Mudgalapurana 4.44: sindūraśivasamāgamo nāma catuścatvāriṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

Homage to the glorious Gaṇeśa.

Dakṣa said:
“I am blessed, O master Mudgala, through your company; of this there is no doubt.
With devotion I have heard the wondrous deed that brought about the pacification of greed.

I am not sated, O Lord, as if having drunk nectar of the elephant-faced one;
tell now of the greatness of his sacred place, which grants everything.

Tell concisely of the incarnations assumed for the sake of devotion to Gajānana,
O fortunate one; you are omniscient, and homage unto you.”

Sūta said:
Having heard Dakṣa’s words, Mudgala, filled with joy
and endowed with compassion, spoke to that fortunate one.

Mudgala said:
“Endless are the incarnations of Gajānana, O bestower of honor,
assumed for accomplishing the purposes of his devotees; they cannot be fully told.

Nevertheless, listen, O Dakṣa, to the deeds of the incarnations;
I shall tell you briefly about Gajānana, who grants everything.

The leader of the Gaṇas was propitiated by Pārvatī and Śaṅkara;
after a thousand divine years, he was pleased and ready to grant a boon.

Worshiped and praised by both of them, the god was implored:
‘Become our son, O Lord, for delivering the world from saṃsāra!’

Saying ‘So be it,’ that Gaṇeśa vanished of his own accord.
He became a son known as Mayūreśa for the slaying of Sindhu.

Having slain Sindhu of great prowess, he went to the city of Svānanda.
In this way, he assumed various incarnations in the house of Śiva and Pārvatī.

Eighty million incarnations of Gaṇeśa are proclaimed;
they are known as the sons of Śiva, appearing in the manner of portions for specific tasks.

Some arose from Śiva, some from the great-souled Śakti,
and some supreme partial portions arose from the union of both.

Whatever affliction arose, for that purpose the all-pervading Lord was remembered;
then, through a conjunction of a partial portion, he became a son who bestows happiness.

Having accomplished the task, he went again to Svānanda;
and both Śiva and Pārvatī were indeed tormented by separation from him.

Various other incarnations assumed in part in the house of Kaśyapa and others
by Gajānana cannot possibly be fully recounted.

I shall narrate a history that grants all perfections,
associated with an incarnation of Gajānana; listen, O Prajāpati.

Once, the Lord Śambhu went to Brahmā who was asleep;
for a certain purpose, he woke him up and then went to his own abode.

Having awakened, he yawned greatly, filled with anger;
from that yawn a man was born, red in color and very handsome,

endowed with abundant fragrance, like a second god of love.
Seeing him of great strength, Brahmā, astonished, spoke:

Brahmā said:
‘Who are you, O best of men, and for what purpose have you come? Speak.’
Questioned thus, he, possessing a voice like a thundercloud, spoke to that god.

The man said:
‘Born from your yawn, I am your son, O leader of the gods.
Give me a dwelling place, a name, and other things, and various kinds of food, O father!’”

Then Brahmā, extremely delighted upon seeing his greatly wondrous son, / bestowed extraordinary boons upon him. Hear them, O giver of honor:

"Your body is richly fragrant and red; therefore, [your] name [is] Sindūra. / Enjoy various delights, roaming everywhere at your will.

Indeed, no one in the mobile and immobile [world] shall equal you in strength. / By my command, O son, become victorious over the universe.

Whatever you desire, all that shall become fruitful for you. / Whomever you embrace in anger, you shall turn to ashes."

Having bowed to the great-grandfather who stood there after giving various boons in this manner, / that Sindūra went forth onto the earth without praising [him].

Śaunaka said: / "That giver bestowed boons so very hard to obtain upon one devoid of austerity. / Tell me the reason, O wise one; a great doubt is in my heart."

Sūta said: / "When a man performs austerity for the sake of accomplishing his wishes and intentions, / even if he should die during that vast austerity, O sage,

in another birth he is born wise and endowed with the fruit. / With very little effort, the god certainly gives [him] a boon.

All this statement has been spoken to you, cutting through doubt. / Now hear the conversation at hand, which occurred long ago.

Going on the road, that Sindūra reflected: / 'How could the god grant a boon to me who am devoid of austerity?

Therefore I have surely been deceived by the creator; there is no doubt in this. / Having embraced him, I will make him dead, wishing to see the truth [of it].'

Thinking, 'It will thus be without doubt,' the Daitya Sindūra, / filled with anger, went near Brahmā.

Having roared, he began to embrace the creator. / Seeing that supreme wonder, Brahmā spoke most dreadfully:

Brahmā said: / 'By the power of my boon you have come to slay me. / Therefore, you are a wicked Daitya due to misfortune; there is no doubt in this.

Out of affection for a son, O wicked one, boons most hard to obtain were given [to you]. / Therefore, Gajānana shall indeed slay you, O lowest of your race!'

Having spoken thus, he fled and went for refuge to Nārāyaṇa / in Vaikuṇṭha, and the villainous Sindūra pursued him.

He told the whole matter in detail to Nārāyaṇa. / He too, having heard it, sighed and remained there, having worshipped [him].

In the meantime, Sindūra also arrived there. / Filled with anger, he spoke a harsh word to Viṣṇu:

Sindūra said: / 'O Viṣṇu, protect the creator who has run here having cursed me. / I will kill [him] along with you; behold my supreme prowess!'

Viṣṇu said: / 'I am of the quality of sattva, and this one is devoted to the recitation of the Vedas. / Having slain us two, O great Daitya, you will have no renown.

Know, O Sindūra, O giver of honor, that we two are subject to your control. / Śaṅkara is the destroyer of all; he will take away your renown.'

Having heard Viṣṇu's words, he left Viṣṇu and the four-faced one; / eager for battle, he immediately went to Śaṅkara on Kailāsa.

Seeing Śaṅkara immersed in meditation, he thought in his heart: / 'Why should I, like a fool, slay this naked one engaged in austerity?

[Section 4, Chapter 45, page 113] Having seized the woman standing at his left side, supreme and incomparable in beauty, / I shall go according to my pleasure, eager for sporting.'"

Oṃ tat sat. Thus ends the forty-fourth chapter, named 'The Encounter of Sindūra and Śiva,' in the story of Gajānana, in the fourth section of the glorious and venerable Maudgala Mahāpurāṇa, an Upaniṣad of the Purāṇas.