THE SECRETS OF LORD RUDRA

Drawing by Nalanda

CREATION OF COSMOS

                 "During the period of MahaPralaya (Final annihilation) nothing exist, except Brahman / Paramathman . Brahman manifested as a cosmic male and female to start creation.SHIVA (Mahadev) is the male form Brahman(Supreme soul) and Shakthi is the female form of Brahman. This Ambika (Shakthi) is understood to be the cause of the whole world as well as the Nature. Lord Mahadev then created a Shivaloka, It is the abode of Mahadev and Shakthi.  

God Shiva, felt the need of somebody, who could look after the creation in his absence, as he wanted to retire along with Ambika . The unified energy of Mahadev and Ambika, resulted into a radiant physical form of a child. The child asked Mahadev about his name and purpose of his being. 

Lord Mahadev ( SHIVA) named the child as Vishnu and advised him to do a penance which would help him to attain all kinds of accomplishment. He then offered him the knowledge of Vedas, through his breath. For this reason it has been said-

"YASYA NISHVASITAM VEDAH " Meaning: Whose exhaled air is Veda.

Vishnu followed the instruction of Mahadev and did a tremendous penance for twelve years, but still he was not successful in having a darshan of lord Mahadev for the second time. He became worried. He heard a heavenly voice, instructing him to do further penance.

Vishnu then recommenced his penance. It continued for many days. By the blessings of Mahadev, numerous fountain of streams errupted from his body, which spread in all directions in the form of Brahma. Vishnu was very pleased to see that stream. He went to sleep in that streams due to which he also came to be known as 'Narayan'. One who has his abode in the water. After that, all the five elements manifested from his self. The three qualities- Salva, Rajos and Tamas as well as the ego manifested from his body. Similarly, five Tanmantras (Subtle form of matter), Panchabhuta (Sky water, air, fire and earth) and ultimately five sense organs and five organs of action also manifested from. Altogether twenty-four types of element manifested from the body of Sri Vishnu.

Brahma told Narada-

"While Vishnu was sleeping in the water, a lotus flower manifested from the navel of Vishnu according to the wish of Mahadev. On that lotus was seated with 5 heads. I did not see anything except that lotus flower. I had a desire to know about my identity. So I entered into the hollow tubular stalk of that lotus flower, but I was not able to find the source. I returned back to the same place. Suddenly I heard a voice which instructed me to do penance. I did a tremendous penance for twelve years with a desire to know about my creator. Being pleased with me, lord Vishnu manifested before me with in his Chaturbhuj form, but I could not identify him, being influenced by the illusionary power of Mahadev. I quarreled with him."

SIVA ENDS BRAHMA – VISHNU DISPUTE AND SHABDA BRAHMA

"I asked him as to who he was. Vishnu replied that he was the fulfiller of all of his desires. But I replied to him that I only was the creator, nurturer and the supreme soul of this world. Vishnu became angry and said that undoubtedly I (Brahma) was the creator of this world, but he (Vishnu) was the one, who had created me (Brahma) and the whole world. Vishnu also ordered me to take his refuge and promised to protect me. But being an ignorant I did not believe him. A fierce battle was fought between both of us. A pillar of energy,linga manifested between us to end the battle. We requested that linga to show its real identity. linga had destroyed our pride."

We heard a sound OM. We became curious to know the origin of that sound.

THE   EVENT:

Lord Vishnu asks Lord Brahma who is the supreme creator of the Universe. Arrogantly, Brahma tells Vishnu to worship him because he (Brahma) is the supreme creator. This angered Mahadev who then incarnated in the form of Bhairava to punish Brahma. Bhairava beheaded one of Brahma's five heads...

 and since then Brahma has only four heads. When depicted as Kala Bhairava, Bhairava is shown carrying the decapitated head of Brahma. Cutting off Brahma's fifth head made him guilty of the crime of killing a Brahmin, and as a result, he was forced to carry around the head for years and roam as Bhikshatana, a mendicant, until he had been absolved of the sin.

In the form of the frightful Bhairava, Mahadev (SHIVA)is said to be guarding each of these Shaktipeeths. Each Shaktipeeth temple is accompanied by a temple dedicated to Bhairava.

THE ORIGIN OF RUDRA 

In the beginning of Kalpa Lord Brahma was meditating on God Shiva.  A boy with a body like the shining sun appeared in his lap. He was a humanoid form of Paramshwara ( SHIVA) himself. The baby started to cry as soon as he was born. "Don't cry," said Brahma. "Since you cried when you were born, you will be known as Rudra."

Brahma therefore gave the boy the name , Rudra, as the word  “rud” means to cry. The boy continued to cry and Brahma gave him several other names as well.  Brahma addressed the boy with names like Rudra, Bhava, Shiv, Ibhan, Pashupati, Bhima, Ugra and Mahadeva  Rudra. 

