Lord Shiva Almost Turns Into Ash

Lord Shiva's anger is well-known. But, Lord Shiva is also said to be easily pleased by his devotees. Hence Lord Shiva is called both 'Kshipra-kopi' and 'Kshipra-prasadhi',i.e quickly angered and quickly pleased. The following is a folktale which shows Lord Shiva being easily pleased and the consequences of it.

Once there was an asura (demon) who was a great dancer. He was also a great devotee of Lord Shiva and used to appease Shiva through his dancing and devotion. The asura wanted to get Lord Shiva's blessings and be able to rule over the earth. With this intention on his mind, the asura started to meditate on Lord Shiva. After many years, Lord Shiva was pleased and appeared before the asura. Lord Shiva asked the asura what boon he would like to have. The asura thought for a while and said that he wanted to make anyone he touches on the centre of the head turn into ash (vibhuti). Lord Shiva granted the asura his boon. As soon as the asura got the power from the boon, he said that he wanted to test his powers on Lord Shiva itself. Lord Shiva was stunned for a while and then ran from there. The asura pursued Lord Shiva.

Lord Shiva ran ahead and went to Lord Vishnu for help. Lord Vishnu took the form of 'Mohini' , a beautiful damsel, and went towards the asura. The asura was mesmerized by the beauty of Mohini and got distracted from his aim of pursuing Lord Shiva. The asura told Mohini that he wanted to marry her. Mohini replied that she would agree to marry him if he would defeat her in a dance contest. The asura readily agreed and they started dancing. During the contest, Mohini cunningly made a pose in which her hand was touching the centre of her head. Being lost in the urge to marry Mohini, the asura also imitated the same pose and ended up as ash due to his own power. Thus Lord Shiva escaped from bearing the consequence of his own boon.

Why Is Astrology Not Accurate ?

Astrology is a divine science that has a mix of mathematical calculations and a divine instinct from the part of the astrologer.  Lord Murugan is often considered as the lord of astrology. There is an interesting folktale which tells why astrology isn't hundred percent accurate.

Once Lord Shiva and Devi Parvathi were telling Lord Murugan about time and it's uncertainty. Lord Murugan told Lord Shiva that he was aware of a way to predict the future. Lord Shiva was pleased and asked Murugan to predict Lord Shiva's future. Lord Murugan told Lord Shiva about Astrology and said that according to it, Lord Shiva would prove his supremacy over Lord Brahma. Lord Shiva was greatly impressed.But, Lord Murugan added, Lord Shiva also had the fate to roam the earth as a beggar. Lord Shiva was greatly angered by this and cursed that Astrology would only be half true from then on. But, Lord Shiva himself was unable to overcome his fate and had to roam the earth as a beggar eventually. 

Rameswaram - The Legend Of Two Shivalinga

Rameswaram is a grand temple that is situated about 150km from the city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu.The presiding deity at Rameswaram is Lord Shiva. According to legends, it is believed that Lord Rama returned from Lanka to this spot after his grand victory over Raavana. Lord Rama was advised to appease Lord Shiva so that he may atone for his sins of killing a great Shiva bhaktha (it is also said that Raavana was a brahmin and Lord Rama did it to also get rid of 'brahma hathya paapa', or the sin of killing a brahmin). Lord Rama told Lord Hanuman to bring an appropriate Shiva linga from Kailash, so that he could establish it there and do pooja. As Lord Rama waited for Lord Hanuman to return, the holy muhoortha (auspicious time) was getting over. Hence, Sita devi build a shivalinga out of sand, which hardened due to Devi's divine touch. Meanwhile, Lord Hanuman returned from Kailash, and was disappointed to see the other shivalinga. (It is said that Lord Hanuman tied his tail around the other shivalinga and tried to uproot it, but failed to do so). Lord Rama then pacified Lord Hanuman and said that from that day onwards, the shivalinga which Lord Hanuman brought would have pooja performed before the one made by Sita devi. Then Lord Rama appeased Lord Shiva and washed himself from the sin of killing Raavana..The shivalinga brought by Lord Hanuman is called 'viswalingam' and the one made by Sita devi is called 'Ramalingam'.

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The above post has been submitted by one of our valuable readers, Anil Kumar. Thank you very much  Anil Kumar

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Gatekeepers and Lord Vishnu's Avatars

The following is a legend which gives the reason for the birth of some famous asuras (demons) and why they got the good fortune of being killed by Lord Vishnu’s various avatars/incarnations.

