Lord Bhikshatana

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     When Shiva chopped off Brahma's fifth head, Brahma died. But because of his great power and because of all his good deeds, Brahma managed to come back to life. Yet, Brahma is, in a sense, a brahmin, and Shiva had killed him. Killing a brahmin is considered the worst sin of all, and so Shiva had to repent for his sin and become a beggar. Because he had committed the sin of brahmahatya, the skull of Brahma's fifth head was stuck to Shiva's nail and he couldn't get it off. His sin took the form of a scary woman who followed him everywhere. To repent for his sin and to get rid of the creepy woman, he had to wander the earth as a naked beggar and used Brahma's skull as his food bowl. This form of Shiva is known as Bhikshatana and he is followed by scary ghosts and goblins.
     He wandered everywhere in the universe, all over the earth, through the heavens and the underworld, but the only food that would properly satisfy him were blood and flesh. People who served him food became hypnotized the moment they saw him. They followed him everywhere, he comes upon a yagna being conducted by Brahma where he fills the place with skulls because they wouldn't feed him. So, Brahma promised Shiva that all yagnas can only happen when a prayer is said to Shiva.
     Seeing Shiva suffering in this manner, Goddess Shakti decided to help him by giving him some food. She appeared to him to Annapurna, the goddess of food. She served him well, but made him promise that she will only bless humanity with food if he enlightens them with true knowledge. In the Vishwanath temple in Kashi, you see statues of Bhikshatana receiving food from Annapurna.
     While he was wandering the world, he went to the Deodar forest, also known as the Daruka forest. In the forest, the sages were doing yagnas and gained lots of power. They became very arrogant and thought that they were equal to the gods. Shiva knew about this and decided to teach them a lesson.
     So, Bhikshatana entered the forest as a naked and scary beggar with reddish-black skin. Lord Vishnu also accompanied him as a beautiful woman named Mohini, who unlike Bhikshatana, had white skin. Bhikshatana begged for food at the houses of the sages, when their wives appeared, just like everyone else, they became hypnotized and crazy. The sons of the sages saw Bhikshatana's beautiful wife Mohini and completely fell in love with her. The sages were shocked and disgusted them they saw their families following Bhikshatana. They became so angry that they cursed him, but nothing happened to him. Then Bhikshatana counter-cursed the sages to also become beggars like him.
     The sages then conducted a yagna and created a lion, an elephant, a tiger, a snake, and a dwarf. They attacked Bhikshatana, who defeated them all. Finally, he stood on top of the dwarf and began to dance. He ended his dance by lifting his left leg over his right leg. This form of Lord Shiva is known as Nataraja, the lord of dance. The sages were shocked that their curse didn't do anything. They prayed to Brahma and asked them why. Brahma appeared and told them that Bhikshatana was actually and incarnation of Shiva.
     The only two women who didn't become hypnotized were Arundhati, the wife of Vashishta, and Anasuya, the wife of the sage Atri. They instantly recognised Bhikshatana and Mohini and told the sages that they were Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu themselves. They also explained that Shiva was appearing like this because they had become arrogant and to teach them that knowledge was not the only thing that is important in life and that love is also extremely important for the continuation of living creatures. Bhikshatana then returned to the forest in his supreme form. the sages apologised and Bhikshatana taught the sages that they must become beggars like Bhikshatana, since that is what will help them upon the path to moksha. Arundhati and Anasuya told Bhikshatana that if he wanted to get rid of his sin and satisfy his hunger, then he must go to Lord Vishnu.
     Bhikshatana then leaves the forest and continues to wander all across the universe until he reaches Vaikuntha, the heavenly home of Vishnu. Vishnu's messenger, Vishwaksena, was guarding the door and when he saw Bhikshatana , he couldn't recognise that he was Shiva. Hence, he didn't allow Bhikshatana to enter. Bhikshatana told one of his attendants, Kalavega, to fight Vishwaksena, but Vishwaksena killed Kalavega. In anger, Bhikshatana attacked Vishwaksena and killed him, keeping his corpse on his trident, which was now struck to his left hand. This meant that his sin had increased further. This form of Shiva is known as Kankala-murti, the one with the skeleton.
     Kankala-murti entered Vaikuntha and begged for food. So, Vishnu offered him some of his own blood as well as some flesh from Bhikshatana's own forehead. Vishnu then told Bhikshatana to go to the city of Varanasi and pray to Lord Shiva.
     So, Bhikshatana followed Vishnu's advice, since he was very desperate to get rid of that scary woman and to stop being Bhikshatana. When he reached Varanasi, he prayed until Lord Shiva appeared before him. He told Bhikshatana that he will be free from his sin if he goes to Kashi. So, Bhikshatana eventually reached Kashi, and the moment he entered the holy city, the scary woman returned to the underworld. Bhikshatana meditated until the skull fell off from his right hand and the trident fell from his left hand. Vishwaksena corpse vanished and we was revived and returned to Vaikuntha. The place where the skull fell off is called Kapala-mochana, the liberation of the skull. Shiva then bathes in a holy pond and his scary appearance vanishes. Shiva, completely free from his sin, returned to Mt. Kailash to meditate and continue his peaceful life.

