Then Brahmā, the grandsire of all, spoke to Viṣṇu and Hara, saying, “Both of you—Hari and Hara—shall be renowned in the world as gods.” He assured them that though the great sacrifice had been disrupted, it would indeed reach completion, and through Dakṣa and his lineage, the world would gain lasting fame. Having thus addressed Hari and Hara, Brahmā turned to the assembled gods and proclaimed, “Let Rudra’s share of the sacrifice be given to him. The Vedas declare that Rudra’s share is the foremost portion. O gods, offer your praise to Rudra, our supreme lord.” He continued, “Praise the god who destroyed Bhaga’s eye and Pūṣan’s teeth. Quickly offer hymns to him by these very names, so that, pleased in spirit, he may grant you boons.” Hearing Brahmā’s command, the gods, filled with devotion, bowed to the self-born Shambhu and offered him hymns of praise. They said, “Salutations to you, fierce-eyed one, O Three-eyed Lord! Salutations to you, thousand-eyed, trident-holder! Salutations to you who hold the skull-staff, who bear the rod in your hand! Your brilliance blazes like a million suns and fires.” “O Lord,” they continued, “through ignorance and lack of discernment, we have acted wrongly. Forgive us, O master, for this offense. Salutations to the three-eyed remover of suffering, O Shambhu, trident-bearer, of fearsome face and form! Lord of all gods, of pure nature, be gracious, O Rudra, imperishable and all-pervading.” They praised him further: “O fierce-toothed Pūṣan, terrifying in form, whose neck is adorned by the serpent Pralamba, whose body is vast, O Achyuta, O blue-throated one, be gracious, Lord of all, embodiment of the universe! Performer of Dakṣa’s sacrifice, whose eyes flash like Bhaga’s, accept the principal share of the sacrifice. Be gracious, Lord of the gods, O blue-throated one, protect us, endowed with all virtues.” “O deity adorned with white sandal paste, bearer of the skull, destroyer of the three cities, protect us from every danger, O consort of Uma, born from the lotus stalk. O Lord of the gods, within your body we see the origins of creation and the Vedas, complete with their limbs, knowledge, and verses—all absorbed in you, O God of gods.” “Bhava, Śarva, Mahādeva, wielder of the bow, Rudra, Hara—we bow to you, Lord of all. Protect us, Supreme Lord.” Thus praised by the gods, the great Lord Maheśvara was pleased. He spoke to all the gods: “Let Bhaga’s eye be restored and Pūṣan’s teeth as well. Let Dakṣa’s sacrifice be made whole. Let the sons of Aditi regain their status. And I will remove the animal nature that has arisen among you.” He explained, “The animal nature that arose among you from seeing me has now been taken away by me; you shall be freed from it immediately. I am the eternal, original lord of all knowledge. I am established as the master among animals by virtue of lordship. Therefore, my name in the world shall be Paśupati. Those who worship me shall receive the Paśupati initiation.” When Rudra had spoken thus, Brahmā, the grandsire, smiled affectionately and addressed Rudra: “Certainly, O god, Paśupati will become renowned in the world, and this deity will be known by your name. You will be worshipped by all gods and others.” Brahmā then turned to Dakṣa and said, “Give Gaurī to Rudra, whom you had previously prepared.” In the presence of Brahmā, Dakṣa gave the maiden Gaurī, of supreme beauty, to the great Rudra. Rudra accepted her according to proper rites, with great respect, honoring Dakṣa’s wishes. When the maiden, daughter of Dakṣa, had been accepted, Brahmā gave Rudra his abode, Kailāsa, before the gods. Rudra, with his attendants, went to Mount Kailāsa. The gods, joyful, returned to their own places, while Brahmā and Dakṣa departed for the city of the progenitors. At this point, Mahātapā narrated: While Rudra, the supreme lord, resided there, Gaurī became angry, recalling her father’s enmity toward Rudra. She reflected on how Dakṣa had previously wronged her by destroying the sacrifice. She resolved, “Therefore, I shall assume another body. I will perform austerities and be born in his house, but how can I return to my father Dakṣa, whose family has been ruined?” Thus thinking, the beautiful daughter of Bhava went to the great mountain Himavat to undertake severe penance. There, over a long period, she wore away her body through austerities, and, consumed by the fire of her own penance, she was then born as the daughter of the mountain. She became renowned by the great names Umā and Kṛṣṇā, and, having obtained a beautiful form, she was auspicious in the house of Himavat. Again, she performed intense austerity, remembering the three-eyed god and declaring, “He alone is my husband,” remaining steadfast in her penance. While she was thus engaged in severe penance on the great mountain over a long time, the god was propitiated by her austerity. Maheśvara came to her hermitage, taking the form of an old brāhmaṇa, his limbs slack with age, stumbling at every step. With difficulty, the best of the twice-born approached her and said, “O good lady, I am hungry; give me food suitable for a brāhmaṇa.” The auspicious maiden Umā, daughter of the mountain, replied, “O brāhmaṇa, I will give you fruits and such; quickly bathe, O brāhmaṇa, and then eat whatever you wish.” Thus addressed, the brāhmaṇa went to the great river Gaṅgā nearby to her, intending to bathe, and entered the water. While Rudra, in the form of a brāhmaṇa, was bathing, he became a fearsome, illusory makara—a monstrous aquatic being—terrifying to behold, and with his own divine power, seized the brāhmaṇa, who was actually himself.