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A Study of Virabhadra As Depicted in Ancient Indian Texts

A Study of Virabhadra As Depicted in Ancient Indian Texts

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-4, 2016 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

A Study of As Depicted In Ancient Indian Texts

V Anuradha Department of History, Maharani’s Arts College for Women, Seshadri Road, Bangalore- 560001, Karnataka, India.

Abstract : Virabhadra the auspicious hero raging the and is sometimes regarded as their like flaming fire is ‘s ferocious instrument for chief. He is charged with the responsibility of destruction of ignorance, ritualism and dogma. ensuring perpetuation of life on earth, as also the Virabhadra, the Great Warrior, is the sublimation richness and dignity in life. He is a very prominent of Shiva’s impatience and anger; the embodiment person of the established order; and, in fact, is at its of his resolute might; and is therefore regarded an very core. holding the office of Prajapathi aspect of Shiva in blazing mood burning down was a lawgiver who formulated rules for conduct of delusion and falsehood (samhara –).It is behaviour in the society and norms for the orderly said; Shiva represents pure-consciousness (jnana working of the society along the well respected shakthi); is the creative energy, the thought traditional lines. The world order as envisaged by within his consciousness, the will to intend an act Daksha defined the precise role and conduct not (itccha shakthi); and Virabhadra is the power of merely of humans but of gods as well. He expected action (kriya-shakthi) the determined might to from all, reverence to his self and obedience to his transform that will into an act. Virabhadra, the law. He would not tolerate subversive bunch of action-hero, personifies implicit faith, absolute renegades who had scant regard for the social devotion and reverence as also the ruthless dignity and decorum. Daksha therefore represents efficiency in carrying out the command of his the matter-of-fact logical mode of thinking, the way creator. Virabhadra also symbolizes the sharp in which most of us would like to lead our lives. incisive power of discrimination, potent in each of Shiva, in contrast, was beyond the pale of us, to sever attachments to conceited values, normal society; and stood for everything that misplaced faith and the routines that we all run Daksha dreaded. Shiva was a Vratya, and the most through thoughtlessly. He points out to our distinguished among them, Ekavratya, an adulation of that which should not be esteemed; unorthodox hermit, who lived by his own rules, not and to our neglect of that which ought to be valued. always acceptable to traditional society. He refused Virabhadra’s message is to open our heart; to to conform to the ways of the world. embrace everything that life has given us, without Vrathyas were a community of dissenters, fear or prejudice. Virabhadra destroys in order to social rebels and ascetics living under a set of save. strange religious vows (). They totally 1. INTRODUCTION rejected the Vedic rites and . Vratyas followed their own cult-rules and practices; and did The origin and the relevance of Virabhadra have to not care either for the rituals or for initiations be appreciated in the context of the running quarrel (adhikshitah); and not at all for celibacy (Na hi between Daksha and Shiva spread over many brahmacharyam charanthi).They did not engage eons, .(astronomical time) . The two themselves in agriculture (Na krshim) or in trade mighty personages represent two different realities, (Na vanijyam).They behaved as if they were two divergent faiths, two separate streams of possessed ( grithaha) or drunk or just understanding and two opposed world orders. mad. They roamed about the countryside and lived among the warriors, herdsmen and farmers. They 2. HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF were worshippers of , Isana or Mahadeva; VIRABHADRA and yet were regarded irreligious. In the words of Daksha meaning ‘able, competent, skilled ‘in Shri DSamapth, they were the ‘freethinkers who performing rituals, is rooted in the propriety and gave a very time and space based approach to the the relevance of elaborate rituals; and in their issues; and, were the initial social scientists with techniques as prescribed in the scriptures. He is rationality as the anchor’. also a great believer in the organized hierarchy of Shiva, Rudra the wild one, like a true Vratya, gods and the proper order of apportioning the wandered among cremation grounds with a rowdy oblation among various levels of gods. He is one of bunch of renegades consuming intoxicants

