Shiv Puran Rudra Samhita, Srishti Khanda: Narada's Pride, Creation and Kubera

The Rudra Samhita is the largest and best-known part of the Shiv Puran, full of Shiva's stories. Its first section, the Srishti Khanda, begins with Narada's questions, and Brahma answers with the story of creation.

Narada's pride

Once the divine sage Narada sat in meditation in a beautiful Himalayan cave. Fearing his austerity, Indra sent Kamadeva. Kama tried everything with the help of spring, but Narada's mind did not move, because that place was protected from desire by Shiva's power. Narada thought he had conquered desire and, full of pride, went to tell Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu. Shiva advised him not to boast of it to Vishnu, but Narada did not listen.

To remove Narada's pride, Vishnu created by his maya a beautiful city where Princess Shrimati, daughter of King Shilanidhi, was to choose her husband. Narada fell in love with her and asked Vishnu to give him his own, Hari's, form. "Hari" also means monkey, and Vishnu gave him a monkey's face. At the ceremony the princess did not even look at Narada and garlanded Vishnu himself. Two of Shiva's attendants sitting there mocked Narada. Seeing his face in the water, he was furious.

He cursed the attendants to become rakshasas and cursed Vishnu: "As I suffered for a woman, you too will be born as a man and suffer separation from your wife, and the monkeys whose face you gave me will help you." When the maya lifted Narada repented. Vishnu accepted the curse and taught him to chant Shiva's hundred names. Tradition links this curse to the Rama avatar, with Sita's separation and the help of the vanaras.

Creation

Brahma told Narada: at the dissolution, when nothing existed, there was only Sadashiva, the Supreme. With his Shakti, Ambika, he manifested Shivaloka (Kashi). From his left side he brought forth a Person called Vishnu. Vishnu performed austerities for thousands of years; streams of water flowed from his body and he slept on those waters, and so was called Narayana. From his navel grew a lotus and on it Brahma appeared.

Brahma travelled down the lotus stalk to find his origin but found nothing. Then came his dispute with Vishnu and the appearance of the pillar of fire. Shiva taught them both: Brahma will create, Vishnu will preserve, and Rudra, a part of me, will dissolve. The three are forms of one Supreme.

Brahma brought forth his mind-born sons Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Vasishtha and Narada, and also Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana and Sanatkumara, who declined to take part in creation. From between Brahma's brows Lord Rudra appeared and helped him in creation.

Gunanidhi and Kubera

In the city of Kampilya, Gunanidhi, son of the pious Brahmin Yajnadatta, became a gambler and thief. His mother hid his faults from his father. When the father found out, Gunanidhi ran away. Wandering hungry, on the night of Shivaratri he reached a Shiva temple where devotees had worshipped and fallen asleep. To steal the offerings he trimmed the wick of a dying lamp to get light, and this unknowingly became an offering of light to Shiva. As he fled he was caught and killed.

Yama's messengers came, but Shiva's attendants said he had kept the Shivaratri vigil, fasted (from hunger) and offered a lamp. In his next life he was born Dama, son of King Arindama of Kalinga, and all his life had lamps lit in Shiva temples. In a later birth, as son of the sage Vishravas, he performed great austerities to Shiva in Kashi and became Kubera, lord of wealth, king of the yakshas and Shiva's friend. Because of this friendship Shiva came to dwell on Kailash, near Kubera's city Alaka.

What this section teaches

• Pride is a greater enemy than any obstacle to austerity; even a sage like Narada was not spared.
• Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh are forms of the one Supreme; ranking them is ignorance.
• Even a small merit done unknowingly is not wasted; Shiva is easily pleased.
• One who has gone astray can change; the thief Gunanidhi became Kubera.