Once Lord Mahavishnu told his two gatekeepers (dwarapalakas) that he is going to take rest. After a while the holy seven sages (saptarishis) approached Lord Vishnu’s abode to meet him. But, the gatekeepers refused to let the sages meet Lord Vishnu. The sages asked thrice to be allowed to go meet Lord Vishnu but the gatekeepers refused. The sages, who are revered by all the gods, got angered and cursed the gatekeepers saying “may you be born thrice as asuras”. By this time Lord Vishnu came outside and upon seeing the holy sages, invited them inside. The gatekeepers were terrified and fell at Lord Vishnu’s feet to seek shelter from the curse of the holy sages. Lord Vishnu pacified them and said “do not worry, in every birth that you take as an asura, i myself will come and kill you, hence letting you have mokshs(liberation) from the sins you commit as asuras in each birth”. The gatekeepers thanked Lord Vishnu for his compassion and apologised to the holy sages.

Thus the two gatekeepers were born as Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu, who were killed by Lord Vishnu in the form of Lord Varaha and Lord Narasimha. Then they were born as Raavana and Kumbhakarna, who were killed by Lord Vishnu as Lord Rama. Then they were finally born as Kamsa and Banasura (a close confidante of Kamsa) who were killed by Lord Vishnu as Lord Krishna.

Please do share any information you know related to this legend, in the comments. Om

Lord Shiva's Faces

According to scriptures in some regions of southern India, Lord Shiva is said to have six faces. There are two beliefs pertaining to the sixth face. One states that the sixth face is beyond comprehension of the human mind and is considered more like a direct representation of Brahman. The other belief is that Devi Parvathi is the sixth face and that all the six faces together is represented as Lord Muruga/Shanmugha.

During pooja rituals, the boiled rice offered to Lord Shiva when done in specific mixtures for each of the five faces of Lord Shiva, is said to be very effective in appeasing Lord Shiva. Accordingly, the corresponding food for each face is given below :-


Eeshana Face         - boiled rice
Tattpurusha Face   - boiled rice with curd
Aghora Face          - boiled rice with sesame seeds
Vamadeva Face     - boiled rice with jaggery
Sadhyojatha Face  -  boiled rice with milk

You can also accommodate this technique in your Lord Shiva Pooja by taking very little quantities for offering. It is the quality of devotion which is important and not the quantity of offering.Om

Power Of Lord Rama's Name

This is a simple folktale which shows the power of chanting Lord Rama's name. There was an ashram (hermitage) of a saint in the outskirts of a kingdom. The saint had only one disciple and used to practice vedic rituals daily. One day a farmer in the kingdom happened to kill one of his cows by mistake. Since ‘gow hathya’ (murder of cows) is considered a great sin according to Hindu tradition, the farmer was grief stricken. He decided to approach the hermitage at the outskirts and ask the saint for a way to atone for his sins. The farmer took a basket of fruits with him while going to meet the saint.

When the farmer reached the hermitage, the saint was in meditation. He saw the disciple outside preparing flowers for a pooja. The farmer presented the basket of fruits and explained his problem to the disciple. The disciple advised the farmer to go back home and chant ‘Hare Rama’ 4 times with devotion. He said that it will be enough to atone for the grave sin of killing a cow. The farmer thanked the disciple and went home.

When the saint returned from his meditation, he asked his disciple about the basket of fruits. The disciple explained the farmer’s problem and added that he has advised the farmer to chant Lord Rama’s name 4 times. On hearing this, the saint got enraged and cursed the disciple saying “may you be born as an animal for four more lives”. The disciple was shocked and asked the saint why he was being cursed.The saint explained that the disciple was foolish enough to not realize that a single chanting of Lord Rama’s name is more than enough to atone for any sin. The advice to chant it 4 times showed the disciple’s disbelief in the power of Lord Rama’s name and hence he had to be cursed.

This folktale shows the profound power which a single utterance of the Lord’s name can have. It is mentioned in scriptures that a single utterance of Lord Rama’s name is equivalent to 1000 names of Lord Vishnu. If there is true devotion, then any name you call God with is enough to wash your sins and rejuvenate your soul.

