Skandapurana 16.258

Īśvara said:
Then one should go, O great goddess, to what is known as Śaśāpāna,
a sacred ford just to the south of it that destroys all sins,

bathing in which a person would thoroughly obtain freedom from fear of untimely death.
Hear from me as I speak of its origin, O beloved.

Having churned the ocean, the gods took the supreme nectar;
hastily going there, they drank it as they wished.

As the gods were drinking the nectar there, O woman of excellent complexion,
drops fell upon the earth by the hundreds and by the thousands.

At that very time, a hare came there;
tormented by thirst, O woman of excellent complexion, it entered into that water.

Having attained immortality, it grew within the reservoir of water.
Seeing it, all the gods, continually competing,
realising the water was mixed with nectar, held counsel, filled with fear:

'Nectar has fallen upon the earth; human beings will consume it.
Then they will become immortal; no doubt should be entertained here.

Indeed, this wretched hare, born in an animal womb,
competes with us; therefore, a danger has presented itself.'

Then the lord of the night arrived, overwhelmed with disease.
He said to all the gods, 'Grant me nectar.

I have arrived with great difficulty; I am not able to move about.'
Then all the gods said, 'All of it has been consumed by us.

You were forgotten, O lord of the night; why have you arrived here after a long time?
Follow our advice, O Moon, dispeller of darkness!

Much nectar fell into this water while we were drinking.
Therefore drink, O lord of the night, this entire reservoir of water!

Half of it has fallen in here; know this to be true.'
Hearing their words, the cool-rayed [Moon], filled with haste,

being tormented by thirst, drank the water along with the hare.
His body, which had been reduced to mere bones, from consuming the nectar

instantly attained nourishment, endowed with supreme lustre.
Indeed, when his bodily elements were wasting away, he was nourished by the ambrosia.

And that hare too, having gone into his belly, did not die;
even today it is seen there in his body because of consuming the nectar.

Instantly he attained satisfaction, endowed with supreme lustre.
They said, 'Let this be dug so that water may be [present] once more.

Because of our meeting, this reservoir of water has become a dry ditch.
That was a deedsome act, [yet] this conduct is not good.'

Then they all dug until there was an emergence of water.
Thereupon they all spoke, endowed with great joy:

'Because this reservoir of water was drunk together with the hare
by the Moon, therefore this will be known as Śaśāpāna.

The person who, having come here, will perform ritual ablution with devotion,
he shall go to the supreme abode where the divine Maheśvara resides.

Those who, composed in mind, will give food to brahmins here,
the fruit of all sacrifices shall belong to them, there is no doubt.

When this is seen, all the gods, all the deities, would be seen.'
Having spoken thus, all the gods went indeed to the abode of the gods.

Then after a long time, Sarasvatī arrived there;
carrying the submarine fire, it was flooded by her once again.

Then it became an exceedingly pure sacred ford, O woman of excellent complexion.
Therefore, with every effort one should perform ritual ablution there.

Thus ends the two hundred fifty-eighth chapter, named 'Description of the Māhātmya of Śaśāpāna', in the first [part], the Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya, in the seventh [book], the Prabhāsakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa, a collection of eighty-one thousand [verses].