Skandapurana 1.3.3

Lomaśa said: / When Viṣṇu had departed, then all the gods, along with the ṛṣis, / and all those who subsist on sacrifices, were utterly conquered by the gaṇas.

And he struck down Bhṛgu; the plucking of his beard was done. / And he pulled out the teeth of Pūṣan, causing monstrous deformities.

Svadhā was desecrated there, and the ṛṣis were mocked. / Filled with anger, they rained feces upon the sacrificial fire of the canopy.

Then the gaṇas, filled with wrath, performed unspeakable acts. / Dakṣa went inside the sacrificial enclosure out of immense fear.

Knowing that he was hiding, [Vīrabhadra], filled with anger, brought him out. / Grasping him by the cheeks, he struck his head with a sword.

Thinking that head to be impenetrable, the glorious Vīrabhadra / pressed down on his shoulder with his feet and squeezed his neck then.

And as the neck was being torn open, the head of the evil-minded / Dakṣa was then severed by the wise Vīrabhadra. / That head was well-offered into the blazing sacrificial pit […]

And the other ṛṣis, gods, ancestors, yakṣas, and rākṣasas, / all harassed by the gaṇas, fled intent on running away.

All the hosts of the moon and sun, the planets, constellations, and stars— / all of them were indeed displaced, harassed by the gaṇas as well.

Afflicted by grief for his son, Brahmā went to Satyaloka. / Undisturbed, he reflected: "What duty must be done today?"

With an anguished mind, the Grandfather found no peace, / knowing with great effort all the misdeeds of that sinner [Dakṣa].

He made up his mind to go toward Mount Kailāsa. / Mounted on a swan, possessing great splendor, accompanied by all the gods,

Having entered that best of mountains, he beheld Sadāśiva, / Rudra dwelling in solitude, accompanied by Śailāda.

wearing matted locks, endowed with glory, and unapproachable even by the limbs of the Veda. / Seeing him in such a state, Brahmā became overwhelmed with distress.

He fell to the ground like a staff, resolved to beg forgiveness. / Touching his lotus feet with the tips of his four crowns, / he began to sing the praises of Śiva, the Supreme Self.

Brahmā said: / Homage to Rudra, the peaceful one, the Brahman, the Supreme Self! / For you are the creator of the creators of the universe, the supporter, the great-grandfather.

Homage to Rudra, the great one, the blue-throated one, the ordainer, / the universe itself, the seed of the universe, the cause of joy to the world.

You are the syllable Oṃ, you are the vaṣaṭ-call, the instigator of all undertakings. / You are the sacrifice, you are the sacrificial act, and the promoter of sacrifices.

You alone are the protector of all performers of sacrifice. / You are the refuge, O Mahādeva, of all living beings, O Lord! / Protect, protect [me], O Mahādeva, afflicted by grief for my son!

Mahādeva said: / Listen attentively to my words, O Grandfather! / This disruption of Dakṣa’s sacrifice was never caused by me.

By his own action Dakṣa was slain, O Brahmā, there is no doubt.

An action causing distress to others should never be done. / O highest Lord, whatever is done to others will happen to oneself.

Having spoken thus, Rudra, accompanied by Brahmā and the gods, / went to the sacred ford Kanakhala, to the sacrificial enclosure of Prajāpati [Dakṣa].

Then Rudra saw what had been done by Vīrabhadra: / Svāhā, Svadhā, and likewise Pūṣan, and Bhṛgu, the best of the wise,

and all the other seers, and the ancestors likewise, / and the many other yakṣas, gandharvas, and kinnaras there,

were torn apart, stripped of hair, and some were dead on the field of battle.

Seeing that Śambhu had arrived, Vīrabhadra, together with the gaṇas, / prostrated himself like a staff and stood before Sadāśiva.

Seeing Vīrabhadra of great might standing before him, / Rudra laughed and spoke these words: “What is this that has been done, O hero?

Bring Dakṣa quickly, by whom such a deed was done / in an extraordinary sacrifice, my dear, and whose fruit is of such a kind!”

Thus addressed by Śaṃkara, Vīrabhadra, with haste, / brought the headless trunk and cast it down before Śambhu.

Then high-minded Vīrabhadra was asked by Śaṃkara himself: / “By whom was the head of this wicked Dakṣa taken away?

