Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.1986

c9.1986

(viii) Fought Sūrya. Śiva once plucked Brahmā's head (See under Kapāli 1), and Brahmā cursed Śiva that he should beg for food with that head (skull) in his hands. This fierce curse of Brahmā affected Śiva so much that, in uncontrollable wrath, he beat whomsoever he met. Thousands of Devas and others were killed. Sūrya, who relished not these atrocities of Śiva confronted him with out-stretched hands. Śiva held with one hand of his, both the hands of Sūrya from the fingers of which blood began to flow. Śiva turned Sūrya round and round by his hands with the result that the hands of Sūrya became short. When Sūrya became completely drenched in blood Śiva let him free and walked to another side when Sūrya, laughingly challenged him again to fight. Greatly enraged by the challenge Śiva fisted him on the face with the result he lost all his teeth. Also he fell down unconscious. As Sūrya fell thus Bhaga looked with fierce eyes at Śiva, who then struck the former on his face, Both the eyes of Bhaga fell down. and the Devas were alarmed by it. Then all the Ādityas, under the leadership of Indra ran off to the ten regions along with the Maruts and Agni. Only prominent asuras like Prahlāda remained on the scene. They saluted Śiva. Śiva surveyed the yāga hall, the Devas and the asuras with his three eyes. All of them then ran away to different places. Śiva looked at the three Agnis with his three eyes and they were reduced to ashes.