Śrī Rudra spoke: “Listen now as I reveal to you the story of the second liṅga, Guheśvara, the destroyer of all sins. Long ago, in the sacred Devadāru forest, during the Rāthaṃtara kalpa, there lived a sage who devoted himself entirely to the practice of yoga. He was ever established in peace and self-restraint. Yearning for spiritual accomplishment, he undertook severe austerities, pondering deeply within himself, ‘How might I achieve perfection?’ With this resolve, he commenced the highest form of penance. Then, at a certain moment, the daughter of the mountain—Pārvatī—was struck, and a wondrous event unfolded before his eyes. The sage was filled with utter amazement at the sight. Overwhelmed, he exclaimed, ‘Such is the power of austerity! Today, I have truly attained success.’ Though his body was humble and impure, filled with filth and urine, it was now seized by a great joy, and the twice-born sage began to dance in ecstasy. As the Brahmin danced, the entire world—both moving and unmoving—seemed to dance along with him. In that moment, no one anywhere studied the Veda, uttered the sacred ‘vaṣaṭ’, or performed any ritual acts. The gods, led by Brahmā and Viṣṇu, beheld this sight: the sage Maṅkaṇaka, dancing fervently in every direction. The mountains themselves were shaken from their places, rows of clouds were scattered, great rivers shrank to narrow streams, and the planets strayed from their courses. The three worlds were thrown into turmoil, as though on the verge of destruction. Hearing the anxious words of the illustrious gods, I, Rudra, assumed the form of a Brahmin and approached the foremost of Brahmins. I questioned him, saying, ‘Dancing out of passion is not the conduct of sages. Such behavior marks a fall from austerity for a Brahmin, O best of the virtuous.’ The sage replied, ‘It is because of my dancing that I have attained accomplishment—of this, there is no doubt.’ Upon hearing these words, I laughed heartily. In that very instant, white ash, pure as snow, emerged from my thumb. I said, ‘See, O Brahmin, how abundant ash pours forth from my thumb.’ Witnessing this great wonder, the best of the twice-born was filled with shame. With palms joined and his heart astonished, he spoke, ‘Such power exists nowhere else in the three worlds. For the virtuous, dancing that opposes austerity and leads to its decline is forbidden. Yet, O god, through my dance, this has suddenly come upon me.’ Hearing this, I addressed the Brahmin, ‘With this knowledge, O foremost of Brahmins, what desire of yours shall I fulfill?’ The sage replied, ‘O god, if you are pleased—compassionate to those who seek refuge—’ Then, O Pārvatī, with a gracious mind, I spoke to that Brahmin, ‘There, within the cave, abides eternally the meritorious liṅga, arisen in the seven aeons. There you will behold the auspicious liṅga, manifest across the seven aeons. It is the destroyer of sin born from desire and anger, accompanied by greed and delusion.’ Hearing my words, that Brahmin, accomplished in the Vedas, departed with discipline, bowing again and again. He arrived and beheld that liṅga, supreme in the power of increasing austerity. Meanwhile, O goddess, the gods proclaimed from the sky, ‘By the very sight of this liṅga, the Brahmin has attained a success exceedingly difficult to obtain. Those who, endowed with supreme devotion, behold the Lord of the Cave—’ Thus, the story of Guheśvara, the second liṅga, was revealed, a source of liberation for all who seek it with a pure heart.