Skandapurana 5.9

Sūta said:
Then Śakra, having summoned the Saṃvartaka wind, said:
“In the sacred field of Hāṭakeśvara there is indeed a great serpent-hole. 1

By my command, go swiftly and fill it with dust,
so that there will be no access there for any mortal being.” 2

Vāyu said:
“When formerly, by your command, the opening was filled by me
at the appearance of the liṅga, a curse was pronounced on me by the enemy of Tripura: 3

‘Because this liṅga of mine was covered with dust by you,
therefore you will become a carrier of odors with the same nature [for both]: 4

Just as you will carry all the fragrance born of camphor,
even so you will carry [the odor] born of impurities, without a doubt, by my word.’ 5

Therefore, knowing this, grant me favor, O lord of the gods;
let someone else be thought of for this task; I fear the enemy of Tripura.” 6

Then the lord of the gods reflected on the filling
of that serpent-hole, but did not see any [way at all]. 7

Then the preceptor of the gods himself said to that Śatakratu:
“Why have you become troubled over this task, O lord of the gods? 8

There is a foremost mountain here, known by the name Himālaya;
three sons were born to him; listen to that from me, O Śakra! 9”

Maināka is called the first, the second is Nandivardhana, / and the third mountain is known as Raktaśṛṅga.

That Maināka entered into the ocean out of fear of you, O Śakra. / Together with his wings, he remains right there even today.

This second one is known as Nandivardhana; / by him the chasm that arose at the hermitage of Vasiṣṭha was entirely filled.

By command of the Himālaya and of the noble sage Vasiṣṭha, / abandoning the land of the gods, he quickly went there.

The third, who is known here as Raktaśṛṅga, still remains. / Bring him, O thousand-eyed Indra, and fill the serpents' cavity!

In no other way can this chasm be filled, O lord of the gods, / except by that best of mountains: this which I have spoken is true.

Sūta said: / Having heard that statement of the teacher of the gods, the lord of the gods / went quickly to where the Himālaya was.

Then, having approached Himācala, the best of mountains, / attended by siddhas and cāraṇas, he spoke these conciliatory words:

Indra said: / In the sacred field born of Hāṭakeśvara there is a great serpent-chasm. / Going through it, men, to the god Hāṭakeśvara in Pātāla—

whosoever they may be, even if devoted to sin, will worship him, / and will then rival me, O best of mountains!

Therefore send this son Raktaśṛṅga there, O Himālaya, / so that the chasm arising from the serpents may be filled.

Offer hospitality to me who have arrived at your home, O mountain! / By giving your own son, you will obtain extraordinary fame.

Having said 'So be it!' and having honoured the lord of the gods, / the Himālaya then addressed that son, Raktaśṛṅga:

O son, the thousand-eyed Indra has come into my presence for your sake. / Therefore go quickly to where the serpent-chasm is situated.

Having completely filled it by my command, for Śakra's sake, / be happy along with him and with the other foremost gods!

Raktaśṛṅga said: / I will never go there to the mortal world, / where trees are thorny, dry, and devoid of fruit;

where there are no siddhas, no gandharvas, no gods, and no kiṃnaras, / and neither charming sacred fords nor rivers of clear water;

and where men are of sinful conduct, devoid of moral character, / and all are always evil-minded, even those born in animal wombs.

Moreover, O best of mountains, both of my wings were cut off / by Śakra; because of that, there is no ability to go whatsoever.

Therefore let the thousand-eyed Indra devise some other supreme means for that, / leaving me aside; this which I have spoken is true.

Śakra said: / I myself will carry you there, lifted by my own hand. / There too, very beautiful trees will become your resorts;

and holy sacred fords and temples of deities, / as well as hermitages of sages, will arise all around you.

The power that you have while remaining here, O son of the mountain, / will, by my word, become ten-millionfold when you are settled there.

Moreover, whichever mortals are on the earth there, even if they are sinful, / will instantly become free of sin from your darśana.

Therefore go quickly there with me, O son of the mountain! / If not, I shall shatter you into a thousand pieces with a blow of my vajra.

Sūta said: / Hearing that speech of his, Raktaśṛṅga was filled with fear. / Coming quickly, he entered into that serpent-chasm.

O best of brahmins, he sank in just up to the tip of his nose, / complete with all his lofty, delightful peaks, / covered with trees, bushes, and creepers, and frequented by charming birds.

Having thus established that mountain, the son of the Himālaya, / Śakra, delighted, then said: 'Let a boon be received from me!'

Raktaśṛṅga said: / This alone is our boon: that you are pleased, O lord of the gods. / What will I do with a boon? By your favour, I am happy.

Indra said: / The vision of me cannot be in vain, even in a dream, O son of the mountain; / how much less when a direct vision has occurred, especially with the deed accomplished?

Raktaśṛṅga said: / If a boon must certainly be given to me, O lord of all gods, / may all my wealth always be for the sake of the twice-born, O lord!

Indra said: / There will be an earth-ruler known as Camatkāra; / he will establish a city on your summit for the sake of the brahmins.

There eminent brahmins, masters of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas, / will enjoy your entire wealth, exceedingly delighted.

Moreover, on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Caitra, / having arrived myself, O son of the mountain, on your foremost peak,

I will worship the lord of the gods named Hāṭakeśvara, / along with all the hosts of gods, as well as kiṃnaras and guhyakas.

And on that single day, Hara himself, pleased, / will take up residence here on your peak, along with us.

By that, your power will become preeminent even in the three worlds. / Hail to you! I shall now go to the celestial abode.

Sūta said: / Having spoken thus, the thousand-eyed Indra went to heaven; / and Raktaśṛṅga remained there, occupying the serpent-chasm.

Upon him arose foremost sacred fords and temples, / and likewise hermitages of sages came into being.

Thus ends the ninth chapter, named 'The Description of the Filling of the Serpent-Chasm', in the Māhātmya of the Sacred Field of Hāṭakeśvara, in the sixth Nāgarakhaṇḍa, in the glorious Skandapurāṇa, a collection of eighty-one thousand [verses].