Elements of Hindu Iconography v2.c16.s5.16

v2.c16.s5.16

An asura named Dūṣaṇa was giving trouble to the Brāhmaṇas residing in and near Ujjayini. They prayed to Śiva to relieve them from the visitations of the cruel asura. Śiva pleased with the prayers of the Brāhmaṇas, appeared on the spot and with a breath of his reduced Dūṣaṇa to ashes. The Brāhmaṇas then prayed to Śiva to stay away in their midst; Śiva assumed the form of a Jyōtirlinga and the name Mahākāla and stopped away at Ujjayini. Such is the account of Mahākāla of Ujjayini as given in the Śivapurāṇa.