Seeing Indra, the mighty king of the gods, in a state of distress, Bṛhaspati approached him and offered his blessings. With gentle concern, Bṛhaspati spoke, “O lord of the gods, this is not a favorable time for you. I have seen the foremost and greatest of the demons gathered together. Each one, I believe, possesses the strength to defeat you alone. Such is their might, whether I have seen them or merely heard of their deeds.” Hearing these words, Indra’s heart was filled with anxiety. He turned to Bṛhaspati and asked, “What should I do in this situation, O wise one? These demons are surely coming for me, and Vṛtra’s strength is beyond compare.” Bṛhaspati, hearing Indra’s plea, replied, “There is a beautiful and sacred forest, the great Kāla forest, to the south of Khaṇḍeśvara. Go there and worship with all your effort. The supreme being will grant you your desire. In that forest, O goddess, is the supreme liṅga—pay homage there.” So Indra, following this counsel, approached the liṅga and, with deep reverence, offered salutations: “Salutation to the god of gods, to Śaṅkara, the bull-bannered one, the most excellent. Salutations always to you, granter of all desires. You alone are the primal creator of beings, and you alone, as Time, destroy all creatures. You are the moon, the sun, the wind; you are the sustainer, the creator, the supreme ancient one. You are Mahākāla, the bull, the remover of obstacles, and the bestower of secret boons.” As Indra praised him thus, a voice issued forth from the liṅga, addressing Śatakratu, another name for Indra: “You will slay Vṛtra, the destroyer of foes—there is no doubt.” By the greatness of that liṅga, O Pārvatī, from the foam of the waters, Indra gained the power to slay the fierce Dānavas in battle with ease. Through my power, you and the gods attained lordship over the three worlds. It was by the greatness of this god that the mighty demon Vṛtra was slain. Because Indra worshipped the great god Maheśvara, the city of Indra shone in splendor. Whoever beholds the liṅga known as Śrī Indreśvara each day, whoever worships with devotion the liṅga adored by Indra, indeed worships the sages and guardians of the worlds as well—there is no doubt. Thus, addressed by the gods, Śakra (Indra), together with the dwellers of Vaikuṇṭha and others, was satisfied. Such is the power of the god Indreśvara: by merely seeing him, a man obtains a son. In the lineage of Brahmā, there was a sage named Mṛkaṇḍu. Desiring a son, he pondered within himself, “How might I obtain a son?” Resolving to undertake austerity, he established his dwelling in that sacred place, his mind purified. He survived on vegetables, roots, and fruits, eating only leaves—sometimes one, sometimes two. Thus, the sage performed severe austerities there for twelve years. Then, understanding his unwavering resolve, I was approached by you at that time. The power of his penance was so great that his radiance illuminated the mountain, drying up reservoirs of water. The oceans were agitated, as were the moon and the sun. O god, an untimely dissolution of the world seemed imminent—there was no doubt. Moved by his devotion, the gods declared, “Let a son be given to that sage, Mṛkaṇḍa. Let him be imperishable, like another thousand-eyed one. O queen of the gods, this great sage Mṛkaṇḍa desires a son with the hue of a blue lotus petal and eyes like blue lotus petals.” You too, O goddess, spoke again out of compassion, O lover of devotion. The wise praise you as the giver of the fruits of austerities. You are the one who causes turmoil among all the demons and the hosts of gods alike.