The 5 element (Fire, Air, Water, Moon, Sun) deities were embarrassed by Indra and they left heaven in search of another place.
Arunasur gave them accommodation and captured them. He was a powerful demon who wanted to revive his dead mother from 5 elements.
He forgot that body doesn’t contains Moon and Sun element. He used their powers but nothing happened.
In their absence, Parvati used her powers and temporarily created the 5 elements.
Deities informed Arunasur that only Bhootnath can revive his mother so he challenged Bhootnath.
Arunasur was making a terrible mistake through his stubbornness of getting his mother back from death. Mahadev gave him chance by presenting his past in front of him.
Fight of Arunasur and Bhootnath
Mahadev broke a crest and created Bhootnath. A different kind of fight started between Bhootnath and Arunasur.
Bhootnath gave him 5 days where each day he will defeat Arunasur and release one deity. Bhootnath wanted to present his past in front of him.
1st day Arunasur fought with the Sun element of Bhootnath. Arunasur remembered how his mother put shade over him in sun rays. Then he remembered how his father tortured him in past in the rays of Sun. Arunasur chose the torture of his father above love of his mother in his remembrance. Arunasur got defeated and he released Sun. He got defeated by the blindness of fear.
2nd day Arunasur fought with the moon element of Bhootnath. Arunasur remembered how lonely he was at night in the light of moon and how he learned to kill anybody to protect himself and later for fun. He also saw how his mother used to put him to sleep in her lap at night. Arunasur chose torture over love. Arunasur got defeated and released moon. Arunasur got defeated by loneliness of cruelty.
3rd day Arunasur fought with the fire element of Bhootnath. Arunasur remembered the funeral of his father. He also remembered how his father used to hurt his mother and how he killed his father. He also remebered how his mother used to cook food for him on fire. He chose killing over food. Arunasur got defeated and released Agni dev. Arunasur got defeated by the fire of Anger and hatred.
4th day Arunasur fought with the water element of Bhootnath. He saw his reflection in water where he, as baby, was playing in water in front of his mother. He also saw his mother dying at the bank of river. He chose the remembrance of dying mother. Arunasur got defeated by reflection of death and released Varun dev.
5th day Arunasur fought with the Air element of Bhootnath. Arunasur got defeated and released pawan dev.
Panchabhoot Sthalam Lingam
When Parvati released the 5 temporary elements, she got fainted. Shiva was hurt watching this. He thought why Parvati is punished everytime anything happened in world. With this pain he went into duties-release state. Without the music of Damru of Mahadev, world became docile. Animals and nature became restless.
To please Mahadev, Parvati and 5 element deities created the Shiv Linga and prayed. Parvati took form of Akhilandeshwari Devi to protect the earth from anger fire of Shiva.
Arunasur got Boon
Arunasur then went for Austerity of Brahma Dev. He got boon that he won’t be killed by 1,2,3, or 4 legged creature. He won’t get killed anywhere except in his own kingdom and with only whom he will invite.
How a demon swallowed Narayana? Read the story of boon of Nigas.
Bhootnath, Vaidyanath and Pashupatinath
Arunasur got the information that he will require Time, Herbs and Animals to revive his mother. This means he required Bhootnath, Vaidyanath and Pashupatinath.
He already encountered Bhootnath, so he started hurting vegetation. Vaidyanath appeared and told him to call Pashupatinath.
To call mahadev, he started torturing animals. Pashupatinath appeared to protect animals. He informed him that his mother had done good deeds and she is on the edge of getting freed from life-death cycle. His stubbornness is creating trouble for his mother only. People need to control their emotions and feelings on losses and deaths of loved ones.
Arunasur didn’t understand and started praying Parvat, who is nature herself and gives life to all.
Arunasur Prayed Parvati
Arunasur prayed and invited Parvati to his kingdom. He requested mother nature to revive his mother. Parvati tried to convince him but he refused to understand. Parvati revived his mother.
Mother told Arunasur that he is a cruel son. He always wished for what he wanted and not what his mother wanted. His mother wanted freedom from the life-death cycle and she was on the edge of getting it but he spoiled everything.
Arunasur mother requested Parvati to free her from this world. Parvati granted her wish and gave her freedom.
Death of Arunasur
Furious Arunasur attacked Mahadev. According to the boon of Brahma dev, Arunasur could not be killed by someone who have upto 4 legs or is uninvited. He never invited Mahadev so Shiva couldn’t kill him.
But he already invited Parvati in his kingdom. So Parvati took Bhramari form. In this form she was covered with thousands of bees. Collectively they had thousands of legs.
The bees attacked Arunasur and killed him. Because of the negativity of Arunasur, the bees got uncontrolled and started hunting evil creatures of earth.
A female demon, Mahishi, captured some of these bees which lead to the birth of Ayyappa, son of Vishnu and Shiva.