Skandapurana 3.2.4

Vyāsa said:

Henceforth I shall relate the deed of Dharmarāja,

hearing which no fear of the messengers of Yama arises anywhere.

Dharmarāja beheld her, Vardhanī, the excellent apsaras.

'Who is this beautiful-limbed, exceedingly lovely woman in the vast forest?

And this is a wilderness devoid of humans, terrifying with lions and tigers.'

Recognizing this as a supreme wonder, Dharmarāja spoke these words:

Dharmarāja said:

'Why, O proud lady, do you wander alone in this deserted forest?

From what place have you come, and whose wife are you, O lovely one?

Whose daughter are you, O fair-thighed one, so exceedingly beautiful and auspicious?

Are you a human, or a gandharva woman, an immortal goddess, or a kiṃnara woman,

an apsaras, a bird-maiden, or perhaps a forest deity,

a rākṣasī, or a sky-traveler? And whose wife are you? Tell me that!

Tell me the truth, O fair-browed one!' the son of Arka said then.

'What do you wish for, blessed lady, or what must be done? Speak of it here!

Whatever you desire, O fair-thighed one, I shall grant what you wish.'

Vardhanī said:

'Everything immovable and movable rests upon dharma, O lord.

Being that Dharma yourself, why are you performing this difficult practice, O sinless one?'

Yama said:

'I desire to see the form of Īśāna, O splendid lady;

therefore, engaged in austerity, [I wish to see] Śaṃkara along with his auspicious consort Śivā.

I shall attain fame, I shall attain happiness, and so I perform this exceedingly difficult task.

My thought was: "Let my fame endure age after age;

let my fame endure again through eon after eon, and great eon after great eon!"

For this reason, O fair-browed lady, supreme austerity is being practiced.

Why have you come, O auspicious one? Tell me just as it is!

What is the business, and for what reason? You should speak the truth.'

Vardhanī said:

'By your very austerity, O Dharma, the lord of heaven was struck with fear.

By him I have been sent here with the desire to obstruct your tapas.

Terrified through fear of losing his throne, by Hari [Indra], in Hari's presence,

I was dispatched, O illustrious one. Truly, I speak the truth!"

Sūta said:

Then, pleased by her truthful words, the son of the Sun,

the highly fortunate one, said to her: "I am a granter of boons; ask [a boon] of me!

I am Yama to all evil beings who perform bad deeds,

yet I am the very embodiment of Dharma to all men of self-control.

As that Dharma, O fair-hipped woman, I grant you what is hard to attain;

ask all that of me quickly, O best of the apsarases!"

Varddhanī said:

"Grant me permanent stability in Indra's lovely realm,

O lord, O best among the upholders of Dharma, and for the welfare of the worlds!"

Yama said:

Saying to her, "So be it," he [added]: "Choose another [boon] quickly!

I shall grant an excellent boon; I am delighted by your singing."

Varddhanī said:

"In this place, in this great kṣetra, O highly wise one, let there be a tīrtha belonging to me,

destroying all sins, and well known by my name!

Whatever is given there, offered in fire, practiced as austerity, or recited, let it be imperishable!

Whoever frequents this growing lake for five nights,

his ancestors shall be satisfied, being offered water offerings day by day."

Saying "So be it" to her, Dharma remained observing silence.

Having circumambulated that Dharma three times and bowed to him, she went to heaven.

Varddhanī said:

"Do not fear, O lord of gods, concerning Yama, the son of the Sun!

This Dharma is devoted to his own purpose; he performs [tapas] for renown."

Vyāsa said:

Varddhanī of fair countenance was honoured by that Śakra:

"Well done, well done, O highly fortunate one! You have accomplished the work of the gods!

Fearlessness in an excellent home and a happy dwelling shall always be yours;

fame, happiness, and charming fortune you will attain, O fair-faced lady!"

"So be it," said the gods to her, with minds joyful and fearless.

Having bowed to Śakra, she went to her own auspicious dwelling.