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-4, 2016 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in forbidden in polite society and slept amidst the experience; and between the man of the world and warmth of burning funeral pyres. He sang and the one who has cast off all concerns and danced whenever and wherever he wanted to with obligations. little heed to decorum and protocol. Shiva refused The Indian traditions, for some reason, have to indulge in any social rule having pretentions of always regarded content-less intuitional respect. He had no home, no possessions, no understanding and recognition of 'what Is’ as being family, no vocation; he was a drifter, ritually far superior to belief systems or a schools of impure, unsuitable for married life. thought. Our ancients always asserted that the Uma was the daughter of Himavat (Uma immediate experience ( sakshat ) which Haimavathi) by Menaka or Mena [In this version liberates is truly superior to the intellectual she is not related to Daksha]; she was desperately knowledge of scriptures, rites and rituals. They in love with Shiva but had a hard time persuading explained it as the sort of experience that leads to him to marry her. Shiva narrated all his the true understanding of the problems of being and disqualifications that failed to make him a becoming; that which aids to cross over all sorrows dependable householder. Despite that, Uma (shokasya param trayathi); and to realize one’s followed Shiva wherever he went, over hills, across true identity. It is beyond the understanding of the desolate plains and dense forests and through intellect; it is experience (we shall return to this cremation grounds. Shiva at first ignored Uma. He theme a little later). barely acknowledged her. Uma finally told her The Daksha –Shiva conflict enacts the theme of reluctant lover, “It is for the good of both of us. limited formal learning giving place to expansive You are incomplete without me and I am intuitional understanding. This theme manifests in incomplete without you. I do not ask for anything, life, in all ages, in various forms.The ego fears for but you. I accept you for what you are, not deterred its death, so it refuses to surrender to the heart. But, by what you do not have...I would like to observe it eventually does give in. The old sage with you”. Shiva could no longer be without his wryly remarks “in every age Daksha and the rest loving consort. are born and are again destroyed." Daksha Prajapathi’s intense dislike of Shiva The emergence of Virabhadra as Shiva’s was because the latter was a vagrant, a tramp who instrument for destruction of Daksha’s small ’ego’ had neither commitments nor sense of values in and for awakening of true understanding in him life. Daksha called Shiva – a Kapalin having occurs when Daksha was born as the son of neither father nor mother, impure , incorrigible and Prachetas and Marisha; and was designated as proud abolisher of rites and demolisher of barriers Prajapathi in age of Vaivasvata . who roams about in dreadful cemeteries, attended by hosts of ghosts and sprites, like a madman, 4. DAKSHA -AS DEPECITED naked, with disheveled hair, wearing a garland of IN ,SMRITHIS AND EPICS skulls and ornaments of bones of the dead, The performance of the magnificent and most pretending to be Siva (auspicious), but in reality elaborate Brahaspathi – savana - yajna by Daksha is a- Siva (inauspicious), insane, leader of the Prajapathi must have been a highly significant insane Bhutas (spirits), the wicked hearted whose event in the very ancient past. The Daksha story nature is essentially darkness.'Let this Bhava became a ground for fertile epic imagination. (Siva), lowest of the gods, never, at the of Countless versions of the event were described the gods, receive any portion along with the gods elaborately in various Puranas, epics and folk , Upendra (), and others’. legends; each version, of course, bending the event to champion its own pet theme. 3. PERCEPTION OF SHIVA BY UMA By all accounts, ‘Daksha’s ’ shook the Uma’s perception of Shiva is of a different kind. It old world and brought in a new world order. Shorn is non-judgmental absolute faith and intense love. of prejudices and rhetoric, the legend indicates that There are no words to describe it otherwise. It Rudra-Shiva an unorthodox god stormed his way obviously is unwise. But, that foolish wisdom is a into the world of established order, secured there a precious gift of grace received in humility of mind prominent undisputed status among all gods and and simplicity of heart; an un-bounded loving claimed a fair share of esteem and oblations that energy that transforms the world more effectively were due to him. It also amply demonstrates the than the rhetoric. But, that rarely happens. futility and irrelevance of mere scriptural learning, The Daksha - Shiva conflict is more along the rituals and ; and upholds the way of right- traditional lines, It is between establishment and understanding as the means to liberation from all anti-establishment. It occurs in every generation sorrows. and all the time. It is the conflict between normal But the core of the story seems to be in learning and intuitional understanding; between the the Taittiriya (2.6.8)i , where the gods, conventional point of and the transcendental

