Shiva- the ultimate God
Book Review for Shiva by Ramesh Menon
This book encompasses the myth of Shiva-Sati, Shiva-Parvati, origin stories of Ganesha and Kartikeya, stories about all twelve Jyotirlingas, and demons which Shiva kills, which can’t be killed by other Gods. Stories here make one believe why is Shiva the biggest of Gods, not the Vishnu, Sustainer of God trinity, (one might get a different feeling if one reads some other Puranas), as there are some stories where Vishnu has accepted the defeat and either went to Shiva or sent Indra, King of Heaven, perpetually troubled by Asuras, to Shiva for help.
I learned that many characters like Rudra, Virabhadra and Kirtimukha (he who eats himself, Google it!) emerge from Shiva, and are actually essence Shiva. I previously thought Shiva reincarnated themselves into them but not Shiva sent them out while he was busy doing meditation or sex. His stories with Sati and Parvati (both reincarnation of Mother Goddess Kali) shows the human side of God we know not much off. Story of Sati, as it is told here, seemed like a warning story for parents of a female child. It is essentially a story of girl who wasn’t loved by her parents at all and ended up self-immolating herself. Of course, she would be born again: what would Shiva without her? But one must have a strong reason for the Goddess to be reborn and her marriage with Shiva. So thanks to Brahma, creator of God trinity, who gave a boon to Tarakasura that he will die only at the hands of Shiva’s son. So, that’s why Kartikeya/Murugan, was born, who has mysterious birth (read can’t explain scientifically! Same goes for Shiva’s other son, Ganesha) and unique childhood. Third son Shiva which is not well known in northern India is Ayyappan or Ayyappa Swamy, who originated from lusty union of Shiva with Mohini (Vishnu), in presence of Parvati. (One might read the reasons like some asura will only be killed by the union of two males, which seems like a later addition to me. I could be wrong!)
The two villains who turned out to be almost invincible until, of course, Shiva Showed up to the fight (yes they weren’t even killed by Shiva’s positive essences: Rudra, Virabhadra etc.) are Jalandhara and Andhaka (both originated from Shiva’s essence. Surprise!). Their birth and their childhood once again demonstrate the inability of Shiva to really take parenting seriously (Remember Kartikeya was abandoned too! Nope, I haven’t heard that they raise him either.) as he abandoned Jalandhara or given Andhaka for foster parenting to asuras. They were tough villains and had to be killed using Oedipus complex, when these asuras have taken a liking to their own mother, Parvati, unknowingly, of course. Shiva used this glitch in the boon to kill two of his sons.
Though I thoroughly enjoyed the stories narrated in this book but Shiva, being the biggest God, granted these stories an inevitability that by the end everything will be alright (no surprise), of happiness. In addition, the author had often ended the stories, with religious warnings and morals.
Overall, author has curated interesting stories from Shiva Purana which paints the picture of ultra cool, aloof, meditative, and destructive Shiva. He had also narrated stories about his family and his villains. I only wish that the author had told them with complete abandon, without the baggage of religiousness, as he did in his book, Krishna.