Kindly share this simple folktale with family and friends so that everyone may benefit from it. Please do share your views in the comments. Om

Why Lord Hanuman Is Devoted To Lord Rama

Whenever the word devotion and devotee are mentioned, the name ‘Hanuman’ is one that comes to the mind of most Hindus. Lord Hanuman’s devotion for Lord Rama is legendary and unparalleled. It is said that the mere mention of Lord Rama’s name is enough to bring Lord Hanuman’s presence. It is also mentioned in some legends that Lord Hanuman is an avatar of Lord Shiva. Folktales vary from region to region and present different ideas.

There is a folktale regarding Lord Hanuman’s birth which explains the reason behind his closeness with Lord Rama, though they meet only later in life. According to the folktale, King Dasaratha conducts a yagnya/pooja under the guidance of sage Agastya to beget children. After the pooja, a divine being appears carrying a pot, and advices the King to give the contents of the pot to his wives. The King paid his respects and started dividing the contents of the pot onto a plate. As the King was about to take the final handful of content from the pot, an eagle swiftly came and carried the pot away. The King tried but was unsuccessful in stopping the eagle. In a nearby forest, the queen (Anjana) of a monkey tribe was doing severe penance to beget a suitable child as their heir. On the advice of Lord Shiva, Lord Vayu (Wind God) stopped the eagle (Lord Garuda) and asked him to transfer the contents of the pot into Lord Vayu’s hand. Lord Vayu then carried the pot to Anjana and advised the queen to consume the contents. Thus making Lord Rama and Lord Hanuman brothers, which explains their legendary friendship.

This is just one out of many folktales, please do share any other legends/folktales you know which lead to Lord Rama and Lord Hanuman being so close.Om

Diwali/Deepavali - Lord Krishna's 16,000 Wives

 Another commonly believed legend about the origin of Diwali/Deepavali is about the murder of Narakasura. Narakasura was the son of Mother Earth, who terrorised the world with his evil ways. He had captured more than 16,000 women and held them in his palace. Lord Krishna came to the rescue of these women (who were his devotees), and freed the world from the tyranny of Narakasura. It is said that Diwali/Deepavali originated as a celebration of this freedom from evil. When these freed women returned to their households, but their husbands and families refused to accept them, doubting their dignity . The freed women went to Lord Krishna for help. Lord Krishna allowed the women to live in his palace and gave them the status, respect and protection equivalent to that given to his wife. This allowed the women to live with dignity and they continued to be great devotees of Lord Krishna.

Hence Diwali/Deepavali is also a glorification of Lord Krishna’s infinite compassion for his devotees. Diwali/Deepavali is a reminder that injustice and evil will only lead to one’s destruction.

This legend is one which many atheists and anti-hindus alter and blabber that lord Krishna was a ‘flirt’ and other such disrespectful things. But, I would like to point out that these criticisms are due to the lack of positive understanding. The fact that Lord Krishna provided a shelter to his devotees has been misinterpreted as flirtatious behaviour. Hence I wished to make special mention of this legend.

Please do let me know of your views about this legend in the comments.

Diwali/Deepavali - Legend Of Origin and Celebration

The month of October 2011 is blessed with the presence of two of Hinduism’s biggest festivals – Navratri/Durga Pooja and Diwali / Deepavali. This is the first post in a series of posts about Diwali / Deepavali, regarding it’s origin, celebration and relevance. Diwali / Deepavali is one of the most celebrated festivals in Hinduism. The word ‘Diwali / Deepavali’ literally means a row of clay lamps and hence it is undoubtedly the ‘festival of lights’. But, Diwali / Deepavali is more than just lights, crackers and sweets. Diwali / Deepavali has a universal message, it is a celebration of ‘the triumph of good over evil’.

The starting of Diwali / Deepavali festivities is marked by a thorough cleaning of the household. The ladies of the house throw all old rags, clothes, utensils, etc. and replace them with new ones. Houses are often painted and decorated with lights. The household is beautified to the maximum possible limit of the family.

