What is Lord Shiva and Nandi story | How Nandi became devotee of Lord Shiva
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Just before moving towards to know about “What is Lord Shiva and Nandi story | How Nandi became devotee of Lord Shiva“, let us know few basic information about the beautiful Lord Shiva family.
Lord Shiva is the head of this family. His consort name is Goddess Sri Parvati Devi.
Both Lord Shiva and Goddess Sri Parvati Devi have two sons namely Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartikeya.
Lord Ganesha has divine elephant face, while Lord Kartikeya has 6 heads and thus Lord Kartikeya is also known as as ‘Shanmukha’.
(Here Shanmukha = Shan + Mukha. Here Shan = 6 and Mukha = face / head).
Lord Shiva, Goddess Sri Parvati Devi, Lord Ganesha, Lord Karitikeya and other Ganas all stay in a divine place called Kailasha (Kailash).
With all these four of them, there are multiple other divine people living in Kailasha (Kailash). Few of the names are Nandi, Bhringi, many Ganas etc.
Lord Shiva’s mount is Nandi, Goddess Sri Parvati Devi’s mount is divine Lion, Lord Ganesha’s mount is Mushaka (Mushak) (divine Mouse) and Lord Kartikeya’s mount is Mayura (divine Peacock).
Many of us know that Nandi is the mount (vehicle) and one of the greatest devotee of Lord Shiva.
But today let us understand “What is Lord Shiva and Nandi story | How Nandi became devotee of Lord Shiva“.
In Sanskrit Nandi name is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Ananda‘.
In Sanskrit Nandi means divine bliss, joy, pleasure, cheerful, jovial, delightful, auspicious, etc.
There was a sage named Shilada. He once saw that his ancestors were being tortured in Naraka / hell.
When Shilada tried to find out why this was so, he was told that this was because Shilada did not yet have a son.
To obtain a son, Shilada began to pray to Lord Shiva. Shilada prayed for a thousand years.
At the end of the tapasya / penance, Lord Shiva appeared and offered to grant Shilada a boon.
Shilada wanted the boon that he might have a virtuous son.
A few days later, when Shilada was ploughing the land, he discovered a baby boy on the blade of the plough.
The boy was as bright as the sun and the fire. Shilada was frightened and started to run away.
But the boy called after him, “Father, stop. Father, stop”. A voice was then heard from the sky.
This voice told Shilada that this was the son he had wanted.
Since this son would make everyone happy, he was to be named Nandi (Nandi means happiness, joyful, blissfull etc. in Sanskrit).
Shilada brought Nandi to home to his hermitage (ashram).
Shilada taught his son the Vedas, the arts of the Ayurveda / medicine and Yuddha / fighting, Natya / dancing and Sangeeta / singing and several other sacred texts.
All these Nandi mastered within fifteen days.
When Nandi was seven years old, two powerful Rishis / sages arrived in Shilada’s hermitage (ashram). Their names were Mitra and Varuna.
Shilada worshipped them and presented Nandi before them.
The sages blessed Nandi with the words, “Be learned, be faithful to your teacher”.
Shilada said, “Rishis / Sages, why didn’t you bless my son with a long life?”
“We couldn’t”, replied the Rishis / sages. “Your son is going to die when he is eight years old. That is written in his stars.”
Shilada was crestfallen to hear this, but Nandi consoled his father.
Nandi promised his father that, he will do something so that this fate would have to be rewritten.
Nandi said, “I will pray to Lord Shiva. And when I meet Lord Shiva, I will ask a boon from Lord Shiva”.
“Meeting Lord Shiva”, exclaimed Shilada. “I had to meditate for a thousands of years before I could get to meet Lord Shiva. How do you expect to meet Lord Shiva in the one year that is left to you?”
“Wait and see, father”, replied Nandi.
Nandi continued, “Lord Shiva is difficult to meet if you only perform tapasya / penance or thirst for knowledge.”
“The secret lies in vishvasa / faith and bhakti / devotion. I will manage.”
There was a river named Bhuvana. Nandi entered this river and began underwater prayers to please Lord Shiva.
Nandi’s efforts pleased Lord Shiva so much, that Lord Shiva appeared before him.
“What boon do you want?” asked Lord Shiva.
“Please grant me the boon that I should be a bhakta / devotee to you”, replied Nandi. “I don’t want to be born and become old and die”.
Lord Shiva granted Nandi the boon that he and his father will get to live in Lord Shiva’s residence in Shivaloka (Kailasha) (Kailash).
Lord Shiva’s companions are known as Ganas.
Lord Shiva made Nandi as “Ganapati“, means the “chief of the all the Ganas” and retained him as a perpetual companion.
Lord Shiva also gave Nandi a wonderful garland to wear.
As soon as he put this garland on, Nandi became resplendent with three eyes and ten hands.
PS: Lord Ganesha is also called as “Ganesha” or “Ganapati” as he is head for all the Ganas including the Nandi and Bhringi.
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