Skandapurana 5.279

Table of Contents

1. Invocation of auspiciousness; commencement of the dialogue between Sūta and Śaunaka; hearing Śaunaka's question there, in order to give an answer to it, the description of Śiva, separated from his wife, going to the hermitage of the seers in the context of describing the origin of the liṅga; the seers seeing the sky-clad Śiva there and giving a curse to him; through that curse, the falling of Śiva's liṅga right there; the offering of praise to Śiva by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and others; the explanation of the rules for worshiping the liṅga by Śaṃkara, who was pleased by that; then the gods going to the sacred field of Hāṭakeśvara and establishing that very Śivaliṅga there; description of the māhātmya of liṅga worship 9..... 1

2 The arrival of the Gaṅgā from Pātāla through the uprooting of the liṅga; to the question of how Triśaṅku came to be a caṇḍāla, in the narration of that story, Triśaṅku's request to Vasiṣṭha to go to heaven in his physical body; Vasiṣṭha saying that this is impossible, and [Triśaṅku's] obstinate resolve in mind to consult another guru. — 3

3 To Triśaṅku, who disregarded Vasiṣṭha's word and was bent on acting by his own will out of obstinacy, the cursing by Vasiṣṭha's sons saying 'Become a caṇḍāla!'; instantly becoming a caṇḍāla because of that curse, and grieving with remorse, by Triśaṅku's command the consecration of Triśaṅku's eldest son Hariścandra to the kingship by his ministers; and that Triśaṅku's journey on foot into the great forest. ... 4

4 The journey of the caṇḍāla Triśaṅku walking in the forest to the hermitage of Viśvāmitra; then Viśvāmitra, having heard the whole story, making a rival vow: 'I shall lead you to heaven in this very body!'; his wandering with that caṇḍāla across many sacred fords and sacred fields to remove his sin; the conversation between the two wandering [men] and Mārkaṇḍeya; their going to Hāṭakeśvara on Mārkaṇḍeya's word; the cessation of Triśaṅku's state as a caṇḍāla through worship of the Hāṭakeśvara liṅga; then their obtaining Brahmā's permission to perform a sacrifice that grants heaven. ... 5

5 Even though Brahmā did not give permission to do so, Viśvāmitra, in order for Triśaṅku to attain heaven in his physical body, by the power of his own austerity, had a twelve-year sacrificial session completed through brahmins, and then at its end performed the ritual post-bath ablutions and brought the sacrifice to completion. .. 6

6 Because of the non-attainment of heaven, for Triśaṅku who questioned Viśvāmitra, [Viśvāmitra's] praising Viṣṇu and receiving a boon from him, fashioning a new heaven created by Viśvāmitra, and [Triśaṅku's] going to heaven in his physical body. ... 7

7 Seeing the mutual conflict of the creation made by Viśvāmitra with Brahmā's creation, the gods' going near Brahmā; then Brahmā and the others' going near Viśvāmitra for the preservation of the world; because of Viśvāmitra's word and having no other recourse, Triśaṅku's entry into heaven; Viśvāmitra's voluntary revocation of his new creation; and the conclusion of the story of Triśaṅku. ... 7

8 Hearing of the power of Hāṭakeśvara, all people going there; Viśvāmitra too abandoning Kurukṣetra and dwelling there alone; considering this sacred field to bestow liberation even without performing sacrifices and the like, the installation of Hāṭakeśvara in Pātāla by order of the gods; thereby the serpents too going everywhere through that chasm; in the description of the māhātmya of Hāṭakeśvara, the performing of austerities dedicated to Viṣṇu by Hiraṇyakaśipu's daughter named Ramā to obtain a son; by the grace of Viṣṇu, the origin of the demon Vṛtra from that; by the prayer to Viṣṇu made by Indra and the gods to kill Vṛtra, going before Dadhīci on his word to produce the vajra; the defeat of Vṛtra with the vajra made from Dadhīci's bones; Śakra's going to Hāṭakeśvara to dispel the sin of killing a brahmin born of that; by the worship of Hāṭakeśvara the cessation of the fault; going to his own abode; the description of the māhātmya of Hāṭakeśvara. 8