The Goddess Bhuvaneshwari and the Goddess Siddhidhatri

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     After the death of Madhu and Kaitabha, the Earth had land as well as water, but they needed energy from the sun to help provide life. So, the goddesses Tara and Kushmanda entered the sun. Kushmanda made the sun very bright and radiant and Tara made the sun radiate with energy and heat. Shakti then took the form of Goddess Shodashi. Goddess Shodashi planted a bamboo tree within the earth and poured water on it from her magical water pot. In this way, all plants on earth began to grow.
     After this, Brahma Vishnu and Rudra, a form of Shiva, didn't know what to do. Suddenly, a magical chariot appeared. The three of them got on the chariot and it flew them to a magical island. They saw a beautiful city and decided to go in there. The moment they entered the city, They turned into women. The reached the main palace where they learned that the island was called Manidvipa, and the ruler was Goddess Bhuvaneshwari, the queen of the universe. She was taken care of by many Yoginis who supplied her every need. She sat on the left thigh of Lord Sadashiva, the cosmic form of Lord Shiva.
     Bhuvaneshwari gave her shaktis in marriage to them. She gave Saraswathi to Brahma, Lakshmi to Vishnu, and Uma or Kali to Rudra. Bhuvaneshwari then created 14 planetary systems in the universe, each one different from the next. Goddess Shakti then took the form of Goddess Siddhidhatri and told them that their power comes from their wives, and that she will also create divine powers for them to use. Hence, she created the 8 main Siddhis, which are special powers one can gain through meditation. They are called Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakamya, Ishitva, and Vishitva.
     Anima can make you shrink to the size of an atom, Mahima can make you grow infinitely big, Garima can make you heavy, Prapti can make you teleport to wherever you want, Prakamya can make you know whatever anyone wants, Ishitva allows you to control nature, and Vishitva allows you to control elemental forces. There are 15 secondary siddhis which can allow you to do many things, ranging from shapeshifting and telepathy, to teleportation and seeing the future. Throughout many stories, you see sages, demons, and yogis use these abilities. Goddess Shakti then created the goddess Kamalatmika, who spread prosperity among humanity.
     Once the universe was set in motion, Brahma called all the gods, his mind-born sons and daughters, and some brahmins to conduct the first yagna. Lord Shiva attended the yagna in the form of Bhikshatana, the god of ascetics. He was scary looking, with a corpse stuck on his trident, and he used a skull as a food bowl. He came outside the yagna arena and begged for food. But the brahmins didn't let him in, not wanting to waste their time with a creepy beggar when they had a yagna to conduct. So, Bhikshatana threw his skull bowl into the yagna arena and the brahmins threw it out. But another skull appeared and another, until the whole yagna arena was full of scary skulls, which were de-purifying the atmosphere of the area.
     So, Brahma went to Shiva and promised him that no yagna can be completed without a prayer to Lord Shiva. Hence Lord Shiva is known as Kapaleshwara, the Lord of skulls. After the yagna, Brahma returned to Brahmaloka and Vishnu returned to the milk ocean in Vaikuntha. Shiva felt very hot and so decided to live on Mount Kailash in the Himalayas, where he would be cool and comfortable. This is also why in todays world, people pour cold water and milk products on the lingam, which is a special form of worshipping Shiva.

