Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.1961

c9.1961

3) Incarnations, Śiva has taken several partial incarnations, the chief of which are given below.
(i) Durvāsas. (See under Durvāsas).
(ii) Vānara (Monkey). Śiva, Pārvatī and their attendants like Nandikeśvara once transformed themselves into monkeys and played about on the Himālayas. Rāvaṇa, who came there on the occasion ridiculed Nandikeśvara, who, in great rage, cursed Rāvaṇa that monkeys would destroy him. Being thus cursed Rāvaṇa raised Kailāsa from its foundations and played with it. (Uttara Rāmāyaṇa).
(iii) Śakti. Śiva incarnated himself as Śakti, son of Vasiṣṭha and was devoured by Kalmāṣapāda, who took the form of a Rākṣasa. (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 6).
(iv) Varuṇa. Śiva once assumed the form of Varuṇa and conducted a yajña which was attended by the Vedas in assumed forms. (M.B. Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 85).