9 The sending of the Saṃvarta wind by Śakra to fill the serpent chasm; on Śakra's command, the Saṃvarta wind going to the serpent chasm; terrified by the curse of the manifestation of the liṅga, the Saṃvarta wind's return to Śakra's city; then by the order of Bṛhaspati, Śakra's going into the presence of Himālaya to send the sons of Himālaya to fill the chasm; seeing the refusal of the three sons named Maināka, Nandivardhana, and Raktaśṛṅga, who did not accept the order even when ordered by Himālaya to perform Śakra's task, the laying of a curse upon them by Śakra; out of fear of the curse, the going there of the mountain named Raktaśṛṅga to fill the serpent chasm; then the establishment by Devendra of many sacred fords that produce happiness on the mountain named Raktaśṛṅga; the description of the festive celebration for the summit of Raktaśṛṅga made by Śakra. ... 11 1

10 In the description of the māhātmya of Śaṅkhatīrtha, King Camatkāra's hunting; Camatkāra's killing there of a doe who was suckling a hungry fawn; King Camatkāra's contracting of leprosy through the curse given by the doe; King Camatkāra's going to Śaṅkhatīrtha in the sacred field of Hāṭakeśvara while wandering to remove that leprosy and curse; the description of the dispelling of King Camatkāra's leprosy through ritual ablution in Śaṅkhatīrtha; the description of the māhātmya of Śaṅkhatīrtha. ... 12

11 In the conversation between King Camatkāra and the sage, in the account of the origin of Śaṅkhatīrtha: Śaṅkha taking the fruit that grew on a tree in Likhita's hermitage, and Likhita, considering this to be theft, cutting off Śaṅkha's hands; then Śaṅkha's performing austerities at Hāṭakeśvara; Śiva, pleased by that austerity, granting a boon to Śaṅkha; the account of obtaining hands as before through that merit; his establishing there a liṅga under his own name; the description of the māhātmya of Śaṅkhatīrtha preceded by the account of the origin of Śaṅkhatīrtha; King Camatkāra having a city built and gifting it to brahmins. ... 12

12 King Camatkāra instructing his sons for the maintenance of the city by command of the brahmins; the receiving of the blessing given by Brahmā. ... 14

13 King Camatkāra entrusting his kingdom to his sons and going to Hāṭakeśvara to perform austerities; worshiping Śiva there and establishing a liṅga named Acaleśvara by Śiva's grace; the description of the māhātmya of Acaleśvara. ... 14

14. Description of a cow straying into the forest out of longing for grass from a herd belonging to a certain cowherd in Camatkārapura; the cowherd's departure into the forest to seek her; then, after a passage of time, the two meeting their deaths; then the description of the cowherd's birth into the family of the ruler of Daśārṇa, and the cow's birth into that king's minister's family; then their recollecting the events of their previous life, performing circumambulation of Camatkārapura, and attaining liberation by the path of aerial chariots; description of the māhātmya of circumambulating Camatkārapura. 15. / 15. Preceded by a description of the power of Mount Raktaśṛṅga, description of the surpassing greatness of the circumambulation of Camatkārapura. 16.

16. Description of the superior fruits of serving Raktaśṛṅga by staying in the presence of Raktaśṛṅga. 16 2

17. Description of the sacred fords situated in the four directions of Camatkārapura; therein, first, in the context of describing the Gayāśiras-māhātmya, King Vidūratha's departure to the forest on a hunt; there, as Vidūratha pursues the deer, the collapse of his exhausted horse to the ground after journeying from forest to forest; then Vidūratha abandoning the horse right there and pursuing the deer on foot. 16

18. Then, after traveling far, [his] sighting of three piśācas, including Māṃsāda, on the path; on the words of Māṃsāda and the others, King Vidūratha reaching the site of the hermitage of seers, and preceded by a dialogue with the sages, the description of the performance of the evening rites and other ceremonies. 17 1

19. On the next day, Vidūratha's return to his city; Vidūratha's offering of funeral rites (śrāddha) for Māṃsāda and the others at the Pitṛtīrtha well at Gayāśiras; then the narration of their own liberation by Māṃsāda and the others in Vidūratha's dream; description of the māhātmya of the Pitṛkūpikā sacred ford. 19 2

