If there comes a discussion about who is the powerful god in Hinduism, the first name that strikes everyone’s mind is lord Shiva. It is due to the stories we have heard of him from childhood. His actions, which we have learned through Hindu mythologies, were proof to believe that he is the most powerful god in Hinduism. But it is always a doubt to some devotees that, can anyone defeat him.
If you are also one among them, you are at the right place. The blog will help you get some insights about who can defeat lord Shiva.
But before jumping into it, let's summarize the reasons for considering lord Shiva as a powerful god.
Why Lord Shiva is the Powerful God?
Being one among the holy trinity, lord Shiva is the powerful deity, known as a destroyer. Many stories and battles prove his enigmatic strength and conviction to destroy evil and maintain the cosmic balance. The exceptional strength often correlated to the spiritual and metaphysical realms.
Lord Shiva is known for his power to destroy negative energy, no matter in which form he is via transformation. His anger and way of destruction is shown in the form of dance, called Tandav.
Lord Shiva, referred to as the first yogi, taught the world the importance of meditation through his ascetic lifestyle. Even though he is known for the destruction of the evil power, he also teaches the path of compassion. Lord Shiva's lessons are always a motivation to live a spiritual life.
Read more: 3 Daughters of Lord Shiva
Who Can Defeat Lord Shiva?
Even though lord Shiva is one of the holy trinity, there are some instances narrated in the Hindu mythologies in which he faces challenges. Some events state that the deities try to overpower him. It is believed that due to some situations, lord Vishnu, lord Indra, and even Brahma are undergoing conflicts with him.
Story of Jaladhara
Jaladhara was a fierce and powerful demon, born from the angry flames of lord Shiva. He was said to be dominating some deities. When he became a threat to the gods, affecting the cosmic balance, it became a concern for the lord Shiva’s consort, Parvati. However, when his actions went beyond the extent, lord Vishnu strategically diminished him.
Harihara War
Have you heard about the Harihara war? If you haven't, it would be the right time to learn about it. There was a demon Banasura, who got the blessing of having a thousand arms. In addition to these, he also asked lord Shiva to protect him whenever he was in danger. But this affected negatively when his daughter fell in love with lord Krishna’s grandson, Anirudha. They both got married, which made Banasura angry and made him kidnap both Aniruddha and his daughter.
Due to this, lord Krishna fought with Banasura. Since he knows that he lacks the power to win lord Krishna, Banasura asks for help from lord Shiva. It made lord Shiva and lord Krishna fight with each other, which went on for many days proving their powers.
Later, lord Krishna told lord Shiva that his support for the demon would affect the balance of the dharma. Then, lord Shiva told lord Krishna to use Jurumnastra, which would make him sleep for a long time. At this time, Krishna cut off Banasura’s thousand arms, which made him accept the defeat.
Brahmasura
You might have heard about the Brahmasura, the powerful demon, who was born from the ash of lord Shiva. He propitiated lord Shiva and asked wish to burn anyone into ash. He meant to burn anyone on whom he placed his hand. After he got what he asked for, he tried to test it by placing his hand on lord Shiva. This made him escape and go to Vaikuntha. But Brahmasura reached there in search of lord Shiva. It made lord Shiva ask for help from lord Vishnu. Based on lord Shiva’s request, he turned himself into a gorgeous woman called Mohini. When Brahmasura saw Mohini, he was astonished and started dancing with her.
He started copying her moves. And, when she placed her hands above her head, he copied her, placing his hands above the head. This made him burn to ashes.
Many stories prove lord Shiva’s power and state, he won't be defeated by anyone. However, there is a book called Navnath Bhaktisar, which states that lord Shiva was defeated by Charpatinath.
It was believed that once when lord Indra insulted Narada Muni, he took Charpatinath to heaven to take revenge. When the guards realized this, they tried to arrest him, but everyone was defeated by him. When the god Indra got to know, he sent other gods to attack him. But no one was capable of defeating him. So, he seeks help from lord Shiva. But surprisingly, the book story says he defeated lord Shiva too.
Read more: Who are lord Shiva's father and mother?
Learn more About the Lord Shiva’s Power
As said before, a wide range of Hindu population believed that no one could defeat lord Shiva due to his unwavering power and invincibility. The battles led by lord Shiva were beyond conventional war, including spiritual and philosophical aspects.
Since he is being considered as the eternal significance of cosmic balance, there is a strong belief that his power has no replacement and no one can defeat him completely. This aspect and belief is the reason why Lord Shiva has a large proportion of devotees. The love and honour for lord Shiva is the reason devotees place lord Shiva’s idols in their homes and celebrate Mahashivrathri and more festivals to commemorate his actions.