Even though he was deceitful, O hero, I shall now give him life.” / Thus addressed by Śaṃkara, Vīrabhadra spoke again:

“The head was offered by me into the fire at that very time, O Śaṃkara! / What remains, O Śambhu, is the head of the sacrificial animal with a deformed face.”

Knowing this, Rudra then placed upon the headless trunk / the deformed, bearded, and terrifying head of the sacrificial animal.

Dakṣa obtained life by the grace of Śaṃkara. / Then, seeing Rudra before him, Dakṣa, filled with shame, / bowed down and praised Śaṃkara, the benefactor of the world.

Dakṣa said: / I bow to the boon-giving God, the most choice; I bow to the eternal Lord of the gods. / I bow to Hara, the supreme master and Lord of the gods; I bow to Śambhu, the sole friend of the universe.

I bow to the Lord of the universe whose form is the universe, the eternal Brahman whose form is one’s own Self. / I bow to the All, the source of one's own being; to the highest, the most choice, I am bowed down.

Lomaśa said: / Praised by Dakṣa, Rudra laughed and spoke in secret:

Hara said: / Four kinds of virtuous men constantly worship me: / the afflicted, the seeker of knowledge, the seeker of wealth, and the man of knowledge, O best of the twice-born.

Therefore, all who possess knowledge are dear to me; there is no doubt in this. / For those who strive to attain me without knowledge are childish fools.

You indeed wish to cross over cyclic existence merely by action.

Neither by the Vedas, nor by gifts, nor by sacrifices, nor ever by austerity / can foolish men enslaved by actions reach me.

Therefore, devoted to knowledge, perform action with composure. / Becoming equal in pleasure and pain, be constantly happy.

Lomaśa said: / Having thus instructed Dakṣa and established him there, / that Śambhu, the supreme lord, Rudra, departed for his own mountain.

All the great seers as well, Bhṛgu and the others, were comforted and enlightened / by Brahmā, and in an instant they became possessors of knowledge.

The grandfather Brahmā then went to his own abode.

Dakṣa too, by his word alone, attained supreme enlightenment. / Intent on meditating upon Śiva, the high-minded one performed austerity.

Therefore, the blessed Lord Śiva should be served with every effort.

Those men who sweep the courtyard of Śiva / indeed attain the city of Śiva and become praised by the world.

Those who offer a mirror of great brilliance to Śiva, / those men shall become attendants before Śiva.

Those who offer flywhisks to the God of gods, the wielder of the trident, / will be fanned with flywhisks in the three worlds.

The men who offer the gift of a lamp in the temple of Mahādeva / will become full of splendor, illuminating the three worlds.

Those who indeed offer incense to Śiva, the Supreme Self, / will become renowned and deliver both their maternal and paternal families.

Those men who offer food offerings with devotion before Hari-Hara / obtain the fruit of a sacrifice with every grain of rice.

And the best of men who repair a broken temple of Śiva / obtain double the fruit; there is no doubt in this.

Those who construct a new one, either with bricks or with stone, / rejoice in heaven as long as their spotless / fame remains on earth, O best of the twice-born; [no] doubt should be entertained.

And those brahmins, great in wisdom, who cause a multi-storied temple / of Śiva to be built, attain the supreme goal.

And those who clean and whitewash Hara's temple, / whether their own or made by another, they too attain the supreme state. 5.58

Indeed, those meritorious men who offer a canopy / deliver their entire lineage and go, moreover, to Śiva's realm. 5.59

And those who hang a resonant bell in Śiva's temple / will become radiant and renowned in the three worlds. 5.60

Whether rich or poor, one who beholds [him] / once, twice, or thrice a day, is happily freed from suffering. 5.61

Or the faithful person who worships Śiva, the Supreme Self, / delivers ten million ancestors and rejoices with Śiva. 5.62

In this very connection they cite this ancient history, / the conversation between Indradyumna's son and the great-souled Yama. 5.63

Long ago, in the Kṛta age, there was a king named Indrasena, / the ruler of Pratiṣṭhāna, a warrior who was ever fond of hunting. 5.64

Hostile to brahmins, always cruel, always gratifying only his own belly, / that villain constantly sustained his own life through the lives of others. 5.65

Excessively addicted to other men's wives, covetous of others' wealth, / brahmins were killed by him, and he incessantly drank liquor. 5.66

