Skandapurana 1.2.24

Mārkaṇḍeya said:

“O Lord, moon to the ocean of the māhātmya of the Lord,

O Nandīśa, the wonderful conduct of the two Vidyādharas has been heard. // 1

When did Vajrāṅgada attain perfection? How did he worship the God?

And how did the God, the Lord of Aruṇa, favor him who was bowed [in reverence]?” // 2

Nandikeśvara said:

Then, abandoning the desire to return towards his own city,

the king chose to dwell right at the foot of that [mountain]. // 3

Then his vast army, following the track of the mount,

crowded with chariots, elephants, horses, and foot-soldiers, arrived. // 4

The ruler of the earth, such an ocean of fortitude, was seen

by his royal chaplain, ministers, vassals, army commanders, and best of friends. // 5

Then, having honored that army which had arrived, the protector of the earth

stationed it entirely outside the boundary of Aruṇādri. // 6

His entire treasury, and also regions bearing great fruit,

the devoted king dedicated for the worship of the Lord of the Crimson Mountain. // 7

Having himself made a penance grove near the hermitage of Gautama,

instructed by his royal priest, together with his ministers, he became dedicated to the worship of Śiva. // 8

Having installed his son named Ratnāṅgada in his own post,

he propitiated the Lord of the Crimson [Mountain] with inexhaustible [tributes] sent by him. // 9

All around the Crimson Mountain, [endowed with] filled reservoirs of water,

he granted many fruitful agrahāras to the brahmins. // 10

By the power of the Lord of Aruṇa, who has the form of a pillar of fire,

in this land, though mostly arid, he constructed hundreds of oblong ponds. // 11

The far-sighted king offered the choice women of his own retinue,

endowed with beauty, for the service of the Lord of the Crimson [Mountain]. // 12

Then, by Agastya, who had arrived together with his companion Lopāmudrā,

he who was devoted to the worship of the Lord of the Crimson Mountain was praised. // 13

Every day performing ritual ablution in the lake named Navatīrtha,

he, self-restrained, worshipped Pāpanāśa and Pravāleśa. // 14

The ruler of men daily propitiated Durgā,

the slayer of the demon Mahiṣa, who removes afflictions from fortresses and difficulties. // 15

At every moment, of the one worthy of worship by Brahmā and Viṣṇu, who has the form of a liṅga,

he arranged various forms of worship for the primordial God.

Rising at dawn and having bathed, on foot alone the king

circumambulated three times, reciting the five-syllabled mantra.

On the full-moon day of Kārttika, pleasing to the beloved of Pārvatī,

he celebrated the Great Festival of Lamps, honoured throughout the three worlds.

Filled with water of sandalwood, white water-lilies, and camphor,

with thousands of golden vessels he bathed the Lord of the three yantras.

Preceded by the monthly raising of the flag and other festival rites at the sacred ford,

he conducted the grand chariot procession, revered across the three worlds.

With a pure heart, he also made a full bodily circumambulation

of the Crimson Mountain, which spans three yojanas in length.

Calling out, “O Lord of Aruṇācala! Ocean of the nectar of compassion!

O Lord who dwells with Aruṇā!” he praised him again and again.

Having smeared [him] daily with various substances such as the five nectars,

he anointed [him] with sandalwood paste pale with camphor.

From morning onward, he worshipped with white water-lilies and flowing musk / the Lord of the Crimson Mountain who embodies the hosts.

Thus, through the worship of that self-controlled king for three years,

the Lord of Aruṇādri was pleased and became visible.

Mounted upon the bull resembling the snowy mountain,

he was tightly embraced by the Goddess seated behind him.

Praise of victory was offered to him by brahmin seers such as Vasiṣṭha, by great seers such as Nārada,

and by the hosts [of attendants] led by Nikuṃbha and Kuṃbha.

With glances that were like the rolling waves of an ocean of compassion, like dwelling-places of Lakṣmī,

he seemed to dispel the impurity of the worlds.

And beholding that God of gods, casting himself eight-limbed upon the earth,

King Vajrāṅgada bowed down, exceedingly joyful.

And the king addressed him with his joined palms placed upon his head,

as if washing his lotus feet with the beams radiating from his teeth:

Vajrāṅgada said:

“O Lord of gods! Forgive this one transgression of mine,

in that through delusion I committed an accumulation of many sins.”

To him who spoke thus, utterly wretched, that treasure of mercy,

the Lord of the earth, the God who is the Lord of Śoṇācala, spoke:

The venerable Maheśvara said:

“Fear not, my child! Good fortune to you. I possess eight forms;

they have all been fashioned for the highest welfare of all living beings.

Formerly, as Indra, you stood on the peak of Kailāsa,

and full of pride, you slighted me; then you were paralyzed by me.

Your pride melted away in an instant; ashamed of being paralyzed,

you then begged for the knowledge of Śiva, the cause of all sovereignty.

You were instructed by me: ‘O wielder of the thunderbolt, descending to the earth,

you shall become King Vajrāṅgada and attain my grace.’

By that power, this sacred field which is my abode was reached.

You have been thoroughly disciplined; you are innocent and supremely devoted to me.

Now, by these services performed by you day and night,

I am well pleased, O King! Therefore, I enlighten you:

Ether, wind, fire, water, earth, the sun, the moon, and the individual soul—

through these forms of mine the whole universe of moving and unmoving things shines forth.

Indeed, as Time I impel all objects, living beings, and cosmic paths;

beyond the principles, I am Śiva; nothing here exists apart from me.

Certain waves rising up from me, the boundless ocean of consciousness and bliss,

are called Brahmā, Mukunda, Rudra, Indra, and the rest.

Speech, Lakṣmī, Patience, Faith, Wisdom, Svāhā, Svadhā, and others

are the powers of creation belonging to my immeasurable great power.

This Gaurī is my great power, Māyā, the mother of the universe;

by her the universe is constantly veiled, and it is also expanded.

Endowed with this power, performing the sport of creation, preservation, and dissolution,

by my own will I behold this multifaceted picture of the universe.

Free from delusion, contemplate my greatness

and realize yourself as non-different from me, like a wave from the ocean.”

Then, having attained sovereignty over the earth, full of my form,

by my grace, O king of kings, enjoy pleasures as you wish. (46)

Then, having long enjoyed divine happiness as Indra,

you shall assuredly attain oneness of form with me, O king. (47)

Nandikeśvara said:

Having spoken thus, when the god vanished, King Vajrāṅgada, successful,

worshipping Śoṇeśa alone, attained all pleasures. (48)

Thus has been recounted to you, O virtuous one, the glory of Śiva's devotee,

and the eternal fruit of circumambulating Śoṇa Mountain. (49)

What need of many words here? Circumambulation of Śoṇa Mountain

is superior even to a hundred great horse sacrifices. (50)

On the equinoxes, solstices, and conjunctions, at Vyatīpāta and other sacred occasions,

from circumambulating Śoṇa Mountain one obtains incalculable reward. (51)

There is no sacred field like Aruṇa; there is no deity like Aruṇeśvara;

nor is there found any austerity superior to circumambulation. (52)

While Nandikeśvara was speaking thus, the son of Mṛkaṇḍu, his whole body bristling with joy,

again and again weeping showers of tears of joy, seemed immersed in a great ocean of nectar. (53)

Thus ends the twenty-fourth chapter, entitled "Description of the Good Destiny of Vajrāṅgada," in the latter half of the Aruṇācalamāhātmya in the first [section], the Māheśvarakhaṇḍa, of the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, a collection of eighty-one thousand [verses]. (24)