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Bhagavatam and PuranaPlay, devotion, and incarnation

Shiva Purana

Selected retelling

Suta tells Shaunaka what hearing this Purana can do; the first tale opens near Prayaga. Thirty-two stories from the Gita Press abridged text, Sati to the twelve jyotirlingas.

Scope and main edition

The named verification reference is Gita Press Shri Shiv Mahapuranam, Sanskrit text, product 2020.

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In Himavan's golden-pillared hall, the seven sages with Arundhati ask the mountain king, who sits with folded hands, for Parvati's hand on Shiva's behalf, the snow peaks of the Himalaya shining beyond the arches.

The stories of Shiva, drawn from the Gita Press abridged Shiva Purana and told as narrative.

The Glory of the Shiva Purana

Near the Shiva temple, ash-white trident-bearing attendants of Shiva drive off the black noose-bearing messengers of Yama, free the Brahmin Devaraj, and seat him upon a golden celestial chariot, while to one side the dark-complexioned Dharmaraja bows with folded hands.

The Story of ChanchulaHow hearing the Shiva Purana redeems a sinful woman, and the glory of the story itself.

Rudra Samhita (The Book of Creation)

In a cave of the Malaya mountain, before Narada seated in deep samadhi, Kamadeva draws his bow while Vasanta scatters spring blossoms.

Narada’s PrideNarada, drunk on the pride of his penance, and a lesson in the illusion Vishnu weaves, his maya.

The divine sage Narada, his veena set down beside him and his hands joined, kneels in devotion in Brahmaloka before the white-bearded, four-faced Brahma who is seated upon a lotus, and the grandsire is ready to tell him the story of the essence of Shiva.

Rudra Samhita (The Book of Sati)

In Daksha's courtyard, seated among her playmates, the little dark-skinned Sati forgets her games and draws Shiva's image on a leaf-tablet while chanting his names, a tender nurse close beside her.

The Marriage of Shiva and SatiAt Brahma’s request, Shiva and Sati are wed.

In the dense forest of Dandakaranya, Shiva, wandering on Nandi with Sati beside him, comes upon the grief-stricken dark-hued Rama and the archer Lakshmana as they roam the woods crying out for Sita.

In Prayaga's grand yajna pavilion, Shiva, his body bright as ash, holding a trident, sits calm upon his seat and lowers his head to no one; beside him sits the radiant Nandishwara; above, the four-faced Brahma is seated upon a lotus; and the crowned Daksha, in anger, raises a finger and reviles Shiva while all around the rishis and gods sit with folded hands.

Rudra Samhita (The Book of Parvati)

Before Himavan and Mena, the dark-hued divine girl Shiva appears in a cradle, while above in the clouds Vishnu and the other gods take darshan.

The Birth of ParvatiThe goddess descends into the house of Himalaya, and gives herself to Shiva’s service.

Tarakasura, dark and vast of body and wearing a golden crown, sits upon Indra's divine throne, a bow in one hand and a golden mace laid beside him; demons are seated all around, while the deposed gods and celestial beings stand with heads bowed and hands folded.

On a snowy Himalayan peak, before Shiva seated in deep meditation, Parvati with her two companions offers flowers in service.

Parvati asking leave to depart for her austerity before Himavan and Mena, her friends standing near.

The seven sages stand with bowed heads before Shiva, seated in meditation on the snowy peak.

In Himavan's mountain palace the seven sages, with Arundhati, extol Shiva's glory and ask for Parvati's hand, while the overcome lord of mountains folds his palms and pledges her in marriage.

Rudra Samhita (The Book of the Kumara)

On Kailasa, Parvati holds the six-faced infant Kartikeya in her lap, with Shiva beside her and goddesses bringing gifts.

Kartikeya and TarakasuraThe birth of Skanda and the slaying of Tarakasura.

In a Himalayan palace, a crowned Parvati tenderly cradles the face of her newly made son in both hands; the boy has a human face, curly hair, and a white dhoti, with vessels of body-paste and flowers set nearby.

