Shiva

Daksha Prajapati gave his 27 daughters (the Nakshatras) to Chandra, who favored only Rohini and neglected the others. Enraged, Daksha cursed Chandra to lose his radiance. Chandra performed intense penance using the Maha Mrityunjaya mantra. Shiva modified the curse: Chandra would wax and wane for 15 days perpetually. Grateful, Chandra built the first Jyotirlinga temple here.

The legendary story of Trailanga Swami, a yogi reputed to be over 300 years old who lived in Varanasi. He demonstrated extraordinary powers including floating on the Ganges, surviving poison, and escaping from locked prison cells.

Bhandasura was created from Kamadevas ashes. Goddess Lalita emerged from sacred fire, united with Kameshwara, summoned Maha Ganapati and the ten avatars from her fingernails, and destroyed Bhandasura with the Kameshwarastra.

A devotee of Shiva received sacred ashes from Shivas dhuni fire through Parvatis blessing. However, his wife threw them upon a dung heap instead of swallowing them. Years later, a divine child was discovered there and brought to Lord Shiva, who named him Gorakhnath - one who would transform spiritual waste into liberation.

When Matsyendranath became entrapped in worldly pleasures in a kingdom of women, his disciple Gorakhnath sensed his gurus peril. He transformed into a dancing girl and entered the palace. Playing a mridangam drum, he embedded the message Chalo Machhindar, Gorakh Aaya into its rhythm. Hearing these words, Matsyendranath awakened from his delusion.

Ritualist Mandana Mishra challenged young Shankaracharya to a debate - the loser would adopt the winners path. Mandanas wife Ubhaya Bharati served as judge using flower garlands - the one whose flowers wilted first from anger would lose. After months of discourse, Mandanas garland withered. He became Shankaras disciple, later heading Sringeri Math.

Walking to Vishwanath Temple in Kashi, Shankaracharya asked an untouchable blocking his path to move. The Chandala challenged: Were those words to the body or soul? How can you who teaches oneness see difference between Brahmin and Chandala? Stunned, Shankara realized Lord Shiva himself had appeared to test him. He composed Manisha Panchakam, declaring whoever possesses true knowledge is his guru.

Though Chaitanya initially refused to meet the King, Sarvabhauma arranged for Prataparudra to approach disguised as a common person during Rathayatra. When the King recited verses about Krishnas rasa dance, Chaitanya embraced him in ecstasy.

The Maruts are fierce storm gods, sons of Rudra and Prishni, who accompany Indra in his cosmic battles. Though they once quarreled with Indra over the sacrifice offered by sage Agastya, they remained his powerful companions in fighting demons.

A cruel hunter named Rurudruha unknowingly observes Shivratri while hiding in a Bilva tree. His dropped leaves fell on a Shiva Linga below, and his involuntary fasting completed the vrat. Lord Shiva appeared, removed his evil thoughts, and blessed him.

Legend has it that Goddess Parvati herself observed the 16 Monday fast to attain Lord Shiva as her husband. Following her example, devotees, especially unmarried women seeking an ideal partner, observe this Vrat for 16 consecutive Mondays.

A wealthy but childless merchant observes Monday fasts devotedly. Pleased by his devotion, Lord Shiva grants him a son who will live only twelve years. Through observing Somvar Vrat, the boy dies but is blessed with new life by Lord Shiva.

When Shiva declared food was mere illusion, Parvati disappeared from the cosmos. Without her, the earth became barren and famine spread. Humbled, Shiva traveled to Kashi with a begging bowl where Parvati as Annapurna filled it, proving food cannot be dismissed as illusion.

When Parvati asked Shiva why she died repeatedly while he remained immortal, Shiva agreed to reveal the Amar Katha in complete privacy. He left his mount Nandi at Pahalgam, the moon at Chandanwari, snakes at Sheshnag Lake. Inside the cave, a pair of pigeons overheard the secret and became immortal; pilgrims still report seeing divine pigeons. The ice lingam forms naturally with the moon.

After Shiva burned Kamadeva to ashes, the disfigured god sought restoration at Kamakhya Peeth where Satis yoni had fallen. Through devoted worship of the Tantric goddess, Kamadeva regained his form and beauty.

The three sons of slain Asura Taraka performed extreme penance for thousands of years. Brahma granted them three magnificent cities rather than immortality. Maya constructed a golden city for Tarakaksha, silver for Kamalaksha, and steel for Vidyunmali, positioned in heaven, sky, and earth, aligning only during specific cosmic conditions.

After Kurukshetra war, the Pandavas sought Shivas forgiveness for killing kinsmen. Shiva disguised himself as a bull and hid. When Bhima grabbed the bull, Shiva dove into earth, his body emerging in five parts at five locations (Panch Kedar): hump at Kedarnath, arms at Tunganath, navel at Madhyamaheshwar, face at Rudranath, and hair at Kalpeshwar.

When Brahma and Vishnu argue over supremacy, a blazing pillar of light appears. Neither finds its end. Shiva reveals himself as the infinite reality beyond all forms.

After Sati's death, she is reborn as Parvati. She performs rigorous penance to win Shiva's love. Shiva tests her by appearing as a brahmin who criticizes himself, but Parvati defends him. Impressed, Shiva reveals his form and marries her in a grand cosmic ceremony.

Krishna's grandson Aniruddha is magically transported to princess Usha's chambers by her companion. When Usha's father Banasura discovers them, he imprisons Aniruddha. Krishna leads an army to rescue him, fighting and defeating Shiva himself who was protecting Banasura. After cutting off 996 of Banasura's thousand arms, Krishna spares him and the young lovers are properly married.