He frequently violated his guru's bed and was ever a thief of gold; / all the followers of that evil-minded king were just like him. 5.67

In this manner that evil-natured man ruled his kingdom in various ways. / Then, in the course of long time, the wicked-minded man met his death. 5.68

Then, that evil-natured Indrasena was carried off by Yama's attendants; / the stained king then arrived before Yama. 5.69

There he was seen by Yama, standing in front—that Indrasena; / standing up [in reverence], Yama bowed his head to Śiva. 5.70

Yama, the best among upholders of dharma, rebuked his messengers; / having freed Candrasena who was bound with nooses, the King of Dharma said: 5.71

“Go to the most sacred realms, and enjoy them, O best of kings, / as long as Indra remains in heaven and the sun in the vault of the sky, 5.72

and as long as the five elements endure, so long be happy! / You are a doer of good deeds, O great king, and ever a devotee of Śiva.” 5.73

Hearing Yama's words, Indrasena replied: / “I do not know Śiva, for I was only fond of the hunt.” 5.74

Hearing those words of his, Yama spoke [this] reply: / “'Bring [it]!' (āhara), 'Strike!' (prahara)—this was constantly spoken by you. 5.75

By the fruition of that deed you are forever purified, O courteous one; / therefore, go to Mount Kailāsa, to Śaṃkara.” 5.76

While the great-souled Yama was speaking thus, / those messengers of Śiva arrived, mounted on bulls and of great splendor. 5.77

Blue-throated, ten-armed, five-faced, three-eyed, / wearing matted hair and earrings, their crests marked by the moon. 5.78

Seeing them, Yama, the best among upholders of dharma, rose up at once, / and then honored them all, who resembled Mahendra. 5.79

Immediately they all said to Yama, son of Vivasvat: / “Indrasena of boundless splendor has arrived here, O fortunate one, / who constantly uttered the name of the great-souled Rudra.” 5.80

Having heard their words and being honored by Yama, / Indrasena, seated in an aerial chariot, was sent to the abode of Śiva. 5.81

Brought then by those supreme, best attendants, / Indrasena of boundless splendor was beheld by Śambhu. 5.82

Rising, Rudra approached and embraced the king; / seating Indrasena on half of his throne, he then said to him: 5.83

“What shall be given, O best of kings? I grant what you desire.” / Hearing those words of the Great Lord, the king then, / shedding tears of joy, could say nothing out of love. 5.84

Then he was made an attendant by the great-souled Great Lord, / known by the name Caṇḍa, and the dear friend of Muṇḍa. 5.85

By merely uttering the name of Rudra, the Supreme Self, / even that most sinful king Indrasena attained perfection. 5.86

Indeed, by the syllables “ra” and “ha”, the names of Śambhu and the Discus-wielder, / many mortals have been protected by Śiva, the Supreme Self. 5.87

No god higher than the Great Lord is seen in the three worlds; / therefore, Sadāśiva must be worshipped with every effort. 5.88

Worshipped with leaves, flowers, or fruits, or ever with pure water, / [or] with oleanders, Śaṃkara becomes the granter of boons. 5.89

Ten times superior to oleander is the arka flower. / This whole universe of mobile and immobile beings is brought forth by holy ash and the rest; 5.90

therefore one should always wear that which belongs to Śiva's courtyard. / Next, hear the merit of the tripuṇḍra, O best of brahmins! 5.91

It takes away all sin; hear of that merit, O best of brahmins! / A certain thief, a great sinner, was slain by the king's emissaries. 5.92

A dog came to eat him and stood upon his head; / ash clinging between its claws [fell] upon that very sinner, 5.93

and dropped onto his forehead in the imprint of a tripuṇḍra mark, / clinging merely to his body devoid of consciousness. 5.94

Then that thief was immediately taken to Kailāsa by Rudra's emissaries. / Who indeed is able to describe the excellence of the greatness of holy ash? 5.95

Men of meritorious deeds whose bodies are adorned with holy ash, / on whose mouth is the five-syllable mantra—they are Rudras; of this there is no doubt. 5.96

Those who have masses of matted hair, and those adorned with rudrākṣas, / they are indeed Rudras in human form; of this there is no doubt. 5.97

Therefore, Sadāśiva should be worshipped constantly by men / in the morning, at noon, and especially at the evening twilight. 5.98

