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Great was the fierce god Rudra, the son of Brahma, the fruit of his wrath and fury. He lived alone in the north, in the desert mountains, and he had great power over all the animals.
Dressed in the skins of wild animals, with matted black hair, he wandered the forest with his bow and arrows, with a heavy stick in his hands. Rudra was very beautiful, but the beauty horrendous. His smile shone like the sun, he was quick in his movements and is invulnerable to enemy arrows. His neck was blue, the abdomen was black as night, the back is red as fire. And when he was running for his magic chariot, it was like a red wild boar of the sky.
Once on top of the great mountain Himavati gathered gods sacrifice. Daksha God forgot to invite to the feast of the powerful Rudra. Terrible anger swept Rudra. Furious, he appeared at the top of the mountain Himavati and made great slaughter, which caused shudder with horror all the other gods. Mingled earth and the sky, dimmed the stars, the moon and the sun, terrible darkness engulfed the world.
The gods were frightened and fell down before Rudra. But the anger did not abate Rudra. To the god Pushanu, the keeper of roads and herds, Rudra was knocked out by his bow all the teeth, to the god of happiness and wealth Bhaga - the eyes, to the god of the sun, Savitar, whom everyone called gold because gold was his eyes, hands, hair and clothing, ripped Rudra fierced hands. But worst of all punished Rudra its main offender Daksha, whom he carried the head. Then the wounded gods picked up terrible howl and cry, begged for mercy, and the string shapped on the bow of Rudra. His anger was replaced for mercy, and turned his anger into steam. He returned to God Pushan his teeth, and to God Bhaga - his eyes. However, since those times the god Pusan can eat only porridge, for this reason the people brings him only porridge. The god of happiness and wealth Bhaga stayed blind, for this reason the people say that the human destiny and happiness are blind. To help to the god of the sun, Savitar, the mighty Rudra asked the skillful magic wizard Tvashtar to attach to Savitar his golden hands. Today Savitar continues to extend his golden hands-rays to the Earth.
Rudra wanted to help to Daksa too, but as tried to find the severed head of the gods Lord of all creatures on earth, they could not - apparently, it had rolled somewhere far, far away. And the head of the goat was held to the body of Daksha. So he was left with a goat's head.
Rudra complained to the Progenitor Brahma that he was not invited to the feast by the younger gods, although Rudra was the eldest among them because he was created by Brahma before. And Brahma commanded to all the gods and asuras to praise and to worship Rudra and to bring him victims. The dominion to over all living things on earth. was giving to Rudra. He could not only kill by his black arrows, but also send the disease to humans and livestock. To those who praise him, the mighty Rudra can help to get rid of the disease and deterioration. To those who pray to him and ask him for help, the terrible Rudra is kind and responsive. That's why people started calling him Shiva, which means "merciful". Those who did not do to Rudra divine honors, he sent his serpentine children who crawled to human habitation, and brought with them disease and unhappiness.
Rudra had other children - Marutas. They were born when Rudra, becoming a bull, married the Earth, which was trying to hide from the Almighty Rudra in the form of spotted cow. Marutas were strong and powerful, reminding to everyone his father Rudra. Exactly to Marutas the god Indra took to his army, he loved them as their own children, dressed him in golden armor and helmets, and led them to his nomerous trips. Marutas - the loyal retinue of Indra, he is their lord and protector, and they pay him with devotion and love.