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-4, 2016 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in excluded Rudra from a sacrifice; and he pierced the relate the origins of its Shakthi peethas and to base sacrifice with an arrow; thereafter a ‘well offered its legends. yajna(svista)’ was submitted to Rudra. Gopatha There is however a dichotomy in these narrations; Brahmanatoo carries a similar story where and it is not adequately explained. The followers of Prajapathi deprived Rudra of his share in the Yajna; Shiva, mainly the Pashpathas, did not seem to have then Rudra pierced the Yajna (prasitra) and gained faith or respect for the Vedic rituals and their his share. In these brief references, there is no efficacy. Yet, they fight very hard, even by mention of Daksha by name; and Rudra gains his violence, to secure their leader a fair share in the share of the Yajna by force. There, of course, is no Yajna and to see him established in the hierarchy of Virabhadra. the Devas. And, eventually they agreed to become There is another reference to Shiva and Daksha in a part of the very Yajna which they set out to . The King Janaka describes the great destroy. bow Shiva Dhanus as the one wielded by Shiva In any case, several Puranas together have woven when he threatened to destroy Daksha’s Yajna a very complicated ( at times confusing ) maze of because Devas had not offered Shiva a portion of stories involving assumed traditional proprieties, the oblations. In this version of the legend also their alleged breach, disputed claims, divided there is no mention of Rudra commissioning loyalties and prejudices for and against Shiva or Virabhadra, or anyone else, to destroy the sacrifice Vishnu; and, an undecided stand on the efficacy of or put the gods to flight. He is simply said to Vedic rituals. wound the gods with his bow. All these references indicate that Shiva (it is not 6. NARRATIONS IN PURANA clear if he was the same as the Rudra of the Rig Of the several versions of the Daksha Yajna, the Veda) who perhaps was at the periphery was narrations in Vayu Purana, perhaps the oldest of the determined to break into the world of Vedic rituals, extant puranas and in are restrained to be recognized as one of the major gods and to and comparatively brief. They describe, in secure a fair portion of the Yajna because of substance, the waste of food and drinks stored for the esteem associated with it. the Yajna and the burning of the Yajna. Here, Devi The later epic –poets strung together these is presented, without a preamble, as Parvathi or references; and spun amazingly elaborate and Uma daughter of Himavat (Uma Haimavathi) by divergent tales around Shiva - Daksha Prajapathi Menaka or Mena .In this version she is not related conflict.The various Puranas were structured, to Daksha; she does not also visit the Yajna; and basically, in two levels. One, Daksha and Shiva she does not die (out of grief at the insult directed were projected as two opposite poles in the society; at her husband).There are no references in these Daksha representing the establishment and Shiva versions to the previous conflicts or the enmity that the anti - establishment and everything that Daksha existed between Daksha and Shiva. Here, Shiva’s hated. anger is directed not so much against Daksha as Uma the Devi was the gracious link of love that against the unfair arrangement devised by the connected the two opposing worlds. Devas to deprive him of a share of the Yajna. He The other was the determination of the Devas to wills Yajna to be disrupted; but he does not continue to keep Shiva out of the Vedic fold and to command Virabhadra to kill Daksha. Shiva left to refuse him recognition within its orthodox himself, perhaps, would have accepted the position framework by denying him a share of the Yajna; as it were but for Devi who felt slighted and did not and Shiva’s repeated, determined and forceful want to see her husband belittled by other gods. efforts to secure the esteem which he thought was Here, Uma is terribly unhappy that her husband is due to him. He does eventually succeed not merely not invited to a great Yajna where all other gods in gaining acceptance but also in becoming the participate joyously. And she anxiously enquires premier god in the Vedic pantheon revered with why he does not proceed to the Yajna; what holds fair share of the Yajna oblations. Along with that, him back? Mahadeva replied ‘This is the the Pashupathas stood to gain some recognition contrivance that in all sacrifices no portion should within the Vedic fold, though it was conceded very be assigned to me’. Devi is filled with ‘deep sorrow reluctantly. and trembling’ and is hardly able to restrain as her husband ‘of unsurpassable splendor, glory and 5. SHIVA’S DICHOTOMY IN power’ is excluded from share of oblations. Then, ANCIENT TEXTS after prodding from Parvathi, Shiva says “O queen In addition, two other minor themes run through of the gods, behold whom I shall create for the the narrations: One is the element of Shiva –Vishnu purpose of claiming my share of the oblation in the rivalry; and the other is the efforts of the Shaktha yajna”. cult to use the events at Daksha-yajna in order to He then creates Virabhadra from his mouth .In these versions; there is no beheading of either the

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-4, 2016 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

