The gods, overwhelmed by awe and seeking peace, offered their praises to the formidable Lord Rudra. They addressed him as Pūṣan, fierce-toothed and terrifying in form, his vast body adorned with the serpent Pralamba around his neck. They called upon Achyuta, the blue-throated one, embodiment of the universe and Lord of all, to show them grace. They remembered his deeds, hailing him as the performer of Daksha’s sacrifice, whose eyes blazed like those of Bhaga. They implored him to accept the principal share of the sacrifice and to protect them, O Lord of the gods, O blue-throated one, who is adorned with all virtues. They praised his appearance—his form smeared with white sandal paste, the bearer of the skull, the destroyer of the three cities. They begged, “O consort of Uma, born from the lotus stalk, protect us from every danger.” Looking upon him, the gods perceived within his body the very origins of creation and the Vedas, complete with their limbs, knowledge, and verses—all absorbed into his divine being. They addressed him as Bhava, Śarva, Mahādeva, wielder of the bow, Rudra, and Hara, bowing before him and pleading for protection from the Supreme Lord. Pleased by their devotion and praise, the great Lord Maheśvara spoke kindly to the assembled gods. Rudra declared, “Let Bhaga’s eye be restored, Pūṣan’s teeth as well, and let Daksha’s sacrifice be made whole. Let the sons of Aditi regain their status, and I will remove the animal nature from you, O gods. The animal nature that arose among you from seeing me is now taken away. You are freed from it immediately.” He continued, “I am the eternal, original lord of all knowledge; I am established as the master among animals by virtue of my lordship. Therefore, my name in the world shall be Paśupati. Those who worship me shall receive the Paśupati initiation.” Hearing Rudra’s words, Brahmā, the grandsire of the worlds, smiled affectionately and addressed Rudra: “Certainly, O god, Paśupati will become renowned in the world. This deity will be known by your name and worshipped by all gods and others.” Brahmā then turned to Daksha and said, “Give Gaurī to Rudra, whom you had previously prepared.” In the presence of Brahmā, Daksha gave his radiant daughter, Gaurī, to the great Rudra. Rudra accepted her with proper rites, showing great respect and honoring Daksha’s wishes. When Gaurī, Daksha’s daughter, was thus accepted, Brahmā granted Rudra his abode—Kailāsa—before all the gods. Rudra departed with his attendants to Mount Kailāsa, while the gods, joyful, returned to their own realms. Brahmā and Daksha made their way to the city of the progenitors. Time passed as Rudra, the supreme lord, dwelt in his abode. Yet Gaurī, recalling her father Daksha’s enmity toward Rudra and the destruction of the sacrifice, became deeply troubled. She resolved, “I shall assume another body, performing austerities and being born again in his house. But how can I return to my father Daksha, whose family has been ruined?” With this in mind, the beautiful daughter of Bhava journeyed to the great mountain Himavat to undertake severe penance. There, over a long period, she wore away her body through intense austerity, consumed by the fire of her own resolve, until she was reborn as the daughter of the mountain. In this new birth, she became renowned by the names Umā and Kṛṣṇā, and her beauty and auspiciousness adorned the house of Himavat. Yet again, she undertook intense austerity, remembering the three-eyed god and declaring, “He alone is my husband,” remaining steadfast in her penance. While she performed these rigorous austerities on the slopes of Himavat, the great god Maheśvara was pleased by her devotion. He approached her hermitage, disguising himself as an old brāhmaṇa, his limbs slack with age, stumbling at every step. The brāhmaṇa, weary and hungry, approached Umā and said, “O good lady, I am hungry. Give me food suitable for a brāhmaṇa.” With gentle hospitality, Umā replied, “O brāhmaṇa, I will give you fruits and such. Quickly bathe, and then eat whatever you wish.” The brāhmaṇa went to the nearby Gaṅgā to bathe. As he entered the water, Rudra, in the guise of the brāhmaṇa, conjured a terrifying, illusory makara, which seized him with great power. Then, manifesting another aged form, Rudra called out to Umā, “O maiden, I am no longer a brāhmaṇa! Run and save me quickly, before I am further harmed. You must rescue me!” Umā pondered her dilemma: “Himavat is my father, Śaṅkara is my husband; purified by penance, how can I touch the brāhmaṇa? Yet, if I do not pull him out, who is held in the water by the makara, I will surely incur the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa, for which there is no expiation.” Resolving to act, she quickly seized the brāhmaṇa and pulled him from the water. In that moment, the Lord of beings, Hara, revealed his true form. The very Lord Rudra, whom the daughter of the mountain had worshipped and for whom she had undertaken such austerities, now stood before her, holding her hand. Seeing him, the goddess became bashful, recalling her previous renunciation. Embarrassed, she stood silent, her beautiful brows lowered. Observing her quietude, Rudra, as if smiling, gently took her hand and said, “O gentle one, how can you abandon me here? If you make this act of taking my hand in vain, then I will speak to the daughter of Brahma for the sake of marriage.