RUDRA GOES TO KAILASH

When Rudra - the Ansha of the Almighty Brahman, heard about the tremendous penance, Kubera was doing… he started to play his 'damaru' (drum), the sound of which reached all the three worlds. Rudra then reached the place where Kubera was doing penance."

"When Kubera saw lord Rudra before himself, he offered his seat to him and worshipped him. Rudra was so pleased with Kubera that he decided to stay near him . An auspicious moment was chosen and Shiva went to live at Kailash mountain

In brief : 

 Rudra married Sati, the daughter of Daksha Prajapati . Sati had committed self-immolation because of the disrespect that her father had shown for her husband. In her next birth, she had appeared as Parvati, the daughter of Himalaya and Maina. Parvati got married to Rudra. Parvati and Sati are incarnations of Goddess Shakthi, the female form of Brahman while God Shiva is the male form. God Shiva and Goddess Shakthi make up the cosmic couple. They are inseparable. 

  

THE ORIGIN OF ELEVEN RUDRAS

Once, the deities went to sage Kashyapa after being tormented by the demons. They complained to him about the misdeeds of the demons, who also happened to be their step brothers. Sage Kashyapa became extremely furious, when he heard about the misdeeds of his sons - the demons. To protect the deities from his sons, he commenced a penance to please lord Rudra.

Lord Rudra became very pleased by his penance and appeared before him. He asked Kashyapa to demand anything he wished. Kashyapa then requested Lord Rudra to take birth as his son and destroy the demons. Lord Rudra blessed him and said - 'So be it'.

Lord Rudra, later on took birth as eleven Rudras from the womb of his wife Surabhi. The name of these eleven rudras were as follows:-

1) Kapali, 2) Pingal, 3) Bheem, 4) Virupaksha, 5) Vilohit, 6) Shastra, 7) Ajapad, 8)Ahirbudhnya, 9) Shambhu, 10) Chand and 11) Bhav.

These eleven Rudras fought battles with the demons and killed them. The deities were relieved after the death of the demons. They worshipped these eleven rudras to express their gratitude and indebtedness.

KASI and The SkuLL Of BRahmaDeV

After cutting the fifth head of Brahma dev Kal Bhairav as Bhikshatana wandered the three worlds (heaven, earth, and netherworld).Bhikshatana is an aspect of Kal Bhairav as the "Supreme mendicant" or the "Supreme Beggar".Bhikshtana is depicted as a nude four-armed man adorned with ornaments who holds a begging bowl in his hand and is followed by demonic attendants and love-sick women.

Kal Bhairav as Bhikshtana

pg He was begging from door to door with a host of bhutas (goblins). The women of the houses who came to grant him food became enamored by his appearance and followed him, singing and dancing. Wandering, Bhikshatana reached the Deodar Forest (also called Daruka forest, Daruka-vana or Daru-vana), where he shocked the sages with his "lewdness and nudity" and tempted their wives. Bhikshatana made them realize his greatness after their confrontation. 

Another story of Sages in Deodar Forest :

In the Skanda Purana, the sages of the Deodar Forest are performing rituals and start to think of themselves as gods. To humble these arrogant sages, Rudra takes the form of Bhikshatana—an attractive young beggar—and Vishnu becomes Mohini, his wife. While the sages fall for Mohini, the women wildly chase Shiva. When the sages regain their senses, they perform a black magic sacrifice, which produces a serpent, a lion, an elephant (or tiger), and a dwarf, all of which attack Shiva, who overpowers them. Shiva then dances on the dwarf and takes the form of Nataraja, the Cosmic Dancer.This legend is also told in the Sthala Purana related to the Chidambaram Temple dedicated to Nataraja.

 The ceiling of the Shivakamasundari shrine in the Nataraja temple complex illustrates this legend in a series of frescos, where Bhikshatana is depicted as a white naked mendicant accompanied by a scantily-scad Mohini.

Continuing...

God Shiva said to Kaal Bhairav to go to various places but Brahma Hatya Dosh was following him. Brahma Hatyia (a female stature) created by  Shiva was following Kaal Bhairav at every places.

The Kurma Purana goes on to state that after the encounter with the sages of the Deodar Forest, Bhikshatana continued to wander, visiting various reclaims of gods and demons before he finally reached the abode of the god Vishnu. Vishnu's gatekeeper Vishvaksena did not allow him to enter. Angered, Bhikshatana slew Vishvaksena and impaled the corpse on his trident, which added to his sin. This form of Bhairav with a corpse on his trident is called Kankala-murti ("One with the skeleton"). Bhikshatana, now as Kankala-murti, entered Vishnu's abode and begged for food. Vishnu offered his own blood as food in one version. In another version, Vishnu offers him food. Finally, he reached to Kashi, also known as the Moksha Puri in the world. Brahma Hatya has finally vanished as soon as Kaal Bhairav has entered to the Kashi.

Holy City KASHI