It happened once upon a time that a certain rakshasa or demon named Bhamasura spent years in the snow-bound Himalayas performing austerities in devotion to Lord Shiva. In time, his service pleased Lord Shiva and so he appeared to Bhamasura and told him to ask a boon.

The clever demon said, “Lord, grant me the boon that whatever I touch with my right hand will instantly turn to ashes.” Not realising the demon’s evil intentions, Shiva granted the boon. But then the demon wished to try his new power, and he first stretched his hand toward Lord Shiva himself.

Shiva sprang back in time, but then began a race through the world, the demon chasing Lord Shiva, trying to reduce him to ashes.

Lord Vishnu, the divine preserver, became aware of the situation, and to save Shiva, he appeared before Bhamasura in the form of a beautiful woman named Mohini. When the demon saw the beautiful woman, he forgot for a moment his pursuit of Shiva, and overcome by her charms, asked her to marry him.

“You must pass through a test, first,” said Mohini. “If you can dance as well as I can, only then will I accept you.”

“Dance?” scoffed the demon. “Of course I can dance.”

“Then dance,” said Mohini. “Do what I do.” And she began to perform a dance that became ever more complicated, and the demon, watching her closely, mirrored every move.

Then Mohini doubled the pace, and doubled it again, and finally, with a flurry of movement, ended the dance by touching her head with her right hand.

And that was the end of Bhamasura.