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Nandi, also called Nandeeshwara has a face of a bull and is the gate-keeper of Kailasa, the abode of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Nandi is also considered as the chief guru of the eight disciples of Nandinatha Sampradaya – a sect of Shaivism. The statue of Nandi can be seen at every lord Shiva’s temple and it is always exactly in the line of vision of the Shivalinga.
Nandi is the big bull on which Lord Shiva is to be riding on. In Hinduism, it is believed that before entering the temple of Shiva we are to take his permission. Such is the greatness of Nandi.
“Nandikesa Maha Bhaga, Shiva dhyana parayana,
Gowri sankara sevartham Anugnam dathumarhasi.”
Translating to:
“Oh Lord Nandi who is Lord of all bulls,
Who is immersed in prayer of Shiva?
Please give me permission,
To worship Lord Shankara with his consort Gowri.”
Birth of Nandi
The birth of Nandi is one that is not popularly known, yet a very interesting one! Once there was a sage named Shilada, who was an ardent Shiva bhakta and he did not have any children of his own. Lord Shiva started meditating and Indra appeared and told him to pray to Lord Shiva and he could suffice the wish if a child for Shilada. Shilada then performed penances and yajnas for years to please Lord Shiva, Termites built their homes around him and started to eat him, only his bones were left with a lot of flesh eaten by the termites, the lord was pleased by Shilada’s devotion granted him a boon. Shilada asked for a child who is to be immortal. Lord Shiva granted Shilada’s boon and hence, Shilada turned a happy man that the Lord would surely gift him a son. The next day, during farming, Shilada found a baby boy who shining as bright as the sun himself. He was mesmerized looking at the baby and then a voice from the sky was heard instructing Shilada to take good care of the son.
Shilada took the son home and took very good care of the baby. He named the boy Nandi which means joy, happiness and satisfaction in Sanskrit and to grow, to flourish, to appear in Tamil. The baby went to become a great devotee of Lord Shiva. He was taken good care by the sage.
Shilada took care of the child with lots of care, love, affection. Nandi grew up to be a great devotee of Lord Shiva and was always immersed in the thoughts of the Kailas vasa, Mahadev, Lord Shiva. By the age of 7 itself, Shilada taught Nandi all the Veda, Puranas, scriptures. Nandi mastered each and every scripture and he had immense knowledge on the Sanatana Dharma and he knew what’s right and what’s wrong at such a tender age itself. Nandi also the mastered the arts of medicine, dancing, singing, fighting amongst several others. Shilada felt blessed and daily expressed his thanks to the Lord for gifting him such a brilliant child.
Once, two sages named Mitra and Varuna pay a visit to Shilada’s home. Shilada orders his son Nandi to accompany the guests and provide proper hospitality to them. Nandi treats the sages with due respect and satisfied all their needs as a guest. The sages Mitra and Varuna are impressed and Nandi falls on their feet to receive their blessings. Shilada notices that the sages bless Nandi only half-heartedly which makes Shilada disturbed. Shilada ran outside the house and spotted the sages. He made sure that Nandi wasn’t following him and asked the sages why they were looking sad while blessing Nandi. The sages felt pity for Shilada and replied that they can’t bless Nandi a long and prosperous life. Shilada was confused and asked the sages to explain. Then the sages Varuna and Mitra started to explain that the fate of Nandi was written in way that he can’t lead a very long life. Shilada felt devastated and heart broken and returned home with a sad and long face. Nandi noticed the change in behaviour in his father’s face and asked what happened? Slowly and painfully, Shilada narrates the story of conversation between him and the sages that occurred outside to Nandi. Shilada expected Nandi might be sacred and also might break out but to his surprise, his son was bursting laughter out. Shilada was wondering what was so funny in the story he tod to his son. Nandi then explained Shilada that Shilada conducted a penance for him and saw the Lord himself. When the Lord has given a guarantee, how can one be worried by what a few sages say. He explained that if it was his fate to die at a young age, then Lord Shiva could even re-write the fate if they prayed to him and stayed devoted to him. He exclaimed that Shiva wouldn’t do any harm to his pure devotees and he is the most powerful god.
Nandi then decided to do a Yagya, also called a penance and meditate under the name of Lord Shiva. Nandi asks for the blessings of his father and leaves to the river Bhuvana. He enters the river and starts meditating. His meditation and penance were so focused and powerful that Lord Shiva was pleased within a very short span of time relatively compared to other penances. Nandi felt blessed looking at the Lord and was gazing at him. He felt he had nothing more left to ask the Lord. Instantly, a thought stuck Nandi’s mind and asked Lord Shiva if he could stay with the lord forever throughout his life. Shiva then told that he lost his bull that he used to travel on to different places across the three worlds. He then granted a boon that Nandi shall have the face of a bull and would be Shiva’s mount or Shiva’s vehicle. Nandi would accompany Shiva wherever he travels.
It is also said that according to the Vayu Purana, Nandi is the son of Sage Kashyap and Surabhi. The story of Nandi being born to Shilada is according to the Linga Purana. A few experts argue that the story of Nandi in the Linga Purana is the second birth of Nandi and the first birth is to Sage Kashyap and Surabhi according to the Vayu Purana. The birth of Nandi is still a debatable topic amongst the various Mythology stories.