In the Himalayas, Shiva and Parvati sit with Nandi; before them, in childhood form, are their two sons, the peacock-riding six-faced Kartikeya holding the shakti spear, and beside his mouse the elephant-faced Ganesha holding a modak and a goad.

Rudra Samhita (The Book of War)

Four-faced Brahma descends upon his swan and raises a hand in blessing, while three blue-haired asura brothers sit in penance with folded hands, asking him for the boon of three flying cities.

TripurariThe burning of the three flying cities, and how Shiva won the name Tripurari.

At the holy waters of Pushkar, a blazing pillar of radiance rises from the head of the ascetic Dambha, who has chanted the Krishna mantra for years, and floods every direction, while in the sky above the gods and sages shut their eyes in alarm.

In the lamplit palace of Shonitapura at night, the thousand-armed Banasura performs the taandava alone, lost in feeling, only to delight his chosen god, while above him a pleased Shiva appears in a soft halo of light with a gentle smile.

The elephant-faced demon Gajasura, wearing a crown, sits absorbed in deep meditation in the lotus posture on a mountain peak; the flames of his fierce austerity have become a fire that blazes on every side, reaching up to the sky.

Shatarudra Samhita

In a forest hermitage, before the meditating sage Shilada, Shiva stands white with sacred ash, Uma beside him, one hand raised in the gesture of granting boons as he promises a deathless son born of no womb; a trident and a damaru drum stand planted in the ground nearby, and fresh flowers adorn a Shiva-linga.

NandishwaraThe birth of Nandi, lord of Shiva’s hosts, and his consecration.

On the ghats of Kashi at night, Kaal Bhairav stands bearing a trident with his dog beside him, while devotees hold lamps and perform arati.

On Mount Rikshakula, before Atri and Anasuya deep in penance, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva appear and grant the boon of three sons.

The huge demon Vritrasura stands on the battlefield with his mace raised, a heap of weapons lying below him; above, in the sky, four-faced Brahma, seated on a lotus, tells the remedy to Indra and the gods who have fled to him, while a black sky full of lightning spreads across the background.

In a forest laden with spring blossoms, King Bhadrayu, a great bow and quiver slung over his shoulder, strolls with Queen Kirtimalini, while behind them attendants walk carrying a parasol and spears.

In the dress of an ascetic, Arjuna sits in deep meditation with joined palms before an earthen Shiva-linga, a flame of radiance rising from the crown of his head, his bow resting nearby, and above him in the sky the divine form of Mahadeva appears.

Kotirudra Samhita

In Daksha's mansion, amid the auspicious drums, the aged Prajapati gives away, one by one, the hands of his twenty-seven radiant star-daughters to the milk-white moon, like a garland of stars around a single moon.

SomnathThe story of how Somnath, the first jyotirlinga (linga of light), appeared.

On Mount Krauncha the estranged prince Kartikeya sits with his arms folded and his face turned away, his peacock and his spear set beside him, while ash-white Shiva and golden-hued Parvati reach out their hands with tenderness to console him, and behind them on the mountain two lights blaze like the Mallikarjuna linga.

Narada, holding his vina, speaks with the mountain-king Vindhya about the height of Meru, snowy peaks and the golden Mount Meru behind them.

Four-armed blue Srihari sits absorbed in deep meditation amid a radiant temple-city floating in the sky; streams of white water pour from his body and fill the empty heavens, and a glittering jewel falls below to reveal the sacred pool of Manikarnika.

In a field of ripe golden rice the aged sage Gautama shoos a frail cow away with a handful of straw, and the cow collapses to the ground; his wife Ahalya stands nearby in distress, while jealous sages and their wives, hidden behind cover, point their fingers and shout the false charge of cow-slaughter.

On the seashore, Sri Rama stands amid the vanara army and gazes across at Lanka, the sweet water a vanara has brought him held in his hand, set aside until he has taken the darshan of Shiva.