Bhishma said Then Narada, that holy Rishi, that friend of Narayana, recited the following discourse that took place between Shankara and his wife Uma.

Narada said Once on a time the pious lord of all the celestials, viz., Mahadeva having bull for his emblem, practised severe penances on the sacred mountains of Himavat the resort of Siddhas and Charanas,

That charming mountain is overgrown with various kinds of herbs and adorned with various flowers. At that time they were inhabited by the different tribes of Apsaras and crowds of ghosts.

There the great god sat, filled with joy, and encircled by hundreds of ghostly beings who presented various aspects to the eye of the beholder. Some of them were ugly and awkward, some were very beautiful, and some presented the most wonderful appearances.

Some, had faces like the lion's, some like the tiger's, and some like the elephant's. In fact, the faces of those goblins presented every variety of animal faces. Some had faces resembling that of the jackal; some those of the pard's; some like the ape's; some like the bull's.

Some of them had faces like the owl's; some like the hawk's; some had faces like those of the deer.

The great god was also encircled by Kinnaras and Yakshas and Gandharvas and Rakshasas and various other created beings. The retreat of Mahadeva also abounded with celestial flowers and shone with celestial rays of light.

It was perfumed with celestial sandal and celestial incense was burnt on all sides. And it echoe with the sounds of celestial instruments.

Indeed, it resounded with the beat of Mridangas and Panavas, the blare of conchs and the sound of drums. It was full of goblins of diverse tribes that danced in joy and with peacocks also that danced with plumes outspread.

It was the resort of the celestial Rishis, the Apsaras danced there in joy. The place was exceedingly beautiful to look at. It was exceedingly beautiful, resembling Heaven itself. Its view was wonderful, and indeed, its beauty and sweetness was beyond description.

With the penances of that great god who sleeps on mountain breasts, that king of mountains shone with great beauty. It resounded with the chant of Vedas uttered by learned Brahmanas given to Vedic recitation. Echoing with the hum of bees, O Madhava, the mountain became peerless in beauty.

Seeing the great god, who has a fierce form and who looks like a great festival, the ascetics became filled, O Janardana, with great joy.

All the highly blessed ascetics, the Siddhas who have drawn in their vital seed, the Maruts, the Vasus, the Saddhyas, the Vishvedevas, Vasava himself, the Yakshas, the Nagas, the Pishachas, the Regents of the world, the several sacred Fires, the Winds, and all the great creatures lived on that mountain with minds concentrated in yoga.

All the Seasons were present there and filled those regions with all sorts of wonderful flowers. Various kinds of burning herbs illuminated the woods and forests on that mountain.

Various species of birds, filled with joy, danced about and sang merrily on the charming breast of that mountain. Those birds were exceedingly loveable on account of the notes they uttered.

The great Mahadeva sat, beautifully on one of the peaks that was adorned with excellent minerals, as if it served the purposes of a fine bedstead.

Round his loins was a tigerskin, and a lionskin was his upper garment. His sacred thread consisted of a snake. His arms were decked with a pair of red armlets.

His beard was green. He had matted locks on his head. O dreadful features he fills with fear the hearts of all the enemies of the gods. He removes the fear of all creatures. He is adored by his worshippers as the deity having the bull for his emblem.

The great Rishis, seeing Mahadeva, bowed to him by touching the ground with their heads. Gifted with forgiving souls, they all became freed from every sin and thoroughly purified.

The retreat of that lord of all creatures, filled with many terrible forms, shone with a peculiar beauty. Abounding with many large snakes, it was unapproachable and unbearable. ।

Within the twinkling of the eye, O destroyer of Madhu, everything there became highly wonderful. Indeed, the house of the great deity having the bull for his emblem began to blaze with a terrible beauty.

To Mahadeva seated there, came his wife the daughter of Himavat, surrounded by the wives of the ghostly beings who are the companions of the great god. Her dress was like that of her husband and the vows she observed, were like those of his.