20. The journey of Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, and Sītā to the Pitṛkūpikā sacred ford; by performing the funeral rites there, the direct appearance of their ancestors to Rāma and the others; then Lakṣmaṇa, whose mind became inclined to slay Rāma and Sītā and commit treason, going to the Bālamaṇḍana sacred ford in order to dispel the fault of treason; the removal of his fault by bathing in that sacred ford; then the journey south undertaken by Rāma; description of the māhātmya of the Bālamaṇḍana sacred ford. 20 2

21. In describing the origin of the Bālasakhya sacred ford, preceded by the description of the birth of the son Mārkaṇḍeya from Mṛkaṇḍu, Mārkaṇḍeya attaining a long life, performing austerities, and establishing a liṅga at Hāṭakeśvara; description of the māhātmya of the Bālasakhya sacred ford. 22 1

22. In the māhātmya of the Bālamaṇḍana sacred ford, in the account of the birth of the forty-nine Maruts from Diti by Kaśyapa, Indra's entering Diti's womb and cutting the embryo with a weapon, and other deeds; to dispel the fault of that transgression against his mother, Indra's bathing at the Bālamaṇḍana sacred ford; the removal of Indra's fault by bathing in the sacred ford; description of the māhātmya of the Bālamaṇḍana sacred ford. 24 1

23. In describing the Mṛgatīrtha, hunters arriving there after seeing deer standing in the shade of a tree; the flight of the deer from there, terrified at the sight of the hunters; the hunters pursuing the deer; the deer immediately attaining human form upon entering a lake; hearing the power of that lake from the mouth of a deer, the hunters also bathing in that lake; thereby the hunters too attaining beauty; description of all of them attaining liberation; description of the māhātmya of the Mṛgatīrtha. 25 1

24. At the time of subduing Bali, Vāmana covering the worlds with two steps, and when the upper part of the cosmic egg was pierced with the third step, the flowing forth of the water of the Gaṅgā; the origin and māhātmya of the Viṣṇupada sacred ford. 25 2 / 25. In the description of the māhātmya of the Viṣṇupadī Gaṅgā, the description of the removal of the sin of drinking liquor for a certain brahmin by bathing there; description of the māhātmya of the Viṣṇupadī Gaṅgā. 26 2

26. A certain brahmin Gokarṇa going to the world of Yama along with Yama's messengers who arrived by Yama's order; there, at Gokarṇa's questioning, Yama's description of the twenty-two hells; description of which hell is attained through which sin; by Yama's permission, Gokarṇa's arrival in Camatkārapura; description of his liberation through bathing in the sacred ford there; description of the māhātmya of the Gokarṇatīrtha. 27 2

27. Reckoning of time from the subtle atom up to the end of the four yugas; presentation of the nature, greatness, and measure of the four yugas; exposition of the duties of the four classes; description of the origin of washermen, caṇḍālas, and others; description, in particular, of the greatness of the Kali age. 29 2

28. In the dialogue between Bṛhaspati and Indra, description of the refuge of all sacred fords. 31 2

29. In the description of the māhātmya of Siddheśvara: Sūta's attendance upon the great seer Vatsa by his father's command; there, the great seer Vatsa's narration of the story of his previous birth; the discharge of semen into the water upon the sage Devarāta seeing a naked woman bathe before him; the swallowing of that semen by a female deer; the birth of a girl from the doe at the end of ten months; Devarāta giving the girl to the seer Vatsa; when a long time had passed, Vatsa seeing his wife's death by a snakebite, his mind agitated by great grief, and his departure to the forest; even though consoled in many ways by the seers, his undertaking to destroy the snakes in anger; while he was slaying the snakes, the account of the dialogue of one snake there having assumed human form; when the cause of the previous curse was told to Vatsa by that snake who had assumed human form—the statement: "In a former birth, when a snake was thrown by me into the midst of the multitudes of people who had come on pilgrimage to the sacred field of Hāṭakeśvara, the attainment of birth as a snake [occurred] because of a curse given by a seer"; the giving of instruction to Vatsa by that snake in human form; on that occasion, the exposition of the duty of non-violence and violence; then the resolve in his own mind by the seer Vatsa to perform the worship of Maheśvara out of remorse for the slaughter of snakes; the description of Vatsa's attainment of perfections through the worship of Siddheśvara. 32 1

