Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.1706

c8.1706

At that time all the devas joined together and performed a Yāga at Naimiṣāraṇya. Kāla, the god of Death, was one of the chief priests for the function. The Yāga lasted for a long time and since Kāla was consecrated for the Yāga he did not attend to his duties as the god of Death. Death came to a dead stop and men increased in alarming numbers and the devas were perplexed. They went to Brahmā and acquainted him with the frightening situation. Brahmā sent them to Naimiṣāraṇya. They went there and were talking to Kāla when they saw a few golden flowers coming down the river. Getting curious Indra walked up the river to locate the origin of these flowers. When he reached the place of origin of Gaṅgā he saw Nālāyanī there. Nālāyanī took the beautiful young man to Śiva. Śiva was at that time engaged in a game of dice with Pārvatī and Indra did not then recognise Śiva. Indra in his arrogance argued that the whole universe belonged to him. Śiva jumped up enraged and ran after Indra who ran to the mouth of a cave. Śiva caught him and said that he would show him four Indras inside that cave. Both of them entered the cave and to the amazement of Indra he saw four other Indras sitting inside the cave. They were all the creation of Śiva and with the original Indra the number of Indras came to five. Then addressing Nālāyanī who had followed them Śiva said, "Oh beautiful girl, do not be worried. All these five are your husbands. You will be born as the daughter of the King of Pāñcāla. Then all these five will be born in the lunar race and will marry you."