Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.4883

c9.4883

VṚṢA IV. An incarnation of Śiva in the form of an ox. The following is a story that occurs in Śiva Purāṇa, Śatarudrasamhitā, about this incarnation. When the Devas and the Asuras united together and churned the sea of milk, ever so many noble objects rose up to the surface of the sea. Several beautiful damsels also came up. Viṣṇu grew amorous of them and thus thousands of sons were born by them. These sons who were born in the Pātāla (Nether world), and by and by, came up and began to do harm to the dwellers of the earth. At this time Śiva took the incarnation in the form of an ox to study the situation properly. In this disguise Śiva entered Pātāla and took by stealth the Sudarśana (the weapon of Viṣṇu) and drove him to heaven. When Viṣṇu had gone from Pātāla, he had advised his sons to stay in Pātāla. Vṛṣa who came to know of this, cursed them:— "Any man, other than the peaceful hermits and Dānavas (asuras) who are born from my portion, who enters Pātāla shall die." From that day onwards, the world of Pātāla became a forbidden place for men.