Skandapurana 17.9

Brahmā said: / 'If the three worlds, moving and unmoving, were all created by me, / then, having abandoned this form, let Bhava now be created by me,

so that the greatness of the Grandfather may be [confirmed]; let it be done quickly.' / Hearing Brahmā’s speech, [Rudra] was delighted by Viṣṇu.

He arrived at the mountain summit that produced great wonder. / 'No doubt should be entertained by you; that which was spoken by Brahmā should be done.'

Saying 'So be it,' the god Śiva vanished right there. / Brahmā went to the peak of Meru situated at the head of the mind.

The lord of creatures performed austerity, devoted to the chanting of the Veda. / As the Grandfather was performing the chanting of the Atharvaveda,

Rudra arose from his mouth, of fierce form, the remover of worldly existence, / with a body half-woman and half-man, hard to look upon, extremely terrifying.

Saying 'Divide yourself!', Brahmā vanished in fear. / Being addressed thus, he divided himself twofold into femaleness and maleness.

And he divided the maleness tenfold, and then once more. / These eleven Rudras, the lords of the three worlds, are declared.

Having assigned names to all of them, they were appointed to the task of the gods. / Then, dividing herself from the all-pervading Śaṃkara, Īśānī,

at the command of Mahādeva, approached the Grandfather. / Blessed Lord Brahmā said to her: 'Become the daughter of Dakṣa.'

She too, by his direction, became manifest to the Prajāpati. / By the direction of Brahmā, Dakṣa gave that Satī to Rudra.

Rudra, the trident-bearer, also received the daughter of Dakṣa, who was indeed his own. / Then Brahmā said to him: 'Perform creation, O lord of Satī.'

Rudra said: / 'Creation should not be performed by me; it should be performed by you yourself. / Preservation is to be done by Viṣṇu; I am appointed as the destroyer.'

Because I stand firmly like a pillar, therefore I become Sthāṇu.

Those men who are of the nature of passion, goodness, and darkness— / all of them are to be made by you according to the division of the three qualities.

When your work is through those of darkness, then be yourself fierce; / when your work is through those of passion, then be passionate; / when your work is through those of goodness, then be full of goodness.

Īśvara said: / Having thus instructed Brahmā himself in the tasks of creation and the rest, / Rudra took Satī and dwelt on Kailāsa.

After a long time, Dakṣa came to Hara's abode.

Then Rudra arose and showed great respect; / yet Dakṣa did not value the worship, though properly offered.

Then indeed, overcome with darkness, that noble brahmin, / seeking peerless worship, returned home in anger.

Once, when Satī had arrived at his house, Dakṣa, deeply distressed in mind, / reviled her along with her husband and rebuked her in fury:

"He has five faces, ten arms, and three eyes in his face; / he has matted hair, carries the crescent moon, and is blue and red;

he carries a skull, holds a trident in his hand, and is wrapped in an elephant hide; / he has no mother, no father, no brother, and no kin;

his neck is adorned with serpents and bones, having cast aside gold ornaments; / his food comes from begging—how will he provide food [for you]?

Sometimes he goes to the east, and while going, he goes to the west; / his bull goes to the south, while he himself goes to the north;

he moves sideways, upwards, and downwards; he neither goes nor stays still. / Such strange conduct of your husband is not seen in any other!

He is without qualities, beyond qualities, devoid of affection, standing like a mute; / yet he is recited throughout the three worlds as omniscient, all-pervading, and all-being.

Sometimes he does not know at all, does not hear, and does not see; / yet he gives [boons] to daityas, dānavas, and rākṣasas;

he has no father at all, nor any brother; / all alone, mounted on a bull, naked he roams the earth;

he has no house, no wealth, no lineage; he is without beginning or end, imperishable; / he has no steady intellect, yet he sports across the three worlds.

Sometimes he is in Satyaloka, and sometimes he dwells in Pātāla; / he sleeps upon mountain ridges; though inauspicious, he is called Śiva.

