Rudra-Shiva concept (Study)

by Maumita Bhattacharjee | 2018 | 54,352 words

This page relates ‘Rishabha incarnation’ 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.

In the Purāṇa, there is an account of the Ṛṣabha incarnation of Śiva. This form of Śiva is very merciful. Once upon a time, there was a prince, Bhadrāyu. He died of infection by poison. Śiva made him (Bhadrāyu) alive. One day when Bhadrāyu was sixteen years old, Śiva taking the form of a great yogī named Ṛṣabha, went to him[1] and conferred him a divine conch and a sword as a boon after becoming pleased with his prayer.[2]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

avatāreṇa me yena bhadrāyurnṛpabālakaḥ | jīvito hi mṛtaḥ kṣeḍadoṣato janakojjhitaḥ || prāpte’tha ṣoḍaśe varṣe tasya rājaśiśoḥ punaḥ | yayau tadveśaṃ sahasā ṛṣabhaḥ sa madātmakaḥ || Ibid., 3.4.40-41

[2]:

tataḥ sa kavacaṃ divyaṃ śaṅkhaṃ khaṅgaṃ ca bhāsvaram | dadau tasmai prasannātmā sarvaśatruvināśanam || Ibid., 3.4.43

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