30. In the description of the origin of Siddheśvara: the hamsa named Siddhādhipa, by command of Bṛhaspati, establishing a liṅga and performing worship for the sake of obtaining a son, and his obtaining a son; the description of the māhātmya of Siddheśvara. 37 2

31. In the context of describing the māhātmya of Nāgahrada: the going of the nine serpents to the sacred field of Hāṭakeśvara by command of Brahmā; the establishment of a liṅga there in their own name; the description of King Indrasena's attainment of death by snakebite; then Indrasena coming in a dream to his son and recounting his having become a ghost; the son's going to Nāgatīrtha by his father's command; there, the description of his father's liberation through the performance of the ancestral rites for the father and the worship of the liṅga; the description of the māhātmya of Nāgatīrtha. 38 1

32. In the description of Saptarṣitīrtha: the recounting of the manner of worshipping the seven seers; in the description of the origin of Saptarṣitīrtha, the wandering everywhere of the seven seers who were starving during a twelve-year drought; their going to the country of King Vṛṣādarbhi; seeing a dead boy there, the attempt by the seven seers to eat him; King Vṛṣādarbhi arriving there meanwhile and conversing with them; then the seers going to Camatkārapura without eating the dead boy; their performing austerity there and establishing a liṅga. 40 2

33. In the description of Agastya's hermitage: when a mutual dispute arose between the Vindhya and Meru [mountains], the Sun going to Agastya's hermitage because of the obstruction of the Sun's path; making the Vindhya bow down at the Sun's word, Agastya going to Hāṭakeśvara in the southern direction; going there with his wife Lopāmudrā and establishing a liṅga; the description of the māhātmya of Agastya's hermitage. 42 2

34. In the description of the cause of the drinking of the ocean performed by Agastya: first, in the war between the gods and the Daityas, seeing the defeat of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Indra, and the others, the description of Śaṃkara's defeat of the Daityas with his trident. 44 1

35. Concluding that the defeat of the gods would occur only through the destruction of dharma, the Daityas' slaughter of the brahmins who perform ritual ablution, the twilight prayers, sacrifices, offerings, and japa; by command of Brahmā, the gods' petitioning of Agastya to drink the water in order to kill the Daityas living in the water; Agastya's drinking of the ocean for the sake of the gods' mission; the gods' slaughter of the Daityas; the naming of the seat established by Agastya as Citreśvarapīṭha because the gods' purpose was accomplished. 44 2

36. The description of the māhātmya of Citreśvarapīṭha. 46 1

37. The description of the origin of the temple named Duḥśīla. 47 1

38. The description of the māhātmya of the Dhundhumāreśvara liṅga. 48 1

39. The description of the māhātmya of the Yayātīśvara liṅga. 48 2

40. The placement of a rock on the earth by Brahmā; then Sarasvatī's arrival there by command of Brahmā after fashioning a pool from Pātāla; then the great seer Maṅkaṇaka performing austerity there and establishing a liṅga; the description of the māhātmya of the Citraśilā-Maṅkaṇakeśvara liṅga. 49 1

41. Oppressed by the Daitya Bāṣkali, Indra and the other gods performing austerity in Hāṭakeśvara by command of Viṣṇu; then, by the word of Bṛhaspati, by worship of the Lord on the Aśūnyaśayana lunar day, by command of the Lord who was pleased, fighting with Bāṣkali; after the Lord had defeated the Daitya Bāṣkali, Śakra going to his own abode; the Lord residing there and establishing a liṅga; the description of the origin of Jalaśāyin. 50 2

42. The description of the account of the origin of Viśvāmitrakuṇḍa; there, in the description of the meeting of Viśvāmitra and Menakā, Viśvāmitra's discourse on the duties of women to Menakā. 51 2

43. When, disregarding the duty of wifely fidelity spoken by Viśvāmitra, she asked, "From where have you come? Where are you going?" and so forth, and Menakā became lustful upon seeing Viśvāmitra, Viśvāmitra's condemnation of sexual union with a woman. 52 2

