Rudra's Avatara

Narada said

Vidhatri, very fortunate, supreme among gods, you are blessed. You have let me hear Shiva's wonderful account, supremely purifying. I have heard the auspicious, wonderful and divine account of the origin of the lingam. Hearing of his powers destroys unhappiness. Please tell me what happened next, of his greatness of conduct, and especially of the nature of creation.

Brahma replied

You have asked a fitting question. I will briefly tell you what happened next, as I heard it. In the form of Shiva the eternal god vanished. Lord among brahmanas, Vishnu and I were filled with great happiness. I was in the form of a swan and Vishnu in the form of a boar. Wishing that the worlds be created, we withdrew from the spot.

Narada said

Vidhatri, Brahma, very wise one, I have a great doubt in my heart. Your compassion is unmatched; please dispel it at once. Why did the two of you take the forms of a swan and a boar? Why did you pass over other forms? Please tell me the reason.

Suta said

Hearing the great-souled Narada, Brahma remembered Shiva's lotus feet and answered affectionately.

Brahma replied

A swan can constantly go upward. Besides, as it separates milk from water, it has the discrimination to tell truth from untruth, knowledge from lack of knowledge. That is why Brahma, the creator, took the form of a swan. Narada, but though I took a swan's form, I lost my sense of discrimination, and so in that form of light I could not discern Shiva's own form. How can knowledge arise in one who sets out to create? So despite the swan's form, I did not gain discrimination. A boar can go constantly downward. That is why Vishnu, who roams the forest, took the form of a boar. Or he thought of this form because he foresaw the creation of a new kalpa. Vishnu became a boar because he wished to turn the world into a forest. Since the day Hari took the boar's form, the kalpa known as Varaha kalpa began. By his wishes we took those two forms then. Since that day the new Varaha kalpa has run. Narada, I have answered your question. Now listen. Sage, remembering Shiva's lotus feet, I will describe the process of creation. Mahadeva vanished. Intent on carrying out his instructions, I, grandfather of the worlds, sank in meditation. Bowing to Shambhu, I gained knowledge from Hari. Filled with great bliss, I resolved to create. Vishnu too bowed to Sadashiva. Son, having instructed me, he vanished from the spot. Having gained Shambhu's favour, Vishnu went outside the cosmic egg to the city of Vaikuntha and began to live there.

Wishing to create, I remembered Shiva and Vishnu. The water had already been created and I used it to offer water oblations. Then twenty-four tattvas arose from the egg. Brahmana, the form of water could no longer be seen and the form of Virat arose. I was full of doubts and tormented myself in extremely terrible austerities. For twelve years I meditated on Vishnu. Son, at that time Hari appeared. Full of great affection, he cheerfully touched my body and spoke to me.

Vishnu said

I am pleased with you. Ask a boon. Nothing cannot be given to you. Brahma, by Shambhu's favour I am able to give anything.

Brahma said

Fortunate one, that is fitting. Shambhu has given me to you. Vishnu, I bow to you. So it is right that you now give me what I ask. This cosmic egg is in the form of Virat and has twenty-four tattvas. But it has no consciousness and appears insentient. Hari, by Shiva's favour you have now appeared before me. This egg came from Shankara. Please put consciousness in it.

Brahma continued

Addressed so, great Vishnu, who followed Shiva's instructions, took his form as Ananta and entered the egg. That Purusha had a thousand heads, a thousand eyes and a thousand feet. He touched the ground in every direction and filled the egg. When Vishnu entered the egg, I praised him properly. The egg, with its twenty-four tattvas, became sentient. Hari, lord of the seven worlds beginning with Patala, shone. The Lord was himself Virat Purusha. For his own dwelling the five-faced Lord made the beautiful city of Kailasa, where he shines with all his companions. Divine sage, when the cosmic egg is destroyed, Vaikuntha and Kailasa are never destroyed. Supreme among sages, I live in Satyaloka. Son, by Mahadeva's command I am engaged in creating. As I wished to create, the evil creation appeared before me. Son, it was ignorance, tamas dressed as intellect. After that, with a pleasant mind, I made the immobile things. This was the primary creation. But by Shambhu's command I kept meditating. I wanted to make beings who were practitioners in their selves, but the creation that resulted was full of misery and flowed downward. I saw that these were not practitioners. So, instructed to make practitioners, I thought again. The sattvic creation, the upward flow, quickly resulted. This is called the creation of the gods and is very pleasant. But I thought this too was not of practitioners. So I again meditated on the lord within my self. By Shankara's command the rajasic creation resulted. This is called the sideways flow, the creation of humans, and it has supreme practitioners. After that, by Mahadeva's command, the creation of the elements followed. So I carried out five kinds of creation. After this Brahma is said to have brought about three natural creations: the first is the creation of Mahat, the second the creation of the subtle elements, and the third called vaikarika. These are the three that arise from Prakriti. Taking the altered and the natural together there are eight kinds of creation. Koumara is called the ninth and is both altered and natural. I cannot explain the differences between them. Finally I must speak of the twice-born creation, which served little purpose. In this Koumara creation the great creation of Sanaka and the others took place. Sanaka and the others were sons born of my mind, as revered as the brahman. There were five of them, full of supreme non-attachment. Despite my instructions, those learned ones turned away from samsara. Their minds were fixed on meditating on Shiva and did not turn to creation. Supreme among sages, they even answered back. Narada, hearing this, I was overcome by delusion and filled with rage.

Sage, when I was enraged and deluded, my mind was distracted. Because of the anger, tears fell from my eyes. At that time, when I thought of him, Vishnu quickly arrived and enlightened me. Hari instructed me, "For Shiva's sake, do austerity." Supreme among sages, I took up great and fierce austerities. While I did austerities for the sake of creation, from the spot between my eyebrows and nose known as avimukta, Mahesha, who has three forms and is an ocean of compassion, appeared. The lord of all portions took all his portions and came forth as Ardhanarishvara. Shankara, the unborn, Uma's consort, came forth as a mass of energy. He is all-knowing, the creator of everything, and is known as Nilalohita. Seeing him I bowed, and delighted and full of great devotion I praised him: "God, lord of all the gods, please create subjects of different kinds." Hearing me, Maheshvara, lord of the gods, created many ganas of Rudras just like himself. I again said to Isha Maheshvara Maharudra: "God, please create subjects who suffer fear of birth and death." Hearing me, Mahadeva, lord of compassion, laughed at my words. Supreme among sages, he laughed and spoke to me.

Mahadeva said

Vidhatri, I will not create subjects who suffer fear of birth and death. They are sunk in an ocean of miseries because they are ruled by their own inauspicious karma. I save subjects sunk in an ocean of grief. In my form as guru I give them proper knowledge. Prajapati, so you create all the subjects who will be overcome with grief. Since you do this commanded by me, you will not be bound by maya.

Brahma concluded

Telling me this, the prosperous Bhagavan Nilalohita Hara swiftly vanished with his ganas as I watched.