Discarding sandalwood and other perfumes, he is constantly smeared with ashes; / 'He gives everything' is the saying—yet what else will he give?

Fie on you! Fie on that son-in-law! between whom there is mutual affection: / you are his beloved wife, and he is dearer to you than life.

You have no concern with your father, nor with your mother, nor among your female friends; / you are devoted only to your husband; therefore depart from my house!

All the other sons-in-law [are superior] to your bow-wielding husband; / go this very day, at once, from our house to your husband!"

Hearing those words of his, that goddess, beloved of Śaṃkara, / reviled her father Dakṣa, meditated on the god Maheśvara,

clothed in white garments, bathed in water, and burned herself by her own power. / But Śiva was solicited by her as her husband in another birth:

"May Himavān be my father; may I be born from the womb of Menā!" / Meanwhile, Hara was pleased by the austerity of Himavat; / granting him his direct darśana, he spoke these words to Himavat:

"This daughter is given to you; I shall marry her. / For the accomplishment of the purpose of the gods, you shall be the king of mountains."

Knowing that she had entered his own form, the god Maheśvara, / enraged, came to Dakṣa's house and cursed Dakṣa:

"Leaving this brahminical body, be born in the lineage of kṣatriyas! / Abandoning the state of being born from Svayambhū, O Dakṣa, become the son of Pracetas!

You shall generate a son upon your own married daughter!" / Having thus cursed him, Mahādeva went to Mount Kailāsa.

Even the son of Svayambhū in time became the son of Pracetas. / Having obtained Bhavānī as his daughter, the mountain Himālaya was delighted.

Menā also, having obtained that daughter, considered her household blessed. / Seeing that fair-faced girl being born by her own mere will,

Menā, wife of Himavat, spoke thus to the lord of mountains: / "Look, O king, at this girl whose face is like a blue lotus,

born through austerity for the welfare of all beings, auspicious!" / He too, seeing the great goddess resembling the morning sun,

having matted hair, four faces, three eyes, full of intense desire, / eight-armed, large-eyed, adorned with the crescent moon,

bowed with his head to the ground, deeply agitated by her radiance; / frightened, with folded hands, rendered motionless, he spoke to the supreme goddess.

Himavān said: / Who are you, O large-eyed goddess? Tell me, I have a great doubt.

The goddess said: / Know me to be the supreme power resting upon Maheśvara, / non-different, imperishable, one, whom seekers of liberation behold.

I give you a divine eye; behold my lordly form! / Having said this much, giving spiritual knowledge herself to Himavat,

[she revealed her form] like an orb of light resembling ten million suns, undisturbed, / filled with thousands of garlands of flames, equal to a hundred cosmic dissolution fires,

dreadful with fangs, fierce, adorned with a mass of matted hair, / [yet] tranquil, with a gentle face, endowed with infinite wonders,

bearing the crescent moon as a mark, with splendor equal to ten million moons, / crowned with a diadem, holding a mace, adorned with anklets,

wearing celestial garlands and garments, anointed with celestial fragrant pastes, / holding a conch and a discus, lovely, three-eyed, clad in an animal hide,

dwelling within the cosmic egg and beyond it, external, internal, supreme, / composed of all powers, bright, endowed with all ornaments,

whose lotus feet are praised by Brahmā, Indra, Upendra, and the lords of yogins, / with hands and feet on all sides, with eyes, heads, and faces on all sides.

