Lord Shiva's Anger: Stories and Lessons

Lord Shiva is one of the most important deities in Hindu mythology. He is the destroyer and transformer of the universe and is often depicted with a third eye, which represents his ability to see beyond the physical world. Lord Shiva is also known for his anger, which can be unleashed in various situations. In this article, we will explore some of the stories related to Lord Shiva's anger and what we can learn from them.

Lord Shiva angry with Yamraj

According to Hindu mythology, Yama is the god of death, and he is responsible for taking the souls of the deceased to the afterlife. Once, Yama came to take the soul of a young boy named Markandeya. However, the boy was a devotee of Lord Shiva, and he held on to the Shiva Linga to avoid death. Lord Shiva appeared and defeated Yama, saving the boy from death.

Lord Shiva Angry

Lord Shiva's anger is reflected in his form as Bhairava, the fierce manifestation of Shiva. In this story, Lord Shiva's anger was directed towards Yama, who was trying to take the soul of a devotee. The lesson we can learn from this story is that Lord Shiva will protect his devotees from death and other threats.

Lord Shiva Angry with Brahma

In Hindu mythology, Brahma is the god of creation. Once, Brahma created a goddess named Shatarupa, who was so beautiful that Brahma became infatuated with her. He started following her everywhere, even sprouting a fifth head to keep an eye on her. Lord Shiva, who was present at the time, was outraged by Brahma's behavior and cut off his fifth head.

Lord Shiva Angry

The lesson we can learn from this story is that Lord Shiva is a protector of women and will not tolerate any form of harassment or inappropriate behavior toward them. This story also emphasizes the importance of respecting boundaries and treating others with dignity and respect.

Angry Lord Shiva with Prajapati Daksha

Dakshinaini, In Hindu mythology, Prajapati Daksha was a powerful king who organized a grand yajna or sacrifice. He invited all the gods except for Lord Shiva and his wife Sati. Sati went to the yajna anyway, against Shiva's wishes, and was humiliated by Daksha in front of the other guests. Unable to bear the insult, Sati threw herself into the sacrificial fire and died.

Lord Shiva Angry

When Lord Shiva learned of Sati's death, he was consumed with anger and grief. He created two ferocious beings, Virabhadra and Bhadrakali, who destroyed the entire complex where the yajna was held. The lesson we can learn from this story is that Lord Shiva is a god who values love and devotion. He will not tolerate any disrespect or harm to his devotees or loved ones. This story also emphasizes the importance of standing up for oneself and not allowing others to mistreat or humiliate us.

Shiva’s Third Eye Burn Kamdev to ashes

In Hindu mythology, Kamdev is the god of love and desire. Once, Kamdev was sent by Indra, the king of gods, to awaken Lord Shiva from his meditation. Kamdev shot arrows of love at Lord Shiva, but his efforts only enraged Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva opened his third eye, and Kamdev was burnt to ashes.


Lord Shiva Angry

Kamdev agreed to shoot his arrow at Shiva, knowing that he would suffer the consequences of interfering with Shiva's intense meditation. As intended, Kama struck Shiva with his arrow of love while he was meditating. This enraged Shiva and opened his third eye turning Kamdev into ashes. However, as a result of the successful outcome of Kamdev's arrow, Lord Shiva married Parvati.


The lesson we can learn from this story is that Lord Shiva is a god who values meditation and inner peace. He will not tolerate any disturbance to his meditative state. This story also emphasizes the importance of respecting others' boundaries and not interfering in their spiritual practices.

Lord  Shiva opened his third eye to burn Indra Dev

Lord Indra and Deva Guru Brihaspati once traveled to Kailasa to consult Shiva about a matter. Due to his Trikal wisdom, Lord Shiva was aware of their impending presence. Shiva traveled to the route of Indra & Brihaspati and assumed the appearance of a guru. Indra first enquired about him after spotting him and told him to move aside. Shiva remained still, acting as though he had not heard Indra's request. Shiva defies Indra's repeated requests for him to move aside and instead chooses to remain still while refusing to acknowledge god's existence.


Lord Shiva Angry

Indra was incensed by this and raised his Vajra to smite the hermit who was seated. Shiva deflected this assault and used his divine abilities to render Indra unconscious, neutralizing Indra's strike in the process. However, Indra's brazenness brought Shiva's wrath upon him. Shiva's eyes then became red in both directions. He nearly opened his Third Eye to kill Indra, as if that weren't enough to frighten him.

Lord Shiva was Angry with Lord Ganesha

Parvati once used filth on her body to create a child to relieve her loneliness while Shiva wasn't present on Mount Kailash. He saw the boy as his own child and gave him the name Ganesh. Parvati once begged Ganesha to guard the entrance and not let anyone inside while she was taking a bath. Ganesha, the obedient son, agreed. Shiva went back to Kailash and requested access from Ganesha. Parvati once used her body dirt to give birth to a child while Shiva was away on Mount Kailash in an attempt to end his loneliness. He considered this young man as his own son and named him Ganesha. Parvati once assigned Ganesha to guard the entrance and keep people out while bathing. Ganesha agreed, obedient son. Shiva returns to Kailasa and requests Ganesha to enter.

Lord Shiva Angry

When Ganesha objected, Shiva became infuriated and severed Ganesha's head. Parvati was scared when she witnessed Ganesh's head being severed. After being extremely enraged with her husband, Parvati begs her to revive her son and to take the head of the infant whose mother is sound asleep. When Shiva sees such an elephant, he promptly has its head severed and joins the elephant's baby's head to Ganesha's body, giving it life.


Lord Shiva Angry with Jalandhara

Jalandhara was the demon king of the asuras who had defeated Indra and his army and had become a threat to the gods. Jalandhara had received a boon from Lord Brahma that no man could kill him, which made him invincible. Jalandhara then set his sights on the beautiful goddess Parvati, who was Lord Shiva's consort. Jalandhara proposed to Parvati, who refused him and went to Lord Shiva for protection.


Lord Shiva is one of the most revered deities in Hindu mythology, known for his power, wisdom, and compassion. While he is mostly depicted as calm and peaceful, Lord Shiva can also be fierce and wrathful when necessary. His anger is often directed towards those who threaten his devotees or disturb the balance of the universe. These stories of Lord Shiva's anger and the consequences of his wrath serve as cautionary tales, reminding us of the importance of respecting the divine order and the consequences of disobeying it. Lord Shiva's wrath is also seen as a way of restoring balance and order to the universe, ensuring that good triumphs over evil in the end.

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