Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

तत्र वः काल एवैष दैवादुपनतः स्वयम् प्रयात दक्षिणं मेरोः शिखरं देवसेवितम्

Now the destined time has arrived for you; go at once to the southern peak of Meru, revered by the gods.

सनत्कुमारो यत्रास्ते मम पुत्रः परो मुनिः प्रतीक्ष्यागमनं साक्षाद्भूतनाथस्य नंदिनः

There dwells Sanatkumara, my exalted son, a great sage, awaiting the arrival of Nandi, the lord of beings, in person.

पुरा सनत्कुमारोपि दृष्ट्वापि परमेश्वरम् अज्ञानात्सर्वयोगीन्द्रमानी विनयदूषितः

Long ago, even Sanatkumara, though he saw the Supreme Lord, out of ignorance and pride as master of all yogis, failed in proper respect.

अभ्युत्थानादिकं युक्तमकुर्वन्नतिनिर्भयः ततो ऽपराधात्क्रुद्धेन महोष्ट्रो नंदिना कृतः

He did not perform the proper acts of rising and greeting, being fearless and lacking humility; for this offense, Nandi, enraged, turned him into a great camel.

अथ कालेन महता तदर्थे शोचता मया उपास्य देवं देवीञ्च नंदिनं चानुनीय वै

After a long time, grieving for that reason, I worshipped the Lord, the Goddess, and earnestly appeased Nandi.

कथंचिदुष्ट्रता तस्य प्रयत्नेन निवारिता प्रापितो हि यथापूर्वं सनत्पूर्वां कुमारताम्

By great effort, his camel form was somehow removed, and Sanatkumara was restored to his original youthful state.

तदाह च महादेवः स्मयन्निव गणाधिपम् अवज्ञाय हि मामेव तथाहंकृतवान्मुनिः

Then Mahadeva, smiling, spoke to the lord of the ganas: 'Because he disrespected me, the sage acted with such pride.'

अतस्त्वमेव याथात्म्यं ममास्मै कथयानघ ब्रह्मणः पूर्वजः पुत्रो मां मूढ इव संस्मरन्

Therefore, you alone must reveal my true nature to him, O sinless one; though he is the eldest son of Brahma, he remembers me as if deluded.

मयैव शिष्यते दत्तो मम ज्ञानप्रवर्तकः धर्माध्यक्षाभिषेकं च तव निर्वर्तयिष्यति

I myself have given him as your disciple, to be initiated into knowledge by you; he will also perform your consecration as overseer of dharma.

स एवं व्याहृतो भूयस्सर्वभूतगणाग्रणीः यत्पराज्ञापनं मूर्ध्ना प्रातः प्रतिगृहीतवान्

Thus addressed, the leader of all beings accepted the command with bowed head at dawn.

तथा सनत्कुमारो ऽपि मेरौ मदनुशासनात् प्रसादार्थं गणस्यास्य तपश्चरति दुश्चरम्

So too, Sanatkumara, by my instruction, is performing severe austerity on Meru for the sake of this gana's favor.

द्रष्टव्यश्चेति युष्माभिः प्राग्गणेशसमागमात् तत्प्रसादार्थमचिरान्नंदी तत्रागमिष्यति

You must see him before meeting Ganesha; soon, for the sake of his favor, Nandi will come there.

इति सत्वरमादिश्य प्रेषिता विश्वयोगिना कुमारशिखरं मेरोर्दक्षिणं मुनयो ययुः

Thus instructed urgently by the lord of yogis, the sages went to Kumara's peak on the southern side of Meru.

तत्र स्कंदसरो नाम सरस्सागरसन्निभम् अमृतस्वादुशिशिरस्वच्छा गाधलघूदकम्

There is a lake called Skanda-saras, vast as the ocean, with nectar-sweet, cool, clear water, both deep and shallow.

समंततः संघटितं स्फटिको पलसंचयैः सर्वर्तुकुसुमैः फुल्लैश्छादिताखिलदिङ्मुखम्

All around, it is bordered by heaps of crystal rocks, and its shores in every direction are covered with blooming flowers of all seasons.