Pervading all and standing firm, he saw the supreme lord. / Having seen Nandīśvara, the god, and the supreme great lord along with the goddess, 58

and seized with fear, that king, joyful in mind, / fixing the self within the self and contemplating the oṃkāra, 59

having praised him with a thousand and eight names, that Himavat mountain, 60

bowing again, the self of beings, with joined palms said this: / 'This lordly form of yours that has arisen, O supreme lady, 61

I am terrified now having seen it; show another real form.' / Thus addressed by that mountain, the goddess Pārvatī 62

withdrew [that form] and showed another supreme natural form, / resembling the petal of a blue lotus, fragrant like a blue lotus, 63

two-eyed, two-armed, gentle, adorned with dark locks, / the soles of her lotus-feet red, her tender hands deep red, 64

splendid, broad, well-rounded, radiant with a tilaka on her forehead, / her lovely limbs all adorned with ornaments, exceedingly delicate, 65

bearing on her chest a broad garland fashioned of gold, / smiling gently, with fine bimba-like lips, adorned with the tinkling of anklets, 66

her face serene, divine, the seat of the glory of lovely brows. / Beholding such a natural form, that best of mountains, / casting off fear, delighted in self, spoke to the supreme lady: 67

Himavat said: / 'Today my birth has borne fruit; today my rites are fruitful, / since you, unmanifest, in person, propitious, have come into my sight. / Now what must be done by me? Tell me that, O great lady.' 68

The great lady said: / 'Worship of Śiva must be performed by you always with meditation and austerity. / I must indeed be given to him for a certain purpose. 69

Just as he has been seen by you, so indeed should he be meditated upon by you. / God Śiva is the one alone, the foundation of all, the bearer of the earth.' 70

Sārasvata said: / And Rudra, having arrived at the Himācala, performed austerity. / In the presence of Śiva, Umā offered supreme devotion to him. 71

For some purpose of the gods, the lord god was informed; / Hara wedded the goddess Umā, the ruler of the three worlds. 72

He, the king Dakṣa, son of Pracetas, was formerly cursed by Śambhu. / Reviling [him] out of former enmity, he performed a sacrifice to Hari at Gaṅgādvāra. 73

The gods were invited by Viṣṇu himself for their share in the sacrifice; / along with all the sages, the foremost among sages arrived. 74

Seeing the whole host of gods arrived without Śaṃkara, / the brahmin-seer named Dadhīca then addressed the son of Pracetas. 75

Dadhīci said: / 'He whose commands are obeyed by those beginning with Brahmā down to piśācas— / why is that Rudra not worshipped properly by you all now?' 76

Dakṣa said: / 'In all sacrifices indeed no portion has been assigned [to him], / nor are mantras [chanted] with his wife; therefore Śaṃkara is not desired.' 77

Laughing at Dakṣa, enraged, the great sage spoke words / while all the gods listened, being himself full of all knowledge: 78

'He from whom creation proceeds, the soul of the universe, and who is the ruler of the world— / you do not worship Rudra, [yet] Hara is worshipped by the gods.' 79

Dakṣa said: / 'Wearing a garland of bones, naked, a destroyer, tamasic is Hara, / poison-throated, trident in hand, skull-bearing, wrapped in serpents. 80

The Lord is indeed the creator of the world, the master who is eternal; / he, the lord composed of sattva, is worshipped in all rites.' 81

Dadhīci said: / 'Is this thousand-rayed Lord not seen by you, / the sole destroyer of all worlds, the soul of Time, the supreme lord? 82

This is Rudra, Mahādeva, the matted-haired one, the leader, Hara, / the divine sun Āditya, blue-necked, deep red.' 83

Dakṣa said: / 'These twelve Ādityas who have arrived to receive a share of the sacrifice, / all of them are to be known as suns; indeed there is no other Ravi.' 84

When this was said, the sages who had arrived eager to see / said, 'Indeed,' to Dakṣa, being his helpers. 85

Their minds overpowered by austerity, they did not see the bull-bannered one, / [though they were] in their thousands, their hundreds, and in great numbers. 86

And all the gods, Vāsava and the rest, having arrived for their share, / did not see the god Īśāna, except Nārāyaṇa Hari. 87

Seeing Rudra bent on anger, Brahmā departed from Brahmā's seat; / when the Lord had disappeared, Dakṣa [turned to] Nārāyaṇa Hari. 88

Dakṣa himself went for refuge to the god who is the protector of the worlds, / and then, fearless, set that sacrifice in motion. 89

