ten million full moons,

comparable to ten million fires of time, that supreme splendor was seen.

Bowing with supreme devotion together with the sages, Ambikā,

her lotus eyes and her heart overcome with wonder, rejoiced.

Then, from that treasure of splendor, Aruṇagiri, arose

a golden Person with a sweet-toned throat, who spoke these words:

“I am pleased with your austerities performed in my places,

and this form composed of splendor has now been seen by you.

For many reasons you should protect the worlds, O you whose self comprises the universe!

You perform austerities on earth; what other thing do you request?

By the radiance of my eyes, that mass of darkness which had arisen for you today

has indeed been completely stilled from gazing upon this splendor.

Now this wicked Mahiṣa, worshiping a liṅga out of devotion to me,

had indeed suddenly seized this liṅga stationed on his neck.

And it was devoured by him through the instruction of a nihilist;

he felt mistrust toward me, who was stationed on his neck in the form of a liṅga.

In due course, he too attained a charming birth as a sage,

worshiping and meditating upon me alone, residing in the state of a lord of the gaṇas.

This devotee in a previous birth, though Mahiṣa, was slain by you;

because he wore my liṅga for a long time, there was spiritual perfection for him too, O goddess.

Mistrust toward the Śivaliṅgas, disrespect toward a devotee of Śiva

should never be done by devotees, by those who desire liberation.

The liṅga that is forcefully worn without initiation

does not yield such fruit, and it destroys him like a thunderbolt.

There is no fault in that for you at all, because of gazing upon the Crimson Mountain (Aruṇācala);

the attainment of eyes is fruitful on account of the destruction of all flaws.

Since, through the giving of milk to your son, service was rendered by the nurse to your offspring,

she made you ‘Unswallowed-Breasted’ (Apītakucā), affectionate and a protector of devotees.

Under the lunar mansion named Kṛttikā here, out of longing for your presence,

under the pretext of an expiation, become named Apītakucā!

Having concluded the rest of the worship for the sake of bestowing grace on devotees,

worship me, an embodiment of compassion, as the lady Apītakucā.”

Having heard this speech of the god, which was exceedingly soothing,

Ambikā bowed down, made a request, and said to him:

“O God of gods, through your grace, you who are full of favor,

this splendor of yours has been shown, and it has been seen by gods and men.

Visible in the month of Kārttika at the great festival of the conclusion of my vow,

under this lunar mansion named Kṛttikā, let your supreme splendor be seen!

May all creatures, having beheld this supreme splendor

seen year after year, be liberated from all misfortunes!”

‘So be it,’ the God of gods replied, and then disappeared into the mountain.

Then Ambikā with her female friends performed a circumambulation of it.

With her dense dark luster blossoming all around,

she made the liṅga composed of Aruṇagiri take on the brilliance of emerald.

Walking slowly, with the splendors born from her lotus feet

she strewed the earth all around with lotus petals accompanied by tender shoots,

with masses of blossoming golden lotus petals and blue water-lily petals,

as if worshiping the Crimson Mountain on all sides with the radiances of her gaze.

Attended by the women of the world-guardians such as Indra,

propitiated by the groups of mothers with gifts of perfumes and ornaments,

surrounded by celestial women carrying umbrellas, flywhisks, water-jars,

palm-leaf fans, and baskets of fruits, accompanied by the wives of sages,

the mountain-born goddess circumambulated this self-luminous Aruṇagiri,

longing for union with Śiva, as if [circumambulating] the nuptial fire.

As she performed the circumambulation with devotion at every step,

the gods, the lords of the gods sent by Śambhu, surrounded [her]:

Dhātṛ along with Sarasvatī, and Ramā along with Viṣṇu.

Accompanied by the beloved wives of all the guardians of the directions, the daughter of the mountain,

as if restraining the lord of the gods with waters by bestowing boons,

as if imparting coolness to the true form of the lord of the mountain,

having remembered the god, as it were, through the inseparability of her austerity,

as if demonstrating the goodness of the difficult practice of dwelling in water,

as if to instruct in due order the seers proud of their divine nature,

joined with austerity as if it were a play practiced in former times,

reflecting upon herself, burning with separation, and Śiva residing within herself in that very manner,

she stood in the water to bring coolness to both of them;

desiring to proclaim to the world the superiority

of all the sacred fords that had sprung forth on the rocky ground, she stood there herself;

having undertaken the sin-destroying five-fire austerity,

very difficult to perform and an abode of true purpose, she stood as if to bring peace to his austerity;

as if washing that liṅga bathed in streams of blood

issuing from the throat of the buffalo-demon Mahiṣāsura with spotless waters of the sacred ford.