By the darśana of Śambhu in the morning, the sin of the night is removed; / by the darśana of Śambhu at noon, the sin accumulated by mortals over seven lifetimes / is destroyed; [the darśana] at night is beyond reckoning. 5.99

The two-syllabled name “Śiva” destroys great sins; / by those men from whose mouth it issues, this universe is sustained. 5.100

The kettle-drum set up in the courtyard of Śiva's temple by men of meritorious deeds— / by its sound indeed people devoted to sin are purified; / even heretics of false doctrine go to the highest state. 5.101

And with the hide of whatever animal the drum, mṛdaṅga, muraja, and the like / are bound and set up by men in Śiva's temple, / that animal attains Śiva's presence; of this there is no doubt. 5.102

Therefore, stringed, percussion, solid, and wind instruments, / precious chowries, couches, and beds, 5.103

and ballads, histories, singing according to rule, / theatrical disguises, and the like, which are dear to Śambhu, one should arrange. 5.104

Having arranged these, even sinners go to the world of Śiva— / to say nothing of the righteous, great-souled men skilled in the worship of Śiva. 5.105

And those who, devoted to the worship of Śiva received from the mouth of a guru, / view the universe with resolute mind as the form of Śiva, 5.106

men of proper conduct with a right intellect, adhering to the classes and stages of life— / brahmins, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdras, and other men— 5.107

even an outcaste becomes most distinguished and dearer to Śambhu. / All this universe, moving and unmoving, is presided over by Śambhu. 5.108

Therefore, everything is to be known as especially filled with Śiva / through the Vedas, Purāṇas, treatises, and also the Upaniṣads. 5.109

Śambhu is to be known through various Āgamas; of this there is no doubt. / Śiva is always to be worshipped by those without desires and those with desires. 5.110

Lomaśa said: / I shall relate an ancient narrative, an ancient history: / Formerly a vaiśya named Nandī lived in the city of Avantī. 5.111

Devoted to meditation on Śiva, he performed the worship of Śiva; / he worshipped daily a single liṅga located in a forest of austerity. 5.112

Rising at dawn every day, dear to Śiva, / Nandī was exceedingly devoted to the worship of the liṅga. 5.113

He bathed the liṅga with the five nectars strictly as prescribed, / always surrounded by brahmins who had crossed to the end of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas. 5.114

He engaged in the worship of the liṅga in accordance with the scriptural injunctions. / Then, having bathed it, with flowers possessing various wonders, 5.115

and constantly with pearls, sapphires, hessonites, / cat's-eyes, blue gems, and rubies, he worshipped it. 5.116

Thus the fortunate Nandī worshipped for many years / that liṅga standing in a secluded place, with various offerings. 5.117

One day, a hunter addicted to the chase, a slayer of living beings, / devoid of discrimination, always delighting in hunting, 5.118

a sinner of sinful conduct, was wandering in a mountain cave / crowded with many wild beasts, killing here and there. 5.119

While wandering thus, this hunter, a slayer of living beings, / arrived by chance at the place where the liṅga was well worshipped. 5.120

Looking for water, severely tormented by thirst, / he quickly saw a lake in the forest and entered the water. 5.121

Having placed all his game and gear on the bank, the wicked-minded one, / having rinsed and spat from his mouth, drank water, and came out. 5.122

He saw before him a temple of Śiva adorned with many wonders; / the liṅga was seen well-worshipped with various gems separately. 5.123

Observing the liṅga in that manner, when he took hold of the worship, / all the gems were scattered here and there. 5.124

The ceremonial bath of that liṅga was performed with a mouthful of water; / with one hand he offered bilva leaves for the sake of worship, 5.125

and with his second hand he offered venison. / Prostrating like a staff, he made a resolve in his mind: 5.126

"From this day onward I shall indeed perform worship with effort. / You are my master, and from this day onward I am your devotee, O Śaṅkara!" 5.127

Having thus bound himself to this rule, the hunter went home. / Nandī saw all that [done] here and there by the hunter. 5.128

Nandī became filled with anxiety: "What fault has occurred in me today? / The obstacles that are spoken of for one devoted to Śiva's worship— / those very obstacles have arrived through the reversal of my fortune!" 5.129

Reflecting thus for a long time, having washed the temple of Śiva, / Nandī went to his own home by the way he had come. 5.130