She held a jar on her loins that was filled with the waters of every Tirtha, and was accompanied by the presiding goddess of all the mountain rivers. Those auspicious ladies followed her.

The goddess came, raining flowers on all sides and various kinds of sweet perfumes. She who loved to live on the breast of Himavat, advanced in this guise towards her great husband.

With smiling lips and desirous of playing a jest, the beautiful Uma covered from behind, with her two beautiful hands, the eyes of Mahadeva.

As soon as Mahadeva's eyes were thus covered, all the regions became dark, and life seemed to be extinct everywhere in the universe. The Homa rites ceased. The universe became suddenly deprived of the sacred Vashat Also.

All living creatures became dispirited and filled with fear. Indeed, when the eyes of the lord of all creatures were thus closed, the universe appeared sunless.

Soon, however, that besetting darkness disappeared. A powerful and burning flame of fire came out from Mahadeva's forehead.

A third eye, resembling another sun, appeared (on it). That eye began to shine like the Yoga. Fire and began to consume that mountain.

Seeing what took place, the large eyed daughter of Himavat bowed her head to Mahadeva gifted with that third eye which resembled a blazing fire. She stood there with looks fixed on her husband.

When the mountain forests burned on all sides with their sales and other trees of straight stems, and their delightful sandals and various excellent medicinal herbs, herds of deer and other animals filled with fear, came quickly to the place where Hara sat and sought his protection. With those creatures almost filling it, the hermitage of the great deity shone with a sort of peculiar beauty.

Meanwhile that fire, swelling wildly, soared up to the very sky and endued with the splendour and unsteadiness of lightning and loO king like a dozen suns in power and effulgence, covered every side like the all destroying YugaFire.

In a moment the Himavat mountains were consumed, with their minerals and summits and blazing herbs.

Seeing Himavat crushed and consumed, the daughter of that king of mountains sought the protection of the great deity and stood before him with her hands joined in respect.

Seeing Uma overcome by womanly mildness and finding that she was reluctant to see her father Himavat reduced to that pitiable condition, then Sharva cast kind looks upon the mountain.

In a moment the whole of Himavat regained his former condition and became as beautiful to look at as ever. Indeed the mountain displayed a cheerful aspect. All its trees became bedecked with flowers.

Seeing Himavat restored to his natural condition, the goddess Uma, divested of every fault, addressed her husband, that master of all creatures viz., the divine Maheshvara, in these words.

Uma said O Holy One, O Lord of all creatures, O God holding trident, O you of high vows, a great doubt has filled my mind! You should remove that doubt of mine.

Why has this third eye appeared in your forehead? Why also the mountain consumed with the forests and all that belonged was to it?

Why also, O illustrious god, have you restored the mountain to its former condition? Indeed, having burnt it once, why have you again filled it with trees?

Maheshvara said O goddess without any fault, for your having covered my eyes through an act of indiscretion, the universe became in a moment devoid of light.

When the universe became sunless and, therefore, all became dark, O daughter of the prince of mountains, I created a third eye for protecting all creatures.

The great energy of that eye crushed and consumed this mountain. For pleasing you, however, O goddess, I once more restored Himavat to his pristine condition for making good the injury.

Uma said O Holy One, why are those faces of yours which are on the east, the north and the west, so beautiful and so agreeable to look at like the very moon.

And why is that face of yours which is on the truth so dreadful? Why are your matted locks tawny in colour and so erect? Why is your throat blue like the peacock's plumes?

Why, O illustrious god, is the Pinaka always in your hand? Why are you always a Brahmacharin with matted locks?

O lord, you should explain all these to me. I am your wife who seeks to follow the same duties with you. Further, I am your devoted worshipper, o deity having highly the bull for your emblem.

Bhishma said Thus addressed by the daughter of the king of mountains, the illustrious holder of Pinaka, the powerful Mahadeva became highly pleased with her.

The great god then addressed her, saying. O blessed lady, hear as I explain with the reasons thereof, why my forms are so.