||Om Nama: Shivaya||

Chapter – 19 – Vindhyeshwara Samhitha – 7

Pranavakaram Adhyantham Panchamandala Manditham| Aruroha Ratham Bhadhram Ambikapathi Ishwara: | Sa Sunuganamindhradhya: Sarvapyanuyayu: Sura: ||

Lord Maheshwara speaks “ Oh! Vathsaka,/dear sons, who always follow my command, How are you all? Hope all the deities and living beings are performing their duties and responsibilities well. I came to know about the fierce battle between Lord Brahma and Vishnu.  I could read your anxieties from your faces.”

Nandikeshwara speaks “ Oh! Kumara, In this way, the supreme Lord Mahadeva enquired the welfare of all and pacified them with his pleasant words.  Lord Shiva instructed hundreds of Ganas to march to the place where the battle taking place between Lord Bhrama and Vishnu.  There were deafening sounds of various drums echoed in the atmosphere, Lord Shiva /Ambikapathi, /Ishwara, majestically took a seat in a grand chariot, followed by deities, and started his journey to the war field was followed by Ganas in their respective vehicle.  The supreme Lord Pashupati was followed by a huge crowd of Ganas with dances and music, sounds of kettle drums, holding banners, flags, Chamara, showering flowers, approached the war field.  Lord Mahadeva did not reveal his presence in the battlefield, instructed Ganas to observe silence, he watched the battle between Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu while they were using Maheshwara and Pashupathasthra respectively.  Lord Shiva observed the intensity of the battle, which began to engulf the three worlds in a colossal fire that would definitely cause mass destruction and bring an end to the whole Universe.  At that moment Lord Shiva intervened, assumed the form of huge fire pillar/Maha Anala Sthambha.  The two great weapons of Maheshwara and Pashupatha shot by Bhrama and Vishnu upon each other were merged in the colossal fire pillar and got diffused their intensity, thus the entire Universe was protected from destruction.  The deities assembled were astonished watching the huge fire pillar, which is Paramathbhutham and auspicious saved the entire Universe.  Lord Bhrama and Vishnu puzzled watching the Agnisthamba, decided to find the beginning and end of it.  They decided to prove their supremacy on each other and went in search of the top and bottom of the Agnisthambha.  If they together conduct the search it would become impossible to prove their supremacy, therefore Lord Vishnu assumed the form of a wild boar and went to Pathaloka.  Lord Bhrama mounted on the swan and went to the sky.  Lord Hari covered a huge distance of Pathaloka in search of the bottom of the Agnisthambha.  After some time, the Sookarahari returned to the battlefield, he was exhausted could not find the bottom of Agnisthamba. Oh! Sanathkuma, your father Lord Bhrama while moving in the sky, found a Kethaki, flower descending from the sky, it had a rich fragrance.  Bhrama enquired Kethaki flower its place of origin, she answered that her journey began before the creation; it has been long time she could not witness the top of the Agnisthambha, she advised Bhrama to leave his futile hope to find the top of Agnisthambha.   Bhrama repeatedly offered salutation and requested Kethaki flower to stand as a false witness, so that he could make believe Lord Vishnu that he had found the top of Agnisthambha.  Further, he advised Kethaki flower that it is not wrong to speak untruth during the unfortunate times, thus Kethaki flower agreed to stand as a false witness for Bhrama. Thus Lord Bhrama arrived on the battlefield, found Lord Vishnu unsuccessful and exhausted, Bhrama was delighted and said “ Oh! Hari, I have found the top of the Agnisthambha, I shall produce Kethaki flower as my witness.”  Lord Hari believed the words of Lord Bhrama, prepared to worship Lord Bhrama with Shodasha Upachara.  Immediately Lord Shiva appeared out of the Agnisthambha, placed his feet caused quavering the Earth. Soon, Lord Bhrama and Vishnu prostrated before Lord Shiva and eulogized “ Oh! Karunakara, kindly protects us.  You have neither beginning nor end, you are impossible to attain for ignorant people, kindly wash off our sins, and forgive us.”  Eshwara spoke “ Oh! Hari, Vathsa, I am highly pleased with your truthfulness.  Therefore you will be worshiped by all; people will adore you in the same manner as they worship me.  You will have my eternal grace.  Your idol will be installed in numerous shrines and perform elaborate worship.”  In this way, Lord Shiva highly pleased with Vishnu and offered equal status to him.”