Yajna who assumed the form of a deer or of sweetly , meditated intensely; he was endowed with Daksha. There is also no mention of beating up and faculties of wisdom, dispassion , power, penance, mutilating various gods and sages assembled at the truth, endurance , fortitude and self-knowledge. Yajna. Daksha at the end realizes his folly and submits to Shiva who pardons and grants him 8. FORMS OF VIRABHADRA salvation. Yajna is concluded successfully. All ends well. Virabhadra of Rudra-manohara –rupa, of terrifying and the same time heart warming form, 7. DEPICTION OF VIRABHADRA IN born of Shiva’s potent mouth was thus like Purusha MAHA AND VAYU of Rig Veda of immense strength and splendor, a PURANA great being with a huge body the size of any mountain, ablaze and adorned with crescent moon. Lets us briefly go over the narrations as provided His monstrous exterior disguised his true nature of in vayupuranaii, and Mahabharatha-Book:Shanthi vibrancy – full of wisdom, detachment, Parva:Mokshadharma Parva.iii sovereignty, asceticism, truth, patience, fortitude, “ Having spoken thus to his beloved the mighty lordship and self knowledge .He greatly resembled Mahadeva created out of his mouth a most Shiva whose emanation he was. magnificent and frightening being glowing like the The mighty Virabhadra knelt down upon the fire of fate (kaala-); a divine being with ground in respect and raising his hands on to his thousand heads , thousand eyes , thousand feet , head in reverence addressed Mahadeva “Sovereign thousand arms , wielding a thousand clubs, of gods, Command me! What is it you desire me to thousand shafts ; holding the , , do?” Mahadeva charged Virabhadra to “destroy the mace, bearing a blazing bow and battle axe; fierce yajna of Daksha” and terrible shining with dreadful splendour; Then the powerful Virabhadra having heard of the decorated with crescent moon; clothed in tiger skin; pleasure of his Lord bowed down his head to the dripping with blood; having a capacious stomach feet of his Master and jumping out like a lion and a vast mouth armed with sharp loosed from shackles he rushed to despoil the protruding formidable tusks; his tongue was Yajna of Daksha. The wrath of Devi took the form lightening; his hands brandished thunderbolt; of the fearful Rudrakali. She accompanied flames streamed from his hair; a necklace of pearls Virabhadra with all her train to witness the wound around his neck; a garland of flames destruction. descended from his breast; radiant with luster he Virabhadra then created from the pores of his skin glowed brilliantly like the final-fire of destruction powerful demigods the the attenders on that consumes all existence. Rudra, of equal valor and strength, who poured out Four tremendous tusks projected from his wide in hundreds and thousands. Then, a loud and mouth extending from ear to ear; he was of vast confused clamor filled the air and heavens with bulk, vast strength a mighty war god and destroyer dread. The mountains tottered , the earth shook, the of universe and like a vast fig-tree in spread, winds roared wildly, the depths of the oceans were shining like a hundred moons at once; fierce as the disturbed; the fires lost their radiance and the sun fire of love; sharp white teeth and mighty grew pale; the panels of the firmaments shone not; fierceness , vigor, activity and courage; glowing neither did the stars give light; ceased their like a thousand fiery suns at the end of the world; hymns; and gods and demons alike were muted; like a thousand undimmed moons; in bulk like thick darkness enveloped the sky like blankets. Himadrri , Kailasa and Meru or Mandara with all Virabhadra and his Ganas set out in chariots drawn its gleaming herbs ; bright as the sun at the end of by ten thousand lions. Among his bodyguards were ages; of irresistible power; beautiful aspects; Sixty-four groups of , Shakhini, Dakhini, irascible with lowered eyes and a countenance of along with Bhutas, Pramathas (churn spirits) burning sun; clothed in the hide of elephant and guhyaka (guardian of hidden treasures), Bhiravas, lion and girdle of snakes; wearing a turban on the kshetrapalas and other types of spirits and fiends. head, moon in his brows. In the meantime, , one of the sages Sometimes savage; sometimes benign; having a assembled at the Yajna is distressed when he learns chaplet of flowers on his head; anointed with that Rudra had not been invited. He queries various fragrant perfumes adorned with variety of Daksha, “Why do you not offer homage to the god ornaments and many designs of jewels ; wearing a who is the lord of life?” and remarks “The man heavy garland of karnikara flowers and rolling his who what ought not to be worshipped or eyes in rage. Sometimes he danced wildly , pays not reverence where reverence is due, is sometimes he sang out aloud, sometimes he wept guilty, most assuredly, of heinous sin”. out uncontrollably; sometimes he spoke gently

