Bhringi
Encyclopedia
According to Hindu mythology
, Parangi (the wanderer) was an ancient sage (rishi
), and a great devotee of Shiva
,the Hindu God of destruction and rejuvenation. The legend states that he had Two legs. According to mythology, all the rishis once paid homage to both Shiva and Parvati
, the second consort of Shiva, but Parangi would not worship Parvati and dedicated himself solely to Shiva. Enraged, Parvati reduced Parangi to a skeleton. In this form he was not able to stand and so Shiva provided him with a third leg. Bhringi remained undaunted, and continued to worship only Shiva. To force him to worship Parvati as well, Shiva transformed himself into his androgynous form of Ardhanarishvara, in which state he was combined with his consort Parvati. Parangi remained undeterred. Transformed himself in a bee, he bored his way through the male part of androgynous Shiva and continued his worship. He generally appears beside Shiva during his cosmic dance of tandava
.
Hindu mythology
Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...
, Parangi (the wanderer) was an ancient sage (rishi
Rishi
Rishi denotes the composers of Vedic hymns. However, according to post-Vedic tradition, the rishi is a "seer" to whom the Vedas were "originally revealed" through states of higher consciousness. The rishis were prominent when Vedic Hinduism took shape, as far back as some three thousand years...
), and a great devotee of Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
,the Hindu God of destruction and rejuvenation. The legend states that he had Two legs. According to mythology, all the rishis once paid homage to both Shiva and Parvati
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
, the second consort of Shiva, but Parangi would not worship Parvati and dedicated himself solely to Shiva. Enraged, Parvati reduced Parangi to a skeleton. In this form he was not able to stand and so Shiva provided him with a third leg. Bhringi remained undaunted, and continued to worship only Shiva. To force him to worship Parvati as well, Shiva transformed himself into his androgynous form of Ardhanarishvara, in which state he was combined with his consort Parvati. Parangi remained undeterred. Transformed himself in a bee, he bored his way through the male part of androgynous Shiva and continued his worship. He generally appears beside Shiva during his cosmic dance of tandava
Tandava
' or ', the divine art form, is a dance performed by the god Shiva, who is revered by Hindus. According to Hindu mythology, Shiva’s Tandava is a vigorous dance that is the source of the cycle of creation, preservation and dissolution...
.