There is an interesting description of mahAdeva in the bhAgavata purANa, where an important tattva is revealed. This section occurs right after the destruction of dakSha yaj~na.
तस्मिन्महायोगमये मुमुक्षुशरणे सुरा: । ददृशु: शिवमासीनं त्यक्तामर्षमिवान्तकम् ॥ (bhAgavatam 4.6.33)+
तस्मिन्महायोगमये मुमुक्षुशरणे सुरा: । ददृशु: शिवमासीनं त्यक्तामर्षमिवान्तकम् ॥ (bhAgavatam 4.6.33)+
[Under that tree which was a place full of great bhagavad upAsakAs (हायोगमये), the shelter for those who were free of aj~nAna, or were inquirers of the truth (मुमुक्षु), the gods saw Shiva seated, like Death personified, having given up anger.]+
After he had made vIrabhadra destroy dakSha's yaj~na, mahAdeva was meditating peacefully.
It says mahAdeva had given up anger, but compares his appearance to Antaka, mR^ityu devata. Is this not contradictory, as Antaka is frightening but giving up anger is a peaceful act?+
It says mahAdeva had given up anger, but compares his appearance to Antaka, mR^ityu devata. Is this not contradictory, as Antaka is frightening but giving up anger is a peaceful act?+
The idea is this -- mahAdeva was seated there after the destruction of dakSha’s sacrifice. Though he had rejected his anger as an undesirable thing and was trying to quell it by meditating on the praNava, inwardly he was still bubbling with anger at the offense of the gods+
The banyan tree is the place where he first achieved the crowning glory of his penances. The praNava reminds him of subservience to paramAtma, removing attachment for all others.
Whenever he sits under the banyan tree, he is always meditating on the praNava and nothing else+
Whenever he sits under the banyan tree, he is always meditating on the praNava and nothing else+
He who is usually in control, was agitated by dakSha. So, he sat under the banyan tree, recalling his former penances there, trying to control his anger. He was reminding himself of his relationship to bhagavAn, the master of all (by OmkAra) to overcome his attachment to Sati+
He was surrounded by bhagavad upAsakAs -- the company of bhAgavatAs is also a means to serenity of mind.
It was a great effort he was putting in after what happened. But to no avail. His anger remained below the surface and so he looked like mR^ityu himself+
It was a great effort he was putting in after what happened. But to no avail. His anger remained below the surface and so he looked like mR^ityu himself+
Poigai Azhwar refers to this meditation of Shiva under the tree as “aRivAnAm” – He *appeared* to have subdued his senses, but in reality, was full of anger. Azhwar says Shiva was quelling his anger like one trying to shut doors (senses) against a raging force pounding on them+
Then, the following happened:
स तूपलभ्यागतमात्मयोनिं सुरासुरेशैरभिवन्दिताङ्घ्रि: ।उत्थाय चक्रे शिरसाभिवन्दन- मर्हत्तम: कस्य यथैव विष्णु
[Seeing brahmA arrive, mahAdeva, whose feet are worshipped by gods & asurAs, got up & bowed down to brahmA, just as he would to vishNu]+
स तूपलभ्यागतमात्मयोनिं सुरासुरेशैरभिवन्दिताङ्घ्रि: ।उत्थाय चक्रे शिरसाभिवन्दन- मर्हत्तम: कस्य यथैव विष्णु
[Seeing brahmA arrive, mahAdeva, whose feet are worshipped by gods & asurAs, got up & bowed down to brahmA, just as he would to vishNu]+
AchArya devo bhavaH - Thus, mahAdeva bowed to brahmA and worshipped him in the same manner as he worshipped bhagavAn, regarding brahmA to be vishNu himself.
Then the greatness of the AchArya is revealed+
Then the greatness of the AchArya is revealed+
brahmA performed a stuti to rudra-sharIraka-paramAtma, showing Rudra the truth of his nature. Then he requested Rudra to forgive the gods. This was his command to mahAdeva as a guru+
इत्यजेनानुनीतेन भवेन परितुष्यता (~bhAgavatam 4.7.1)
[When Aja (brahmA) requested him thus (to grace the gods), Bhava became contented in mind]+
[When Aja (brahmA) requested him thus (to grace the gods), Bhava became contented in mind]+
brahmA is called Aja to signify that he has a birth incomparable to anyone else – he is born directly of nArAyaNa from the lotus, while everyone else is born of him. Rudra is “Bhava” – One who always exists in meditation on nArAyaNa due to brahmA’s anugraha+
It means, Rudra recognized the request of brahmA as the command of his AchArya, due to always being situated in bhagavad upAsaNa taught to him by brahmA.
And it was the power of the AchArya’s words that completely removed all traces of anger in him+
And it was the power of the AchArya’s words that completely removed all traces of anger in him+
This incident shows that no matter what knowledge one possesses, one can never realize it completely by own efforts. The anugraha of an AchArya alone makes everything a success+
Rudra always obeys brahmA and trusts him blindly, even if the latter imparts wrong advice to him! That blind trust in the AchArya was the means to quell his anger and attain his usual state, as opposed to bhAgavata-sambandha or praNavopAsaNa as a means+
The greatness of the AchArya is thus revealed in this interaction//
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