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-4, 2016 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

To which, Daksha laughs and replies “I have these provisions that have been prepared with much already many present, armed with tridents, effort and time, which now have been eaten, wearing braided hair, and existing in eleven forms. drunken and destroyed by hosts may not have been I recognize no other Mahadeva”. Dadhichi prepared in vain”. “So be it” said the merciful lord. offended by Daksha’s reply walks out of the Yajna Whereupon the relieved Daksha fell upon the feet warning it would not be completed. of Mahadeva and burst into hymns, celebrating one Then the gloom emerged fearful and numerous thousand and eight names of the lord.” hideous forms, shouting aloud frightening battle cries instantly broke and overturned the sacrificial The story, though it highlights vandalism and altar and danced amidst the oblations. Running destruction, it is, in essence, the glorification of wildly hither and thither like hurricanes they tossed Shiva as the Supreme Lord. He destroyed the about the implements and vessels of the yajna. The sacrifice from which the Devas had excluded him; piles of the wood and the beverages stocked for the and having destroyed it he made it the whole again Devas like little mountains; the rivers of ; the and won his share. After the destruction of the banks of curds and butter; the sands of honey, Yajna the Devas lost their creative power. It is said; buttermilk and sugar; the mounds of condiments the Devas did not fully understand Mahadeva the and spices of every flavor; the undulating knolls of great god, ferocious and kind at the same time; flesh and other vandals; the mounds of celestial ruthless at one time, kind and benevolent at liquor, pastes and confections which had been another; a demon and an ascetic. That is the pristine prepared; these the spirits of wrath devoured with nature of Shiva. glee. As the Devas praised Shiva they all Pashus were Then falling upon the assembled Devas the vast relieved of their bonds and Shiva became their and furious Rudras mocked and insulted the Lord Pashupathi. He gave back to each god his of nymphs and quickly put an end to the Yajna. His creative power and understanding .The gods sacrifice being destroyed, Daksha overcome with recognized Shiva as the lord of the knowledge that terror and utterly broken in spirit fell upon the liberates - Pashupathi.In substance, the event was ground. The multitude of the assembled Devas in primarily a solemn Vedic event to which all disarray cried out helplessly “O Rudras have pity important persons of that age were invited. Daksha on us thy servants; o lord dismiss thy anger”.They who performed the yajna appeared a follower of all pleaded “Declare who you are. Which are Vishnu; and obviously there were many others who you”.Virabhadra shouted back “I am not a Deva or were not. A participant, perhaps a follower of the an Aditya; nor I come here for enjoyment; nor am I Pashpatha School which dominated the mountain curious to see the various Devas. Know you all that areas, points out the lapse in not inviting Shiva and I am here to destroy the despicable Yajna of suggests that could be rectified by more equitable Daksha; I am Virabhadra springing forth from the representation. Daksha annoyed at that, spurns the wrath of Rudra; Bhadra who sprang from the suggestion. But eventually Daksha learns his lesson anger of Devi is sent here with her multitudes of the hard way; and submits to the strength of the spirits to destroy the yajna. Take refuge you all Pahupathas. It was the triumph of Pashpatha; but Devas and Rishis at the feet of Rudra the lord of then thereafter they seemed to soften their stern Uma; f or better is the anger of Rudra than the stand. blessing of the Devas (ymram Icrodho 'pi devasya vara-danam na chanyatah)”. In one of the Versions of the event, Nandisvara, an ardent follower of Mahadeva very strongly Suppressing his vital airs – prana and apana- and condemns Vedic rituals as also those who believe taking a position of meditation, Daksha tried fixing in it : '' let him, from a desire of vulgar pleasures, his thoughts .Then god of gods, Mahadeva practice the round of ceremonies, with an appeared out of the sacrificial altar resplendent as understanding degraded by Vedic prescriptions. thousand suns, smiled upon him and said “Daksha Forgetting the nature of soul, with a mind which your Yajna has been destroyed through the sacred contemplates other things, let Daksha continue to knowledge. I am well pleased with you. What shall exist in this world of ceremonial ignorance. Let the I do for you?” enemies of Rudra whose minds are disturbed by the flowery words of the Veda, become deluded! Let Then Daksha frightened, distressed and alarmed those , eating all sorts of food, professing fell on his four, his eyes suffused with tears and knowledge and practicing austerities and hands raised over his brows in reverence and ceremonies merely for subsistence, delighting in submission pleaded with the mighty Lord” If you riches and in corporeal and sensual enjoyments, are pleased with me, have mercy on me, confer me wander about as beggars! ". this boon, this is the blessing I beseech of you, all

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Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-4, 2016 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

The sage spokesperson of the orthodox This explains the destruction caused by Virabhadra who were present at the sacrifice launched a to satisfy his master-Shiva counter attack and cursed the Pashupathas : 'Let those who practice the rites of Bhava (Mahadeva) FOOTNOTES having lost their purity, deluded in understanding, wearing matted hair, and ashes and bones, let them vBhasin RV, "Mahabharata" published by undergo the initiation of Shiva, in which spirituous liquor is the deity ”. The Pashupathas that Bhrigu National Publications, India, 2007. Oldenberg, described might be the forerunner of the Naga H. Das Mahabharata, Göttingen (1922). of all weird appearances who throng the Kumbha Mela.As mentioned earlier, the legend as narrated in Vayu Purana is simpler and more 1iMani, Vettam. Puranic Encyclopedia. 1st restrained. The story however gets complicated and English ed. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, more violent in other Puranas. For instance, in Purana, is described as the daughter of 1975. Daksha prajapathi who is unhappy with Shiva his 1v ṇ son-in-law because Daksha thought Shiva did not Rocher, Ludo (1986). "The Purā as". In Jan offer him the respect he deserved. And when Sati Gonda (ed.). A History of Indian Literature. his daughter visits him next, Daksha abuses Shiva and turns Sati out of his house. Sati in deep sorrow Vol.II, Epics and religious literature, and anguish gives up her life. Shiva on hearing the Fasc.3. Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. horrible news curses Daksha. Shiva then did penance and obtained Sati again reborn as Parvathi pp. 241–2. daughter of Parvatha-raja. She also undertook 1Taittiriya Samhita(2.6.8) Albrecht penance to obtain Shiva as her husband. It is in her ṃ next birth that the much talked about Yajna takes Weber, Die Taittirîya-Sa hitâ, Leipzig, place. The Linga, , Skanda, Padma and Indische Studien 11-12, Brockhaus (1871, Bhagavatha puranas mention of disputes between the daughter and her father in greater detail and say 1872) that Sati put an end to herself out of devotion and 1 Wilson’s translation of Vayu- Purana. love to her husband. REFERENCES It is only in Kasi kanda, a long poem, forming a [1] Albrecht Weber, Die Taittirîya-Sahitâ, Leipzig, part of the Skanda Purana that Sati throws herself into fire. This could be an improvement over Vayu Indische Studien 11-12, Brockhaus (1871, 1872) purana and other versions. [2] Bhasin RV, "Mahabharata" published by The exploits of Virabhadra and his Ganas are more particularly described in the Linga, Skanda and National Publications, India, 2007. Oldenberg, Bhagavata puranas. Here, on hearing of the death H. Das Mahabharata, Göttingen (1922). of Sati, Shiva enraged produced out his wrath a terrible form of Virabhadra and asked him to [3] Gopinatha Rao T. A., Elements of Hindu destroy Daksha’s Yajna. adds a iconography , Motilal Banarsidass Publishers more picturesque creation of Virabhadra .Shiva (Pvt. Limited), 31-Dec 1997 pulls out locks of matted hair and strikes against the mountain rocks. However, In it [4] Jitendra Banerjea,The Development Of is the Devi who requests Shiva to create ,Kessinger Publishing, 01- Virabhadra. According to Mahabharata, Virabhadra Sep-2004 was born out of Shiva’s brow. The destruction and violence are particularly described in these texts. Indra is knocked down and trampled upon; has his shaft broken; Saraswathi and Maitra have their noses cutoff; Mitra or has his eyes pulled out; Pusan has his teeth thrust down his throat; is pummeled; Agni’s hands are cut off; Bhrigu loses his beard; the are pelted with stone; Prajapathi is beaten up; and all Devas and semi Devas run through the swords, struck with trident or pierced with arrows.

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