Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 11
Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi Meets Lord Śiva: Devotee as Living Tīrtha and the Lord’s Māyā
आत्मन्यपि शिवं प्राप्तं तडित्पिङ्गजटाधरम् । त्र्यक्षं दशभुजं प्रांशुमुद्यन्तमिव भास्करम् ॥ ११ ॥ व्याघ्रचर्माम्बरं शूलधनुरिष्वसिचर्मभि: । अक्षमालाडमरुककपालं परशुं सह ॥ १२ ॥ बिभ्राणं सहसा भातं विचक्ष्य हृदि विस्मित: । किमिदं कुत एवेति समाधेर्विरतो मुनि: ॥ १३ ॥
ātmany api śivaṁ prāptaṁ taḍit-piṅga-jaṭā-dharam try-akṣaṁ daśa-bhujaṁ prāṁśum udyantam iva bhāskaram
Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya suddenly saw Lord Śiva appear within his own heart—his lightning-golden matted hair, three eyes, ten arms, and tall form blazing like the rising sun. Clad in tiger skin, he bore a trident, bow, arrows, sword and shield, along with prayer beads, a ḍamaru drum, a skull and an ax. Astonished, the sage withdrew from samādhi and thought, “Who is this, and from where has he come?”