Dec 06, 2023
Dec 06, 2023
by P C K Prem
As I Know: The Lord of the Mountains – Shiv Purana: 70
Severe tapa of Parvati creates upheaval as heat tortures created beings but it does not please Shiva – gods appear before Vishnu to seek relief and later, all gods appear before Shiva
Effective and forceful counsel of Vishnu persuaded Brahma and the gods of heavens and therefore, all proceeded to have holy darshana of Shiva. While the holy souls went to enjoy glimpses of Shiva, they also thought propitious to visit ashrama of Parvati, engaged in terrific tapa and meditation. With curious minds and conjectures, they went to the ashrama of Parvati whose intense tapa had created much stir and heat in the three worlds, and had made difficult the lives of the created beings and gods. The brilliance of tapa and illuminating aura of the most sacred woman in tapa, Parvati swayed. They modestly bowed, saluted, and then, freely praised Parvati engaged in tapa, from where brightness and dazzling rays of light originated. They paid respect, offered prayers and afterward, went to the place of Shiva.
The gods were still nervous and uncertain and therefore, preferred to stay a little away from Shiva. They stopped at a distance and requested sage Narada to approach Shiva. The gods continued to observe Shiva and made efforts to find out whether he was angry or not. Sage Narada, a devotee of Shiva, nursed no fear whatsoever. Narada found Shiva happy and cheerful. After paying tributes to Shiva, he returned and escorted Supreme Brahma, Sri Hari, the gods of heavens and celestial beings to the seat of Shiva.
Supreme Brahma, Vishnu and the gods found that Shiva sat quite happily and thus, felt free from inner fears. Surrounded by ganas (counselors), lord Shiva sat on a wooden plank he used for tapa and yoga. Supreme Brahma, Vishnu, gods, siddhas and various monks benefitted from the holy darshana of Shiva and then, praised and saluted. Later on, again, all the gods, lords of gods and celestial beings praised the lord generously and the chanting of sutras (a great thought or the root of a philosophic idea or a gist of it) added glory to the radiance of Shiva. They praised the lord with a humble prayer and recited slokas (couplets on a particular aspect or a few lines in praise or glory with rhythm, metrical beauty and music) from the Vedas and Upanishad.
Genuine and prolific praise delighted the lord. It was also a great godly habit to sing songs of glories and greatness. To grant adequate respect to elders is the cardinal principle of an ideal man. Shiva was pleased and the earnestness, the modesty and dedication of gods and the great gods impressed Nandi, who also admired Shiva and said, “O lord, all the gods, celestial beings, wise sages and monks suffer. In a grave predicament of existence, they seek refuge. O god of gods, please bless and help.”
Shiva, in deep meditation, heard gracious Nandi (the great vehicle of Shiva), opened eyes when he informed of the arrival of gods. Now, he did not wish to continue tapa.
Shiva threw merciful and benevolent glance at everyone and said, “O Sri Hari, Supreme Brahma, the gods of heavens and realised souls, what objective brings you here? You stand so near. Whatever be the motive, please reveal immediately.”
Gratifying and yielding words and smiles dispelled fears of gods, and cheerfully they looked at Sri Hari. Obviously, they wanted Sri Hari to speak up and disclose the intent and objective they nursed. Knowing the purpose of gods and holy souls, a great devotee of Shiva and benefactor of gods Vishnu narrated the purpose of approaching Shiva, “O Sambho, daitya Taraka gives troubles to gods and so they suffer. He is amazing and dreadful. All the gods came here to list out misdeeds and atrocities of Taraka, a frightening demon. You kill Taraka through an aurus son. Otherwise, it is difficult.”
Sri Hari said and after a pause, added, “O lord, it is the truth. Please deliberate. We salute you. O lord, the demon causes enormous sufferings. Kindly protect gods from a dreadful monster. O Sambhu, accept Girija with the right arm. She is daughter of Himavana and you oblige all and agree to make her your spouse.”
Shiva heard Vishnu and said, “O gods, the moment I accept to make Girija, the most beautiful woman, a wife, it would fill the lords of gods and various monks and sages with passion and love, and thereafter, they will be deprived of inner power and will turn weak. Therefore, they will not be able to pursue the path of selfless service (paramartha). A mere marriage of goddess Durga will bestow life on Kamadeva presently reduced to ashes, whom holy consort Rati protects fully. O gods, try to understand the secret. I served a great purpose of gods if I burnt Kamadeva. All should live free from the assault of kama and love I guarantee. O gods, while you live alone you would be able to perform noble deeds and will also be able to undergo a very grueling and superb tapasya without any singular effort I tell you.”
Shiva continued, “In the absence of madan (kama-passion) you sit in Samadhi (deep meditation) and enjoy supreme bliss and thus, live unblemished and formless because kama and love drive a living being to hell. Kama leads to anger, anger drives one to love and passion, and the infatuation destroys tapasya. Therefore, all gods ought to abandon kama and anger. Please understand the supreme truth rightly.”
