These Mythology stories teach morals and values.

In the sacred land where faith and the divine met, there lived a sage named Shilada. For years, he had been praying for a child, praying first to Indra, the king of the gods, and then to Lord Shiva, the mighty destroyer of the universe. The repentance was so deep and continuous that he remained seated in one position for days on end. As time passed, his body grew frail, and ants began to crawl over him, covering his skeletal form. His physical form was withering away, yet his faith remained intact.

Shiva, moved by the sage’s undying devotion, finally appeared before him. With a gentle touch, Shiva revived Shilada, healing his body and returning him to full health. The god, impressed with the sage’s prayer, promised to grant him the child. He said to Shilada, “Perform a Yajna, and from its holy fires, you will get a son.”

Excited and filled with hope, Shilada followed Shiva’s instructions. As the flames from the Yajna roared, a divine being emerged—a child with three eyes and four arms, fully armed and armored. The gods themselves showered flowers from the heavens, celestial music played, and a wave of joy—Ananda—swept over the world. The child was named Nandi, which means “the joyful one“.

Nandi’s presence filled Shilada’s heart with pride and joy. But as he took the child home, something unexpected happened: the extra arms and the third eye slowly disappeared, leaving Nandi looking like an ordinary human child. This transformation left Shilada slightly disappointed, as he had hoped for an extraordinary son. Nevertheless, his love and care for Nandi were unshaken. He devoted himself fully to raising the boy with all his heart.

From a very young age, Nandi proved to be no ordinary child. His intellect was astonishing—before he turned seven, he could already chant the Vedas, the ancient and sacred texts of Hinduism, with perfect precision. His brilliance amazed everyone who met him. But then, one fateful day, the deities Mitra and Varuna visited Shilada’s home. They brought a terrible prediction of the future.

They said, “This child may be a prodigy, but it is not ordained that he should live long. He is fated to see the world only for a little time, and must soon die.”

Shilada was devastated by the news. His heart, once filled with hope and joy, was now heavy with sorrow. Unable to bear the thought of losing his beloved son, Shilada wept bitterly. But young Nandi, wise beyond his years, remained calm. Determined to alter his fate, Nandi decided to seek the one being who could change the course of his destiny—Lord Shiva himself.

Nandi made his way to the seashore, where he sat in meditation. He began chanting Shiva’s name with unwavering focus, performing the sacred practice of Japa, repeating the name of his beloved deity over and over again. For days, he remained still in his prayer, his devotion as vast as the ocean that lay before him. The spot where he performed his Japa is said to be Japeshwar-tirtha in Tamil Nadu, a place now sacred to devotees of Shiva.

Moved by Nandi’s deep devotion, Shiva appeared before him once more.

“What is it that you desire, my child?” Shiva asked undisturbed and softly.

Nandi looked up at his divine father and made a simple request. I aspire to do japa your name one crore more times.

Shiva, touched by Nandi’s sincerity, granted him the boon of extended life. Nandi was overjoyed and returned to his prayers, continuing his Japa with even greater intensity.

Many years passed, and when Nandi had finally completed chanting Shiva’s name a crore times, the god appeared again.

“What do you desire this time, Nandi?” Shiva asked.

Nandi replied with the same request. “My heart desires to repeat your name one crore more times before I leave this world.”

Once again, Shiva granted him the boon, and Nandi continued his japa. This cycle repeated itself three times, with Nandi each time asking only for the lifespan to complete another crore Japas of Shiva’s name.

By the end of the third round, Nandi’s body had become so still in meditation that sea creatures began to eat at his flesh. Yet Nandi remained sitting, his mind fixed solely on prayer Shiva. His devotion transcended the physical world; he had become one with his prayers.

After the third cycle was completed, Shiva appeared once more, but this time with a different message.

“No more chanting my name so as to linger on here, Nandi,” Shiva said lovingly. “You have earned your place by my side. Come with me.”

With that, Shiva took his own sacred necklace and placed it around Nandi’s neck. At that moment, something miraculous happened—the third eye reappeared on Nandi’s forehead, and his four arms returned, marking his transformation back into the extraordinary being he had been born as.

“I am taking him away with me forever,” Shiva told Shilada, who had been watching from afar, his heart torn between joy and sorrow. “Do not think for him, for I am making him immortal.”

With these words, Shiva ascended to the heavens, with Nandi by his side, now transformed into the eternal gatekeeper of Shiva’s abode. Nandi, who had once been prophesied to die young, had transcended mortality through his unwavering devotion, and his story would be remembered for ages as a testament to the power of faith and the grace of Shiva.

Shilada, though saddened by the departure of his son, found solace in knowing that Nandi had achieved immortality. His heart swelled with pride, for his son had not only defied death but had also become a symbol of devotion, forever standing guard at the gates of Shiva’s heavenly realm.

Thus, the tale of Nandi’s journey from a mortal child to an immortal guardian became legendary, inspiring countless generations to follow the path of devotion and surrender to the divine will. Nandi’s life reminds us that even in the face of death, true devotion can lead to eternal life in the embrace of the divine.