Slaying of Gajasura

Sanatkumara said

Vyasa, hear with love how the moon-crested one, the trident-wielder, killed Gajasura, lord of danavas. In ancient times, for the gods' welfare, Devi killed the danava Mahishasura in battle, and the gods were glad. His son was the very brave Gajasura. Remembering how Devi had killed his father for the gods' sake, and carrying that enmity, he went to the forest to practise austerities. To please Brahma he tormented himself terribly, thinking in his mind that he must not be killed by any man or woman who had been conquered by Kama. In a valley of the Himalayas he practised these supremely terrible austerities, arms raised, eyes fixed on the sky, standing on his big toes, his matted hair radiant like the rays of the sun of dissolution. By his austerities smoke and fire rose from the head of Mahishasura's wise son and spread through the worlds above, below and across, and the poison that arose caused torment. The rivers and oceans were scorched by the fire from between his brows, planets and stars fell and the ten directions blazed. All the gods were scorched and left heaven with Vasava for Brahma's world, to tell him. The earth quaked. They told the self-born one they were agitated and scorched by Gajasura's austerities, could not stay in heaven and had taken refuge in him, and asked him to pacify it and give life to the others, or the worlds would be destroyed.

Brahma went with Bhrigu, Daksha and others to the excellent daitya's hermitage. He was scorching the worlds with his austerities and the clouds had vanished from the sky. Amazed, the creator smiled and told him to rise, that his austerities had succeeded and he, the giver of boons, had come, so he should ask for the boon he wanted. Seeing the lord, Gajasura stood and looked at him, and, pleased, praised him in faltering words. He asked that no man or woman conquered by Kama be able to kill him, that he be immensely strong and valiant, that the gods and all the guardians of the worlds and everyone else be unable to defeat him, and that he enjoy every kind of prosperity. The danava sought this from Shatadhriti, who, pleased with his austerities, granted him this very rare boon. Having got it, Gajasura was delighted and went back to his residence.

The great asura conquered every direction and the three worlds: gods, asuras, kings of men, gandharvas, Garuda and the uragas. So the conqueror of the universe brought everything under his control. He took from the guardians of the worlds their positions and their energy. He took heaven's prosperity and the divine garden at its centre and great Indra's residence, built by Vishvakarma himself. Having conquered the worlds, the strong, great-minded one became sole emperor and amused himself in Indra's residence. Gods and others, beaten by his power, worshipped his feet. His rule was stern. So he conquered all directions and, as sole emperor, enjoyed the pleasures he wished. But since he had not conquered his senses, he was never satisfied by them. Drunk on prosperity he was insolent and did not follow the sacred texts. After a long time his mind turned wicked. Mahishasura's son harassed excellent brahmanas, the danava who had crushed the gods constantly troubled ascetics on earth, and the evil-minded one oppressed gods, men, pramathas and all others. Remembering his old enmity, he especially made those who kept dharma suffer.

Once the strong danava Gajasura went to Shankara's capital. When the asura lord arrived a great tumult rose. The residents of Anandavana screamed for protection. When Mahishasura's son reached the city and used his valour and power to subdue all the pramathas, the defeated gods, Shakra and others, went to Shiva and took refuge. They bowed and praised him lovingly and told him of the danava's arrival in Kashi and the great hardship of those there, who in particular had no protector. They said the asura had gone to Shiva's city and was oppressing his people, and asked the ocean of compassion to kill him. Wherever he put his foot the earth trembled from his weight, the force of his thighs toppled trees with their crowns, and the blows of his arms shattered mountain peaks. The clouds, crashing against his head, had left the sky, though they kept their blue colour from touching his hair. When he breathed, great waves rose in the oceans and in rivers whales rolled. He was nine thousand yojanas tall and as broad, master of maya. His tawny, liquid eyes had put an end to lightning. He had come fast, any direction he approached became unbearable, and as he moved he shouted that no man or woman conquered by Kama could kill him. They asked Shiva, the protector of Kashi, to save his devotees, and this is what the gods sought from the one intent on protecting devotees.

Wishing to kill him, Hara went there. Gajasura saw that Shankara, kind to devotees, had come, trident in hand, roaring, and roared too. A terrible, wonderful battle followed, the brave ones roaring and raining many shastras and astras. Gajasura was infinitely energetic, strong and valiant and pierced Girisha, slayer of danavas, with sharp arrows. Rudra took a terrible form and with his own terrible arrows cut those arrows before they arrived, reducing them to bits as small as sesame seeds. Gajasura grew angry and rushed at Maheshvara with a sword, crying that Shiva had already been killed by him. The trident-bearer judged that the charging danava could be killed only by the trident and pierced the daitya Gajasura with it. Gajasura, feeling himself like an umbrella lifted high, praised Hara. He said he was Shiva's devotee in every way and knew him as the trident-wielder and destroyer of Kama, and that death at his hands was the best that could happen to him. He asked Mahesha, Andhaka's enemy and destroyer of Tripura, who goes everywhere, to listen with compassion: Shiva alone in the universe deserved worship, being set above it, and everyone should regard such a death from the enemy of death as the best.

Hearing him, Shankara, ocean of compassion, smiled and told Mahisha's son that he was pleased, that he was a supreme danava of good intelligence and abode of great valour, and should ask a boon that would favour him. Gajasura, pleased, replied: "O naked one, if you are pleased with me, wear my hide as a garment. It has been purified by the fire of your trident, its size suits you, it is pleasant to touch and has been like a pledge on this battlefield. It is worth seeing and exceedingly divine and will bring happiness in every way. Let it always have a desired fragrance, always be soft and free of dirt, and always be your ornament. It has gone through the blazing fire of great austerities for a very long time without being burned, and is a store of sacred fragrances. If my hide were not sacred, how would it have touched your limbs on the battlefield? And if you are pleased, grant another boon: from today let your name be Krittivasa." Hearing him, Shankara was pleased and told him it would be so. Then, pleased in mind, and purified by the devotee's devotion, he told Gajasura that in this kshetra, as a means to liberation, his sacred body would become Shiva's lingam and give liberation to everyone, known as Krittivaseshvara, destroyer of great sins and foremost among lingams. Saying this, the lord of the gods took the hide and wore it, and the naked one covered himself with Gajasura's huge hide.

There were great festivities that day. All Kashi's residents and the pramathas were delighted, and Hari, Brahma and the other gods, glad, bowed with joined hands and praised Mahesha. When Gajasura, Mahisha's son and lord of danavas, was slain, the gods got back their places and the world returned to its natural state. Sanatkumara said he had thus told of Shambhu's deeds showing his affection for devotees. This account gives heaven, fame and long life and increases grain and wealth, and one who hears it lovingly, or after purifying himself with vows has others hear it, gains great happiness and after death enjoys great bliss.