A question arose: “How can I take up this task again before purity is attained?” The speaker, confident in his strength, declared, “I am able to restrain the Vālakhilya sages easily. Yet this liṅga is immovable, O mighty one; it cannot be uprooted.” He addressed the Grandfather, Brahmā, saying, “If you, O Grandfather, were to worship the liṅga beforehand for my sake, then peace would come to us and to all beings, both moving and unmoving.” Hearing this request, Brahmā worshipped the liṅga first, with great devotion. After Brahmā, Viṣṇu came forward to offer his worship, followed by Śakra (Indra), and then all the others joined in reverence. At once, the terrible omens that had troubled them were pacified. Then Mahādeva, the great Lord Shiva, addressed all those who dwelt in the divine abode, saying, “O Lord of the gods, those who worship here will ascend to heaven, and their sins will be destroyed. Therefore, O Indra, let this excellent liṅga of yours be covered with the thunderbolt. Let Indra do so for the increase of all righteousness.” Pulastya narrated: Then Indra, the lord of the gods, covered the liṅga with his thunderbolt. Even today, because of the touch of the thunderbolt, whoever comes into contact with this liṅga attains its presence. Since Śaṅkara (Shiva) proclaimed its greatness in that liṅga, from that time onward, the worship of the liṅga arose among mortals. This event took place long ago on the great mountain Arbuda. On the fourteenth day at the end of the month of Phalguna, offerings should be made there with fresh barley meal. Whoever, with devotion, feeds Brahmins at that place with new barley meal on that day receives great merit, and the eminent sages praise the giving of barley meal there. What need is there for various other gifts or elaborate sacrifices? On that sacred fourteenth day at the end of Phalguna, in the presence of the great Lord Shiva, the offering of barley meal is supreme. Listen, O King, to what happened there in earlier times—an excellent and wondrous event. Once, someone arrived at that holy place seeking alms, accompanied by others. Stricken by disease, he was unable to eat the food he had prepared. Instead, he made a cushion of barley meal and, as night fell, lay down to sleep. While he slept, a dog came and carried away the barley meal. Amazed and distressed by this, the man approached the end of his life. This man was Bhima, O best of kings, the father of Damayanti. Year after year, on the fourteenth day at the end of Phalguna, he returned to that sacred place. In the presence of Lord Achaleshvara, he gave generous offerings of barley meal. Then all the sages, with Galava at their head, asked him, “Why do you, having given barley meal, not wish to offer anything else?” Bhima replied, “The greatness of giving barley meal is known among sages of purified minds. Formerly, when I lacked devotion, my barley meal was taken away by a dog. Now, I do not know what the result will be for those who give with devotion; yet, in this sacred place, joined with devotion, I attain my own self through truth.” Pulastya continued: The sages, delighted by his words, exclaimed, “Excellent! Excellent!” Thus, O royal sage, is the power of offering parched grain, as has been described. And whoever listens to this story, as it is narrated by a devoted twice-born, attains merit. Upon seeing the liṅga, a mortal always becomes handsome and radiant. In this way, the journey continued, and the seeker reached the hermitage of the Vālakhilyas, where the sacred liṅga had once fallen.