Reading Notes: Tales of Shiva

I like how you get introduced right in the middle of the Mahabharata’s story with the Pandavas in exile. This is the penance that Arjuna performed for Shiva, but it is interesting that it had such an effect on the forest. The reward from the penances came not from Arjuna’s direct doing, but from the sages begging Shiva to stop the penances. It’s good that Shiva is testing Arjuna because Brahma seems to just hand out celestial power like it’s candy.

Finally we get to see the main characters, who are either demigods or avatars, be manhandled by someone like they do to everyone else. Not that it isn’t fun to see the good guy win, but the bad guys never stood a chance. It’s just nice to see that Arjuna and others can be put down, granted it did take Shiva to do it.

Shiva’s exile of Parvati is similar to Rama’s of Sita. They both push away their wives even though their wives loved them like crazy. What a name that the fisherman picked for Parvati… So nice that they are back together. My only question is, does Parvati know about marrying Shiva from before? Because she is gonna be mad when she finds out.

Shiva’s power as one of the Trimurti can be seen as he saves Markandeya. Yama kneels and begs forgiveness from Shiva while they are both gods. This shows how much higher Shiva is than the other gods, except maybe Brahma and Vishnu.

Shiva and Arjuna fight

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Bibliography:

Tales of Shiva by Subba Rao, C.M. Vitankar, and Anant Pai