Kriyāpāda 95 Bhairava, gods, demons and others became afraid. Siva was pleased with him and called him by the name Damana since he could subdue everybody. Then Pârvati who came there along with other celestials saw the pitiable condition of Rati, the consort of Kāma and took pity on her. Seeing Käma reduced to ash the cursed that Damana become a creeper of the earth for long. Siva who regained his mental composure in the company of Parvati took pity on Damana and gave some boons. He blessed the creeper saying that those who offer the leaves of the creeper to him in a sacrifice in spring time as part of the propitiation of Vasanta and Manmatha would fulfill their desires. Further the same type of worship offered to Hari, Brahma and other gods will procure similar prosperity. Those who refuse to perform this worship would be transgressing the rules of the Saiva system. Thus Siva prescribed rules for the worship of Damana to be performed in the vernal season. वसन्तकाले सवसन्तमन्मथं यजन्ति येऽद्यप्रभृतीह मां जनाः । त्वदङ्गभूतैर्दमनच्छदादिभिर्भजन्तु कामानभिवाञ्छितांश्च ते ॥ त्वयार्चितेनाङ्ग, सहोमया मया वरं द्वितीयं तव दीयते पुनः । तथा हरिर्ब्रह्ममुखाश्च देवतास्त्वयार्चिता सन्त्वभिवाञ्छितप्रदाः ॥ न कुर्वते येऽपि च पर्व दामनं नरा वसन्ते मम शासनातिगाः | तदर्चनापुण्यफलं वसन्तजं गृहाण सर्व मदनुग्रहार्पितम् ॥ इत्थं वृषाङ्को दमनाय दत्वा वरं ततोऽस्मिन् विदधे विधानम् । स्वच्छन्दतन्त्रे तदपि प्रसिद्धं ततस्तु शैवैरपरैश्च दृष्टम् ॥ This Tantric ceremony is originally prescribed in the treatise called Svacchandabhairava, but it has been handed down by other works as well. In dealing with the story of the destruction of Kāma by the fire emanating from the third eye of Siva, our author has closely followd and even influenced by the Kumirasambhava of Kalidasa. He has followed expressions from Kalidasa in epitomis- ing the episode. This portion forms a fine specimen of poetry of the highest class. The ritual is to be performed in the months of spring. The venue is the garden of Damanaka creepeers and abounding in the Aśoka trees. As a preliminary rite the Asoka tree also deserves worship.
