I would like to recount to you, dear reader, how the purushamriga was brought to earth. The purushamriga is a rishi, a sage with the body of a lion and a human face. This composite mythological being was called a sphinx in ancient Greece and Egypt.
Five kings, brothers, known as the Pancha Pandavas, ruled Indraprastha. For the prosperity of their kingdom they wished to perform the Rajasuya Yajna, the royal Vedic sacrifice. To seek divine support for the performance of this ritual, one of the brothers, the hero Bhima, went to ask the help of Kubera, the guardian deity of the North. In Kubera's garden he met the divine being, the purushamriga, or human-beast, whom he invited to guard and attend the Rajasuya Yajna. Challenging Bhima, the purushamriga agreed to attend. Being a staunch worshipper of Lord Shiva he insisted Bhima must go before him without halting, without disturbing his meditation. If Bhima failed, the purushamriga would eat him. Although Bhima was a great athlete, the purushamriga quickly neared him.
Lord Krishna had given Bhima magical stones which, when thrown over his shoulder, became Shiva temples. The purushamriga worshipped Shiva before following Bhima. Thus throwing the stones one by one, Bhima reached Indraprastha. But just before he could cross into his kingdom, the purushamriga caught one of his feet. .........