Skandapurana 1.2.10

Mārkaṇḍeya said:

"Instruct me, O lord, as to how eternal Śambhu

favored Vaikuṇṭha and Parameṣṭhin, who were blinded by delusion."

Nandikeśvara said:

"Listen, I shall explain everything in detail, exactly as it was,

whatever the god, who is affectionate to his devotees, did out of compassion.

Then, between the two who were thus disputing,

there arose [Śiva], assuming the form of a pillar of light, blocking the cavity between heaven and earth."

As that [pillar], splitting the cosmic egg, swelled with immense size,

the intermediate space, exceedingly dark, seemed to be cast upwards. (4)

By the radiance of that liṅga of light, turning everything colorless on every side,

the directions instantly shone as if extended far away. (5)

As though dried up by its fierce, mighty flames,

the oceans, freed from the agitation of waves, returned to their original nature. (6)

Planets, along with hosts of stars, shone in the sky as before,

like sparks bursting forth from that pillar of fire. (7)

Tinged by its crimson light as if with red chalk,

all the mountains bore the splendor of earthly suns. (8)

The oceans, clinging tightly to aquatic creatures reflected in them,

shone as if fashioned upon a slab of ruby stone. (9)

The trees appeared as if hung with fresh clusters of coral,

and the rivers shone as if crowded with fully blossomed red water-lilies. (10)

The earth seemed smeared with saffron, the directions dusted with vermilion,

and the entire sky appeared all red. (11)

The vessel of the cosmic egg, filled inside with that brilliance,

became like the skull-bowl of [Śiva] clad in hide, filled with blood. (12)

And by that ever-growing pillar of fire,

the universe, moving and unmoving, took on a dawn-red form. (13)

Seeing that marvelous liṅga of fire, their mutual anger cast aside,

the four-faced one [Brahmā] and the four-armed one [Viṣṇu] each began to ponder: (14)

“Can this be a mass of brilliance from the hood-jewels of serpent-kings like Śeṣa,

bursting through the earth and turned upward? (15)

Or have the suns, whose appearance is easy at the end of an aeon,

all twelve risen simultaneously between heaven and earth? (16)

Or [is it lightning bolts] spread from the midst of the sky by the friction of clouds,

gathered together and falling swiftly onto the surface of the earth? (17)

Constantly overpowering the power of the eyes with its rays,

it expands, rendering the entire host of beings indistinguishable from itself. (18)

Though blazing fiercely, it does not cause torment;

it does not burn even nearby beings as fire would. (19)

Through the transmission of its luster, not only has the world,

but even my own body, alas, acquired a crimson hue! (20)

From where did it arise? What is its root? What are its conditions?

From where does it come? What is its material cause? Through what devotion does it shine forth? (21)

How far is its limit around, across, below, and above?

And to what extent has it penetrated Pātāla?” (22)

“The mind, constantly eager to know all of this,

desires to fly up into the sky and to enter Rasātala.” (23)

Thus overcome by a burden of anxiety at the sight of the pillar of fire,

both of them, Vaikuṇṭha [Viṣṇu] and Parameṣṭhin [Brahmā], were perplexed. (24)

And Govinda, looking upon Hiraṇyagarbha [Brahmā],

who was exceedingly proud, spoke with a smiling lotus-face: (25)

Viṣṇu said:

“O Brahmā, for the two of us who desire superiority over each other,

this very touchstone has presented itself for a true test. (26)

Of this mass of radiance, whose power is immeasurable,

it is certainly impossible for either of us alone to know the beginning and the end. (27)

Whoever can see the base or the tip of this self-manifest radiance,

he alone will be superior to the other, and he shall be the lord of the worlds.” (28)

Nandikeśvara said:

With their minds thus resolved to see the base and the tip

of that immense radiance, the two of them made an effort in mutual rivalry. (29)

Thus ends the tenth chapter, titled “The Description of the Manifestation of the Liṅga of Light between Brahmā and Viṣṇu,” in the second half of the Aruṇācalamāhātmya, in the first Māheśvarakhaṇḍa, in the great Skandapurāṇa of eighty-one thousand verses. (10)