Vṛshabha Avatāra
In the Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Bhagavān Śiva takes the form of a terrible bull, the vṛshabha, and goes down into Pātāla (the world below). There he defeats the sons of Bhagavān Vishṇu and then Bhagavān Vishṇu himself. He then makes a new Sudarśana cakra and gives it to Vishṇu. This episode is Chapter 23 of the Śata Rudra Saṃhitā.
Bhagavān Śiva goes down into Pātāla
Bhagavān Śiva, Pinākadhārī (the wielder of the Pināka), went down into Pātāla in the form of a terrible bull, roaring fiercely. The thunder of the bull’s cry made the cities of Pātāla fall down and made their people shake with fear.
The sons of Bhagavān Vishṇu were covered by the māyā of Bhagavān Śiva and filled with ahaṃkāra (pride). They were angry and rushed at the bull with their weapons. Bhagavān Śiva in the Vṛshabha form gored them with his horns and crushed them under his hooves. All the sons of Vishṇu fell dead.
The Śiva Purāṇa gives this in Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 23.
The defeat of Bhagavān Vishṇu
Bhagavān Vishṇu saw that his sons were slain. He came forward roaring and threw his divine astras (weapons) at the bull. Mahādeva in the bull’s form swallowed all the weapons of Vishṇu in his anger. He then leaped on Vishṇu, struck him with hooves and horns, and defeated him fully.
Vishṇu was deceived by māyā and filled with moha (confusion) and krodha (anger). For a time he had forgotten his own nature as Vishṇu. Only after he was fully beaten and humbled did he know that Gaurīpati, the husband of Devī Gaurī, had come in the form of the bull.
The Śiva Purāṇa gives this in Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 23.
Vishṇu’s surrender and the teaching of Bhagavān Śiva
Bhagavān Vishṇu joined his hands and spoke with deep respect: “O Deva-deva! O Mahādeva! O ocean of compassion! I was deceived by your māyā and lost my viveka (clear judgement). I fought against you, Bhagavān Śiva, who are my own master. O Svāmī, please forgive this wrong.”
Bhagavān Śiva answered in a gentle but firm voice: “How did you not know me? What brought you to this state, that you fought Prabhu Śiva, your own master? You have forgotten all wisdom. Your śakti (power) stands only under my control (adhīna). You should not be lost in sense pleasure here in Pātāla. Go back to the path of jagad-rakshaṇa (protecting the world).”
The Śiva Purāṇa gives this in Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 23.
Bhagavān Śiva makes the Sudarśana cakra
Bhagavān Vishṇu humbly asked to have his cakra given back. Bhagavān Śiva said: “Leave your old cakra here. I am giving you another.” From his own divine power, Bhagavān Śiva made a new Sudarśana cakra, blazing with the light of ten thousand suns of pralaya. He gave it to Vishṇu and told him to use it to protect the devas and the maharshis from every danger.
So the Śata Rudra Saṃhitā tells that the Sudarśana cakra held by Bhagavān Vishṇu was made by Bhagavān Śiva and given to Vishṇu for the protection of the world.
The Śiva Purāṇa gives this in Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 23.
The śāpa on those who wished to enter Pātāla
Some devas then said they wished to go into Pātāla and enjoy its women. Bhagavān Śiva was displeased. He gave a hard śāpa (a curse) to the eight classes of divine beings who wished to do this. Anyone who entered this sacred place would face death at once. Only munis who had mastered their senses (jitendriya), the rākshasas, and those born of the aṃśa (portion) of Bhagavān Śiva were left out of the śāpa.
Rebuked by Bhagavān Śiva, the devas went back to their own homes. Bhagavān Śiva had done what he came to do through the Vṛshabha Avatāra, and he returned to his beloved Kailāsa.
The Śiva Purāṇa gives this in Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 23.
Sources
- Śiva Purāṇa, Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 23