In this sacred time of the year, we dedicate to शिव this thread about the role in the महाभारत of his particular form as श्रीकण्ठ-रुद्र. #shivabhAratam #शिवभारतम्

1.The great ऋषि & ritualist, बक-दाल्भ्य asks धृतराष्ट्र for cattle, who arrogantly calls him a ब्रह्मबन्धु (lit. a ब्राह्मण’s kinsman, effectively means a “namesake ब्राह्मण”) & offers cattle already dead due to sickness caused by भगवान्-पशुपति. #shivabhAratam #शिवभारतम्

1. Cont’d: बक-दाल्भ्य then offers the whole कुरु kingdom with the meats of the sick cattle & black rice grains to अग्नि-रुद्रवत्, with the कुरु country wasting away, till धृतराष्ट्र realizes his error and begs the ऋषि to release his kingdom. #shivabhAratam #शिवभारतम्

But the sacrifice of कुरु-s to रुद्र had begun & this only prefigures the even bloodier sacrifice to take place. The account given with बलराम’s यात्र in शाल्यपर्व must be read together with account given in कृष्णयजुर्वेद’s काठक-संहिता for fuller details. #shivabhAratam #शिवभारतम्

2.व्यास explains to द्रुपद that it is शंकर who imprisoned 5 old इन्द्र-s & sends them down as the 5 पाण्डव-s. #shivabhAratam #शिवभारतम्