44. When intercourse with him was rejected by Viśvāmitra, Menakā, greatly tormented by sorrow, giving a curse of acquiring old age to Viśvāmitra, and Viśvāmitra to Menakā mutually; then their release from the curse through bathing in the pool; Viśvāmitra's establishment of a liṅga there; the description of the māhātmya of Viśvāmitrakuṇḍa and the Viśvāmitreśvara liṅga. 53 1

45. The description of the māhātmya of Tripuṣkaratīrtha. 53 2

46 In the description of the māhātmya of the Sarasvatītīrtha: King Balabhadra's journey with his son to the Sarasvatītīrtha in order to remove the muteness of his mute son named Ambuvīci; the removal of the son's muteness there through ritual ablution and worship of the liṅga; the hymn of praise to Sarasvatī composed by Ambuvīci; and the description of the māhātmya of the Sarasvatītīrtha. 55 1

47 In the description of the māhātmya of Mahākāla: King Rudrasena's departure for Hāṭakeśvara with his wife; having worshipped the god there and given gifts abundantly to the brahmins, the king's narration of his previous life to the brahmins in their assembly; having been born there in the merchant caste, and having fasted due to lack of food, his going with his wife to the Mahākāla forest; seeing the god there and worshipping the god with lotuses; by the power of that merit, his birth in a royal family; and the description of the māhātmya of the sacred ford and liṅga of Mahākāleśvara. 56 1

48 In the māhātmya of the Umāmaheśvara liṅga: Hariścandra's propitiation of Umā and Maheśvara in order to obtain a son; the granting of a boon bestowing a son by Umā and Maheśvara, who were pleased by that austerity; having received that boon, Hariścandra's return to his palace; then the installation of a liṅga in the sacred field of Hāṭakeśvara for the pleasure of Umā and Maheśvara; and the description of the māhātmya of the Umāmaheśvara liṅga. 57 2

49 In the description of the māhātmya of Kalaśeśvara: Durvāsas's arrival at the home of King Kalaśa; the king's offering of food and hospitality to Durvāsas, who had arrived to break the fast of the Cāturmāsya observance; seeing meat well seasoned with salt and other spices in the food-dish, his curse upon the king saying, 'Become a tiger!'; and the description of King Kalaśa's attaining tigerhood due to the curse of Durvāsas. 58 2

50 In the dialogue between Nandinī and the tiger: Nandinī taking an oath in the presence of the tiger. 59 1

51 In accordance with the tiger's word, Nandinī's going to her dwelling and satisfying her calf; having taken leave of all, Nandinī's arrival before the tiger; seeing her truthfulness, [the tiger's] question to her out of remorse in order to obtain liberation; the king who had attained tigerhood through a curse, having worshipped the liṅga installed by Bāṇa as shown by Nandinī, being released from the curse causing tigerhood and regaining his former kingship; then, having worshipped Hara, his installation of a liṅga in his own name, his departure for the world of Śiva, and the description of the māhātmya of the Kalaśeśvara liṅga. 59

52 Description of the māhātmya of Rudrakoṭi. 61 2

53 In the description of the māhātmya of Bhrūṇagartā: the account of King Mitrasaha's attaining the state of a rākṣasa through the curse of Vasiṣṭha; that king, behaving according to the nature of a rākṣasa, also killing brahmins and others; for the removal of the sin of killing a brahmin, after release from the curse, that king undertaking a pilgrimage to sacred fords by the command of Vasiṣṭha; being released from the sin of killing a brahmin through ritual ablution at the Bhrūṇagartātīrtha, and ruling his kingdom as before; after his reign, his departure for the world of Śiva in the end; and the description of the māhātmya of Bhrūṇagartā. 62

54 Description of the story of Nala, preceded by the description of the māhātmya of Carmamuṇḍā installed by Nala. 64 2

55 Description of the māhātmya of Naleśvara, which was installed by Nala in his own name and removes the harm of disease and other misfortunes. 65 1

56 In the māhātmya of Sāmbāditya: Gālava obtaining a boon through the grace of Āditya, and because he had no son, obtaining a son through the worship of Sāmbāditya; and the description of the māhātmya of Sāmbāditya. 65 2

