the pot and infused his own fiery energy into it. When this was done, Brahma came down from the upper regions with thirty-three crores of devas and worshipped the lingam in befitting style. He was engaged in his prayers for a very long time, and came to the close on a Mahamakham day. He got up from his contemplative position and proceeded to bathe in the tank before him. But lo! a most holy congregation. was before him. The great gods Nageswara, Mukteswara and others, the goddesses of all the holy waters of the world—Ganga, Yamuna, Setu, etc., were already waiting there to bathe in the tank along with the lord of creation—Brahma. Even the deity of Benares—Visveswara—had come there not to lose the rare opportunity. They all greeted Brahma and praised him for his faith in Siva. Brahma proceeded to bathe in the tank by way of bringing the period of his contemplation to a close, and all the gods followed suit and took their baths. These events occurred on a Mahamakham day, and from that time forward bathing in this tank on the Mahamakham occasion has come to be considered as equal to bathing in all the sacred rivers and before