The protector is the blessed Viṣṇu, protector of those who seek refuge. / Again at the sacrifice the blessed Dadhīca spoke to Dakṣa, O king: 90

'O fearless Dakṣa, listen! The destruction of the sacrifice will occur, / because of worshipping the unworthy and abandoning the worthy of worship, O Dakṣa. 91

A man incurs great sin indeed; there is no doubt of this. / Where the wicked are favored and the virtuous are treated with contempt, 92

there terrible punishment inflicted by the gods falls instantly.' / Having spoken thus, that brahmin-seer cursed those who hate the Lord: 93

'Since the supreme lord god has been excluded by you, / you shall all become outsiders to the three Vedas, haters of the Lord, 94

following false customs and conduct, proclaiming false knowledge, / afflicted indeed by the evils born of Kali when the terrible Kali age arrives. 95

Having exerted terrible power of austerity, you shall go to hell again, / and Hṛṣīkeśa, your master, will also turn his face away from you.' 96

Sārasvata said: / Having spoken thus, that brahmin-seer, a treasury of austerity, fell silent; / in his mind he approached Rudra, the destroyer of all sacrifices. 97

Meanwhile, the goddess Śivā, learning of Dakṣa's sacrifice, / went and made representation to Mahādeva, the great lord. 98

The Goddess said:
"Dakṣa, who was my father in a previous birth, is performing a sacrifice.
By him you were formerly insulted, and I was made exceedingly sorrowful.
Destroy that sacrifice; this is the boon I choose."

The Sārasvata sage said:
Thus addressed by the Goddess, the god of gods, Maheśvara,
at once created a Rudra with the desire to destroy Dakṣa's sacrifice.

A thousand-headed, fierce one, thousand-eyed and mighty-armed,
thousand-handed, unassailable, resembling the fire at the end of the cosmic age,

dreadful with fangs, terrible to behold, a lord bearing a conch and discus,
holding a staff in his hand, roaring loudly, equipped with a bow, adorned with ashes,

renowned as Vīrabhadra, endowed [with the powers] of the god of gods.
As soon as he was born, he approached the lord of the gods with folded hands.

He said to him: "Destroy Dakṣa's sacrifice, and let there be tranquility for you.
Reviling me, O leader of the gaṇas, he sacrifices at Gaṅgādvāra."

Then, just like a lion playfully released from bonds,
a hair was plucked out by Vīrabhadra for Dakṣa's destruction.

From that hair, thousands of Rudras were produced by that wise one;
they became renowned as the 'Hair-born', his helpers there,

holding tridents, javelins, and maces in their hands, with staffs and stones in their grasps as well,
resembling the fire of destruction and Rudra, making the ten directions resound.

All mounted upon bulls, accompanied by their wives, exceedingly terrifying,
they took refuge with the foremost of the gaṇa and went toward Dakṣa's sacrifice,

which was filled with thousands of divine women, resounded with the songs of apsarases,
rich with the sounds of lutes and flutes, resounding with the recitations of the Vedas.

Seeing Dakṣa seated together with the gods and brahmin seers,
that hero, mounted upon a bull, said to Dakṣa, as if smiling:

"Indeed, we are all unskilled, [attendants] of Śarva of boundless splendor;
we have come desiring our shares; give us the desired portions.

Let it be said: 'A share is to be given to you,' or 'Not to us.'
Then, having decided, we will act appropriately."

Thus addressed by the leader of the gaṇas, [the gods] headed by Prajāpati [replied]:

The gods said:
"Know that the mantras are surely our authority regarding the share."

The mantras said:
"O gods, you have become filled with darkness, your minds struck down by darkness,
you who do not worship Maheśvara, the king of the sacrifice!"

"Hara is the Īśvara of all beings, having the body of all the gods."
The gaṇa said:
"He is worshipped in all sacrifices; how could Dakṣa not worship him?

