Shiva has neither a beginning nor an end. God Shiva is the creator of this world as well as the destroyer. According to the scriptures, Shiva has incarnated on this earth many times to protect the religion and be pleased with the devotion of his devotees. So let us know how many incarnations Lord Shiva has taken and what is the secret of those incarnations.
Virbhadra Avatar
This incarnation of Lord Shiva took place at the time of sacrificing the body of Mother Sati in the Yagya organized by Daksha. When Lord Shiva came to know that Sati had left the body, he uprooted a lock of hair from his head in anger and threw it on the mountain. Slammed up. From the east of that Jata, the great fearsome Virbhadra appeared. This incarnation of Shiva destroyed Daksha’s yagya and beheaded Daksha by beheading him.
Pippalad Avatar
The Pippalad incarnation of Lord Shiva has great importance in human life. Saturn’s pain could be resolved only by the grace of Pippalad. According to the legend, when Pippalad asked the gods – what is the reason that my father Dadhichi left me before birth. Gods told me that because of Shani Dev’s vision, your father left you before birth. Pippalad was very angry after hearing this.
He cursed Shani to fall from the constellation. Due to the effect of the curse, Shani Dev started falling from the sky at the same time. On the prayer of the deities, Pippalad forgave Shani on the condition that Shani would not trouble anyone from birth till the age of 16 years. According to Shiva Mahapurana, Brahma himself named this incarnation of Shiva.
Nandi Avatar
Lord Shankar represents all living beings. Shankar’s Nandishwar avatar is also a symbol of the same thing. Nandi (bull) is the symbol of Karma which means Karma is the basic mantra of life. The story of this avatar is as follows. Shilad Muni Brahmachari Seeing the end of their lineage, their forefathers asked Shilad to produce a child. Shilad did penance to Lord Shiva with the desire of having an ionizing and deathless child.
Then Lord Shankar himself gave a boon to Shilad to be born as a son. After some time, while plowing the land, Shilad found a child born from the land. Shilad named him Nandi. Lord Shiva made Nandi his Ganadhyaksha. This is how Nandi became Nandishwar.
Bhairav Avatar
In the Shiva Mahapurana, Bhairav has been described as the complete incarnation of Shiva. Once influenced by the illusion of Lord Shankar, Brahma, and Vishnu began to consider themselves superior. You are my son. So come to my shelter. Lord Shankar got angry after hearing such words from Brahma.
He said to that man – Because of being beautiful like Kaal, you are Kaalraj. Due to the beheading, Bhairav became guilty of the sin of Brahmahatya. In Kashi, Bhairav was freed from the sin of Brahmahatya. Worship of Bhairav has been said to be mandatory for the residents of Kashi.
Ashwatthama Avatar
According to Mahabharata, Guru Dronacharya’s son Ashwatthama was an incarnation of Lord Shankar. Acharya Drona had done severe penance to get Lord Shankar as his son. And Lord Shiva had given him a boon that he would be born in his house as his son. When the time came, Savantika Rudra incarnated from his part as Ashwatthama, the mighty son of Drona. According to Shivmahapuran, Ashwatthama is still alive and he still resides on earth.
Sharabhavtar
Sharabhavatar is the sixth incarnation of Lord Shankar. Lord Shankar’s form in Sharabhavatar was half of the antelope and the rest of the Sharabha bird. If this did not happen, the deities approached Lord Shiva. Then Lord Shiva assumed the form of Sharabhavtara and in this form approached Lord Nrisimha and praised him.
But Narasimha’s anger did not calm down. Seeing this, Lord Shiva wrapped Narasimha in his tail and flew away. Then somewhere, Lord Narasimha’s anger calmed down. He apologized to Sharabhavatar and praised him very humbly.
Grihapati Avatar
Grihapati is the seventh incarnation of Shankar. According to mythology, there was a city named Dharmapura on the banks of Narmada. There lived a sage named Vishwanar and his wife Shuchishmati. Desired to have a son like Shiva. Muni Vishwanar came to Kashi to fulfill the desire of his wife. Here he worshiped the Veeresh Linga of Lord Shiva by severe penance.
