In ancient times, the great Brahma, the lotus-born creator, manifested himself with four radiant faces, each the source of a Veda: from his second mouth arose the Yajur Veda, from the third the Sama Veda, and from the fourth the Atharva Veda. His fifth mouth, gazing upward, recited the Vedas in their entirety, with all their limbs, sub-limbs, histories, secrets, and collections. Before this wondrously radiant fifth face, neither gods nor demons could shine by their own brilliance; they were as lamps at sunrise, their own light pale in comparison. Even in their own domains, both gods and demons became disturbed and bewildered by Brahma’s overwhelming radiance, unable to regard anyone else. His brilliance cast all others aside. Frightened and unable to approach, see, or draw near to Brahma from the front, the gods could not come close to the great lord. Feeling overwhelmed and stripped of their own radiance, the gods gathered together to deliberate for their welfare. They resolved, “Let us go for refuge to Shambhu, for we are powerless before Brahma’s brilliance.” Together, they offered salutations: “Salutations to you, lord of all beings, Maheshvara, again and again! You are the source of the world, supreme Brahman, eternal among beings. You are the foundation of all worlds, the cause along with Vishnu.” As the gods, sages, ancestors, and even demons praised him, Shambhu vanished and spoke: “O gods, ask for whatever you desire.” The gods replied, “Having granted us your direct vision, O Lord, bestow upon us whatever you wish. Show compassion to us, and also grant us a boon. Our great strength, brilliance, vigor, and valor—all were consumed by Brahma, by the radiance of his fifth face. All our powers perished, O Lord, but by your grace, let them arise again as before. Restore them, O great Lord.” With a gracious face, Shambhu, saluted by the gods, went to Brahma, whose mind was clouded by pride and passion. The gods surrounded and praised the Lord of gods as they entered together, but Brahma, blinded by passion, did not recognize Rudra as he arrived. Then, shining with the radiance of a hundred thousand suns, the Soul of the Universe, the Creator and Sustainer of all, appeared. Rudra approached Brahma, the Grandfather, who was seated among the assembly of gods, and addressed the supreme creator: “O god, your face shines with even greater brilliance.” Then, the moon-crested one let out a loud laugh. With the tip of his left thumb’s nail, Rudra cut off Brahma’s fifth head, as easily as a man plucks the tender shoot of a banana with his fingernails. The severed head remained in Rudra’s hand, shining like a second moon among the planetary circle. With the skull lifted in his hand, the great Lord danced, reminiscent of Mount Kailasa with the sun atop its peak. When the head was severed, the gods rejoiced and praised the bull-bannered one, the matted-haired Lord of gods, with many hymns. They said, “Salutations always to the skull-bearer, to the one who is the time of great time, endowed with sovereignty and knowledge, the giver of all shares. Salutations to the one delighting in joy, who is the essence of all gods; in the age of Kali, you are the destroyer, and are indeed called the great time. You are the destroyer of the suffering of devotees, and thus are called the ender of pain; you bring happiness to your devotees, and thus are remembered as Shankara. Because you bear the skull, having severed Brahma’s head, you are praised today as Kapalin; be gracious to us.” Thus praised, Shankara, his mind pleased, sent the gods back and remained there himself, filled with joy, on his own seat. Having understood the nature of Brahma and the birth of the hero, and by the words of the headless one, for the appeasement of the worlds’ anger, Shankara placed the severed head in his joined palms, praised and bowed to Brahma, the repository of radiance, the supreme Brahman, thus recognizing Prajapati. With secret words from the Nirukta, Sūkta, Ṛg, Yajus, and Sāman, Rudra spoke: “O immeasurable one, salutations to you, the supreme inner self. You are the source of wonders, the inexhaustible treasury of energies; from your victory arises the universe, you are the creator, O greatly radiant one. O upward-faced one, salutations to you, who are the essence of existence and the support of the earth; O you who lie upon the waters, who are born from the waters, who dwell in the waters, salutations to you. O lotus-eyed one with blossoming petals, victory to you, O god, O Grandfather! By you, indeed, I was formerly created for the purpose of creation, O Lord. Constant recipient of sacrificial offerings, lord of the limbs of sacrifice, salutations to you; O golden-wombed, lotus-born, divine-wombed Prajapati! You are the sacrifice, you are the vaṣaṭ-call, you are the svadhā, O lotus-born; by the command of the gods, O Lord, I have severed the head. I am overcome by the sin of Brahmin-slaying; protect me, O Lord of the world!” Thus addressed by the god of gods, Brahma spoke: “The god Narayana, my friend, will purify you; he is to be praised by you, blessed one, and worshipped by me, the all-pervading one. You are indeed constantly contemplated by that god Vishnu, by whom devotion has arisen in you, and the intention to praise me has been awakened. Because of the beheading, you are Kapalin, the accomplisher of the Soma rite’s end; you will uplift a hundred crore Brahmanas, O greatly radiant one. You must undertake the vow for Brahmin-slaying; there is no other means. The wicked, cruel, Brahmin-killers are not to be spoken with. Those who perform Vaitānika rites but act unrighteously are never to be spoken with; upon seeing them, one should gaze at the sun.” Thus, the gods witnessed the mighty acts and words of Rudra and Brahma, and the cosmic order was preserved.