Chapter 52 - On the sanctity of Ganga (continued, 3): Also on the worship of Siva

People who live within a distance of eight miles from Ganga should come daily to her banks to bathe and worship. The worship of all the gods can be performed on her banks and at all times. Those who worship Siva there cannot be sufficiently praised even by the gods. Worshipping him with Bel leaves and Ganga water, or with either of these things is as efficacious as worshipping him with flowers and other rich offerings. Such things as are offered to Siva should not be eaten because, in the first place, they pass through his sixth mouth which represents fire, and, therefore, become like ashes, and, in the second place, they are not fit to be eaten on account of a curse of Brahma pronounced under the following circumstances:—

In ancient times the four-faced Brahma, one day, made a vow to worship Siva. He safe down to do so with offerings of various sorts consisting of sweetmeats, fruits etc., and thought in his mind that he would consider his object achieved if Siva came and ate those things himself. Siva, on the other hand, wanted to test Brahma’s omniscience, and, assuming the form of a dog came to the place of worship and began to eat the offerings.

Brahma could not discover that it was Siva himself and, therefore, began to beat the dog when Siva assumed his own form and said,

“O Brahma why are you beating me? I have come to eat your offerings in compliance with your own wishes. You have fallen into disrepute by your own conduct.”

Brahma retorted,

“Siva, since you have jested with me by eating my offerings in the form of a dog, I hereby pronounce the curse that, in future, he who eats anything which has been offered to you shall become a dog.”