57 Description of the narrative of Gāṅgeya's pilgrimage. 66 2

58 Description of the installation of the four liṅgas by Gāṅgeya, and the description of the māhātmya of Śivagaṅgā. 67 2

59 Vidura's performing austerity to obtain a son and installing a liṅga in his own name; the description of the māhātmya of Vidureśvara; and the account of the temple of the god built by Vidura. 67 2

60 The son of Mitra and Varuṇa installing the deity named Māhityā; and the description of the māhātmya of Narādityeśvara. 68 2

61 In the māhātmya of the Śarmiṣṭhātīrtha: description of the origin of the poison-maiden. 69 1

62 The king who would not abandon the poison-maiden meeting death, and a description of the battle; hearing the reproach of all the world, the poison-maiden setting out for the forest for the sake of austerity; on the way, the poison-maiden, grieved by the recollection of her previous birth, undertaking terrible austerity such as the practice of the five fires, and Pārvatī arriving in the form of Indrāṇī upon beholding it; when she did not take a boon from Indrāṇī and performed austerity again, Pārvatī revealing her true form to her; the poison-maiden's hymn of praise to Pārvatī; the poison-maiden's departure for Kailāsa together with Pārvatī; and the description of the māhātmya of the Śarmiṣṭhātīrtha. 69 2

63 In the māhātmya of Someśvara: Soma, afflicted by the curse of Dakṣa, worshipping the liṅga at Hāṭakeśvara in accordance with the word of the great seer Romaka; by its power, the cessation of Soma's curse; his installation of a liṅga in his own name; and the description of the māhātmya of Somanātheśvara. 72 1

64 Description of the māhātmya of the goddess Camatkārī Durgā installed by King Camatkāra. 73 1

65 Description of the māhātmya of Ānartakeśvara and Śūdreśvara, and the narration of their origin. 74 1

66 In the context of the description of Rāmahrada, in the description of the slaying of Jamadagni: the Haihaya king Sahasrārjuna going to Jamadagni's hermitage with his army; seeing the power of the wish-fulfilling cow there, Sahasrārjuna covetously begging for her, and when Jamadagni did not give her, the Haihaya, filled with rage, slaying Jamadagni. 75 2

67 Hearing of the slaying of his father, Paraśurāma, having performed the funeral rites for his father, making a vow to rid the earth of kṣatriyas; then, in battle, Rāma slaying Sahasrārjuna. 76

68 After the slaying of Sahasrārjuna, having gone to Hāṭakeśvara and performed the ancestral rites (śrāddha) with the blood issuing from Sahasrārjuna's body, and having given the entire conquered earth to the brahmins, Paraśurāma made the ocean recede to secure a dwelling for himself ..... 77 2

69 Rāma's slaying of the kṣatriyas who forcibly seized the earth given again to the brahmins; thus, having rid the earth of kṣatriyas twenty-one times, he bestowed it upon the brahmins; by the word and blessing of the brahmins, the establishment of the sacred ford of the pit under the name Rāmahrada; the description of the special fruit of śrāddha for those slain by weapons at Rāmahrada; the general description of the majesty (māhātmya) of Rāmahrada. 78 1

70 In the section on the slaying of the demon Tāraka, the complete account of the birth of Kārtikeya from beginning to end ..... 70 2

71 The description of the majesty of the Śakti established by Kārtikeya (Skanda) ..... 80 1

72 The description of the visit (darśana) to the sacred field of Hāṭakeśvara made by the Pāṇḍavas, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and others ..... 81 1

73 Then, the departure of the Kauravas to Dvāravatī; the description of the marriage of Duryodhana with Bhānumatī; then, the departure once more of the Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas together with the Yādavas to Hāṭakeśvara; the account of the establishment of a temple and other deeds performed by Dhṛtarāṣṭra ..... 81 2

74 There at Hāṭakeśvara, the establishment of one hundred and one liṅgas by Dhṛtarāṣṭra and others; the establishment of liṅgas in their thousands under their individual names by all, including Droṇa and others, the Pāṇḍavas, and the Yādavas and others; the description of the consecration of liṅgas performed by the Kauravas, Pāṇḍavas, and Yādavas ..... 82 2