Sūta said:

When the apsaras had gone, O king of kings, Dharma remained according to rule;

he performed terrifying tapas, causing agitation to the universe.

Performing the discipline of five fires in the month of Jyeṣṭha, heated by the sun,

he did what was very hard to endure, O king, unapproachable even for the gods.

Then, when a hundred years had elapsed, Antaka, adhering to silence,

stood like a piece of wood, [calm] like an elephant in the wind, covered by hundreds of anthills.

With various flocks of birds that had built nests on him, that king of Dharma

sat there, O king; such a vow is not seen anywhere!

Constantly remembering the lord of gods, the blameless consort of Umā,

the gods, along with the gandharvas and yakṣas, their minds agitated,

went once again to the peak of Kailāsa, into the presence of Śiva.

The gods said:

"Protect, protect us, O Mahādeva, O Śrīkaṇṭha, O Lord of the universe!

Protect us, O Lord of past and future! Protect us, O Bull-bannered Lord!

You are compassionate, O Lord of mercy! Make us free from obstacles, O Śaṃkara!"

Īśvara said:

"By whom have the gods been wronged? Or by whom has your pride been crushed,

in the mortal world, in heaven, or among the serpents? Tell me quickly, without delay!

With this very trident, or with the skull-topped staff,

or indeed with the Pāśupata weapon, I shall slay him in battle!

Tell us quickly the reason for your coming here!"

The gods said:

"O ocean of compassion, O lord of gods, O creator of joy to the world,

today there is no fear from humans, nor from serpents, gods, or demons.

In the world of mortals, O Mahādeva, the lord of the dead, of huge form,"

mortifying himself for his own very terrible purpose—this is certain;

having undertaken severe austerity, he is afflicting himself by his own will.

Because of this, O Sadāśiva, all of us gods are anxious here.

We have come to you for refuge; do whatever you wish.”

Sūta said:

Hearing the words of the gods, [Śiva], who rides a bull and has a bull on his banner,

taking up his weapons and beautiful armor,

then went to that place where Dharma was stationed.

Īśvara said:

“O Dharma, my mind is pleased with this austerity of yours.

Choose a boon! Choose a boon! Choose a boon!”—thus he spoke indeed.

“Whatever desires you wish for, as they reside in your mind,

whatever you ask for, O good one, I grant it to you now.”

Sūta said:

Seeing the god Maheśvara speaking thus,

he arose from the ant-hill, O king, folding his hands together,

and praised the lord of the world, the subduer of foes, with pure words.

Dharma said:

“Homage to you, O Īśvara! Homage to you who possess the form of yoga!

Homage to you whose form is splendor! O Nīlakaṇṭha, homage be to you!

Homage to you who conform to [the meditation of] those who meditate, reachable through devotion!

Homage to you whose form is Brahmā! Homage be to you whose form is Viṣṇu!

Homage to the gross, to the subtle, and indeed homage to the atomic form!

Homage to you who assume any form at will, the maker of creation, preservation, and dissolution!

Homage to the eternal, the gentle, Mṛḍa, and homage to Hari!

Homage to you who are the heat, and homage to the maker of coolness!

Homage to you whose form is creation! O guardian of the world, homage be to you!

Homage to the fierce, the terrible, and homage to your tranquil form!

Homage to the endless form, and homage to your cosmic form!

Homage to the one whose limbs are smeared with ashes! Homage to you, O Candraśekhara!

Homage be to the five-faced one! Homage be to the three-eyed one!

Homage to you adorned with serpents, wearing a loincloth!

Homage to the destroyer of Andhaka, the remover of Dakṣa’s sin!

To you, the consumer of Kāma, O foe of Tripura, homage be to you!

And whoever recites these forty names spoken by me,

having become pure, at the three junctions of the day, recites or even listens [to them],

even a cow-slayer, an ungrateful person, a drinker of liquor, one who defiles the teacher’s bed,

a slayer of a brahmin, a stealer of gold, or indeed a husband of a Śūdra woman,

a slayer of women and children, a sinner, and a speaker of untruth,

one of bad conduct, likewise a thief, and likewise an adulterer,

a doer of what should not be done, a betrayer of duties, a hater of brahmins, the lowest of priests—[he is freed from all sins].

