Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.401

c8.401

Once a celestial damsel named Madhurā after observing Somavāravrata went to Kailāsa to pay obeisance to Śiva. Pārvatī was absent from the place then, having gone to attend the birthday celebrations of one of her sons. So Madhurā met Śiva sitting lonely and this led to a clandestine sexual union between them. When Pārvatī returned she saw traces of the ashes from the body of Śiva on the naked breast of Madhurā and Pārvatī in her anger cursed Madhurā to live in a well for twelve years as a frog. Śiva was stupefied at the curse and he went to the well and consoled her by saying that she would after the twelve years of life as a frog become a very beautiful maiden and would be married by a man of great fame and valour. It was near this well that Maya and his wife were performing penance to get a daughter.