Nandeeswarar

Divine Sage Nandeeswarar

The Hindu deity Shiva's bull vahana is called Nandikeshwara or Nandideva. Additionally, he serves as the protector deity of Kailash, Shiva's abode. Stone representations of a seated Nandi, typically facing the main shrine, can be found in almost all Shiva temples. He is regarded as the chief guru of eight Nandinatha Sampradaya disciples, namely Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanandana, Sanatkumara, Tirumular, Vyagrapada, Patanjali, and Sivayoga Muni, who were sent in eight different directions to spread wisdom, according to Saivite siddhantic tradition. Vietnam's Cham Hindus hold the belief that when they pass away, the Nandi will appear and transport their soul to India, the holy land. It has recently been documented that the bull is given the name Nandi (Sanskrit: In fact, Vabha) is a recent syncretism of various regional beliefs within Saivism. In the oldest Saivite texts in Sanskrit, Tamil, and other Indian languages, the anthropomorphic door-keeper of Kailasha was frequently referred to as Nandi instead of his mount. Nandi and Vabha are clearly distinguished in Siddhantic texts. They claim that Devi, Chandesha, Mahakala, Vaidya, Nandi, Ganesha, Bhringi, and Murugan are Shiva's eight Ganeshwaras (commanders).

Shilada, the wise man, is said to be the father of Nandi. In order to obtain a blessing—a child with immortality and the blessings of Lord Shiva—Shilada underwent severe repentance and had Nandi as his son. Legends say that Nandi was brought into the world from a Yajna performed by the Shilada. On the banks of the Narmada, near Tripur Tirth Kshetra in the present-day Nandikeshwar Temple in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, Nandi became an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and underwent severe penance to become his gatekeeper and mount. Goddess Parvati taught Nandi the divine knowledge of Agamic and Tantric wisdom. He could impart that divine knowledge to his eight followers, Sanaka, Sanatana, Sanandana, Sanatkumara, Tirumular, Vyagrapada, Patanjali, and Sivayoga Muni, who are regarded as the founders of Nandinatha Sampradaya. Nandi sent these eight disciples to eight different parts of the world to spread the knowledge. Nandi is the subject of numerous additional puranic tales. One of them talks about his fight with the Ramayana's antagonist Ravana. Nandi cursed Ravana, the demon king of Lanka, saying that a monkey who lived in the forest (Vanara) would burn down his kingdom because he was acting like a monkey while waiting to meet Shiva. When Hanuman went in search of Sita, who was held captive by Ravana in Ashok Vatika, later, he set fire to Lanka.
Another tale in which Nandi takes on the form of a whale is mentioned in the ancient Tamil text Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam. It is said that Shiva distracted Parvati while he was explaining the Vedas to her. Parvati then took on the form of a fisherwoman to make up for her lack of focus. Nandi transformed into a whale and began causing trouble for the people in an effort to unite his master and his beloved wife. Fisher-lady Parvati's dad announced that the one who might kill the whale would wed his girl. Afterward, Shiva appeared as an angler and killed the whale, and got Parvati in her past structure. Agamas describe him as a bull-headed zoo anthropomorph, holding an antelope, axe, mace, and abhayamudra in four hands. In every Shiva temple in the world, Nandi is depicted as a seated bull in his mount form. Even countries in Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, have encountered this form. The bull's white color is a representation of justice and purity. In Shiva temples, the seated Nandi, which faces the sanctum, represents a single jiva (soul) and conveys the message that the jiva should always focus on Parameshwara. Nandi, according to yoga, is the mind that is dedicated to Shiva, the absolute. To put it another way, Nandi, the inner guru, is the ability to comprehend and absorb light, experience, and wisdom.

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