A charming city named Aruṇa was built by Viśvakarman

for the pleasure of the lord of Apītakucanātha and Śoṇādri.

Courtesans dwelling in its palaces and turrets,

having eclipsed the lightning of the clouds, as if wished to surpass the celestial nymphs waving chowries.

Where courtesans sang atop the peaks of towering palaces,

resplendent with siddhas, cāraṇas, gandharvas, and vidyādharas;

traversed by gold-decked chariots, adorned with eight wide streets,

arranged in the shape of a chessboard path, worshipped by the guardians of the eight directions;

abounding with siddhas endowed with the eight supernormal powers, who resort to the feet of the Eight-Formed Lord,

filled with those endowed with eightfold devotion and minds fixed on the eightfold [path];

endowed with the virtues of the four varnas, embellished in all its suburbs,

resting upon rows of glittering mansions of gold and silver;

delighted by conches, kettledrums, nissāṇa drums, mṛdaṅgas, and muraja drums,

along with musical beats led by lutes and flutes, and melodic conversations;

with the resonant chant of the Veda from great seers whose nature is Śiva,

it was fit to be served, where the bull-bannered Lord showed himself equally divine every day;

with massed radiances of the nine gems, like the simultaneous rising of the nine planets,

as if always revealing both night and day in this very way.

And Viṣṇu stood before the all-pervading Lord and served him with affection.

Śakra, the thousand-eyed, arrived together with the hosts of gods.

A shower of flowers rich in celestial fragrance fell all around.

A breeze, cool from the embrace of the waters of the heavenly Gaṅgā, blew forth,

perfuming all the quarters of the sky with an exceedingly sweet fragrance.

Shaking the rows of forests with the gold-tipped points of his horns,

braced with pride and agitation, the bull bellowed again and again.

All the seasons headed by spring, joyful in his presence,

personally attended upon [him] with appropriate, pleasing flowers.

Siddhas and supreme seers of diverse forms accompanied by hosts,

and gods filled with wonder came, eager to behold him.

Mixed with crushed saffron and combined with camphor powder,

a great shower of handfuls of scattered powder was cast all around.

Then, accompanied by the rhythm of mṛdaṅgas, darduras, jhallarīs, paṭahas, and dundubhis,

and the sounds of conches, bamboo flutes, and kāhala horns produced by the gods, they filled the world.

Amid the songs of the celestial bard Tumburu, agitated without interruption by the dancing of celestial women,

surrounded by hosts of sages and gods, the bull-bannered Lord seated upon his bull became visible.

Gracefully approaching, Śiva, the ocean of compassion, banished her shame though her face was bowed down;

and placing Śivā upon his charming lap, the enemy of Kāma, great in fortitude, rejoiced.

United with his charming beloved, surrounded by the assembly of gods and chief sages,

he watched again and again with delight the graceful dance of the apsarases accompanied by singing.

Then Śiva accepted the fragrant perfumes, beginning with auspicious sandalwood, offered by the king of the gods,

and the collections of fragrances sent by the snowy mountain along with musk.

Both, fully smeared [with unguents] and adorned with garlands, attained whiteness and were fully embellished.

with his noble hands restless to seize the garment covering the bud-like breasts of Apītastana [herself].

Charming with the auspicious fragrance lingering upon the firm, elevated, and full buds of her breasts,

having approached the daughter of the mountain, Śiva himself dispelled all the torment of separation.

Then, to the mountain-born goddess, who was characterized by hundreds of playful delights, / yet emaciated by the torment born of their mutual separation,

the lord of the crimson mountain himself commanded: “Ask for the boon you desire!”

Bowing down with joy for the protection of the three worlds, / the daughter of the mountain

begged of the lord of the red mountain this noble boon, a source of joyful grace:

Thus ends the twelfth chapter, entitled ‘The Description of the Goddess's Union with Śiva,’ in the first half of the Aruṇācalamāhātmya of the Māheśvarakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa of eighty-one thousand verses.