Then, having approached the disheartened Nandī, the family priest / addressed words to him: "Why are you disheartened?" 5.131

Then Nandī spoke these words to the family priest: 5.132

"Today, O brahmin, impure matter was seen by me in the presence of Śiva; / by whom this was caused to be done there, I do not know at all." 5.133

Then the priest spoke these words to Nandī at that time: / "He by whom the rich worship with gems and the like was disturbed there— / he is surely a fool, dull-witted regarding what should and should not be done. 5.134

Therefore, no anxiety should be had by you, not even a particle, O master! / In the morning, go to that temple of Śiva along with me. 5.135

For the sake of watching for the villain, I shall arrange that matter." / Having heard this statement of his priest, 5.136

Nandī stayed in his own house during the night with an aching heart. / When that night had passed, having summoned the priest, 5.137

Nandī went to the temple of Śiva together with that great-souled man. / Then was seen what had been done on the previous day by that wicked one. 5.138

Having performed proper worship with equipment of various gems, / consisting of the five articles of worship and likewise elevenfold, 5.139

having praised the Lord of the Mountain with many hymns along with the brahmins, / two watches of the day had passed as Nandī was praising [him]. 5.140

Then indeed came one like Mahākāla in form, possessing great strength, / resembling Death, exceedingly fierce, bow in hand, full of prowess. 5.141

Seeing him, terrified with fear, Nandī wept; / and the priest also immediately became terrified with fear. 5.142

By the hunter, [the worship] was performed there without hesitation, just as before: / kicking away that worship with the forepart of his foot, he offered a bilva leaf. 5.143

And having given him a ceremonial bath with water from his mouthful, / the Kirāta offered that flesh as a food offering to Śiva.

Falling flat on the ground like a staff, he got up and went to his own house. / Having seen that great wonder, [Nandī] indeed reflected for a long time.

Then, together with his priest, Nandī, his mind agitated, / had many brahmins who were expounders of the Vedas summoned.

Having reported to them all that was done by the Kirāta, [he said:] / “What should be done now, O brahmins? Tell me the truth!”

Then, having deliberated all together in accordance with the Dharmaśāstras, / all the brahmins then spoke to Nandī, who was extremely anxious:

“This obstacle has arisen, difficult to avert even by the gods; / therefore, bring the liṅga to your own house, O best of Vaiśyas!”

Agreeing, Nandī then uprooted the Śiva[-liṅga], / brought it to his own house, and installed it according to the rules.

Having made a golden pedestal adorned with the nine jewels, / he then worshipped [it] with many services.

Then, on the next day, the Kirāta came to the temple of Śiva; / when he looked, he did not see the liṅga of Īśa.

Abandoning silence, he immediately cried out, saying this: / “O Śambhu, where have you gone? Reveal yourself today!

If you are not seen by me, I will give up my body today! / O Śambhu, O Lord of the universe, O destroyer of Tripura, O Lord!

O Rudra, O Mahādeva, show yourself by your own will!”

Thus rebuked with words reproachful yet sweet, Sadāśiva [remained hidden]; / then that heroic Kirāta with [violent] outbursts tore open his own belly,

and having quickly pierced his arms, he struck [his chest] and spoke with rage: / “O Śambhu, show yourself! Where will you go, abandoning me?”

So saying, having pulled out his entrails and cut away his flesh from all sides, / the Kirāta suddenly hurled [them] into that pit with his own hand.

Having composed his heart, he indeed bathed in that lake; / bringing water and a bilva leaf in the same way, in great haste,

he worshipped [the pit] in the proper manner and fell flat like a staff on the earth.

Then, while the Kirāta stood absorbed in meditation in the presence of Śiva, / Rudra appeared, surrounded by his pramathas,

fair as camphor, radiant, with matted hair and the crescent moon on his crest. / Taking him by the hand, Rudra spoke, comforting him:

“O hero, O very wise one, you are my devotee, O noble-minded one! / Choose a boon conducive to your welfare, whatever great thing you desire!”

Thus addressed by Rudra, Mahākāla, filled with joy, / fell flat like a staff upon the ground, endowed with supreme devotion.

Then he spoke to Rudra: “I pray for a boon: / I am your servant, O Rudra, and you are my master, without doubt.

Grant devotion to one whose mind understands this, in birth after birth! / You are my mother, and you are my father, and you are indeed my kinsman and my friend.

