Skandapurana 1.3.34.34

1.3.34.34

33 caṇḍanāmakasya kasyacitkirātasya kadācinmāghakṛṣṇacaturdaśyāṃ mahāśivarātryāṃ mṛgayārthaṃ vicarato yāvaddinaṃ mṛgādivadhyajīvā'prāptau rātrau bilvavṛkṣopari sthitvā'jñānato'nāyāsena bilvapatracchedanena vṛkṣā'dhaḥsthitasya śivasya pūjanam, gaṃḍūṣajalena śivasnapanaṃ ca bhakṣyālābhādanāyāsenopoṣaṇaṃ ca- tasya bhojanābhāvāttadbhāryāyā api tatpratīkṣaṇanopoṣaṇaṃ ca, athāparedyurnadītīre tadbhāryayā'nne samānīya sthāpite'kasmācchunā''gatya bhakṣite sati kirātasyānnadānaṃ saṃjātamiti matvā mahānsaṃtoṣaḥ, tenājñānasaṃjātaśivarātrivratamahimnā kirātasya śivalokaprāpaṇāya śivagaṇairvimānānayanam-śivagaṇaiḥ saha kirātasya śivalokaṃ prati gamanam ḥ śivarātrivratotpattivarṇanam- śivarātrivratamāhātmyaprasaṃgena vidhavābrāhmaṇīputrasya śvapacādutpannasya śivarātrivrataprabhāvājjanmāntare śivādvīrabhadrākhyayā janmaprāptivṛttāntavarṇanam-śivarātrivratena bharatādimahīpatīnāṃ siddhatvaprāptivarṇanam. 66

[Chapter] 33: A certain hunter named Caṇḍa, roaming once for hunting on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Māgha, on Mahāśivarātri, finding no deer or other animals to kill throughout the day, stays upon a bilva tree at night, and unknowingly and effortlessly worships Śiva situated below the tree by plucking bilva leaves; and his bathing Śiva with a mouthful of water, and his effortlessly fasting due to not obtaining food; his wife's fasting as well while waiting for him due to his lack of a meal; then the next day, after his wife brings food to the riverbank and places it there, a dog suddenly comes and eats it, whereupon the hunter is greatly pleased, thinking that a gift of food was accomplished; through the greatness of the Śivarātri vow thus performed unknowingly, Śiva's attendants bring an aerial chariot to take the hunter to Śiva's world; the hunter's departure to Śiva's world with Śiva's attendants; the description of the origin of the Śivarātri vow; in the context of the greatness of the Śivarātri vow, the description of the story of a widowed brahmin woman's son born from an outcaste who, through the power of the Śivarātri vow, attains birth from Śiva under the name Vīrabhadra in another life; the description of kings such as Bharata attaining perfection through the Śivarātri vow. 66