Sūta said:

Having been thus repeatedly praised with many words by the King of Dharma,

with great devotion, personally bowing with his head,

pleased then, Śambhu spoke to him these auspicious words:

“Choose a boon, O illustrious one, whatever is in your heart.”

Yama said:

“If you are pleased, O lord of gods, showing compassion upon me,

grant that, O illustrious one, throughout the three worlds with the moving and unmoving,

this place shall become famous in the world by my name,

uncuttable and unpierceable, meritorious, destroying sins.

Make it your abode, O Mahādeva, if you are pleased with me, O Bhava.”

Then, O king, a place equal to Kāśī was granted by Śiva.

Having granted that, he spoke again: “Choose another [boon], O best of virtuous beings.”

Dharma said:

“If you are pleased, O lord of gods, showing compassion upon me,

make it so, O illustrious one, throughout the three worlds with the moving and unmoving,

that by this boon I shall attain renown age after age.”

Īśvara said:

“Speak, O Kīnāśa, I shall fulfill all of that which you desire.”

Pleased indeed by your austerity, I grant the desired boon."

Yama said:

"O god, if you grant what is desired by me, then, O Śaṃkara,

in this place, this great sacred field, always bear my name.

O Maheśvara, act in such a way, O god,

that it becomes renowned as Dharmāraṇya in the three worlds, including moving and unmoving beings."

Īśvara said:

"May this always be renowned as Dharmāraṇya in age after age.

Established by your name, O god, it will attain renown.

Now, whatever else there may be, I shall do it; speak, dear one."

Yama said:

"Let there be an excellent sacred ford two yojanas in extent bearing my name,

an eternal place of liberation, purifying all embodied beings.

Flies, insects, domestic animals, birds, wild beasts, and others,

moths, bhūtas, vetālas, piśācas, serpents, and rākṣasas,

a woman or a man, who gives up their dear life-breaths

in my sacred field named Dharma—let there be eternal liberation [for them]."

Saying 'Let it be so,' all the gods, Brahmā and the others,

showering rain of flowers, attained supreme joy.

Celestial drums sounded, the lords of gandharvas sang,

auspicious winds blew, and hosts of apsarases danced.

Sūta said:

Sadāśiva, pleased indeed by Yama with austerity and devotion,

spoke a delightful, fitting, and agreeable speech to the god:

"Give me permission, dear one, that I may go swiftly

to Kailāsa, best of mountains, out of a desire for the welfare of the gods."

Yama said:

"It is not proper for you to abandon my place, O Maheśvara.

By your word, O god, this place becomes greater than Kailāsa."

Śiva said:

"You have spoken well and fittingly; my presence here will be with a single portion.

O virtuous one, this very pure place of yours has not been abandoned by me.

The great liṅga Viśveśvara will exist here under my name."

Having spoken thus, Mahādeva disappeared right there.

By the word of Śiva, that wondrous liṅga [arose] then and there.

Having seen it, the gods there, proclaiming their names accordingly,

each fashioned their own liṅga in Dharmāraṇya, best of gods;

whichever god's liṅga it was, it was celebrated by his name.

Sūta said:

The liṅga Dharmeśvara was installed by Dharma and was present.

From remembering and worshipping it, one is released from all sins.

The Brahman accessible to yogins, dwelling in the hearts of all,

remains as his liṅga, established as self-manifest.

Having worshipped the Lord of Beings, a person is freed from diseases.

Then he made a delightful stepwell of Dharma there.

Having gathered water from ten million sacred fords, he released it into the stepwell.

The charming nature of the sacred ford of Yama, having performed ritual ablution [there],

was for the sake of the ritual ablution of deities and purified seers.

Having bathed there and drunk [the water], one is released from all sins.