Brahmā Mohana and the Vālakhilyas
This episode happens at the wedding of Bhagavān Śiva and Pārvatī. While Pārvatī walked round the sacred fire, Brahmā saw her feet and was moved by desire. Śiva saw it and was angry, but the devas prayed to him and he forgave Brahmā. From Brahmā’s fallen seed thousands of shining ṛshis were born, the Vālakhilyas. Nārada sent them to Gandhamādana mountain to do tapas (austerity) under Bhagavān Sūrya.
The setting
The episode is in the Pārvatī Khaṇḍa, Chapter 49, during the wedding itself. The wedding fire was lit. Himavān’s daughter had exchanged garlands with Bhagavān Śiva. The agnipradakshiṇā, the walk round the fire, was being done as the main act of the wedding. All the devas, ṛshis and divine beings stood by as witnesses.
Brahmā’s vikāra
As Pārvatī walked round the fire, Brahmā, the Pitāmaha and four-headed creator, saw her feet. The Purāṇa describes them as bright like the crescent moon, beautiful past all telling, decorated with lac dye and anklets, with nails that shone like perfect moons.
The sight struck Brahmā without his wish. Though he is exalted and knows all things and presides over creation, he was not free from the power of the Jagadambā’s form at that moment. A kāma-vikāra, a stir of desire he did not choose, rose in him. From this, Brahmā’s retas (seed) fell.
Śiva’s anger
Bhagavān Śiva is all-knowing, and his sight reaches every state. He saw at once what had happened. He was deeply angry that, even at his own wedding, in front of the sacred fire and the whole assembly of devas, Brahmā the creator had been moved by desire for his bride.
Śiva’s anger blazed, and he moved to destroy Brahmā.
The stotra of the devas
The devas saw Śiva’s fury turn on Brahmā and were afraid. At once they offered a long stotra (hymn of praise) to Śiva. It asked pardon for Brahmā and also declared Śiva’s highest rank. The stotra calls Śiva:
- Sarvātmā, the Self of all beings
- Jagatkāraṇa, the cause of the universe
- Nirguṇa Parabrahma, the Supreme Reality without attributes
- Saccidānanda, pure Being, Consciousness and Bliss
- the source from whom Brahmā, Vishṇu and Rudra arise as his forms
- the one who is both saguṇa (with qualities, doing the five works of the cosmos) and nirguṇa (beyond all qualities)
The devas said that Brahmā’s vikāra itself showed the power of Māyā. Even the highest created being, they said, is within Māyā’s reach when near the divine Śakti. They humbly asked Śiva to use his endless compassion and forgive the fault.
Śiva forgives Brahmā
Śiva was moved by the sincere stotra of the devas. He gave Brahmā abhaya (fearlessness) and forgave him. Brahmā bowed to the ground in deep thanks and praised Śiva. The devas rejoiced.
The birth of the Vālakhilya ṛshis
From Brahmā’s fallen retas, which held the tapas-power and knowledge of the Pitāmaha, thousands of shining ṛshis were born at once at the wedding place. They are the Vālakhilya ṛshis, beings of great radiance, born in the sacred space of the wedding of Śiva and Pārvatī.
As the new ṛshis arose they cried “Tātā! Tātā!” (Father! Father!) and gathered round Brahmā. Because they were born from the seed of the Pitāmaha in the presence of Parameśvara, they were fine tapasvin ṛshis from birth.
The Vālakhilyas are known across the Purāṇas as thumb-sized ṛshis of great power who travel with the sun. The Śiva Purāṇa gives a particular account of their birth, tying them to this wedding.
Nārada sends them to Sūrya
Nārada saw what Śiva wished and spoke to the Vālakhilya ṛshis at once: “All of you should go to the Gandhamādana mountain. There is nothing for you here at this ceremony. Go there and do great tapas. You will become excellent munīśvaras and will be disciples of Sūrya.”
Nārada said that this order came from Śiva’s own inner prompting. It was Śiva’s wish that these ṛshis go to their place of tapas. The Vālakhilya ṛshis bowed to Śiva and left at once for Gandhamādana. There, under Bhagavān Sūrya’s guidance, they would do the tapas for which they had been born.
Sources
- Śiva Purāṇa, Rudra Saṃhitā, Pārvatī Khaṇḍa, Chapter 49