Verses 1101-1198

1103-5. Since then, that mountain is called Mundaprstha. By touching Mundaprstha with whole of the body, a man is freed from the sin of saying something inauspicious. Kicked by the god, the mountain assumed a human form and with both hands joined together, he said to the lord of the gods of gods. "I am miserable." Then pleased and full of compassion the lord of the gods said to the mountain:

1106. "O mountain, your water which has corne out by the stroke of my foot, shall be known as Krpanitirtha on the earth."

1107. After naming the mountain as Mundaprstha he assumed a beautiful form. That place inhabited by the nymphs is Apasarastirtha.

1108. Then, having seen the heart-fascinating sacred place known as Brahmasara, (he) assumed the form of a swan and broke forth the mountain in no time.

1109. The opening in the mountain, which was made by the high-minded (god in the form of a swan, is known as Hamsadvara - the destroyer of all sins.

1110-11. Then, having seen the sacred places Vatika and Sandika, the great god reached Kapila Tirtha and saw the highly fortunate Brahmana surrounded by the gods and performing sacrifice in the company of sages.

1112. Seeing the god Mahesvara in the form of a swan Brahma kneeled down on the earth and saluted the high god.

1113. O lord of the earth, listen to what Sakra spoke, saluting Brahma - the lord of the world - when he saw him prostrated.

1114. Sakra said "Salutation to you, O lord of the gods of the gods, the cause of the cause of the world, the lord of the three worlds, the omniscient, the lord of all!

1115. I do not see in this world, any cause other than your-self. By you are pervaded all the three worlds including movable and immovable objects.

1116-17. O lord, you are the progenitor, protector and destroyer of all this. The three worlds are born, when you open your eyes and when, O lord of the worlds, you go to sleep, all these three worlds are destroyed.

1118. Supported by you, this earth supports all this movable and immovable (creation). Upheld by you, the waters hold this whole world.

1119. O lord, it is due to your lustre that the fire bears this whole world and it is due to your energy that the wind sustains this whole world.

1120. O lord, it is due to your strength that the ether - the birth place of sound - bears the whole world. O highly gifted one, you are said to be the Supreme Spirit.

1121. You are glorified as intellect and the as soul of all this (creation). You are Indefinable Purusa and also (the constituent elements called) raja, sattva and tama.

1122-24. You are the senses and the objects of the senses. You are called the gross physical elements (Bhuta) and the subtle physical essences (Tanmatra). You are the knower (Jnata) ard the thing to be known (Jneya), the body (Ksetra) and the soul (Ksetrajna ) and the highest lord. You are the meditator, the object of meditation, the meditation itself and various types of sacrifices. You alone are all this, O lord! What else is there than your ownself? O highly gifted ons as you are prostrated, a great doubt has arisen in me."

1125-26. Brhadasva (said): Addressed thus by Sakra, Brahma spoke these words: "This is my second form Sarvi the most purifying one and possessed of high penance - before which I am prostrated. Please it by making salutations along with all tbe gods."

1127-28. Addressed so, tben, Indra - surrounded by all tbe hosts of the gods - praised, with the favour of Brahma, Hara, tbe destroyer of Tripura, the lord of the gods of the gods and Sankara in the true sense of the word.

1129-32. Sakra said: "Salutation to you, O lord of the gods, encompassing the three worlds with magical power! The sacrificer, the earth, the sky, the water, the fire, the moon, the sun and the wind are stated to be your bodies which pervade the three worlds. O preceptor of the world, after assuming the Brahmi form which is rajasi, yau create the worlds (but) you are not created, O soul of the beings! O Mahesvara, you - standing (apart) like a witness - sustain the three worlds and O god, after assuming Kala form which is tamasi, you destroy the world.

1133. Dharma - assuming the form of a bull - serves as (your) mount. You are always celibate though left half of your body is female.

1134. The mass of your matted hair is marked with the lunar crescent and stirred by the waves of Ganga. O Mahesvara, salutation to you !

