In a forest ever alive with the calls of many birds and the movements of countless animals, the Blessed One—Maheshvara, the great Rudra—appeared, holding a skull in his hand. As he entered that sacred and beautiful woodland, all the rows of trees became aware of his presence. Moved by his arrival, the trees offered their flowers to him, and Maheshvara graciously accepted their fragrant gifts. When the Blessed One spoke, a gentle freedom came over the trees; their restraint melted away in his divine presence. They addressed him with devotion: “O Lord of the gods, you who are gracious and loving to your devotees, you who grant boons—this is our highest desire. O God of gods, we bow to you. We surrender ourselves completely and request the supreme boon.” Hearing their plea, the Lord—always a refuge to those who seek shelter—replied, “I grant you a boon again; my appearance among you shall not be in vain. Neither fire, nor wind, nor water, nor the heat of the sun’s rays shall harm you. You shall always be adorned with flowers, ever youthful and vigorous. For men whose eyes burn with the fire of ascetic practice, even the sight of you will stir desire. Thus, I support you, O trees.” As Śambhu bestowed his blessing, the earth itself trembled, as if struck by Indra’s thunderbolt. Tigers and wild beasts accompanied the Lord, and the commotion drew the attention of all beings. In the skies, the chariots of gods and siddhas, and the cities of the gandharvas, were shaken. Pigeons and sheep gathered in great numbers, and the tremendous sound that arose left all creatures dull, blind, and deaf. The bodies and minds of gods and asuras alike were disturbed. Led by Indra, they gathered together, summoning their courage to face this strange omen. They wondered aloud, “O Lord, what is the reason for this portent? Has the end of the age come, with the boundaries of the ocean broken? Why does the earth rest upon the waters of the seven seas? Never before have we heard such a sound.” Thus questioned, Brahmā, empowered by the Supreme Lord, spoke to them: “O Maruts, listen to the cause of what you have asked. Rudra, with the tip of his nail, cut off the fifth head from my body. Then, taking a skull as a bowl, he went to Lord Nārāyaṇa and begged for alms. Afterward, the Blessed One journeyed to Kuśasthalī, that excellent forest, and there he blessed all the creatures—even those born from eggs.” In that forest, the skull that had been in the Lord’s hand was placed upon the earth. Brahmā said, “You will see that one with the deformed eye; come, let us approach him together.” Having spoken thus, Brahmā, along with the assembled gods and demons, set out. As they traveled, their hearts were delighted by the sweet calls of cuckoos. At last, they arrived at that wondrous forest, which resembled the celestial Nandana grove. The sight of it delighted the minds of all embodied beings, for it was served everywhere by trees bearing excellent fruits and flowers. As they approached, some called out, “Here is the god! Here is the god! You have entered, desiring to see him.” Yet, at the very edge of that marvelous forest, the gods could not see him. Then a voice spoke to them: “Truly, you will see—but not without austerity.