75 The description of the majesty of the sacrificial ground (yajñabhūmi) ..... 83 1

76 In the description of the three sacred fords of the Sun, namely Muṇḍīra, Kālapriya, and Mūlasthāna, the account of the dispelling of leprosy of a certain leprous man by bathing in those three sacred fords upon the word of a brahmin; the description of the majesty of Muṇḍīra, Kālapriya, and Mūlasthāna. 83 1

77 At the time of the wedding of Śaṃkara and Pārvatī, Brahmā's emission of semen upon beholding Pārvatī; Brahmā, his limbs smeared with that sin, worships Rudraśiras and removes the taint; the description of the majesty of the altar that is Hara's refuge (Harāśrayavedikā) ..... 95 1

78 In the description of the majesty of Rudraśīrṣa, the description of the liberation from that sin of an unchaste brahmin woman upon having darśana of Rudraśīrṣa; likewise, the description of the liberation of King Vidūratha's wife as well by having darśana of Rudraśīrṣa; the description of the majesty of Rudraśīrṣa (Jāgeśvara) ..... 86 2

79 In the description of the majesty of the hermitage of the Vālakhilyas, the account of the anger aroused by the Vālakhilyas against Indra; the majesty of the hermitage of the Vālakhilyas ..... 88 1

80 In the description of the majesty of Suparṇa, Kaśyapa, having taken the pot of nectar consecrated by the Vālakhilyas with Atharvan mantras, gives it to his wife in order to obtain a son; through the consuming of the pot of nectar, the birth of Garuḍa from Kaśyapa; Garuḍa's journey with the daughters of a friendly brahmin in search of a bridegroom for them; the meeting with Nārada on the road; the arrival of all of them at Hāṭakeśvara with Nārada to behold Viṣṇu; having gone there, Nārada and Garuḍa receive darśana of Viṣṇu ..... 89 1

81 Having received darśana of Viṣṇu, Garuḍa insists to Viṣṇu that he choose the brahmin's daughter; with Viṣṇu's permission, Garuḍa brings the brahmin along with his daughters before Viṣṇu; seeing that the brahmin's daughter was to become Viṣṇu's wife, Lakṣmī in anger utters a curse upon that maiden: “Become horse-faced!”; likewise, the brahmin also curses Lakṣmī: “Become elephant-faced!”; then Viṣṇu consoles the brahmin's daughter and gives a counter-curse [to nullify it]; by Viṣṇu's command, the brahmin goes to his own home with his daughters; upon Garuḍa laughing when he saw an old woman named Śāṇḍilī standing before Viṣṇu, Śāṇḍilī, being inwardly enraged, burns Garuḍa's wings to ashes by pronouncing a curse in her mind. 90 2

82 Seeing the burning of his wings, Garuḍa and Viṣṇu praise Śāṇḍilī; then, at the word of Śāṇḍilī, Garuḍa goes to Hāṭakeśvara and, having bowed to Rudraśīrṣa, Kālarudra, Nīlarudra, and others, worships Śiva; thereby, the description of Garuḍa obtaining golden wings once more; the description of the majesty named Suparṇeśvara. 91 1

83 In the description of the majesty of Suparṇeśvara, King Veṇa, due to his wicked tendencies and the ripening of his evil deeds, contracts leprosy; King Veṇa, wandering to cure that leprosy, goes toward Suparṇeśvara; by worshiping it, the description of the dispelling of his leprosy ..... 92 1

84 By Viṣṇu's counter-curse, the description of the brahmin's maiden cursed by Lakṣmī being freed from the curse given by Padmā and becoming Viṣṇu's sister under the name Subhadrā in the Kṛṣṇa incarnation ..... 92

85 For the removal of the curse given by the brahmin, Lakṣmī performs austerity toward Brahmā; Brahmā, removing the curse, grants a boon to Lakṣmī; Brahmā names that place Gajavaktrā-Mahālakṣmī; the description of the majesty of Mahālakṣmī ..... 93 1

86 By worshiping Caṇḍī at Hāṭakeśvara, the twenty-seven daughters of Dakṣa become objects of the Moon's affection to increase his love; the establishment of the liṅga named Saptaviṃśatikā; the description of the majesty of the Saptaviṃśatikā liṅga ..... 93 2