Stories 4
All kinds
Origin
Legend
Local story
Folk tale
From the epics
Festival story
Temple legend
In stone and bronze
How a tradition frames it
Everywhere
Pan-India 94
South India 66
West India 30
East India 22
North India 15
The Himalaya 12
Northeast India 5
Southeast Asia 4
Central India 4
devotionbooncreationdisguisesupremacycursemarriagepenancepridetestdancepilgrimagesacrificebirthemanationfirebeheadingdemon slayingdesireiconographyausteritychurningcombined formcosmogonyhomecominglingapoisonrebirthriveratonement
Local story · 1 telling · contested
How Mahakal came to Ujjain
King Chandrasena of Ujjain is a devotee of Shiva and a friend of Shiva's attendant Manibhadra.
Origin · 2 tellings · contested
Lingo frees the gods from Mahadeo's cave
Shiva as Mahadeo seals the Gond gods in a cave; Parvati searches for them; the hero Lingo lifts the stone, frees them and founds Gond society.
Origin · 2 tellings
Nanga Baigin nails down the earth
The new earth wobbles like mud until Bhagavan sends for Nanga Baiga, whose wife drives nails into its four corners.
In stone and bronze · 1 telling · contested
Shiva as great time
Shiva is named Mahakala, great time, the one beyond time who ends all things.