Pippalada Avatara

Nandishvara said

Mahesha's supreme avatara is known as Pippalada. Wise one, hear of it with great affection; it is excellent and increases devotion. In earlier times there was an excellent sage named Dadhichi, extremely powerful and a great devotee of Shiva, son of Chyavana, born in Bhrigu's line. In the fight involving Kshuva, Vishnu and the immortals were defeated; Maheshvara helped him and cursed them. His wife was the very fortunate Suvarcha, virtuous and devoted to her husband, who cursed the heaven-dwellers. Mahadeva, skilled in many kinds of play, was born as her son, appearing in this energetic form under the name Pippalada.

Suta said

Best of sages, hearing Nandishvara's wonderful words, Sanatkumara lowered his shoulders, folded his hands and spoke.

Sanatkumara said

Nandishvara, wise one, directly Rudra's form, you are blessed. Father, you are my virtuous guru and have made me hear a wonderful account. From Brahma I have already heard of Kshuva and Vishnu's defeat and about that curse. Shilada's son, I now wish to hear about the curse Suvarcha laid on the gods, and after that Pippalada's auspicious story.

Suta continued

Hearing Brahma's son's auspicious words, Shilada's son was pleased, remembered Shiva's lotus feet and answered.

Nandishvara replied

Lord among sages, once Vasava and all the immortals were beaten by the daityas, helped by Vritrasura. Earlier they had left all their excellent weapons in Dadhichi's hermitage, and so the gods were defeated at once. Because of what the rishi had done, Indra and all the gods were slaughtered. They went quickly to Brahma's world and told him their troubles. Hearing them, Brahma, grandfather of the worlds, told them the truth of what Tvashtri wanted: to slay them Tvashtri had, by austerities, made the very energetic Vritra, great lord of all the daityas, so they must make efforts to kill him. For the sake of dharma Brahma would tell them a means. The great sage Dadhichi was an ascetic who had conquered his senses. Earlier, by worshipping Shiva, he had got bones as tough as the vajra. If they asked him for his bones he would certainly give them, and from them they could make the staff, the vajra, and certainly kill Vritra. Hearing Brahma, Shakra, with his guru and the immortals, went at once to Dadhichi's excellent hermitage. There he saw the sage with Suvarcha, and lovingly bowed with joined hands. The excellent, intelligent sage understood his purpose and sent his wife Suvarcha inside the hermitage. The king of the gods, with the immortals, intent on his own aim and skilled in the texts of policy, said to the lord among sages: Tvashtri has crippled all of us, gods and rishis. You are the refuge, great devotee of Shiva and great giver; we have come to you for shelter. Give us your bones, full of the great strength of the vajra, and with them I will make my weapon and kill the one who harms the gods. The sage, engaged in the welfare of others, meditated on his lord Shiva and gave up his body. Freed from all bonds he at once rose to Brahma's world. Flowers rained and all were greatly surprised. Shakra summoned the cow Surabhi and had her lick up the remains, and told Tvashtri to make a weapon from the bones. So instructed, Vishvakarma made all the weapons from the bones, as firm as vajra and carrying Shiva's radiance. From the backbone he made the vajra and the arrow called brahmashira, and from the other bones many other weapons. Indra raised the vajra, enhanced by Shiva's radiance, and angrily rushed at Vritra like Rudra the destroyer. Armoured, the energetic Shakra swiftly cut off Vritra's head, like a mountain's summit, with the vajra. There were great festivities among the heaven-dwellers, and the immortals praised Shakra and rained flowers on him.

I told you this, son, in connection with Shambhu's avatara as Pippalada. Listen lovingly. Suvarcha was great-souled Dadhichi's wife. Devoted, she had listened to his instructions and gone inside her hermitage, and finished all the household tasks as he had said. Returning, the ascetic lady could not see her husband. Surprised, she asked the gods, and, hearing all that they had done, the virtuous lady was furious. Enraged, Suvarcha, the noble rishi's wife, cursed them: gods, you are very wicked and skilled at gaining your own ends; you are greedy and do not act like gods, so from today you, with Indra, will become animals. So the sage's beloved ascetic wife cursed all the gods, Shakra included. Devoted to her husband, she wished to go to the world where he had gone, and, pure and spirited, gathered kindling and built a pyre. But a voice from the sky, sent by Girisha, spoke to her, reassuring and bringing happiness: wise one, do not be rash, hear these supreme words; the sage's energy is in your womb, so make efforts to bear it, and afterward you may do as you wish, since Brahma's rule is that a pregnant woman must not burn herself. Saying this, the voice stopped. Hearing it, the sage's wife was surprised for a time. But the very chaste Suvarcha still wished to go to her husband's world. She sat down and with a stone cut open her belly.

An excellent sage came out of her womb, his great blazing body divine, lighting the ten directions, born of Dadhichi's supreme energy, directly Rudra's avatara, appearing in a form able to carry out his own play. Seeing the divine-formed son, Suvarcha, the sage's beloved, knew in her mind that this was directly Rudra's avatara. The very virtuous woman rejoiced, bowed, and placed that form in her heart. Chaste Suvarcha, pure in vision, wishing to go to her husband's world, spoke happily to her son: son, Paramesha, very fortunate one, always stay near this ashvattha tree and bring happiness to everyone. Please give me leave now to go to my husband's world; with my husband there I will meditate on you in the form of Rudra. So she told her son. Entering supreme samadhi, the virtuous lady followed her husband, and so Dadhichi's wife was united with her husband. Reaching Shiva's world she served Shankara happily. Meanwhile the delighted gods with Indra and the sages arrived at once, as if summoned. Hari and Brahma were very glad that Shankara had taken an avatara on earth through Suvarcha and Dadhichi, and went there with their companions and saw the sage's son, Rudra's avatara. They folded their hands, praised him and bowed. There were great festivities among the gods, drums sounded, dancers danced happily, gandharva sons sang, kinnaras and others played instruments, and to that music the immortals rained flowers. The pippala tree was Sharva's father, and Brahma honoured the radiant son. Vishnu and the others praised him again, and, pleased, Brahma named him Pippalada. Hari and the other gods said, "Lord of the gods, be pleased," and Brahma, Vishnu and all the gods took leave of him and returned to their own abodes, where they held great festivities. Desiring the worlds' welfare, the great lord Rudra Pippalada practised austerities for a very long time under the ashvattha tree. Following the world's customs Pippalada performed great austerities, and a long time passed.