Nandi and the curse of Parvati
Another story that revolves around Nandi is yet another interesting one. This story narrates how once in Kailasa where Lord Shiva and Parvati reside, Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati were playing a game of dice where the faithful Nandi was the umpire. Partial to Lord Shiva, he decreed that the deity had won even though the goddess was the clear winner.
Infuriated, Goddess Parvati inflicted a curse on him. Nandi asked for the release from the curse, saying his actions arose from devotion to his Lord. Parvati then said Nandi could be released from the curse if he worshiped her son Lord Ganesha.
Nandi was told that he would be free of the curse if he offered Lord Ganesha his favourite items and revered the deity on his birthday. Nandi then worshipped Lord Ganesh on Chaturthi, i.e. the fourth day of a paksha, it could be a Shukla paksha or a Krishna paksha, in the holy Hindu month of Bhadrapada, and offered him green grass as penance. From then on, most devotes keep green grass as an offering to Lord Ganesha during Ganesh Chaturthi.
Story of Nandi: Born as a Whale
Once, in Kailasa, Lord Shiva was explaining various sources of knowledge to Goddess Parvati. While lord Shiva explained them to her, in between Parvati lost her concentration, lord Shiva then realising that his wife Parvati had lost concentration, cursed her to be born as a fisherwoman on Earth and would lead the life of a mortal Human Being. According to the curse, goddess Parvati was born on Earth and a fisherman adopted him. Lord Shiva realised his mistake and became das. His sadness increased day by day and he struggled to stay alone without his beloved wife Parvati. Nandi, then as lord Shiva’s companion couldn’t bear the thought that his master was in agony. He thought that his master would be happy only if Parvati came back to Mount Kailash. Once Nandi asked Lord Shiva why can’t he go and bring her back to Mount Kailasa. Shiva then explained that she is destined to marry a fisherman according to her fate.
Nandi then thought about this and then Nandi took the form of a whale and started troubling the fishermen of Goddess Parvati’s tribe. Knowing this, goddess Parvati’s father was so worried that the whale was troubling all of them and no one was willing to help. He then announced that whoever catches the whale wins the hands of Parvati and could marry her. As goddess Parvati was very gorgeous and talks about her beauty were known across various fishing tribes, many young fishermen turned out. They made attempts to catch the whale but all in vain. This was because the whale was none other than Nandi in disguise and he was not ready to give up. Lord Shiva was watching all this from his residence, Kailasa and understood that the whale is none other than Nandi. With a smile, Lord Shiva takes the form of a fisherman to catch the whale troubling the community. Then he goes to Earth, meets Parvati’s father and promised that he would catch the deadly whale. Nandi then identified that the fisherman is none other than his master Lord Shiva himself. He fell easily in the hands of the fisherman and was caught in no time. Then the grand wedding of Parvati and Lord Shiva in the form of fisherman was arranged and Goddess Parvati was taken to Mount Kailasa and they lived happily. Lord Shiva then thanked Nandi for his help as the whale.
Nandi during Samudra Manthan
During the Samudra Manthan (churning of the sea to obtain Amruth) conducted by the Devas and Asuras, the whole sea was polymerized due to a deadly poison catalysed by Cobra Vasuki’s venom. This emerged due to continuously shaking the body of Vasuki during churning. All the three worlds were now in imminent danger fearing that the poison would destroy all the worlds. Then Lord Shiva came forward as only he could salvage the grave situation.
With all his powers, lord Shiva scooped up the poison into his hand and drank it. Fearing that her husband would die, goddess Parvati constricted his neck and the descent of the poison was in turn stopped at his throat. The poison started spilling out of his mouth and Nandi jumped forward and lapped it up. Lord Shiva’s neck became dark shaded and then on, Lord Shiva was known also as ‘Neel Kant’. Here Neel is blue, while Kant is neck.
The devas and asuras watching this incident, were shocked and wondered about what would happen to Nandi. Lord Siva calmed their fears saying, “Nandi has surrendered into me so completely that he has all my powers and my protection”.
Mahadev once, pleased by the unwavering devotion and love of Nandi gave him a boon that whosoever says his/her prayers in his {Nandi’s) ears, will be able to communicate with Mahadev directly, the prayers will get directly to Shiva’s ears. He is married to Suyasha. According to Shiv Purana, a devotee has to at first offer prayers to Nandi- Suyasha, then Kartikeya and Ganesha with their respective wives and then finally offer prayers to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
In Hinduism, it is believed that no one , even the greatest devotees of the Lord, can reach Mahadev without the blessings of Nandi, the most blessed and greatest devotee of Mahadev. Here is the popularly known Nandi Mantra:
नंदी मंत्र :-
ॐ महाकालयम महावीर्यं
शिव वाहनं उत्तमम
गणनामत्वा प्रथम वन्दे
नंदिश्वरम महाबलम
MANTRA:
Om Mahaakaalyam Mahaaveeryam
Shiva Vahanam Outatmama
Ganaanamtwa Pratham Vande
Nandishwaram Mahabalam
