Shri Shiva Mahapuran with Illustrations

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Shiva Puran, one of the major puranas of the eighteen Puranas, has been completely ascribed to Lord Shiva. This work also deals with the same subjects, characteristic of the ancient Puranas-creation of the world, genealogies etc, as the Vishnu Puran. Only here the legends which are related serve for the glorification of Shiva, not of Vishnu. The Shiva Puran is the compilation of the instructions provided by Lord Shiva Dharmana while sitting in the posture of linga (phallus). on The Purana speaks of the twenty-eight forms of Lord Shiva and contains 11,000 verses depicting the deeds of Shiva. The common belief runs that if the book is given as a gift to a Brahmin with Tiladhenu on the full- moon day in the month of Phalguna (March), the donor will attain Shivasayujya.

A Puran proclaimed by the Wind-god, i.e. a Vayu Puran, is quoted in the Mahabharata as well as in the Harivansa, and the Harivansa in many cases agrees literally with the Vayu Puran. Even the poet Bana is known to have had a Vayu Purana read out to him, and that in this Puran the rule of the Guptas is described as it was in the 4th century A.D. There certainly existed an ancient Puran under this name, and undoubtedly there is still preserved in the text much of the ancient work, which is probably not later than the 5th century A.D.

The Shiva Puran essentially depicts the appearance of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is reckoned as one among the Tridevas (trinity). The Shiva Puran depicts the eternal truth that Lord Brahma is the Creator, Lord Vishnu is the Preserver and Lord Shiva the Destroyer. According to the Shiva Puran, Lord Shiva is also considered as the Lord of Shakti or power. Lord Shiva is depicted as having on his left side the Goddess Parvati, the Ganges and the moon on his forehead, poison in the throat and cobras on the chest, and he is the protector of the entire mortal world.

The Shiva Puran contains a detailed description of the Shiva family. Shiva family is a conglomerate of strange things, which are opposite to each other. In spite of their inevitable enmity in the mortal world they exist side by side. Shiva has the ox as his vehicle and the snake as a garland. On the contrary Parvati, who is the form of Shakti (power), has the lion as her vehicle. Lion is a natural enemy of the ox. Kartikeya's vehicle is a peacock, which is an enemy of the snake that adorns Lord Shiva's chest. Lord Ganesha has the mouse as his vehicle. The mouse is a natural prey of the snake. Amidst these strange diversities, Lord Shiva remains submerged in his Sadhana with full concentration. The significance of these strange diversities is that the creatures dwelling in the cosmos created by Brahma are different from each other. Hence, it is natural that their intellect and thoughts would be different as well. Thus, the sole idea is that if unity is maintained in a combined family despite multitude of diversities and controversies, the family would never face any wrath on the purpose of Sadhana and the means to achieve it. The Shiva family according to the Shiva Puran maintained unity in diversity. The unity is marked in the purpose of Sadhana.

Shiva Puran, one of the major puranas of the eighteen Puranas, has been completely ascribed to Lord Shiva. This work also deals with the same subjects, characteristic of the ancient Puranas- creation of the world, genealogies etc, as the Vishnu Puran. Only here the legends which are related serve for the glorification of Shiva, not of Vishnu. The Shiva Puran is the compilation of the instructions provided by Lord Shiva on Dharma while sitting in the posture of linga (phallus). The Purana speaks of the twenty-eight forms of Lord Shiva and contains 11,000 verses depicting the deeds of Shiva. The common belief runs that if the book is given as a gift to a Brahmin with Tiladhenu on the full- moon day in the month of Phalguna (March), the donor will attain Shivasayujya.

A Puran proclaimed by the Wind-god, i.e. a Vayu Puran, is quoted in the Mahabharata as well as in the Harivansa, and the Harivansa in many cases agrees literally with the Vayu Puran. Even the poet Bana is known to have had a Vayu Purana read out to him, and that in this Puran the rule of the Guptas is described as it was in the 4th century A.D. There certainly existed an ancient Puran under this name, and undoubtedly there is still preserved in the text much of the ancient work, which is probably not later than the 5th century A.D.

The Shiva Puran essentially depicts the appearance of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is reckoned as one among the Tridevas (trinity). The Shiva Puran depicts the eternal truth that Lord Brahma is the Creator, Lord Vishnu is the Preserver and Lord Shiva the Destroyer. According to the Shiva Puran, Lord Shiva is also considered as the Lord of Shakti or power. Lord Shiva is depicted as having on his left side the Goddess Parvati, the Ganges and the moon on his forehead, poison in the throat and cobras on the chest, and he is the protector of the entire mortal world.