1135. Salutation to you, O enemy of Tripura and destroyer of Andhaka! Salutation to you who became immersed in the blood of the demon Amsa rent asunder with the front pan of the spear!

1136. (Salutation to you) O Parvati's lover, wearing a garland of skulls, possessing powerful weapons, terrifying one and holding dreadful arms.

1137-38. (Salutation to you) O Urdhvalinga, Sighra, Kratha, Krathana, auspicious, excellent, bountiful, the Great Swan, possessed of a terrifying eye, Bhusunda, wearing a serpent as the sacred thread.

1139. Forgive me, O chief of the gods and lord of the world, as it was due to being overwhelmed at first by your magical power that I did not worship you.

1140. O Sambhu, you are pleased indeed, as you have been recognised by me. O lord of the gods, you are possessed of good favour. O Mahegvara, I am prostrated before you.

1141-42. Brhadasva (said) : "Praised thus by Indra, Brahma, sages and gods, gankara gave up the form of a swan and having assumed his own form, went to the sacrifice of Brahma and appeared before the gods. Thereafter, the God brought the goddess and also the bull.

1143. At the completion of the sacrifice of Brahma, lord of the gods of the gods went to Kalodaka lake along with the hosts of the gods.

1144. There, he saw Nandi, weakened due to hunger and cold and followed by death, as if by a relative.

1145. Seeing Nandi - the best amongst the reciters of the god's name - Mahadeva exclaimed, "O child, rise up, rise up. Ask for a boon as pleases you!"

1146. Having seen the god Hara standing along with the goddess Parvati and accompanied by all the host of the gods, . (Nandi) relinquished the fear of death.

1147. Leaving the rock aside, he stood up excitedly from the midst of waters and worshipped the lord of the gods with (laudatory) speeches and (offerings of) water.

1148-49. Worshipped by him, Sankara said smilingly: "Dear child, I am satisfied with your recital (of the name) of Rudra and your penance, You shall dwell near me, as pleases you, with this very body. There is no fear to you from death.

1150. Remember your previous birth when you were my door-keeper. After that, Silada - the chief of the twice-borns - obtained you through penance.

1151-52. O son, by you as a son, Silada has been carried across (the world). Having obtained predominance among the ganas, you shall live in my company in a place at a distance of one yojana from here towards the east. O best of the ganas, I, in the form of Hara Bhutesvara, shall dwell in your company.

1153. O Nandi, the gifted sage Vasistha on the earth shall erect your image and also mine at that holy place.

1154-59. We shall always be present there, O twice-born ! My linga called Jyesthesa, originated formerly, is there. O twice-born, you should know my continuous presence at that place also. O best among the twice-borns, devoted to me, thousands and crores of sages used to bathe that linga (called) Jyesthesa with the holy and celestial water (brought) from Uttaramanasa. O Parsada, due to the influence of their penance and devotion towards me, you yourself shall reach Uttaramanasa - the abode of Sodara Naga - and live continuously at that place to the south of which flows the great river Hiranyini, possessed of holy water and known as Kanakavahini. The Bhutas dwell at JyesShesa. O twice-born, live (there) at your will.

1160-62. Then, approach me with another body, O son!" Having spoken thus to Nandi who lay prostrated, the lord of the gods - destroyer of the enemies of the enemies of the gods - sent away death after consoling him. Taking Nandi along with him, He saw Uttaramanasa and happily climbed up the peak called Haramukuta, famous in the three worlds, in the vicinity of that very lake.

1163-64. Mahesvara, the god of the gods is always present there. The high-famed Vasistha also, along with all the hosts of the gods, erected (the image of) Hara - the lord of the Bhutas. To the west of that, he erected the image of Nandi.

1165. O controller of the enemies, having done this, the gods went whence they had come and so also the sages whose wealth is penance. The sacred waters also flowed.

1166. Thus, due to the curse of Bhrgu and due to the favour of Hara, Nandi is always present there and for his pleasure (is present) Mahesvara too.