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Lord Brahma's Fifth Head

     Brahma had created a goddess named Shatarupa. She and Swayambhuva Manu together gave birth to all living creatures. She was the very personification of the universe. She was, in a sense, Brahma's daughter. But, She was so beautiful the Brahma fell in love with his own daughter. He was so entranced by her beauty that he desired only her for himself.
     When she circumambulated her father to pay her respects, Brahma sprouted four heads so that he could see her in every direction. She became very shy and so flew upwards. Brahma then created a fifth head above him so that he could see her upwards as well. When she turned into a cow, he turned into a bull, when she turned into a doe, he became a stag. when she turned into a swan, he turned into a gander. He kept turning into the male counterpart of her female form. He could realize she was energy and matter itself. The great goddess Shakti.
     She ran and complained to Lord Shiva, who became disgusted hearing this. He scolded Brahma for desired his own daughter. Four of Brahma's heads agreed and apologized, but the fifth head and spoke angrily back to Shiva. In anger, Shiva became the terrifying Bhairava, and with his nail, chopped off the fifth head of Brahma. This was how Brahma got four heads. Bhairava kept the skull on his finger and used it as a drinking and food bowl. This is why Shiva is also known as Kapalika, the skull-bearer.
     Shatarupa would eventually be known as Saraswathi, the goddess of knowledge, sound, and music. She was hesitant when Brahma asked her to be his wife, but he convinced her, saying that their union was vital for creation.

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Brahma, Vishnu, and the Pillar of Light

(My little brother Neel made this using the animating platform Scratch 3)

     One day, Vishnu and Brahma went for a stroll on the earth. While they were on earth, they had a bit of an argument over who was more powerful. Vishnu said that since he appeared before Brahma, and since he was the protector, he was more powerful. Brahma claimed that he was the one who created everything in the universe. Hence he was more powerful. Their argument turned into a fight. with the universe trembling and lightning flashing everywhere.
     Suddenly, an infinite pillar made of fire and light appeared before them and a voice told them that before any of them existed there existed Shiva and Shakti, Mahakaal and Mahakali. The voice then challenged them to try and find the end of the pillar. They accepted the challenge. Brahma turned into a swan and flew up the pillar while Vishnu turned into a boar and went down the pillar. Vishnu went deeper and deeper into the ground, until he even went past the underworld. Vishnu was amazed at this and seemed to understand more about the pillar. Whichever god it represented was infinitely powerful and the pillar represented its infinite form. Vishnu turned into a turtle and returned to their starting point.
     Brahma was extremely determined to prove that he was the most powerful. As he flew up, he met a bird with a flower in its mouth. He asked the bird if he knew if the pillar had an end. The bird said no. Brahma then asked the bird if he could have the flower as proof of their encounter. Brahma took the flower and returned to their starting point.
     He met Vishnu their who admitted that he didn't find the end of the pillar. Brahma lied and showed him the flower, claiming that he had found it at the end of the pillar. He demanded that he be known as the most powerful and the supreme creator.
     The pillar was Lingodbhava, a form of Lord Shiva. When Lord Shiva heard Brahma's lie, he emerged from the pillar as the terrifying Bhairava. He then cursed Brahma that even though he was the creator, he would never be worshipped on the earth. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva together became the kings of the material and spiritual universes.
     The pillar of light cooled down and became Mt. Arunachala. The 64 places that the pillar could be seen from became holy shrines known as jyotirlinga. True to Shiva's curse, to this day, Brahma isn't worshipped anywhere. Throughout all of India, there is only ONE temple dedicated to him in Pushkar, but only because it's the place where he killed a demon with his lotus flower.