You are the guru, you are the great mantra, you are always to be known through mantra; / therefore, there is nothing else other than you in the three worlds.”

Hearing the desireless words of the Kirāta, Bhava then / granted him leadership among his attendants and the status of doorkeeper.

Then the three worlds were made to resound with the sound of the ḍamaru, / with the booming resonance of the kettle-drum, and with the blare of conches.

Then kettledrums sounded, and drums by the thousands. / Hearing that sound, Nandī went swiftly in astonishment

to the penance-grove where Śiva was present, surrounded by the pramathas. / And there the Kirāta was seen by Nandī with great [wonder].

Filled with wonder, Nandī spoke a humble word, / wishing to praise the Kirāta with supreme concentration:

“Śambhu has been brought here by you; you are a devotee, O scorcher of foes! / You are a devotee, and I have arrived here; introduce me to Śaṃkara!”

Hearing his word, the Kirāta, acting swiftly, / took Nandī by the hand and approached Śaṃkara.

Laughing, the blessed Lord Rudra said these words to the Kirāta: / “Who is this that has been brought by you here into the presence of the gaṇas?”

The Kirāta said: / Śaṃkara, the source of auspiciousness to the world, was addressed by the Kirāta: / “O God, he is your devotee always, indeed devoted to your worship.

Every day, with gems and rubies, and with various kinds of flowers, / and even with his life and wealth, you have been worshipped [by him], there is no doubt.

Therefore, recognize my friend Nandī, O you who are affectionate to your devotees!”

Mahādeva said: / “I do not know Nandī, attended by the Vaiśyas, O fortunate one! / You are my devotee and my friend, O Mahākāla, O high-minded one!

Those who are free from limiting conditions, and who are also resolute— / they are my very dear devotees; they are distinguished, the best of men.

For I am a devotee of yours, dear child, and he is a doer of what is pleasing to me.” / Both of them were accepted by Śambhu into the status of his attendants.

Then many aerial chariots of great radiance arrived there; / that best of Vaiśyas was redeemed by that best of Kirātas, who possessed great brilliance.

They reached Mount Kailāsa by means of very swift aerial chariots; / they attained conformity of form with Īśvara, the Great Soul.

Then, being accompanied by Śiva, they were greeted with the waving of lights by Girijā. / Then the goddess, who walks like an elephant, spoke this, laughing:

“Just as you are, Mahādeva, so are these two, there is no doubt; / in appearance, in gait, and in cheerful disposition, they are well worshipped.

By me you alone were served, without a doubt.” / Hearing that word of the Goddess, both the Kirāta and the Vaiśya,

immediately turning their faces away as Śaṃkara was looking on, [said:] / “May we two be pitied by you, O three-eyed Lord!

Standing constantly at your door, may we remain [your servants]! Homage, homage to you!”

Understanding the disposition of both, the lord Bhava smiled and said: / 'Through your supreme devotion, let your desire be fulfilled.' 5.189

From that time forward, O brahmins, those two became doorkeepers, / stationed at the door of Śiva, beholding Śiva at midday. 5.190

One was Nandī, and [the other] Mahākāla—these two were dear to Śiva. / Filled with joy, they said: 'Sadāśiva is one alone.' 5.191

Raising one finger, Mahādeva spoke; / likewise Nandī spoke this, raising two of his fingers. 5.192

Endowed with such gestures, the two stand at the door of the great-souled Śaṃkara. / O fortunate ones, let these seers indeed hear! 5.193

In ancient times, the eternal dharma of Śiva was proclaimed by Śailāda / out of compassion for all living beings whose souls have committed evil deeds, O brahmins. 5.194

Even those who are sinners, most unrighteous, blind, mute, and lame, / base-born, wicked-souled, and even dog-cookers among men— 5.195

whatever sorts they may be, if they are guided by devotion to Śiva, / they too attain the presence of the god of gods, the bearer of the trident. 5.196

Those wise ones who worship a liṅga made of sand / go to the realm of Rudra; no doubt should be entertained in this matter. 5.197

Thus ends the fifth chapter, entitled 'Description of the Māhātmya of Devotion to Śiva', in the Śivaśāstra of the Kedārakhaṇḍa in the first [part], the Māheśvarakhaṇḍa, of the Skanda Mahāpurāṇa consisting of eighty-one thousand verses. 5.