Skandapurana 7.8.34_149

7.8.34_149

evaṃ sa kṛtvā rakṣāṃ tu mahādevo vṛṣadhvajaḥ .
tapastepe mahattatra ghoraṃ paramaduścaram .. 14. .
athājagmussurāstatra sarve śakrapurogamāḥ .
niruddhāḥ śakukarṇena na celuḥ padamagrataḥ . . 15 . .
devā ūcuḥ
bho gaṇeśā vayaṃ devaṃ śarvamugraṃ kapardinam .
draṣṭuṃ kāryeṇa saṃprāptāstanno darśayatānaghāḥ4 .
ākulāstamapaśyanto naśyāma5 pramatheśvarāḥ6 . .1 6 . .
śaṃkukarṇa uvāca
na yuṣmābhiḥ surāḥ śakyo devo draṣṭuṃ kathañcana .
tapaḥ kuruta bhadra vastato drakṣyatha śaṅkaram .. 17..

Having thus arranged protection, Mahādeva, whose banner bears a bull,
performed great, terrible, and exceedingly difficult austerity there.
Then all the gods, led by Śakra, arrived there.
Turned back by Śaṅkukarṇa, they did not advance a step further.
The gods said:
"O Gaṇa-chiefs, we have arrived on a mission to see the god
Śarva, the fierce one, with matted hair; therefore reveal him, O sinless ones!
Agitated, not seeing him, we perish, O lords of the Pramathas!"
Śaṅkukarṇa said:
"The Lord cannot be seen by you gods in any way.
Perform austerity, may good betide you, and then you will see Śaṅkara!"