tinued to live there. Meanwhile Arundhati devoted herself
to ascetic penances (at the spot where she had been left). Beholding
Arundhati devoted to the austerest of vows, the boon-giving and
three-eyed deity (Mahadeva) highly pleased, came there. The great
Mahadeva, assuming the form of a Brahmana, came to her and said, "I
desire alms, O auspicious one!" The beautiful Arundhati said unto him,
"Our store of food hath been exhausted, O Brahmana! Do thou eat jujubes!"
Mahadeva replied, "Cook these jujubes, O thou of excellent vows!" After
these words, she began to cook those jujubes for doing what was agreeable
to that Brahmana. Placing those jujubes on the fire, the celebrated
Arundhati listened to diverse excellent and charming and sacred
discourses (from the lips of Mahadeva). That twelve years' drought then
passed away (as if it were a single day). Without food, and employed in
cooking and listening to those auspicious discourses, that terrible
period passed away, as if it were a single day to her. Then the seven
Rishis, having procured fruits from the mountain, returned to that spot.
The adorable Mahadeva, highly pleased with Arundhati, said unto her,
"Approach, as formerly, these Rishis, O righteous one! I have been
gratified with thy penances and vows!" The adorable Hara then stood
confessed in his own form. Gratified, he spoke unto them about the noble
conduct of Arundhati (in these words) "The ascetic merit, ye regenerate
ones, that this lady hath earned, is, I think, much greater than what ye
have earned on the breast of Himavat! The penances practised by this lady
have been exceedingly austere, for she passed twelve years in cooking,
herself fasting all the while!" The divine Mahadeva then, addressing
Arundhati, said unto her, "Solicit thou the boon, O auspicious dame,
which is in thy heart!" Then that lady of large eyes that were of a
reddish hue addressed that god in the midst of the seven Rishis, saying,
"If, O divine one thou art gratified with me, then let this spot be an
excellent tirtha! Let it be known by the name of Vadarapachana and let it
be the favourite resort of Siddhas and celestial Rishis. So also, O god
of gods, let him who observes a fast here and resides for three nights
after having cleansed himself, obtain the fruit of a twelve years' fast!"
The god answered her, saying, "Let it be so!" Praised by the seven
Rishis, the god then repaired to heaven. Indeed the Rishis had been
filled with wonder