Shiva told of an eternal truth so relevant in contemporary life. Now, feelings and thoughts of love, passion, greed and aggrandizement without a sense of devotion vanquish human beings and lead to distortion in the value system in modern life that offer nothing but distress, anxiety and untruth despite claims to the contrary. Love and passion, power, pelf and women are causes of sufferings to people, who enjoy pleasure and opulence and then, greed for more arises. Who can pursue the path of paramartha in such situations?
Mahadeva advised gods and the great gods Vishnu and Brahma to respect the path of dharma devoid of desires for fruit. Niskama dharma (discharge of religious or miscellaneous duties or obligations without motif or selfish desires) guides a man to the path of detachment and divine joy Sambhu told. Now, he was quiet and lost in deep meditation, and soon dreadful ganas encircled him. Shiva meditated on the great god, who is formless, sans feelings, nirmaya (pure) beyond time and space (paratpara), eternal, beyond words, nirguna (beyond the three gunas), infinite, beyond knowledge and nature. Situated in deep meditation, he thought of Supreme Brahma ‘the Self.’
Brahma, Vishnu, and gods saw Shiva in absolute Samadhi (deep meditation), and sought advice from Nandi, who advised the gods to praise the lord humbly. On Nandi’s guidance, all the gods began to admire and adore Shiva’s supreme virtues and infinite dimensions of power.
They said, “O lord Mahadeva, O lord of gods and ocean of compassion and magnificence, we come here to seek refuge at your holy feet. Please grant freedom from sufferings.” Naturally, during worship and prayers, the thoughts of worrisome Taraka weighed heavily and continued to disturb the gods of heavens.
All the gods reverentially prayed before Shiva and continued to praise. Shiva did not respond and so, they were distressed, wept deafeningly, and cries of anguish filled the atmosphere of the three worlds. At that time, Sri Hari remembered Shiva and described the purpose in self-effacing entreaty. Fortunately, Brahma, Vishnu and gods continued to pray and sing glories, and lamented over the unfortunate fate and so, wanted relief. Genuine worries and expression of grief of gods disturbed Shiva. He opened eyes and appeared quite pleased at the zealous praise of gods.
He looked at Brahma, Vishnu, gods, sages, monks, and the various living beings compassionately and the gathering pleased lord Shiva and therefore, after a long pause, he said, “O Vishno, O Supreme Brahma, lord Indra and gods, what is the purpose that brings you here. You speak the truth.”
The gods were not very clear. Shiva wanted gods to say frankly, for he wanted the gods to become obvious. What exactly they wanted? Was it marriage or the birth of a child?
Sri Hari spoke modestly, “O Maheshwara, you know everything. You know the hearts and minds of created beings. You are omnipresent and omniscient. Do you understand inner feelings? You know I am definite but if you allow I would say… O treasure of joys and comforts, all gods suffer because of Taraka, who makes lives difficult. Therefore, the gods revealed the extent of miseries and made efforts to gratify you. Gods were ceaseless in humble efforts and therefore, goddess Shiva (Uma-Parvati) was born through Himalaya from the womb of Maina. It is an act accomplished for you only. O lord Shiva, a son born of the womb of goddess Shivei through you will become the cause of death and destruction of Taraka, a mighty daitya. One finds no other solution to end the sufferings of gods and holy souls of the three worlds.”
Vishnu tried to join facts, slowly narrated the sequence of events, and warily and adequately expounded the cause of sufferings of gods. After a few moments, he said, “O lord, Supreme Brahma has blessed Taraka with a few boons. Because of the boons, no other warrior or god can kill him. Therefore, he is fearless and perpetrates atrocities on living beings of the three worlds. We suffer, O lord. Sage Narada guided and instructed Parvati and now, she undergoes austere tapa. It is the terrific energy and effect of intense tapa and penance that the created beings of the universe feel the heat and experience searing sensations. Thus O gods, it is difficult to endure heat and consequence of tapa of great goddess.”
After a little pause, he resumed, “Therefore, O lord of gods, please go to Shiva (Parvati) and bless the goddess with a boon. O swamy, please destroy the sufferings of gods and give joy and pleasure. O Sankara, incredible excitement in the minds and hearts of gods and Brahma disturbs and worries and I expect to witness the great celebration of a divine marriage. Kindly marry Parvati religiously. O infinite Supreme lord, the right time has arrived to fulfill the pledge you gave to Rati, consort of Kamadeva. Therefore, fulfill the promise you gave.”
After abundant praise, Vishnu, the gods of heavens, sages, monks, celestial souls, siddhas and many divine souls deified Shiva. After some time, they stood before the lord with bowed heads and folded hands. People believe that Shiva is always under the control of devotees and is the guardian of the sanctity and truth of the Vedas, and therefore, faith of people and devotees is very dear to the Supreme Lord.
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