There are several legends associated with Diwali / Deepavali. One commonly believed legend is that of a celebration of Lord Rama’s return. Diwali / deepavali is said to be the celebration of the day that Lord Rama, Lakshmana and Devi Sita returned to Ayodhya after the 14 years of exile. The citizens of Ayodhya and neighbouring kingdoms were said to have lit lamps and beautified the streets to welcome Lord Rama and Sita Devi. The happiness of the citizens was expressed through the exchange of sweets and gifts. This event is said to be the origin of Diwali / Deepavali celebrations. Every year this celebration is conducted to revive the memory of the joyous victory of Lord Rama. Diwali / Deepavali is hence also an awareness campaign to remind people that the path of justice and dharma is always the best choice. It is a symbolic welcoming of brightness and auspiciousness to one’s life. There are more legends related to Diwali / Deepavali and rituals related to it’s celebration, which we shall see in the rest of the series.Om

Please do share any other legends related to Diwali / Deepavali that you know of, in the comments

Lord Vishnu Teaches Lord Brahma About Time

There is a simple story told in folk tales that puts the concept of time into perspective for us. Once there was a conversation between Lord brahma and Sage Narada in the presence of Lord Vishnu. Sage narada asked brahma about the secrets of the universe. While explaining, Lord Brahma started boasting about his immortality and how he knew everything about the universe. Sage Narada praised Brahma, and that made him boast even more. Lord Vishnu kept silent during the whole conversation. After Sage Narada left, Vishnu asked Brahma if he would come to meet someone with him. Lord Brahma was in a very happy mood and obliged.

Vishnu manifested a chariot and asked Brahma to be seated in it. Brahma agreed and was taken by Vishnu to a realm of the universe which Lord Brahma himself didn’t know about. Brahma was starting to slowly lose his ego and looked on in awe at the mysterious surroundings. When the chariot stopped and they got down,Lord Brahma saw a sage sitting and meditating at a distance.

Lord Vishnu went near the sage with Brahma and asked the sage to introduce himself to Lord brahma. The sage explained that he has been meditating here for eons and that when the lifetime of one Lord Brahma comes to an end, one hair of the sage becomes grey and falls off (the sage is said to have a full head of long black hair and has a name denoting the same). And after each hair falls off like this from his head, he will die. Lord Brahma was astounded on listening to this. Lord Brahma had believed till now that he was immortal and that there was no end to his powers. 

Then Lord Brahma asked the sage if there are any more such people in this mysterious realm. The sage said that on going ahead there is a sage named ‘Ashtavakra’, who had eight deformities in his body. The sage also added that when all his fair fall off and he dies, one deformity of sage Ashtavakra would be straightened. Lord Brahma was speechless. Vishnu then thanked the sage and went to meet sage Ashtavakra.

Lord Krishna's Horses

Most of you would have seen the picture of lord Krishna as Arjuna’s charioteer. Here are the names of the 5 horses which pulled lord Krishna’s chariot.

• Kamagha
• Shybhya
• Sugreeva
• Meghapushpa
• Valahaka

It is often interpreted by scholars that the 5 horses represent the five senses. It is said that the concept is symbolic to denote that Arjuna was able to succeed only because he surrendered his sense to Lord Krishna.

Birth Of Kalki (Lord Vishnu’s Tenth Incarnation/Avatar)

In the ‘Bhagavatha’ scripture it is predicted that the tenth incarnation/avatar of Lord Mahavishnu will take place in a village called ‘shaballa’. He will be born to a poor Brahmin called ‘Vishnuyeshas’.

Lord Krishna's Siblings

Most of us know about the story that lead to the birth of Lord Krishna in a jail as the 8^th son who was destined to kill King Kamsa. Here we have a look at the names of the 6 children born to mother devaki, who were murdered by kamsa. They are – 

•   Keerthimaan, 
•   Bhadrasena, 
•   Rijju, 
•   Samardha, 
•   Sameesha, 
•   Aheeswara

Avataras/Incarnations Of Lord Vishnu (Other than the Dasavatara)

The dasavatara (10) incarnations/avataras of Lord Vishnu commonly known to Hindus are – Matsya (Fish), Koorma (Tortoise), Varaha (Boar), Narasimha/Nrisimha, Vamana, Parasurama, Rama, Krishna, Balarama, Kalki.

Here we look at some other mythological personalities who are also identified by some scriptures as avataras/incarnations of lord Vishnu. They are - 

                                         Narayana               Mohini

                                         Dattatreya              Dhanwantari 

                                         Janaka                   Narada 

                                         Rishabha                Kapila

                                         Vyasa                    Yajna 

                                         Prithviraj                Buddha 

                                         Humsavatara          Hayagreeva