Like Shri Hari Vishnu, Shiva also took many incarnations. Mahavir Hanuman is considered to be his 11th Rudra incarnation. His first form is considered to be 'Mahakal'. This is the form which is a symbol of destruction.

In Hinduism, the stories of God's incarnation on earth and salvation of humans are written in all the Vedas - scriptures. Almost everyone is familiar with the incarnations of Lord Vishnu, but very few people know about the incarnations of Lord Shiva. Today we will tell you about the major incarnations of Lord Shiva who is beyond time and death, who have descended on this earth and have done the welfare of humans in some form or the other and have been doing so till now.

Before knowing about the incarnations of Lord Shiva, we know whose incarnation Lord Shiva is described as in Hindu religious texts. If we believe in Shiva Purana, then Lord Shiva is self-existent, who has neither any beginning nor any end. This entire world is in motion due to his existence. Whereas in Vishnu Purana, Lord Shiva is born from Lord Vishnu.

Narmadeshwar Shivling is considered to be the best for worshiping the formless form of Lord Shiva. The reason behind this is that the Shivlings formed from the Narmada river are self-manifested and do not even need to be created or consecrated.

Apart from these incarnations, Shiva's incarnations like Durvasa, Mahesh, Vrishabha, Pippalad, Vaishyanath, Dwijeshwar, Hansroop, Avdhooteshwar, Bhikshuvarya, Sureshvar, Brahmachari, Suntantarak, Dwij, Ashwatthama, Kirat, Nateshwar and Hanuman are also mentioned in the 'Shiva Purana', which are considered to be partial incarnations.

Which are the 19 incarnations of Shiv Ji? - 1. Veerbhadra: Lord Shiva took incarnation in his Veerbhadra form at the time when Goddess Sati jumped into the havan kund due to insult in the yagya organized by Prajapati Daksha. When Lord Shiva came to know that Goddess Sati had given up her life, he pulled out a lock of hair from his head and threw it on the mountain. Veerbhadra was born from the front part of the same thrown lock of hair. Veerbhadra completely destroyed Daksha's yagya and awarded death penalty to Daksha by beheading him.

2. Pippalad: Lord Shiva's Pippalad form holds a very important place in the prevention of Shani Dosh. It was possible to get rid of Shani's pain only by his grace. According to the mythological story related to Pippalad, once Pippalad asked the gods that what was the reason that my father Dadhichi left me before my birth? The gods said that this has happened due to the sight of Shani.

On hearing the words of the gods, Pippalad became angry and he cursed Shanidev to fall from the constellation. The effect of his curse was that Shani started falling from the sky, after this, on the request of the gods, Pippalad forgave Shani but put a condition that Shani will not cast his eyes on anyone from birth to the age of sixteen. 3. Nandi Avatar: Nandi avatar of Lord Shiva gives us the message of loving all living beings. Nandi i.e. bull is considered a symbol of karma. The story related to this incarnation of Lord Shiva says that a sage named Shilad was a celibate. Seeing their lineage coming to an end, the ancestors of Shilad Muni asked him to produce a child.

After this, Shilad started doing rigorous penance of Lord Shiva with the aim of wishing for a deathless child. Pleased with Shilad's penance, Lord Shiva himself granted Shilad the boon of being born as a son. After some time, Shilad was once plowing the land and while plowing the land, Shilad found a child from the same land who was born from the land. Shilad named that child Nandi.

4. Bhairav Avatar: When Brahma and Vishnu started considering themselves superior, a male figure appeared in the middle of a bright beam. Seeing him, Brahma Ji said that you are my son, come to my abode. Hearing Brahma's words, Lord Shiva got very angry and he said to the male figure that because you look like Kaal, you are Kaalraj and Bhairav.

After getting this boon from Lord Shiva, Kaal Bhairav cut off the fifth head of Brahma Ji with the nail of his finger. Due to this, Kaal Bhairav was considered guilty of brahmahatya. Only after entering Kashi, this form of Lord Shiva was able to get rid of the big sin of brahmahatya.

5. Ashwatthama Avatar: Ashwatthama is considered to be the partial incarnation of Lord Shiva. In Mahabharata, Ashwatthama, son of Guru Dronacharya, is considered to be the only warrior who had the ability to keep the entire war in favor of the Kauravas. But unfortunately, he became the commander at the end of the war. It is said about them that they are immortal even today and are present on earth.

6. Sharabhavtar: Sharabhavtar is considered to be the sixth incarnation of Lord Shankar. In this incarnation, he was half a deer and half a Sharabha bird.

7. Grihapati Avatar: This is the seventh incarnation of Lord Shiva who was the son of a sage named Vishwanar and his wife Shuchishmati. Pleased with the worship of the sage, Lord Shiva gave him the boon of being born from the womb of Shuchishmati.

8. Rishi Durvasa: The eighth incarnation of Lord Shiva, Rishi Durvasa, was obtained as a boon by Maharishi Atri, husband of Anasuya, by performing rigorous penance on the Rishkul mountain on the orders of Brahma. Pleased with his penance, the three gods - Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh 

He was blessed with a son. Chandrama was born from Brahma's part, Dattatreya from Vishnu's part and Rishi Durvasa from Shiva's part.

9. Hanuman: Hanuman is considered to be the ninth incarnation of Lord Shiva. During Amrit Manthan, when Shiva became lustful after seeing Vishwamohini's form, his semen was collected in a leaf by the Saptarshis. Then when the time came, the Saptarshis put it in the womb of Anjani, the wife of monkey king Kesari, through her ear. This resulted in the birth of the powerful Hanuman.

10. Vrishabha Avatar: Lord Shiva's Vrishabha Avatar killed Vishnu's sons who were creating trouble. These sons of Vishnu were born while having sex with Chandramukhis.

11. Yatinath Avatar
12. Krishnadarshan Avatar
13. Avdhoot Avatar
14. Bhikshuvarya Avatar
15. Sureshwar Avatar
16. Kirat Avatar
17. Suntanartak Avatar
18. Brahmachari Avatar
19. Yaksha Avatar

11 Who is Rudra? , 11 Who is Rudra?
The names of these eleven Rudras are: Kapali, Pingal, Bhima, Virupaksha, Vilohit, Shasta, Ajapad, Ahirbudhnya, Shambhu, Chand and Bhava. These eleventh Rudra are called the sons of Surbhi. These are the abodes of happiness and are born in the form of Shiva for the accomplishment of the work of the gods.