G. V. Tagare - Skanda Purana Volume 6: Nagara-khanda

4. Enormous indeed is the burden involved in answering the query raised by you. I shall, however, recount in details after bowing down to the Self-born Lord.

5-9a. In the land of (Northern Gujarat) there is a forest resorted to by saintly people. It is charming unto all living beings. It consists of trees bearing fruits in the course of all seasons.

There is a beautiful penance grove therein. It is resorted to by gentle animals. It is full of sages and hence resounding with the sound of the Vedic chanted by them. There are various types of sages practising diverse kinds of austerities.

There are sages (some of whom were) Abbhakas (who took in water only for subsistence), (sages practising austerities in the midst of five fires).

9b-11. After some time, the Lord, the Slayer of came to that forest in the course of his wanderings.

The forest was resorted to by gentle animals; there delighted mongooses played with serpents; lions with elephants and cats with mice. The crows played with flocks of owls without animosity.

12. On seeing the penance-grove, Lord Rudra who was nude, entered it for the purpose of begging for alms with a skull in .

13-15. On seeing his handsome physical features never seen by anyone before, all the ascetic women became completely overwhelmed by the god of Love. They left off their domestic chores. The ceased to attend to the elders. Gathering together in groups at different places, they engaged in mutual discussions with comments like: Only that lady is blessed who can freely and confidently embrace all the organs of the noble-souled sage.

16-18. Others in excessive enthusiasm ran about in all directions. They appeared staring at him with wide open eyes. Some of the women had applied the unguents only partly over their bodies. Some had applied collyrium only in one of their eyes. Others had tied up their tresses partially. Some of them had even abandoned their children. Being viewed thus by the ladies wandered through the highway uttering Give me alms.

19. Those sages who saw him thus without clothes on, thereby provoking the lustful predilection in the women, spoke thus with their eyes reddened due to anger.

20-21. O sinner, since this penance grove of ours has been defiled by you, may this penis of yours fall on the ground at once. Instantly his penis fell on the ground; piercing the surface of the earth, it entered .

22. Bereft of his penis, the bashful Lord Mahevara went into a deep pit and stayed there in the form of a foetus.

23-24. On account of the fall of the penis, O excellent Brhmaas, there arose terrible bad omens that caused terror in all the . The peaks of mountains tumbled down; even during day, meteors fell down. All oceans overflowed their limits slowly.

25. All the groups of as their leaders they went to the place where the Grandfather of the worlds was present.

26-29. After eulogising with prayers, originating from the excellent and human beings who are distressed and terrified with trembling bodies.

30-34. On hearing the words of those Devas the Four-faced Lord meditated for a long time and understood through his divine vision. Thereupon he spoke: O excellent Suras, this is not the time for the ultimate annihilation. Listen to the reason for which the evil portents have arisen. In the country called narta the noble-souled sages, for (the protection of their wives) have cursed (Lord iva); the Liga of the god of gods, the Trident-bearing Lord, has been made to fall. It is therefore that the entire range of the three worlds including mobile and immobile beings has become utterly upset. Hence we shall go to the place where Lord Mahevara is present. At our instance, he may replace the penis quickly. Otherwise there will be untimely destruction of the entire range of the three worlds. What I have uttered is true.

35-36. Thereupon all the groups of the Devas, and Viu as their leaders hurriedly went to that place where Lord Mahevara was sleeping in the interior of the pit, overwhelmed with great shame.