Cremation, Caste, and Cosmogony in Karmic Traditions.

A man, after taking a bath in the Pasukunda (well of animals), walking on foot to Mrgasthali (place of the
deer) and worshipping Kiratesvara (Siva), will be free from all sins.
People who perform Pradaksina (circumambulation) in Mrgasthali on the fourteenth day of the waning moon
of Kartika (October-November) will go to heaven.
Let the parts of my horn, held by Indra, Vishnu and Brahma, be placed in the form of linga (phallus) in the
places desired by be.
In the meanwhile, Gauri (Parvati) said to Siva: I will stay near you on the bank of Vagmati.
Hearing the words of Parvati, Lord Siva said: Parvati, I will tell the greatest secret to you.
Parvati, in your previous life you were born as the daughter of Dasa, and were named Sati, and because of the
insult [you suffered] from your father, you killed yourself.
O Devi, out of love I put your dead body on my shoulder, and afflicted by grief, I walked all over the world.
Seeing me so afflicted by Grief, Vishnu, out of love for me, cut the limbs of your body as different places
with his [weapon] Sudarsana cakra (disc).
Your Guhya (pudendum) dropped on the bank of the river Vagmati, on the north of Mrgasthali, which is an
extremely important shrine (Guhyesvari).
Since you want to stay here because of my love (vatsalya), your name will be Vatsala, O Beautiful Face!
Stay by my permission, O Parvati, on the South-eastern side from me.
Those people who bathe in the water of Vagmati and then visit you, Vatsala, and then who come to visit me,
will be going to Kailasa.
Those people who recite prayers with devotions near me, near you, or near Guhyesvari, will achieve
accomplishment, or perfection.
Having heard about such a good intention of Lord Siva, the Goddess Vatsala stayed there on the bank of the
river Vagmati.
Vishnu, taking his horn that frees one from the snares of animal life, installed its symbol (linga, or Siva’s
representation in the form of a phallus) on the northern bank of Vagmati at a beautiful height. A person is free from all
sins (if he visits there).
In the month of Bhadra (August-September), on the day of amavasya (the fifteenth day of the dark half of
the lunar month), those who drop the pindas (balls of rice offered to the ancestors at obsequial ceremonies or
sraddhas) near the Gokarnesvara (temple) will deliver their ancestors.
Those who commit bhrgupata (suicide by jumping off a precipice) near Gokarnesvara will have all their
wishes fulfilled without any doubt.
Brahma also took [a part of] the horn to Daksinasarana and established Gokarnesvara. The Gokarnesvara in
the south is the greatest of the shrines.
O Best of the Brahmans, Indra also took [a part of] the horn to Amaravati and established the horn in the
form of a linga that bestows the fruits of all wishes [upon the devotees].
Thus, [Siva] is known by the name Pasupati on the bank of the river Vagmati, and in the Slesmantaka forest,
which frees [one] from the snares of animal life.
Jaimini said:
When Siva stayed with Parvati in the Slesmantaka forest, please tell me what was done by all the gods, O Suvrata
(strict in observance of religious vows).
Markandeya said:
When Pasupati stayed there, all the groups of gods left their respective places and came to stay in the Slesmantaka
forest.
Devi Kalika went from Radha to the Slesmantaka forest and was known by the name Jayavagisvari in the
best of the shrines. Those who will be her devotees will attain the ultimate position (salvation).
All those women who offer a beautiful duck to this goddess will follow their husbans who are dead.
From Tripura, came Rajarajesvari, the auspicious one (Siva). By simply paying visit to her, even a poor
person becomes happy.
Leaving the bottom of Patala (an underworld), the greatest Naga, Vasuki, surrounded by his troops, [came to]
reside on the north of Pasupati.
From Saurastra came Vishnu in the form of Buddha, and controlling the senses, he practiced penance in the
Manidhatu, the best of the mountains.
In the great mountain, by the flames of five fires [came] the sweat [on the body of Buddha] from which came
out suddenly a river by the name of Manimati.
Then Parvati became pleased with Buddha, practicing penance, and appeared in front of him by the name
Vajrayogini. Then Parvati said to Buddha: O suvrata (strict is vow), ask for your wish.
Hearing the words of Parvati, Buddha replied: May the people in this country be well-behaved, please.
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