This Instagram handle posted the following image claiming Shiva's phallus fell to the ground after he was cursed by a rishi. Is this story really present in the said scripture?
May be the translation is wrong. Can someone tell right translation? Can anyone translate sloka number 36-37?
It is not Shiva's own penis but the the penis of a hideous form which Shiva took to test his own devotees. Full story is in the Shiva Purana, Koṭirudra-Saṃhitā, Chapter 12 - The reason for Śiva’s assuming the phallic form (liṅga):
Śiva himself assuming a very hideous form came there in order to test their devotion. He was very brilliant but stark naked. He had smeared ashes all over his body as the sole ornament. Standing there and holding his penis he began to show all sorts of vicious tricks.
The wives of the sages were extremely frightened at this sight.
The sages, deluded by Śiva’s Māyā and plunged in grief, began to say—“Who is this? Who is this?” When the naked sage did not reply, the great sages told that terrible Puruṣa - “You are acting pervertedly. This violates the Vedic path. Hence let your penis fall on the ground.” When they said thus, the penis of that Avadhūta, who was Śiva of wonderful form, fell down instantly. That penis burnt everything in front; wherever it went it began to burn everything there. It went to Pātāla; it went to heaven; it went all over the earth; it never remained steady anywhere.
Brahma said:- "O brahmins, you though wise do such despicable things. Then why complain against the ignorant who act likewise? Who can wish for happiness after offending and antagonising Śiva thus? ...... As long as the penis does not become stationary there cannot be anything good in the three worlds...... Let the gods propitiate goddess Pārvatī and pray. If she can assume the form of the vaginal passage that penis will become steady. "
Lord Śiva said:— If my penis is supported in a vaginal passage there will be happiness. Except Pārvatī, no other woman can hold my penis. Held by her my penis will immediately become quiet.
After propitiating Pārvatī and the bull-bannered lord and performing the rites mentioned before, the excellent penis became static.
That phallus was held by her in that form then. When the phallus was stabilised, there was welfare throughout the worlds. O brahmins, that phallus became famous in the three worlds.
So it is the penis of a hideous form Shiva took in the ancient past.
We all are aware of the fact that how Puranas are corrupted. We can only know the corrupted portion when:
While, second point can be due to lack of spiritual maturity also. But when majority find 2 one true, than there is really problem with verse only.
It is clear that it is interpolation.
Because, in one case, Lord Shiva burns Kama dev to ashes and in another he is described being caught in lust.
It proves both point.
The story of the Darukavana Rishis and their attempt to harm Shiva is a profound tale from the Shiva Purana. Here is a brief recounting:
Long ago, in the forest of Darukavana, there lived a group of highly intellectual and powerful Rishis. They were adept in performing yagnas (sacrificial rituals) and had developed significant spiritual powers. However, their success led to arrogance and a pseudo-ego.
One day, Shiva appeared in Darukavana as a handsome young ascetic with extraordinary radiance and energy. He wandered through the forest begging for alms during His parivrajaka yatra (wandering journey). The wives of the Rishis, not caught in arrogance like their husbands, were captivated by His divine presence and began spending time around Him, listening to His teachings.
The Rishis became alarmed as their wives were drawn to this young sadhu (ascetic). They convened a meeting and decided to eliminate Him. Using their mastery over rituals, they created various weapons through yagnas and sent them towards Him.
Damaru: The first weapon was damaru (a small drum), which came with great speed to destroy Him. Shiva simply caught it and kept it as an instrument. Malu: Next, they sent malu (a spear-like weapon). Again, Shiva effortlessly picked it up and held it. Tiger: They then created a fierce tiger out of fire. Shiva killed the tiger and wore its skin as His garment. Elephant: An elephant was also sent but met the same fate. Asura Muyalaga: Finally, they created an asura (demon) named Muyalaga who was dark, cunning, cruel, and dumb. Shiva subdued him effortlessly by placing him under His feet. Despite all these attempts, nothing could harm Shiva; instead, all negative energies surrendered at His feet.
Realizing their failure and witnessing the extraordinary power of this young sadhu, the Rishis finally understood that He must be an extraordinary being beyond their comprehension. They surrendered at His feet.
Shiva then revealed Himself as Dakshinamurthy—the ultimate Guru—and imparted divine knowledge to them. Through His intense silence and spiritual presence, He liberated them from their ignorance and pseudo-ego.
This story illustrates that true power lies beyond mere ritualistic achievements; it resides in pure consciousness embodied by Paramashiva.
The Rishis misunderstood him because he was nude, and his teachings are so wise that all their wives were drawn to him, shiva took this form to teach a lesson to the arrogance and pseudo-ego of Darukavana Rishis
Another version is described in the Mahabharata (Sauptika Parva, Chapter 17).
According to this narrative, Siva deliberately cast off his phallus. Brahma first gave him the order to create living beings. He plunged into the water and started doing austerity. Brahma waited for him and later got frustrated and appointed someone else to create living beings. When Siva came out of the water, he saw that creation was already done. So he discarded his generative limb.
"'The puissant Grandsire, desirous of creating living creatures, saw Rudra; and the Grandsire asked him, saying, "Create living creatures without delay!" Thus asked, Rudra of tawny locks, saying, "So be it!" plunged into the water and practised austerities for a long time, inasmuch as he was sensible of the defects of living creatures. Having waited in expectation of Rudra for a very long time, the Grandsire, by a fiat of his will, invoked into existence another being for making him the creator of all kinds of living things. Beholding Girisha plunged into the waters, this (second) being said unto his sire, "If there be no being born before me, then I will create living creatures!" His sire replied unto him, saying, "There is no other first-born being besides thee! This Sthanu has plunged into the water! Go and create living creatures, without any anxiety!"
"'That being then created many living creatures, having Daksha for their first, who created all these creatures of four kinds. As soon, however, as they were created, they ran O king, towards their sire, afflicted with hunger and desirous of devouring him. The second being whom Brahma had created, thereupon ran towards him, desirous of protection from his own offspring. And he said unto the Grandsire, "O illustrious one, protect me from these, and let these creatures have their food assigned unto them!" Then the Grandsire assigned herbs and plants and other vegetables as their food, and unto those that were strong he assigned the weaker creatures as the means of sustenance. Their sustenance having been thus assigned, the newly-created creatures all went away to regions they desired, and cheerfully multiplied by union with their respective species.
"'After the creatures had multiplied and the Grandsire had become well pleased, the first-born rose from the water and beheld the living creation. He saw that diverse kinds of creatures had been created and that they had multiplied by their own energy. At this sight, Rudra became angry and caused his procreative limb to disappear in the bowels of the Earth. The unfading Brahma, soothing him by soft words, said unto him, "O Sharva, what wert thou doing so long within the water? For what reason, also hast thou caused thy limb of generation to disappear in the bowels of the Earth?" Thus questioned, that lord of the universe wrathfully answered the lord Brahman, "Somebody else has created all these creatures! What purpose then would be served by this limb of mine? I have by my austerities, O Grandsire, created food for all these creatures. These herbs and plants also will multiply like those that will subsist upon them!" Having said these words, Bhava went away, in cheerlessness and rage, to the foot of the Menjavat mountains for practising severer austerities.'"