The mantras have not been regarded as authoritative by you who are proud of your strength;
since this is unbearable to us, today I will destroy that arrogant one!"

Having spoken thus, that god, the foremost of the gaṇas, struck the sacrificial hall,
and the enraged leaders of the gaṇas, having uprooted the sacrificial posts, hurled them away.

The leaders of the gaṇas, all terrifying, seized the prastotṛ,
together with the hotṛ and the adhvaryu, and threw them into the stream of the Gaṅgā.

Vīrabhadra too, radiant of soul and undefeated in spirit, paralyzed the hand of Hari
which held the thunderbolt, and likewise [the hands] of the other gods.

Likewise, playfully plucking out Bhaga's eyes with the tips of his fingers,
and striking with his fist and with clubs, he brought down the Sun.

Likewise, the powerful leader of the gaṇas, smiling,
playfully crushed the moon god with the big toe of his foot.

Having cut off Agni's two hands and playfully plucked out his tongue,
he struck the sages and foremost seers on the head with his foot.

Likewise, when Viṣṇu arrived along with Garuḍa, the exceedingly mighty one
paralyzed the Sudarśana [discus] and pierced [Viṣṇu] with sharp arrows.

Then Bhadra created thousands of numerous Garuḍas,
greater than the son of Vinatā; they rushed against Garuḍa.

Seeing them, the wise Garuḍa became bent on flight;
Mādhava, seated on him, [fled] with speed, like a cow tormented by a lion.

When the son of Vinatā and Viṣṇu had disappeared, the lotus-born [Brahmā],
having arrived, restrained Vīrabhadra, who is dear to Śiva.

Out of respect for the Supreme Lord, he propitiated him.
Those gods did not at all see or know that Rudra had arrived there.

That god was recognized by Viṣṇu, by Brahmā, and by Dadhīci.
The lord Brahmā, Dakṣa, Viṣṇu, and the celestials praised [him],

especially [praising] the goddess Pārvatī, who forms half of Īśvara's body;
and Dakṣa, bowing down with folded hands, [praised her] with various hymns.

Then the goddess, laughing gently, said to Maheśvara:
"You alone are the creator of the world, its destroyer, and its protector.

Dakṣa and the gods ought to be shown grace by the Lord."
Then the lord, the matted-haired, blue-and-red Hara, laughing gently,
said to the bowed gods and to Dakṣa, the son of Pracetas:

"Depart, all you deities! I am pleased with you.
I must be worshipped first in all sacrifices and divine rites.

And you too, O Dakṣa, listen to my words that protect everything:
Abandoning this desire for worldly things, strive to become my devotee.

At the end of the cosmic age, by my grace, you will become a lord of the gaṇas.
Until then, remain content in your duties by my command."
Having spoken thus to Dakṣa of boundless splendor, he became invisible.

Śiva was seen by Dadhīci and was petitioned concerning release from the curse:
"How shall they, by your command, overcome the curse given by me?"

Śiva said:
"When the Kali age arrives, there will be those outside the three Vedas;
and those brahmins who recite the Vedas shall go to heaven.

The scriptures composed by Viṣṇu that are recited by the twice-born—
they too shall go to heaven by my grace, without doubt.

Those who, by the power of the Kali age, have no Vedic recitation
must practice the duties of a householder and perform my worship.

I must certainly effect their release from sins.
Smeared with ashes, I wander for alms when midday has passed."

wearing matted hair, tranquil, holding an alms-bowl, a twice-born.
And whoever gives me alms, that human being goes to heaven.

Or shoes, or an umbrella, or a loincloth, or a water-pot—
whatever man gives [these] to ascetics is freed from sins.
Having granted boons to Dadhīci, he spoke with Viṣṇu:

Rudra said:
“He who is your friend is my friend; he who is your enemy is my enemy.
He who worships you, O Viṣṇu, certainly worships me.

He who praises you praises me; he who is dear to you is dear to me.
Where I am, there you are; there is no difference between us.”

