Seeing that vegetable juice,
the Rishi became filled with joy and danced about on the spot. Seeing him
dance, all mobile and immobile creatures, O hero, stupefied by his
energy, began to dance. Then the gods with Brahman at their head, and the
Rishis possessed of wealth of asceticism, O king, all went to Mahadeva
and informed him of the act of the Rishi (Mankanaka). And they said unto
him, 'It behoveth thee, O god, to do that which may prevent the Rishi
from dancing!' Then Mahadeva, seeing the Rishi filled with great joy, and
moved by the desire of doing good unto the gods, addressed him, saying,
'Why, O Brahmana, dost thou dance in this way, acquainted as thou art
with thy duties? What grave cause is there for such joy of thine, O sage,
that, an ascetic as thou art, O best of Brahmanas, and walking as thou
dost along the path of virtue, thou shouldst act in this way?'
"The Rishi said, 'Why, seest thou not, O Brahmana, that a vegetable juice
is flowing from this wound of mine? Seeing this, O lord, I am dancing in
great joy!' Laughing at the Rishi who was stupefied by passion, the god
said, 'I do not, O Brahmana, at all wonder at this! Behold me!' Having
said this unto that foremost of Rishis, Mahadeva of great intelligence
struck his thumb with the end of one of his fingers. Thereupon, O king,
ashes, white as snow, came out of that wound. Seeing this, the Rishi
became ashamed, O monarch, and fell at the feet of the god. He understood
the god to be none else than Mahadeva.
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