Hirbu

Hirbu · hirbu

Hirbu is a dānava born in the line of Nikumbha, a thorn to the world, equal to Indra in valour. The Pratisarga Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa tells that he won a great vara from Brahmā, drove the devas from svarga, and was burned away by Bhagavān Śiva, whom the devas had served for eleven years. Bṛhaspati gives the account.

His tapas and his vara

After tapas for a thousand years Hirbu defeated the devas. Then Brahmā, intent on protecting the worlds, told him to ask for a vara. Hirbu bowed and said: “May I not be slain by any living thing or object in the universe.” Brahmā said, “So it shall be,” and went to Brahmaloka.

The conquest of svarga

With this vara Hirbu conquered the devas, drove them from svarga and settled the daityas there. The devas suffered terrible torment.

His end

Seeing their plight, Nārada told the devas to take up the upāsanā of Śaṅkara. They began the pārthiva pūjā of Bhagavān Śiva. When eleven years of this pūjā had passed, Bhagavān Śiva was pleased. He became jyotirliṅga-maya, a liṅga of light, and began to burn all the asuras, leaving out those who were bhaktas of the devas.

Brahmā, together with Bhagavān Vishṇu, joyfully pleased Mahārudra with Sāma sūktas. When the Sun stood in Mithuna rāśi, Mahārudra, the destroyer of Hirbu, was made king of the Śaśimaṇḍala, the moon’s disc, for the good of the devas.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 4, Chapter 12

Sources

• Bhavishya Purāṇa, Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 4, Chapter 12