Kṛṣṇa said:
“So it is, O supreme God! What should be said is indeed so.
When the form of half-woman and half-man was seen by me long ago,

this was not seen by me as a woman; indeed, my own form was seen,
holding the conch, discus, and mace, adorned with a garland of forest flowers,

marked with the Śrīvatsa, clothed in yellow, gleaming with the Kaustubha jewel.
The second half was seen by me holding a trident, having three eyes,

joined with the crescent moon, wearing matted hair and carrying a skull.
I have attained oneness [with you], as formerly, so now;
Gaurī may not see me [as distinct], and likewise I see [her].”

Īśvara said:
“There is no difference between us two; indeed, we both have one form.
He who knows, knows; he goes to Satyaloka.”

Having spoken thus, he went there to Kailāsa, the best of mountains.
And Kṛṣṇa went to Mandara on some business of the gods.

Meanwhile, by the grace of Mahādeva, the king of the Daityas,
the son of Hiraṇyanetra, began to torment the three worlds.

Having obtained immortality from Hara, blinded by desire, he did not see [rightly]:
the goddess who constitutes Hara’s body, of divine form and beautiful eyes,

he thought, ‘She is mine,’ and begged [for her] from Hara.
Hara too, intent on his duty, left Mount Kailāsa

and reached Mandara to see god Janārdana.
Having consulted with one another, he left the goddess on Mandara.

In Nārāyaṇa’s house, the goddess stayed, surrounded by the retinue of goddesses.
In the meantime, Gautama had become defiled by cow-slaughter;

in order to purify him, Hara assumed the form of a mendicant
and went to Gautama’s house, while Andhaka went to Mandara.

The wicked one demanded Pārvatī and fought with Viṣṇu.
Defeated by all the attendants, the Daitya did not see the goddess.

Assuming the form of a woman, Kṛṣṇa protected Gaurī in the palace.
There Hari created a hundred Gaurīs by his magical power;

excellent women of divine form arose from Viṣṇu’s body.
Andhaka did not know at all: ‘Which one is Gaurī, which is Pārvatī?’

A delay occurred there, as he was bewildered by Viṣṇu’s māyā.
Meanwhile, Śiva returned, having purified Gautama.

By the mere alms of food, Gautama was rendered immaculate.
Enraged, Rudra then fought with Andhaka.

Though immortal by Hara’s boon, he was impaled on a dreadful trident;
and positioned on the trident, he uttered praise, and Maheśvara was pleased with him.

He gave him the status of Gaṇeśa until the dissolution of all beings.
Kṛṣṇa himself gave him goddess Umā in the form of his sister.

The other women in the form of Gaurī were sent to the earth:
‘Having assumed names for all, you will be worshipped in the world.

Those who will worship them will worship Śivā;
those who worship Śivā worship Hara and Hari.’

Taking Umā, Hara went to the mountain, having mounted the bull, worshipped by gods and Asuras;
and Hari took delight with Ramā, while Andhaka having been subdued, the gods approached the king of gods.

Those who listen to the wondrous life of the high-souled Brahmā, Īśa, and Nārāyaṇa, of virtuous mind,
are freed from sins born of the Kali age, and will go to heaven, praised by host of attendants.

As time passed in this manner, Hara was on Mount Kailāsa;
and many boons were obtained from him by Rākṣasas, Dānavas, and Daityas.

There was a fierce great Asura named Tāraka who had received a boon from Brahmā;
by him the entire world was pervaded, and the gods were routed by him in battle.

He was to be killed in battle by a son of Mahādeva, so he brought forth him:
Kārtikeya, the son of Umā, born from the semen of Rudra.

He was consecrated as commander of the army by all the gods led by Indra;
and by divine destiny, the one named Tāraka was struck down by him.

