Skandapurana 1.1.7

Pārvatī said:
How did the liṅga made of fire become accessible on earth?
How did it attain pacification for all living beings as well?
How did the sacred fords arise from the holy Aruṇa Mountain?
Or tell me, how did the mountain withdraw all its limbs?
Gautama said:
In the Kṛta age, the mountain was made of fire; in the Tretā age, it was a mountain of gems;
In the Dvāpara age, it was a mountain of gold; in the Kali age, it is an emerald mountain.
When it stood made of fire extending for many yojanas in the Kṛta age,
The great seers performed circumambulation on the outside, and it grew calm.
Gradually, the glorious Lord of the Aruṇa mountain was pacified when beseeched by the gods;
For the protection of the world, Aruṇācala became exceedingly calm.
Then Gaurī said to the sage: "How was Aruṇācala pacified?
Or how did the thirty [gods] pray to this Lord of gods?"
Hearing her words, Gautama then spoke,
Praising her matchless devotion that knows the true meaning of reality.
Gautama said:
In ancient times, being unable to approach the mountain that was in the form of fire,
The gods formerly offered praise, having worshipped with products of sacrifice:
"O Lord, Ruler of the Aruṇa mountain, bringing welfare to all the worlds!
Though in the form of fire, shine forth pacified on the surface of the earth!
'He who is copper-colored, ruddy, brown, and supremely auspicious,'
Thus all the Vedas praise you whose form is Śiva.
Salutations to the copper-colored, ruddy Śiva, the Supreme Self,
Whose nature is to be known through the Vedas, who is Soma, who is bliss incarnate!
All this universe, moving and unmoving, is your form, O God;
This is seen as the treasure of the gods, like your own form.
When the rain clouds pour and numerous torrents flow,
The consumption of water by fire at the end of an age is proper for you.
Water arose from fire, indeed from you, the Supreme Self;
Out of the glory of your wondrous qualities, it spreads the creation of the universe.
Become cool, O Mahādeva, O Śoṇācala, ocean of mercy!
Become accessible to all living beings, O Lord!"
Praised thus by all the bowed gods, the lover of devotees,
The Lord, instantly becoming cool, became approachable.
Again, rivers and torrents with abundant water began to flow;
Even when the clouds poured down, he did not swallow up much water.
Even so, having a splendor equal to billions of rising morning suns and fires of time,
He became accessible to living beings.
Emitting the waters of the universe and filling the rivers with flowing streams,
The God shines forth everywhere at all times.
Those various sacred fords arose all around through the prayer
Of the guardians of the directions, the gods, and the great-souled seers.
Brahmā said:
Hearing his words, Gaurī, filled with curiosity,
Proceeded to hear about the origin of all the sacred fords.
Pārvatī said:
Which sacred fords arose from Śoṇādri for the protection of the world?
Lord, tell me the entire origin of the sacred fords.

Hearing her words, which he had heard from the Lord of Mountains in the past,

He began to explain the origin of all the sacred fords.

Gautama said:

The great sacred ford named Aindra arose in Indra's direction.

Bathing there in ancient times, Śakra cast off the sin of killing a brahmin.

The divine sacred ford Brahmatīrtha arose in the corner of fire [the south-east].

Having bathed here, Agni abandoned the sin resulting from union with another's wife.

The great sacred ford named Yāmya spreads in Yama's direction [the south].

Bathing here, Yama cast away the fear arising from the Brahmā-weapon.

The great sacred ford Nairṛta shines in the south-western direction.

Bathing there, seers attained victory over ghosts and vetālas.

In the western direction shines the sacred ford Vāruṇa.

Bathing here in ancient times, Varuṇa recovered his own quiver of darts.

In the north-west shines the sacred ford Vāyavīya here.

Bathing there, Vāyu attained the glory of being the life-breath of the world.

And in the northern direction here, it is remembered as Somatīrtha.

Bathing there in ancient times, Soma was freed from consumption.

And in the north-eastern direction here, it is remembered as Viṣṇutīrtha.

Bathing there in ancient times, Viṣṇu was united with Śrī.

In ancient times, O goddess, Mārkaṇḍeya prayed to Śaṃkara:

"O Sadāśiva, O Mahādeva, God of gods, Lord of the world!

May there be an assembly of many sacred fords together in one place here.

By what means, O Lord? Tell me with grace, O Śaṃkara!"

Hearing his words, the God of gods, the Lord of Umā,

With a pleased mind revealed the means to the sage.

Maheśvara said:

"Always at the time of the offering, the confluence of all sacred fords,

Having arrived in my presence, serves me in a hidden form.

You need seek no other sacred ford here, O great sage;

At the time of my offering, the collection of sacred fords is seen.

Therefore, with devotion, the assembly of all sacred fords

Should be viewed by the sages and by all the gods at the conclusion of the food offering."

Thus in ancient times, O goddess, the God Śaṃkara of immeasurable soul

Taught Mārkaṇḍeya the manner of beholding the sacred fords.

Gautama said:

And indeed all the holy sacred fords in the presence of Śiva,

at the time of offering, can always be seen by mortals.

Vows, sacred fords, austerities, Vedas, sacrifices, observances, and so forth,

and yogas have their courses witnessed through the darśana of the Lord of the Crimson Mountain.

Hearing the speech of the best of sages, the daughter of the king of mountains, being pleased,

said: "Most wondrous is this network of sacred fords upon the earth taught here by you.

I have attained my goal, O best among those who practice tapas, through meeting you; now the network of sacred fords

has been reached; homage to you, O embodiment of tapas! Śiva also instructed me to do just this here.

Yet how is the Lord of the Mountain, the god here, though bearing a form of blazing great fire,

of peaceful form, this Supreme Lord to be worshipped on earth by groups of mortals?"

Thus ends the seventh chapter, named "Description of the Various Sacred Fords on Aruṇācala," in the first half of the Aruṇācalamāhātmya, in the first Māheśvarakhaṇḍa in the great Skandapurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses.