As I Know: The Lord of the Mountains – Shiv Purana: 126

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Brahma undergoes penance for achieving a divine objective and meditates on lord Shiva, who blesses Pitahamaha and stands before as immortal body transformed into a man and a woman in equivalent ratio…and Brahma finds Shiva is beyond the understanding of even Gods

Pitahamaha contemplated on aadhya – the other half of the divine aspect, a feminine constituent, the eternal, the beloved of prajas and an image of the subtle. He thought of an embodiment of purity, the knower of feelings and enchanting virtues, nirguna – the formless, infinite, unambiguous and perfect and niskala – beyond time and death, immeasurable and the supreme power living near the ‘Three-Eyed lord’ and is inseparable part of lord Shiva. He thought of lord Shiva, the quintessence of virtues of goddess Parvati and therefore, meditating on him, Brahma underwent intense tapa and penance.

herefore, Brahma was engaged in deep and austere tapa. Lord Mahadeva was pleased and satisfied with the Supreme (paramesthi) Brahma very soon. Later on, he took an amazing and divine figure out of an anirvachneeya – the subtlest and unknowable - Paramatma and Maya,’ an undefined portion and it entered the body of lord Mahadeva in two equal parts. One part of the body was of a woman and the other part constituted a male figure. Thus, lord Mahadeva transformed the mortal nay an immortal body into a man and a woman in equal proportion, and appeared before Brahma.

Supreme Brahma got up, bowed reverentially, and saluted Mahadeva, the omnipresent, the divine philanthropist, beyond sat-asata – truth-untruth, who carried many appellations called eternal refuge of devotees. Thereafter, he folded hands and praised Mahadeva and Parvati.

Supreme Brahma eulogised Mahadeva and goddess Parvati, and spoke of the essence in dignified lexis and told that it was impossible for the gods of heavens to understand the lord’s divine image

Supreme Brahma said, “O lord Mahadeva, I salute you. You are the Supreme lord of gods. O Maheshwara, I salute you. You are an embodiment of all virtues. You are the lord of gods, O Sankara. O heavenly patron in the image of Nature, O holy Uma, I salute you. You are the guide of Nature. I salute you. You are nature and still you are distantly apart from nature. O goddess, I salute you. You are the beauty and splendeur of nature. O goddess Parvati, I bow and salute you. You are the Supreme Mahamaya and treasure of wishes, O lord I salute you.”

He continued, “O Parvati, you are the mother and the presiding deity of universe, O goddess. I salute you. You are a generous and gracious mother of the entire world. O great lord and goddess, you are the supreme treasure of the pleasures of the world. You are eternal, and the devotees and the believers are eternal like you. With the divine power of three images, you create the three worlds and then, preserve the worlds, and at an appropriate time, you destroy. O great lord and goddess, I salute you. You are the soul – atma, ‘the inner self’ and ‘the Supreme self’ of the three worlds, and so you are the lord and goddess of three souls. O lord, I salute you.”

He said further, “You are the origin and the source of the essence of the universe, and through your generosity it expands and widens the dimensions and range of mercy and compassion, you display. During the great annihilation, you are indifferent and cynical to creation and so a devastating fire emanates from the divine eyes and it reduces physical existence to nonbeing and ruins. O lord, I salute you.”

“O goddess, it is impossible even for the gods to fathom the divine image and the elementary nature of knowledge and wisdom. O goddess, I salute you. The light of inner knowledge illumines you O goddess, and it is subtle and beyond grasp. You are all pervasive as an embodied being, for you exist in each living being. You are the wide-ranging and integrated foundation of the entire galaxy and essence of the universe, the fundamental principles and the souls. Most exalted and venerable attendants keep the sacred feet on the forehead of asuras, however big and mighty they are. You are the most gifted and competent power and so, protect devotees and people seeking refuge.” Vayudeva continued to tell great monks what Brahma said as he praised lord Shiva and goddess Parvati.

Supreme Brahma continued to shower myriad praise on lord Mahadeva and Parvati. Still, he was unable to admire. He visualised the lord and goddess in different images and virtues, shapes and designs that constituted the universe and its creation. The great lord and goddess were the self-illumined and the symbols of benign and magnanimous karmas, the annihilators of the sins, crimes and violent doings, and the dispellers of darkness he knew. The lords brought hopes and light everywhere to delight devotees, he understood.

Supreme Brahma was still not satisfied with unlimited eulogies he showered on lord Shiva and goddess Parvati – the great lord Ardhnarishwara.

At last, he said, “O destroyer of ignorance and darkness, O lord Shiva and goddess Shivei, you assumed the form of calamitous fire and destroyed the fort of Tripura. I salute you. You are an embodiment of three gunas: sattva, rajas and tamas. You are the churner of the three gunas and thus, you embody the gunas. You are the cause and the original knower of everything. Decorated with divine limbs you bestow knowledge on created beings and fulfill desires. You live in a supreme abode and therefore, the hymns in praise I sing are insufficient to describe the glory of divinity. I pray and entreat with intense devotion. Please forgive for the sins and crimes I commit.”

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