Bhasmasura was an asura, who was driven by ambition to be
the most powerful Asura ever. He saw the other Asuras and decided that he would
perform severe penance to win the favour of Lord Shiva and become powerful.
Penance to Shiva
So Bhasmasura prayed for a long time. He prayed and was
soon absorbed in his meditation. Lord Shiva in Kailasha heard his prayers and
wondered who it was who was praying to him. Using the power of meditation, Lord
Shiva realised that it was Bhasmasura who was praying.
Shiva’s role
Lord Shiva never differentiates between his devotees, be
they Devas or Asuras. If they are true devotees, he is easily appeased. No
wonder, he is known as Bholenath.
Shiva to Asura
“Open your eyes, Bhasmasura!’ Lord Shiva says, appearing
before him. Bhasmasura opens his eyes, feeling the divine voice flow through
him. He opened his eyes and saw the beautiful, three-eyed God before him. He
bowed low and fell on his feet. ‘My Lord, you have come at last…’ He said,
looking at Lord Shiva…
Shiva was Happy
Lord Shiva smiled, ‘You prayed to me…I came to see you…
What do you wish for, Bhasmasura?’ Bhasmasura smiled, ‘My Lord! I wish to be
immortal...' Lord Shiva shook his head, 'No Bhasmasura. That is against the
laws of nature. All of whom are born, have to die...' Bhasmasura pouted. He had
so wished that Lord Shiva would make him invincible and immortal. Looking at
Lord Shiva, Bhasmasura realised that no amount of pleading would change Lord
Shiva's mind.
Some quick thinking
Bhasmasura had to do some quick thinking before Shiva
vanished. He thought, “What should I ask...I need to become powerful...more
powerful than...” As Bhasmasura was wondering, he got an idea... “My Lord, if I
touch anybody’s head, they should be reduced to ashes…” Bhasmasura said. Lord
Shiva frowned and wondered what had prompted the Asura to ask such a wish. Yet,
Shiva knew he had to grant Bhasmasura this wish.
A Mistake
Lord Shiva realised his folly when Bhasmasura let out a
maniacal laugh. He studied his hands and said, “Now I am more powerful than
anybody. I am more powerful than even you, O Lord. I can even burn down Lord
Shiva….if I wish….” Lord Shiva winced when he heard this. He stared as
Bhasmasura continued. ‘Now Lord! I wish to test my power. I…’ Bhasmasura said
coming forward, “I will place my hand on your head….”
A scared Shiva
Lord Shiva backed away as Bhasmasura came forward….Lord
Shiva realised that he could not take back his words. He would be reduced to
ashes if he let Bhasmasura even touch him. That would change destiny...that was
not the way the things should happen...so, Lord Shiva did the only thing he
could do...he ran and ran and ran, Bhasmasura running behind with his hands
outstretched.
Shiva appeals to Vishnu
Lord Shiva was wondering what to do, when he prayed to
Lord Vishnu, the Preserver. “Narayana, please help me now…” he said, as he ran
between a clump of trees inside a jungle… indeed, Vishnu came to Shiva’s
rescue.
An ethereal beauty
Bhasmasura was about to follow Shiva inside the clump of
trees, when he stopped…before him stood the most beautiful woman he had ever
seen. She was so beautiful and graceful that for a minute, Bhasmasura even
forgot who he was…he blinked and stared at the woman again, asking, ‘Who…who
are you?’ He stammered.
A bedazzled Bhasmasura
The beauty, in turn, asked Bhasmasura to reveal his
identity. Though Bhasmasura was having difficulty breathing, yet he blurted
out: “Bhasmasura...I...I am Bhasmasura...”
I am Mohini
Then, the lady, with her eyes twinkling in merriment,
said, “I am Mohini...” The lady captivated Bhasmasura so much that he asked
her, “'Will you marry me?' before he could stop himself.
Mesmerised by Mohini
Bhasmasura gathered that Mohini lived in the forest and
repeated his proposal. The damsel, however, replied: “I would love to marry you…
but I’m a dancer and I can only marry someone who can dance as good as me!”
Asura with two left feet
Bhasmasura blinked. He had never danced in his whole
life. But he promised himself he would learn how to dance just to marry this
woman... Mohini looked at him and reassured him, “Don't worry, I will teach
you…if you follow my steps and do exactly what I do, I will marry you..” (Of
course, Bhasmasura was ready to slay dragons for her!)
Dancing his way to her heart
So, the two of them danced. Bhasmasura tried his best to
copy Mohini's move as she smiled encouragingly at him. They went on dancing,
where Bhasmasura got better and better at copying Mohini's moves. Bhasmasura
concentrated on dancing and on nothing else. Mohini soon had a move where she
kept her hand on her head. Without thinking, Bhasmasura did the same!
A trick that worked
Unfortunately for Bhasmasura, his powers worked... Mohini
was looking at Bhasmasura's ashes as Lord Shiva reappeared. 'Thank you,
Vishnu', for Mohini was none other than Lord Vishnu. Mohini vanished and Lord
Vishnu stood in her place.
Be careful with wishes
Lord Vishnu’s parting advice to Shiva was: “Just be
careful before granting the wishes of anyone, because wishes carry a power all
their own, once they are granted!”