One day Muni saw a boy in the middle of Veeresh Linga. Muni worshiped the child-form Shiva. Pleased with his worship, Lord Shiva granted him a boon to incarnate from Shuchishmati’s womb. Later Shuchishmati became pregnant and Lord Shiva became pregnant in Shuchishmati’s womb. Appeared in the form of a son from. It is said that the grandfather Brahma had named that child Grihapati.
Rishi Durvasa Avatar
Sage Durvasa is also considered to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva. According to religious scriptures, Maharishi Atri, the husband of Sati Anusuiya, performed severe penance on Rikshakul mountain with his wife on the instructions of Brahma, with the desire to have a son. Pleased with his penance, Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh all three came to his ashram. He came. He said – you will have three sons from our share. Who will be famous in all three worlds and will increase the fame of the parents.
When the time came, the moon was born from the part of Brahma. From the part of Vishnu, Dattatreya, who popularized the best sannyasi method, was born. And Munivar Durvasa was born from Rudra’s part.
Hanuman Avatar
Lord Shiva’s Hanuman avatar is considered the best of all avatars. In this avatar, Lord Shankar was born as a monkey. According to Shivamahapurana, distributing nectar to the gods and demons. Seeing the Mohini form of Vishnuji, Shivji became lustful and ejaculated himself. The seven sages stored that semen in some leaves.
When the time came, the Saptarishis installed Lord Shiva’s semen in the womb of Anjani, the wife of Vanaraja Kesari, through the ear of Kesari’s wife Anjani, from which very bright and powerful Shri Hanumanji was born.
Vrishabh Avatar
Lord Shiva had incarnated Vrishabh to kill the sons of Sri Vishnu. According to religious texts, when Lord Vishnu went to Patal Lok to kill the demons, he saw many moon-faced women there. These sons of Vishnu created a big disturbance from Patal to the earth.
Frightened by them, Brahmaji took the sages and went to Shivaji and prayed for protection. Then Lord Shankar took the form of Taurus and killed the sons of Vishnu.
Yatinath Avatar
Lord Shankar had tested the Bhil couple by becoming a guest in the form of Yatinath. Because of this, the Bhil couple had to lose their lives. According to the scriptures, a Bhil couple named Ahuk-Ahuka, devotees of Shiva lived near the Arbudachal mountain. Once Lord Shankar in the guise of Yatinath came to their house. They expressed their desire to spend the night at the Bhil couple’s house. Ahuka, reminding her husband of the dignity of the householder, himself took the bow and arrow and spent the night outside.
And proposed to let Yeti rest in the house. In this way, Ahuka went out with the bow and arrow. In the morning Ahuka and Yeti saw that the wild animals had killed Ahuka. He pacified them and said that they should not grieve. Immersion of life in guest service is our religion and we have been blessed by following it. He gave a boon to meet her husband.
Krishna Darshan Avatar
In this incarnation, Lord Shiva has explained the importance of religious works. That is why the incarnation of Krishna Darshan is considered a symbol of religion. According to religious texts, King Nabhag was born in the ninth generation of the Ikshvaku dynasty Shraddhadev. When Nabhag came to know about this, he went to his father.
The father asked Nabhaga to get wealth by performing a yajna. Then Nabhag reached the yagya Bhoomi and performed the yagya by clearly reciting the Vaishya Dev Sukta. Angarik Brahmins gave the remaining money of the yagya to Nabhag and went to heaven. At the same time, Lord Shiva appeared in the form of Krishna. He has the right on the residual money of Yagya.
When there was a dispute, Krishna Darshan Rupdhari Shivji asked him to decide on his father. On the question of Nabhag, Shraddhadev said – that man is Lord Shiva. The residual object in the yagya belongs to him.
Avdhoot Avatar
Lord Shiva had crushed the ego of Indra by taking the Avdhoot avatar. Once upon a time, Indra went to Mount Kailash to see Lord Shiva along with Brihaspati and other deities. To test Indra, Shankarji assumed the form of an Avadhoot and blocked his way. Indra defiantly asked the man his introduction again and again. Still, he remained silent.
