Avatars of Lord Shiva

In the Shatarudra Samhita of Shiva Purana, various Shiva avatars are described. Lord Shiva has taken innumerable avatars. Only a few of them have been mentioned. In the 19th Kalpa, called as "Shwetalohita" Kalpa, Shiva took the "Sadyojata" avatar. When Lord Brahma was meditating to get a son, a child was born whose body was shwetalohita or white & red. Then Brahma realized that he was none other than Shiva Himself and worshiped Him. Then in the 20th Kalpa called as "Rakta", Brahma was meditating to get a son. Then a son was born from him whose body was adorned with red garments and red garland. His eyes were red and also his ornaments. He was called as "Vamadeva".Then in the 21st Kalpa called as "Pitavasa", Brahma was again meditating to get a son. At that time a son was born from him who had worn yellow garments and had huge & powerful arms. Then Brahma came to know that he was Shiva in form of "Tatpurusha". Then in the next Kalpa the 22nd, Brahma was again thinking about creation when Shiva in form of a child appeared before him whose body color was black. He also wore black garment with a black turban in his head along with a black sacred thread around his body. His crown was even black and the sandal powder for applying in his body was also of black color. This avatar of Shiva was called as "Aghora". In the 23rd Kalpa called as "Vishwarupa”, Brahma was again meditating to get a son, when Shiva appeared in form of a son called as "Ishana". His body color was white like crystal and he was decorated with all types of precious jewelry.
Lord Shiva also took 28 avatars called as "Yogeshwar" avatars. They were as follows –
In the 7th Manwantara of Baraha Kalpa, Shiva had taken nine avatars. In that Kalpa in the Kaliyuga of first Chaturyuga, Shiva was born as "Shweta" Mahamuni (Shweta Rishi or Saint). In the Kaliyuga of 2nd Chaturyuga of Baraha Kalpa, Shiva was born as "Sutar" Rishi. In the Kaliyuga of 3rd Chaturyuga of Baraha Kalpa, Shiva was born as "Daman" Rishi. Then in the Kaliyugas of 4th to 9th Chaturyugas of Baraha Kalpa, Shiva was born as "Suhotra", " Kanka", "Logakshi", "Jaigishavya", "Dadhibahana" and "Rishav" Rishi respectively. In all these avatars Shiva was born to assist Vedavyas who also took avatar in the previous corresponding Dwapara Yugas to write the Vedas. In all of his nine avatars, Shiva had preached the Nivritti Marga (Path of liberation by detachment). Other "Yogeshwar" avatars of Shiva from 10th to 28th Kaliyugas of the respective cycles of Chaturyugas were-
“Bipra”, "Ugra", "Atri", "Bali", "Goutam", "Vedashira", "Gokarna", "Guhavasi", "Shikhandi", "Jatamali", "Attahasa", "Daruka", "Langali Bheema", "Shweta", "Shuli", "Mundishwara", "Sahishnu", "Somasharma" and "Lakuli"(at the time of Lord Krishna).
Shiva also took the following avatars.
1. Nandishwar - son of "Shilad" muni who worshipped Shiva to get a son like him. Later Nandishwar became the leader of Shiva Gana.
2. Kalabhairav - Shiva took this avatar on 8th day of dark fortnight of Margashirsha month (Krishna Paksha Ashtami).
3. Veerbhadra - Was born from Shiva's Jata (Hair) during Daksha Yagna when Shiva’s consort Sati sacrificed her life. Veerbhadra defeated the Gods who fought with Shiva ganas and cut the head of Daksha. Even Vishnu who was fighting the battle for Daksha was defeated by Veerbhadra.
4. Sharabha - Shiva took this avatar in form of a strange creature (half bird & half animal) to calm down Lord Nrusingha. (Somewhere it is mentioned that Sharabha defeated Nrusingha in a duel. Veerbhadra was sent by Shiva to calm down Lord Nrusingha. When Veerbhadra politely requested him to calm down, Nrusingha became even more furious. So to teach him a lesson, Veerbhadra took Sharabha avatar as per instructions of Shiva and tamed him.)
5. Grihapati - Shiva was born as the son of Rishi "Vishwamitra" and his wife "Suchismati".

Shiva also took 10 "Yagneshwar" avatars. They were –

1.Mahakal ( Mahakali as his Shakti)
2.Tar (Tara, his Shakti) 
3.Bal Bhuvanesh (Bala Bhuvaneshi, his Shakti) 
4.Shodasha Srividyesh ( Shodashi Srividya, his Shakti) 
5.Bhairav ( Bhairavi, his Shakti) 
6.Chhinnamastak ( Chhinnamasta, his Shakti) 
7.Dhumavan ( Dhumavati, his Shakti) 
8.Bagalamukh ( Bagalamukhi, his Shakti) 
9.Matang ( Matangi, his Shakti) 
10.Kamal (Kamala, his Shakti)

 All the above avatars are called as Dasavatar of Shiva who grant Bhoga, Sukha & Moksha to their devotees. The corresponding Shaktis of Shiva are called as Dasa Mahavidya and are very important Goddesses in the Tantrik forms of Worship.

 Shiva also took 11 other avatars as eleven sons of Rishi "Kashyap" and his wife "Surabhi". They were: "Kapali", "Pingala", "Bheema", "Birupaksha", "Bilohita", "Shasta", "Ajapada", "Ahirbudhnya", "Shambhu", "Chanda" and "Bhava". They were born to assist Indra & Gods to fight and defeat the Asuras (Demons).
Then Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva also took avatar at the same time as sons of Rishi "Atri" and his wife "Anasuya" in form of "Chandrama"(from Brahma), "Datta"(from Vishnu) and "Durvasa"(from Shiva).
Shiva also took avatar as Hanuman to assist Lord Rama. When Shiva saw the "Mohini"(female) form of Vishnu, he could not control his passion and spilled his semen, which was put in the womb of Anjana through her ear by the help of the Maharishis.
Shiva also took the following avatars.

1.Pippalada - when Shiva took birth as son of sage "Dadhichi" and his wife "Suvarcha". 2.Dwijeshwar - appeared in disguise of a brahman to test the devotion of King Bhadrayu, his devotee. 3.Yatinath - appeared in form of a sanyasi to test the devotion of his devotee Bheel (tribal) "Aahuka" and his wife "Aahukaa". 4.Hamsa (Swan) - to act as the messenger of love between King Nala (who was Aahuka in his past life) and his beloved "Damayanti"(who was Aahukaa in her past life). 5.Krishnadarshan - To give knowledge to King Nabhag. 6.Avadhuteshwar - appeared as naked saint to destroy the pride of Lord Indra, the king of Gods. 7.Bheekshuvarya- appeared as a saint to give protection and happiness to King Dharmagupta while he was a child. 8.Sureshwara - to grant wishes to Upamanyu, the son of Rishi "Byaghrapada". Shiva and Parvati accepted Upamanyu as their son as they were pleased by his worship. 9.Kirata - to test the devotion of Arjuna, the Pandava.
Apart from these avatars, the other avatars of Shiva described in the Shatarudra Samhita of Shiva Purana include the 12 avatars popularly called as "Dwadasha Jyotirlinga" avatars. They are –
Somnath, Mallikarjun, Mahakaleshwar, Omkareshwar, Vaidyanath, Nageswar, Kedareswar, Tryambakeswar, Rameshwar, Bhimashankar, Visweswar and Ghrishneswar.
Har Har Mahadev!!

References:

1. Shiva Mahapuran
2. Linga Mahapuran

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