The Antiquities of Orissa v1.c11.47

v1.c11.47

The author of the *Uttara-kāṇḍa* of the *Padma Purāṇa* was, however, not satisfied with the above story, and so he devised another. According to him, once on a time the renowned sage Bhṛgu repaired to Kailāsa on a visit to Mahādeva; but he was not allowed admission to the palace by Nandī, the warder, on the plea that his master was then in the company of his wife and not at leisure to receive him. The sage tarried long at the gate, but to no avail, and at last, losing all patience, cursed the god saying: “Despicable and deluded is Śaṅkara who fails to recognise me; and inasmuch as he has, stupefied by the society of women, insulted me, his form shall be that of the *yoni* and the *liṅgam*. Overcome by delusion as he recognises not me, a Brāhman, he ceases to be a Brāhman, and shall henceforward be unfit to be worshipped by the twice-born classes. Therefore [ 141 ] shall no water or rice or other offerings be made to him. Rice, water, leaves, flowers and fruits offered to Śiva, and remnants of offerings to him, shall doubtless be unfit to be received (by mankind)”. Having thus cursed Śaṅkara, the adorer of mankind, the mighty sage addressed Nandī, the fierce trident-holder of the Gaṇa race: “Those who in this world become worshippers of Rudra, and bear on their persons ashes, bones, or emblems of the *liṅgam*, are heretic impostors excluded from the dispensation of the Vedas”.¹⁸