42 - Origin of Nandishvara 

Sūta said: 

1. When the thousand-eyed meritorious bestower of boons had gone, Shilāda propitiated Mahādeva. He delighted the lord by means of penance. 

2. Even as the brahmin pursued the penance eagerly and perpetually, a thousand divine years surprisingly passed off like a moment. 

3. The sage was completely enveloped by an anthill. He became the victim of torture by groups of worms and blood-sucking insects with their mouths pointed like diamond needles. 

4. With skin alone, devoid of flesh and blood he stood there like a wall unaffected. He was a mere skeleton then. The auspicious lord thought of him then. 

5. When the sage was touched with hand by the lord, the enemy of the Cupid, the leading Brahmin sage eschewed all his fatigue and strain. 

6. Lord Shiva was delighted at the penance of the sage. (Approaching him) along with his Ganas and Umā he said to him, "I am delighted with your penance". 

7. "O highly intelligent one, what with this penance? I shall give you an omniscient son who has mastered all the Scriptural topics". 

8. Thereafter bowing down to the lord of Devas and eulogising him Shilāda spoke to the moon-bedecked lord, accompanied by Umā, ²⁷⁶ with words choked with great pleasure. 

276. somam-Umayi saha, accompanied by Umä. 

Shilada said:

9. "O lord, O Shankara the most excellent among the good, O lord of the chiefs of Devas, O destroyer of Tripuras, I wish for a son not born of a womb and devoid of death". 

Sūta said: 

10. Rudra, Parameśhvara who had already been propitiated by his penance by Brahmá spoke thus again to Shilada with very great pleasure. 

The lord said: 

11. O brahmin, O ascetic, formerly I had been propitiated by Brahmä, sages and Devas by penance, for the sake of my incarnation. 

12. I shall become your son, not born of a womb, by the name Nandin. O sage, I am the father of worlds, and you will become my father. 

13. After saying thus to the sage who was standing there after bowing to him and looking up to him, the delighted merciful lord who was accompanied by Umā and who was comparable to the Moon vanished there itself. 

14-15. O great sage, having obtained the assurance of a son from Rudra, my father was delighted. He was the most excellent among the knowers of sacrifice. For the purpose, of sacrifice he came to the courtyard of a great sacrificial chamber. Formerly I was born in that courtyard as his son, at the behest of lord Shiva. I had the lustre of fire at the closing of a yuga. 

16. When I was born as the son of Shilada, the clouds Pushkara, Avartaka and others showered rain. The heaven walkers-Kinnaras, Sādhyas and Siddhas sang songs. Vișhnu showered fragrant flowers. 

17-19. I had then the lustre of Kälasürya (sun at the time of pralaya or dissolution). I was having matted hair and coronet. In the form of an infant, I had three eyes, four arms holding the trident, axe, iron club and thunderbolt. My curved fangs were adamantine. I was the infant adored by the thunder bolt-wielding Indra. I was terrible in appearance with diamond earrings. My voice was comparable to the thundering sound of the clouds. On seeing me Brahmä, Indra and all other gods and leading sages eulogised me. The groups of celestial damsels shouted and danced all round. 

20. O leading sage, with mantras pertaining to Maheśhvara as well as those taken from Ruk, Yajus and Säman, the over- joyed sages eulogised and bowed down to me. 

21-25. The following stood all around me: -Brahmã, Vișhnu, Rudra, Indra, Shivā, Ambikā herself, Jupiter, the moon, the sun of great splendour, wind god, fire god, Ishāna, Nirruti, Yakșha, Yama, Varuna, Viśhve Devas, Rudras, Vasus of great strength, Lakșhmi herself, Shachi, Jyeshthā, goddess Sarasvati, Aditi, Diti, Shraddhā, Lajjā, Dhruti, Nandā, Bhadrã, Surabhi, Sushila, Sumanas, the lord of bulls, Dharma of great splendour and the sons of Dharma. They surrounded me, embraced me and eulogised me. O excellent sage, even Shilâda my father, the sage, on seeing me like that bowed to me with love. The meritorious soul eulogised his son who gave him what he liked. 

Shilāda said: 

26-31. O lord, O lord of the chief of Devas, O three-eyed one, O unchanging one, you are my son since you are my protector and the protector of worlds from misery. Since you are the protector of worlds, O son, you are my father. You are omnipresent. O son, not born of a womb, obeisance to you, O source of origin of the universe, O grand father, O father, O son, O Maheśhāna, O preceptor of the universe, O dear one, O highly blessed one, O Parameśhvara protect me. O lord of Devas, since I am delighted by you, you are to be known by the name Nandin. Hence O Nandin, delight me. I bow down to you, the lord of the universe. O lord, delight my parents who have gone to Rudra's world. O lord, my grandfather too has gone to the world of Rudra. O Nandin, when Maheśvara has incarnated my birth in the world is fruitful.  

32. When you have incarnated as my son for my protection, O Ishvara, O Nandin, O lord of Devas, obeisance to you. O Nandiśhvara, obeisance to you. 

33-38. O son of mighty arms, protect me. O lord of Devas, O preceptor of the worlds, O dear one, please forgive what was said by me considering you as my son. You are worthy of being eulogised by means of hymns by Devas and Asuras. 

Whoever reads or listens to this speech addressed to my son, whoever narrates this to brahmins with devotion, rejoices along with me. After eulogising the boy his son, after bowing down to him with respect and looking at the leading sages Shilada of good holy rites said: - 

"O ye sages, see my great fortune since the unchanging lord has incarnated as Nandin in the courtyard of the sacrificial hall. Which man is like me in this world? Neither Devas nor Dānavas are equal to me since this Nandin is born in the sacrificial ground for the sake of my welfare.