The Most Popular Stories of Shiva, the Destroyer
Lord Shiva is one of three principle Hindu deities, along with Brahma and Vishnu. Especially in Shavais—one of the four main branches of Hinduism, Shiva is regarded as the Supreme Being responsible for creation, destruction, and everything in between. For other Hindu sects, Shiva's reputation is as the Destroyer of Evil, existing on equal footing with Brahma and Vishnu.
It is no surprise, then, that legends and mythological tales surround Lord Shiva abound. Here are a few of the most popular ones:
The Creation of the Ganges River
A legend from the Ramayana speaks of King Bhagirath, who once meditated before Lord Brahma for a thousand years for the salvation of the souls of his ancestors. Pleased with his devotion, Brahma granted him a wish; the king then requested that the Lord send the river goddess Ganges down to earth from heaven so that she could flow over his ancestors' ashes and wash their curse away and allow them to go to heaven.
Brahma granted his wish but requested that the king first pray to Shiva, for Shiva alone could support the weight of Ganga's descent. Accordingly, King Bhagrirath prayed to Shiva, who agreed that Ganga could descend while entwined in the locks of his hair. In one variation of the story, an angry Ganga tried to drown Shiva during the descent, but the Lord powerfully held her motionless until she relented. After meandering down through Shiva's thick matted locks, the holy river Ganges appeared on earth.
For modern Hindus, this legend is re-enacted by a ceremonial ritual known as bathing the Shiva Lingam.
Once a hunter who was chasing a deer wandered into a dense forest found himself on the banks of river Kolidum, where he heard the growl of a tiger. To protect himself from the beast, he climbed up a tree nearby. The tiger pitched itself on the ground below the tree, demonstrating no intention to leave. The hunter stayed up in the tree all night and to keep himself from falling asleep, he gently plucked one leaf after another from the tree and threw it down.
Once a hunter who was chasing a deer wandered into a dense forest found himself on the banks of river Kolidum, where he heard the growl of a tiger. To protect himself from the beast, he climbed up a tree nearby. The tiger pitched itself on the ground below the tree, demonstrating no intention to leave. The hunter stayed up in the tree all night and to keep himself from falling asleep, he gently plucked one leaf after another from the tree and threw it down.