शैवलैरुत्पलैः पद्मैः कुमुदैस्तारकोपमैः तरंगैरभ्रसंकाशैराकाशमिव भूमिगम्

With moss, blue lotuses, red lotuses, and white water lilies resembling stars, with waves shining like clouds, it was as if the sky itself had descended to earth.

सुखावतरणारोहैः स्थलैर्नीलशिलामयैः सोपानमार्गौ रुचिरैश्शोभमानाष्टदिङ्मुखम्

With pleasant places for entering and exiting, and landings made of blue stone, the beautiful stairways and paths shone in all eight directions.

तत्रावतीर्णैश्च यथा तत्रोत्तीर्णश्च भूयसा स्नातैः सितोपवीतैश्च शुक्लाकौपीनवल्कलैः

There, those who had descended and those who had emerged, having bathed, wore white sacred threads and pure white loincloths and bark garments.

जटाशिखायनैर्मुंडैस्त्रिपुंड्रकृतमंडनैः विरागविवशस्मेरमुखैर्मुनिकुमारकैः

With matted hair topknots, with shaven heads, adorned with three horizontal lines, their faces smiling in detachment, there were young ascetics.

घटैः कमलिनीपत्रपुटैश्च कलशैः शिवैः कमण्डलुभिरन्यैश्च तादृशैः करकादिभिः

With water pots, with pitchers made from lotus leaves, with auspicious vessels, with other such containers and ladles in their hands.

आत्मार्थं च परार्थं च देवतार्थं विशेषतः आनीयमानसलिलमात्तपुष्पं च नित्यशः

For their own sake, for others, and especially for the gods, they constantly brought water and fresh flowers.

अंतर्जलशिलारूढैर्नीचानां स्पर्शशंकया आचारवद्भिर्मुनिभिः कृतभस्मांगधूसरैः

Some, standing on submerged stones in the water, careful not to touch those of lower status, observed proper conduct, their bodies dusted with sacred ash.

इतस्ततो ऽप्सु मज्जद्भिरिष्टशिष्टैः शिलागतैः तिलैश्च साक्षतैः पुष्पैस्त्यक्तदर्भपवित्रकैः

Elsewhere, some immersed or emerging in the water, some sitting on stones, offered sesame seeds with husks, flowers, and discarded blades of sacred grass.

देवाद्यमृषिमध्यं च निर्वर्त्य पितृतर्पणम् निवेदयेदभिज्ञेभ्यो नित्यस्नानगतान् द्विजान्

Having performed offerings to gods, sages, and ancestors, they would present the water to the learned twice-born who came daily for bathing.

स्थानेस्थाने कृतानेकबलिपुष्पसमीरणैः सौरार्घ्यपूर्वं कुर्वद्भिःस्थंडलेभ्यर्चनादिकम्

At each place, performing various offerings of food and flowers, and fanning, they would worship with solar water and other rites at the altars.

क्वचिन्निमज्जदुन्मज्जत्प्रस्रस्तगजयूथपम् क्वचिच्च तृषयायातमृगीमृगतुरंगमम्

Somewhere, elephants from scattered herds would submerge and emerge; elsewhere, deer, antelope, and horses would come driven by thirst.

क्वचित्पीतजनोत्तीर्णमयूरवरवारणम् क्वचित्कृततटाघातवृषप्रतिवृषोज्ज्वलम्

Elsewhere, peacocks and noble elephants, having drunk, would come out; in another place, bulls, striking the banks, shone as they faced each other.

क्वचित्कारंडवरवैः क्वचित्सारसकूजितैः क्वचिच्च कोकनिनदैः क्वचिद्भ्रमरगीतिभिः

In some places, with the calls of noble ducks, in others, with the cries of cranes, elsewhere with the cooing of cuckoos, and in some places with the humming of bees.

स्नानपानादिकरणैः स्वसंपद्द्रुमजीविभिः प्रणयात्प्राणिभिस्तैस्तैर्भाषमाणमिवासकृत्

With birds living on the trees, engaged in bathing and drinking, affectionately and constantly making sounds, as if speaking among themselves.