Seated on the peak of Kailāsa, the God of gods, the teacher of the world,
content with Umā, was surrounded by Nandin, Bhadra, and others,

joined with Skanda, the Elephant-faced, and the lord of wealth [Kubera].
Then, to the laughing God, Śivā spoke softly:

“By what means, O God, do you attain satisfaction, O Śaṃkara?
By what gift, austerity, or observance of mortals?

Or by what rite, O God, or again by what mantra?
By what ritual ablution, O Lord of gods, by what incense are you pleased?

By what flower, my lord, by what leaf, O Śaṃkara?
With what hymn of praise are you satisfied, and indeed by what bold deed?

And with what food offering, with what fire offering are you pleased?
By what hardship, O God, by what water-offering [are you pleased], my Lord?

These sixteen questions have been asked by me; tell me the resolution.”

Śaṃkara said:
“Well asked by you, O goddess! I will tell what is dear to me.
This method of Śiva’s worship is performed according to the word of the guru.

Freedom from fear for all living creatures is the gift dear to me, O goddess.
Truth is declared as austerity, along with abstention from another’s wife.

The observance dear to me, O goddess, is action that brings delight to the world.
This mantra, ‘Oṃ, homage to Śiva’, has been embraced by me.

Freed from all sin, he is dear to me, O goddess.
Renunciation of sin is the ritual ablution; incense of bdellium is dear to me.”

The dhattūra flower is dear to me; the bilva leaf is dear to me;
the praise saying 'Śiva, Śiva,' and courage in the act of battle. // 183

Before that man who does not fear, I appear.
A grass-morsel given to cows, as an offering of food, is dear to me. // 184

Through the final oblation, my supreme delight arises, O beautiful woman;
service is dear [to me], and the hardship of ascetics and performers of tapas. // 185

At sunrise, O great goddess, at midday, and likewise at sunset,
the water offering that is given to the sun is dear to me, O beloved. // 186

What use are gifts, what use are austerities, or what use are sacrifices devoid of devotion?
Compassion, truth, tenderness, non-stealing, free from deceit and slander—
whatever little is given with devotion, O goddess, that is dear to me. // 187

While he was thus explaining the subtle questions as uttered,
just then Viṣṇu came there himself, along with the gods headed by Brahmā. // 188

Viṣṇu said:
I am not able to protect [the world]; you grant many boons
to daityas, dānavas, and others, and to rākṣasas, O Maheśvara. // 189

Afterwards they undergo perversion; alas, they must be slain by me.
Merely with a leaf, with a flower, with the syllable Oṃ, and with [the name] Śiva,
a man attains liberation, O god; who will perform devotion to Bhava? // 7.2.9.190

The gods headed by Indra are also those whom [mortals] gratify through sacrifices.
Twice-born men do not perform sacrifices; you are pleased by the giving of alms. // 191

Rudra said:
I have no concern with Indra and the others; what will Brahmā do for me?
By whatever means, the subjects must now be protected by you. // 192

This indeed is my nature; how could I bring myself to abandon it?
I was appointed to the duty of granting boons by you, by Brahmā, and by the gods. // 193

Even now, what is lost? Leaving the goddess before you,
having relinquished my form, I wander alone. // 194

Having spoken thus, the god Śiva vanished right there.
When that Śiva had departed, an immense agitation arose there. // 195

And Umā said to the gods headed by Indra, and likewise to the hosts of Brahmā and Viṣṇu:
'What must now be done by me with you who are bereft of Śiva?' // 196

Meanwhile, the other gods also arrived there,
as well as seers and perfected ones, and likewise Nārada and Parvata. // 197

The rivers Gaṅgā and Sarasvatī, the nāgas, and the yakṣas assembled,
deliberating with Brahmā and the others: 'How will this come to pass?' // 198

Viṣṇu said:
Let us go together right there where the god Śiva has gone.
With little effort, let those men go to heaven by the command of Śiva. // 199

Let men go to Satyaloka; let the gods go to the surface of the earth.
Let Śaṃkara bestow boons upon rakṣases, dānavas, and daityas. // 7.2.9.200