1167. The image of Nandisvara cannot be seen by the evil-doers. By seeing Bhutesvara, one is freed from all the sins.

1168. By seeing Hara Bhutesvara, Jyesthesvara and Nandi after taking bath in the holy Sodara, one may obtain prominence amongst the ganas."

1169. Gonanda (said): "There is the holy abode of Suli - the god of the gods - which goes by the name Kapatesvara. Tell me the origin of that.

1170. I am put in great doubt due to the name Kapatesvara, O Brahman, why is the venerable Sambhu called Kapatesvara ?"

1171-73. Brhadasva (replied): "O king, on the sacred bank of Drsadvati in Kuruksetra, there stood in great penance, crores of sages to have a sight of Rudra - the lord of the gods. Due to their devotion the venerable highest lord told them in dream: "O quick-going ones, go soon to Kasmira where there is a spacious and immaculate abode of the Naga. There, I shall be visible in disguise."

1174 Having heard this in dream, they told one another (about it) early in the morning and desirous of seeing god Sambhu, all of them went together to Kasmira.

1175. Having reached that abode of the Naga, they could not see even a little water, for the water was all over covered with pieces of wood.

1176. Moving the wooden logs with their hands, the best sages obtained Rudrahood with their bodies by merely taking bath (therein).

1177-78. There was one Vasistha Brahmana named Gauraparasara who did not take bath and did not, even out of curiosity, touch the wooden log. Staying there, he made his body decay through fasting. Hara spoke to him in dream: "Why are you suffering, O twice-born ?"

1179-81 "Obtain Rudrahood quickly by taking bath and touching the wooden logs !" The twice-born stood in submission and with folded hands, spoke to Rudra: "That you can be visible after the attainment of Rudrahood is a fact, O father of the world ! But my mind is not satisfied without the sight of the lord of the gods. You had said that you would be visible in disguise in the abode (of the Naga).

1182-84. Without getting that (sight), O Sankara, I would neither go nor eat (anything)." Smiling a bit, Sankara said to him again: "I have already provided to them, my manifestation in the form of wooden log. Merely by seeing me, they attained Rudrahood, O twice-born ! Now, due to your penance which is greater, I give you the desired boon. Ask for what you desire and obtain Rudrahood."

1185-86. Gaurapsrasara (spoke): "O god, destroyer of tbe body of Kama, O Mahesvara, if you are to give me a boon, then manifest yourself in the fonn of a wooden log, to all the human beings, as you did to the sages. O lord of the world, the world is suffering perpetually due to sin."

1187. Mahesvara said: "O best among the twice-borns, all those people who will see (the god) standing in the form of wood, (will see the god) not always but only occasionally.

1188. With a desire to do favour to thern, my gana - this Nandi in the form of wooden log - shall always be visible to the human beings.

1189-90. And having scen (him) they would attain Rudrahood with their bodies. As I shall appear in disguise before men, so I shall obtain the name, Kapalesvara. O best among the Brahmanas, there is plenty of water in this country.

1191. My manifestation will be in the previous form." Thus has been related to you, the origin of Kapatesvara.

1192. Gonanda (spoke): "O venerable one ! I have a desire to hear about Visnu's abodes in Kasmira, and also the merit of those (places) where Hari is present."

1193. Brhadasva ( said ) : "O king, the god is always present (in the form of) discus-wielder Hari. Having seen him who has lolus-like eyes, one obtains the merit of (giving) ten cows.

1194. God Janardana is always present (in the form of) Narasimha. Seeing him - the lord of the gods of the gods - one obtains the merit of (performing) Horse-sacrifice.

1195. 0 King, the god Bahusara is always present in the holy and auspicious Devasara.

1196-97. 0 best among the kings, (the god lives) in the images erected by Vasistha, Kadru; Vinata., and Gautama. By seeing thece images of Kesava, one obtains the merit (of the performance) of Agnistoma.

1198. By the sight of another Nrsimha on the holy northern bank of Mahapadma lake, one obtains the merit of (performing) Agnistoma.