Shiva was married to Daksha’s daughter Sati. Sati died and was reborn as Parvati, the daughter of Himalaya and his wife Mena (alternatively, Menaka). Parvati was married to Shiva. In fact, Himalaya and Mena prayed so that they might have the goddess as their daughter. Pleased with their prayers,…
Vishnu rose from a minor role as a solar deity in the Rigveda to one of the Hindu Triad with Brahma and Siva to the Absolute of the universe in Vaishnavism. Vishnu’s willingness to incarnate in time of need to restore righteousness (dharma) was the inspiring theme that made…
This entry will focus on Soma as the plant and Vedic drink. For more information about Soma as a deva and as the moon, see the entry on Candra. In the Vedic period Candra, the moon, and Soma, the entheogenic (religious experience-inducing) plant, were connected by associations (bandhus) in the…
King Parikshit asked, “O great sage, how did God cause churning of the sea. What was the purpose behind it? Kindly tell me?” Shukdev says, “Parikshit, in the sixth Chakshush Manvantara, the demons king Bali had defeated the gods. Indra had also lost his glory by insulting the garland which…
Mohini appeared at the churning of the Milky Ocean, again for the birth of a river and a divine monkey, and then for the incarnation of a sage. In order to prevent the asuras (demons) from obtaining their share of the divine nectar of immortality (amrita) that was…
This is one of the richest myths in the Vishnu myth cycle. Its popularity makes it pan-Indian and not just sectarian, even though many versions attempt to prove the ultimacy of Vishnu and his supremacy over Siva. When it is seen as an origin myth, answering the question of…
This is one of the richest Hindu myths. It is a creation myth and also a trickster myth, and it is nested in the Vishnu myth cycle as an avatara (incarnation) myth. It has versions that are pan-Indian and versions that are sectarian (those used to prove the supremacy and…
The gods and the demons always fought with one another. In the process, many demons and gods were killed. This was no problem for the demons. Their teacher, Shukracharya, knew the art of mritasanjivani and immediately brought the dead demons back to life. But the gods who were killed stayed…
Jambha was the leader of the asuras who snatched away the pot of amrita (nectar of immortality) from the sage Dhanvantari when he emerged carrying it during the churning of the Milky Ocean. Jambha, along with his demon cohorts, was tricked by the beautiful woman Mohini, the form taken…
Hanuman expanded the notion of the divine, perhaps more than any other being in Hindu mythology. He appeared as an agent governed by dharma like any human, yet while in an animal form he was divine. The myths of his birth from the elements of the gods, usually of Siva…
Sutji once reached Naimisharanya in course of his pilgrimage. There he found numerous sages engaged in austerities and penance. All of them were delighted to find Sutji in their midst and considered it as a God sent opportunity to get their doubts related with religious topics cleared. Sage Shaunak was…
When Dhanvantri appeared with a pot of ambrosia in his hands, a demon named Vrishparva snatched it from him. All the demons then fled to Patal loka with the pot of ambrosia. Lord Vishnu disguised himself as an enchanting beauty and went to Patal loka. There, he found all the…
This myth was included in the Skanda Purana as an elaboration on the myth of the Churning of the Milky Ocean, in which Vishnu appeared as Mohini and tricked the asuras (demons) out of the nectar of immortality. The moral purpose of this myth is not clear. It does…
After the churning of the ocean had been accomplished, numerous things had emerged out from the ocean. Jewels, Moon, Lakshmi, Poison, Uchchaishrava horse, Airavat elephant, Vessel containing Nectar were some of the things which emerged out from the ocean after the churning. A tremendous battle was fought between the deities…
Lord Shiva was so infatuated by the appearance of lord Vishnu in his form of Mohini roopa that his semen was released on the ground. This semen was established by the Saptarishis in the womb of Anjani, with the permission of lord Shiva himself. In this way was born the…
In the beginning of Kalpa when Brahma was thinking about a son, who would be like him in virtues, a boy with reddish-blue body appeared in his lap. Brahma addressed the boy with names like Rudra, Bhava, Shiv, Ibhan, Pashupati, Bhima, Ugra and Mahadeva. Brahma also fixed Surya, water, earth,…