38. Ascetic Brāhmaṇa incarnation

In the Śiva Purāṇa, a story of Ascetic Brāhmaṇa incarnation of lord Śiva is depicted very beautifully. Here, it is described thus—one day the gods thought that if Himālaya alone gives his daughter to Śiva, he could achieve salvation. Himālaya is the storehouse of precious jewels. If he achieves salvation, the name of earth as ratnagarbhā would become unfruitful. The worried gods went to their preceptor (deva guru Bṛhaspati) and requested him to go to Himavat and stop the mountain’s devotion to lord Śiva so that Himālaya will stay on earth itself. The preceptor suggested that they should go with Indra to the abode of Brahmā and tell him about their problem. After listening to them, Brahmā said that he won’t be able to denounce Śiva since that would be wrong for all times to come. However he suggested that the gods should go to Śiva and request him to go to Himavat and denounce himself. All the gods collectively then went to Kailāsa and offered their respect and prayers to Śiva. They apprised him of the situation. Śiva assured them and in order to help them out, decided to go to the abode of Himālaya. He went there assuming the form of an ascetic Brāhmaṇa. He got dressed in divine clothes and carried a daṇḍa (stick) and kamaṇḍalu (water-pot) in his hands. Applying a tilaka (mark) on his forehead, Śiva held a garland of crystal beads and carried the śālagrāma around his neck.^[1]