Enraged at this, as soon as Indra wanted to release the thunderbolt to strike Avadhoot, his hand became stable. Seeing this, Brihaspati recognized Shiva and praised Avadhoot in many ways. Pleased with this, Shivji forgave Indra.
Bhikshuvarya Avatar
The incarnation of Shiva gives this message that he is the protector of this universe. According to the scriptures, Vidarbha King Satyaratha was killed by the enemies. His pregnant wife saved her life by hiding from her enemies. When the time came, she gave birth to a son. When the queen went to the lake to drink water, she was eaten by the crocodile.
Then that child started suffering from hunger and thirst. Meanwhile, a beggar reached there with the inspiration of Lord Shiva. Then Shivji introduced the child to that beggar in the form of a beggar. And asked him to bring up the child. And also said that this child is the son of King Satyaratha of Vidarbha. After defeating his enemies, he regained his kingdom.
Sureshwar Avatar
The Sureshwar avatar of Lord Shiva reflects his love for the devotee. In this avatar, Lord Shiva, pleased with the devotion of a small boy Upamanyu, gave him the boon of supreme devotion and immortality. According to religious scriptures, Upamanyu, the son of Vyaghrapada, was always troubled by the desire for milk. His mother told him to go to the shelter of Lord Shiva to fulfill his desire.
On this, Upamanyu went to the forest and started chanting Om Namah Shivay. Shivji appeared to him in the form of Sureshwar and started condemning Shivji in many ways. On this, Upamanyu got angry and stood up to kill Indra in the form of Shiva. Seeing Upamanyu’s steadfast strength and unwavering faith, Shivji showed him his true form. And provided him with an immortal ocean like Kshirsagar. On his prayer, gracious Shivji also gave him the post of supreme devotion.
Kirat Avatar
Arjuna’s valor was tested by Lord Shiva in the Kirat avatar. According to the Mahabharata, when Arjuna was doing penance to please Lord Shiva during his exile, a demon named Mud sent by Duryodhana took the form of a pig to kill Arjuna. Arjuna hit the boar with his arrow. At the same time, Lord Shiva also dressed as Kirat shot an arrow at the same boar.
Due to Shiva’s illusion, Arjuna could not recognize him and started saying that the boar was killed by his arrow. There was a dispute between the two. Arjuna fought with Shiva dressed as Kirat. Lord Shiva was pleased to see Arjuna’s bravery and Arjuna appeared in his true form and blessed him with victory over the Kauravas.
Natraj Avatar
To ask for the hand of Parvati’s daughter from Himachal, Parvati’s father, Shivji had dressed as a sun dancer. With Damru in hand, Shivji reached Himachal’s house in the form of a nut and started dancing. Nataraj Shivji danced so beautifully and gracefully that everyone became happy. When Himachal asked Nataraj to beg for alms, Nataraj Shiva offered Parvati alms. Himachalraj got very angry about this.
After some time Nataraj disguised Shivaji showed his form to Parvati and left himself. On his departure, Maina and Himachal got divine knowledge and they decided to give Parvati to Shivaji.
Brahmachari Avatar
When Sati was born again after sacrificing her life in Daksha’s yagya, she did great penance to get Shiva as her husband. To test Parvati, Shiva disguised as a celibate reached her. Worshiped. When Brahmachari asked Parvati the purpose of her penance. After knowing the purpose, he started condemning Shiva.
Parvati got very angry after hearing the condemnation of Shiva. Seeing the devotion and love of Parvati, Shiva showed her his real form. Parvati was overjoyed to see this.
Yaksha Avatar
According to the scriptures, during the churning of the ocean by the deities and the asuras, a terrible poison came out. Lord Shankar took that poison and stopped it in his throat. After this, the pot of nectar came out. By drinking nectar, all the gods became immortal, and they also became proud that they are the most powerful. To break this pride of the gods, Lord Shiva took the form of a Yaksha.
Placing a straw in front of the deities, they were asked to cut it. Even after exerting all their might, the deities could not cut the straw. Then it was heard from the sky that this Yaksha is Lord Shiva, the destroyer of all pride. All the deities praised Lord Shiva and confessed their sins apologized for mistake.
