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Title: Siva

Subtitle: The Siva Purana Retold

Author: Ramesh Menon

Narrator: Avita Jay

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-20-17

Publisher: Audible Studios

Genres: Religion & Spirituality, Buddhism & Eastern Religions

Publisher's Summary:

One day of Brahma has 14 Indras; his life has 54,000 Indras. One day of Vishnu is the life time of Brahma. The lifetime of Vishnu is one day of Siva.

There are 18 Mahapuranas, great Puranas, and the Siva Purana is one of them. The book Siva is a vivid retelling of the Siva Purana for today's listener. The book contains all the major legends of Siva, bringing them alive again for a new generation. The characters and events one encounters here are awesome, many are cosmic. Siva himself is the Auspicious One. He is Mahadeva, the greatest god.

Members Reviews:

Siva Purana

Excellent book! Loved reading it. I can't read Sanskrit and was very excited to find a English translation. Wished it was more comprehensive but no complaints.

Shiva- the Ultimate God

This book encompasses the myth of Shiva-Sati, Shiva-Parvati, origin stories of Ganesha and Kartikeya, stories about all twelve Jyotirlingas, and demons which Shiva kills, which can't be killed by other Gods. Stories here make one believe why is Shiva the biggest of Gods, not the Vishnu, Sustainer of God trinity, (one might get a different feeling if one reads some other Puranas), as there are some stories where Vishnu has accepted the defeat and either went to Shiva or sent Indra, King of Heaven, perpetually troubled by Asuras, to Shiva for help.

I learned that many characters like Rudra, Virabhadra and Kirtimukha (he who eats himself, Google it!) emerge from Shiva, and are actually essence Shiva. I previously thought Shiva reincarnated themselves into them but not Shiva sent them out while he was busy doing meditation or sex. His stories with Sati and Parvati (both reincarnation of Mother Goddess Kali) shows the human side of God we know not much off. Story of Sati, as it is told here, seemed like a warning story for parents of a female child. It is essentially a story of girl who wasn't loved by her parents at all and ended up self-immolating herself. Of course, she would be born again: what would Shiva without her? But one must have a strong reason for the Goddess to be reborn and her marriage with Shiva. So thanks to Brahma, creator of God trinity, who gave a boon to Tarakasura that he will die only at the hands of Shiva's son. So, that's why Kartikeya/Murugan, was born, who has mysterious birth (read can't explain scientifically! Same goes for Shiva's other son, Ganesha) and unique childhood. Third son Shiva which is not well known in northern India is Ayyappan or Ayyappa Swamy, who originated from lusty union of Shiva with Mohini (Vishnu), in presence of Parvati. (One might read the reasons like some asura will only be killed by the union of two males, which seems like a later addition to me. I could be wrong!)

The two villains who turned out to be almost invincible until, of course, Shiva Showed up to the fight (yes they weren't even killed by Shiva's positive essences: Rudra, Virabhadra etc.) are Jalandhara and Andhaka (both originated from Shiva's essence. Surprise!). Their birth and their childhood once again demonstrate the inability of Shiva to really take parenting seriously (Remember Kartikeya was abandoned too! Nope, I haven't heard that they raise him either.) as he abandoned Jalandhara or given Andhaka for foster parenting to asuras. They were tough villains and had to be killed using Oedipus complex, when these asuras have taken a liking to their own mother, Parvati, unknowingly, of course.