The Geography of the Puranas c8.81

c8.81

(ii) In the distant past, to which period the Purāṇic tradition goes, the basin between the Aling Kangri and the Nychenthangla was a big snow-field (probably during a glacial pulse) i.e., a 'lake' full of 'particles of frozen water'—a 'Vindu Sarovar' in the literal sense. In Purāṇic terminology, 'the goddess Tripathagā was confined in the tresses of Lord Śankara' since it was unable to move forward on account of glacial conditions and flow beyond the confines of these high mountains.