Rudra-Shiva concept (Study)
by Maumita Bhattacharjee | 2018 | 54,352 words
This page relates ‘Destruction of Daksha yajna� of the study on the Rudra-Shiva concept in the Vedic and Puranic literature, starting with the concept of God as contemplated by the Rishis (Vedic sages). These pages further deal with the aspects, legends, iconography and eulology of Rudra-Shiva as found in the Samhitas, Brahamanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads Sutras and Puranas. The final chapters deal with descriptions of his greatness, various incarnations and epithets.
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6. Destruction of ٲṣa ⲹñ
In the Purāṇic literature, lord Ś is depicted as also a destructive god. His formidable activities has reveled his destructive forms in the ʳܰṇa.
In later literarure, it is stated that once ٲṣa, the father of ī performed a sacrifice. He invited all the gods except Ś. When ī came to know about this great ⲹñ she came to her husband, i.e. Ś and asked him why he did not go to this sacrifice. Then Ś answered her that it is not appropriate to attend a function without invitation. On hearing that ī went to her father’s sacrifice with the attendance of Ś and met her parents. In front of ī, ٲṣa insulted Ś saying he was an ascetic, cremation ground dweller, there is no share for him. ī could not bear her husband’s insult from her father and she jumped into the sacrificial fire and relinquished her life. Hearing the news of ī’s death, lord Ś became furious. He plucked a lock of hair from his head and threw on the mountain. This lock of hair divided into two parts. From the first half of that braided hair Virabhadra was born and from the other half ī or Ѳī was born. Ś commanded them to kill ٲṣa and to destroy his sacrifice. Then ī and ī along with Ś’s ṇa reached the sacrificial place. Rudra’s ṇa destroyed the sacrifice though it was well guarded by the gods. Thereafter, ī held ٲṣa’s neck and cut it off.[1]