Off in the forests of Taragam lived 10,000 rishis in heresy, teaching a false religion. Curious as to the truth, Shiva persuaded his brother, Vishnu to join him in going off to the forest. Vishnu changed his form into that of a beautiful woman, while Shiva dressed as a yogi, in rags and ashes.
Now the wives of the rishis were wild, lustful women who immediately threw themselves at Shiva, while their husbands went after Vishnu. Everyone crowded around the two gods, pawing and clawing at them.
The rishis realized that things were not as they seemed and they began throwing curses at the newcomers. Out of a large sacrificial fire was summoned an enormous tiger, which immediately flung itself at Shiva. The Destroyer grabbed the tiger and threw him aside, removing his skin whole in the process and draping it over his shoulders like a shawl. Next came a terrible, fierce serpent, which Shiva wrapped around himself like a necklace. Finally the unholy men conjured up an evil dwarf, who began swinging his mighty club in Shiva’s direction. The god quickly grabbed the dwarf, threw him to the ground and held him pinned there while he began a mighty, angry dance.
The gods lined the walls of heaven watching and enjoying the great Shiva’s dance, while the rishis looked on in amazement. It didn’t take long for them to realize the errors in their earlier heretical ways and throw themselves before Shiva, claiming him as their god.
Shiva’s angry dance is a dance of revelation and destruction: He is the god who periodically destroys the Universe, only to create it again with yet another dance. He is one of the best loved of Hindu deities, also serving as creator and protector, although these roles are often filled by his brothers, Vishnu the preserver and Brahma the creator. In the Vedas he is known as Rudra. Indeed he is the god of 1000 plus names.
Shiva often dressed as a yogi, in rags and ashes, and was indeed the most accomplished at yoga. He is always shown with a bull Nandi, which serves as his vehicle; a cobra draped around his neck; the tiger skin shawl; and the Ganges flowing from his hair. When the river was ordered to flow down out of heaven in order to cleanse and purify man, Shiva volunteered to take the full force of her waters, acting as a shock absorber for the sacred waterway.
Johnson, Donald and Jean. God and Gods in Hinduism. New York :Arnold-Heinemann India, 1972.
Sullivan, K. E. Indian Myths and Legends. London: Brockhampton Publishing Press, 1998.
Thapar,
D. R. Icons in bronze. New York: Asia Publishing House, 1961. plate
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Originally
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Copyright
Laurel Reufner, 2001. Comments? Email me!