Chapter 14 - Origin of Aghora

Sūta said:

1-2. When the kalpa of yellow colour passed by and another of the self-born lord was ushered in by the name of Asita and when the universe became a vast sheet of water^[1] and a thousand years by the divine reckoning passed by, Brahmā became desirous of creating the subjects. He was dejected and began to ponder.

3. Even as he was meditating with the desire for a son, his colour was changed into black.

4-6. Thereupon he, the lord of great splendour, saw a boy in front of him. He had black colour but he was refulgent with his brilliance. He had great prowess. He wore black garments, black turban, black sacred thread, black crown and black garlands. He had black unguents on his body. On seeing this noble-souled Aghora of terrible exploits, Brahma saluted the miraculous lord who had the black and tawny colour.

7-10. Then the glorious lord Brahmā became engaged in Prāṇāyāma. He thought of the supreme lord Śiva within his heart. With his mind engaged in meditation he resorted to lord Aghora. He contemplated on him in the form of Brahman. When Brahmā was meditating thus, lord Aghora of terrible exploits granted him vision. Thereupon four noble sons appeared from his sides. They were black in colour and they wore black garlands and unguents. They were Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇaśikha, Kṛṣṇāsya, and Kṛṣṇavastradhṛk.

11-13. By resorting to yoga they adored the great lord for a thousand years. They imparted instruction in supreme yoga to their disciples. By resorting to yoga these persons, endowed with yogic powers, thought on Śiva. They entered the region of lord Śiva, the region devoid of impurities and free from attributes. Those others too, who contemplate on him by resorting to yoga can go unto the region of that eternal lord.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

See note 23 on p. 15.