Devalok

Stories 2

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 95 South India 67 West India 30 East India 22 North India 15 The Himalaya 12 Northeast India 5 Southeast Asia 4 Central India 4
✕ dance devotionbooncreationdisguisesupremacycursemarriagepenancepridetestpilgrimagesacrificebirthemanationfirebeheadingdemon slayingdesireiconographyausteritychurningcombined formcosmogonyhomecominglingapoisonrebirthriveratonement

Tradition: Folk · clear

Folk tale · 2 tellings · contested

Mohini and the demon who burned himself

A demon wins from Shiva the power to destroy whoever he touches on the head and turns on the giver; Vishnu, as Mohini or as a young brahmachari, tricks him into testing the boon on himself.

Vishnu, Mohini, Shiva, Bhasmasura

Pan-India South India

Folk tale · 2 tellings · contested

The demon who could burn with a touch

A demon worships Shiva with terrible austerities, offering pieces of his own body.

Bhasmasura, Vrikasura, Shiva, Vishnu

Pan-India South India