Why is Lord Shiva innocent if he is a god?

Lord Shiva in Meditation

Someone, asked this question in Quora. And this was my answer to the question.

Lord Shiva is not innocent but, he is very merciful and easily pleased. That's why, he is called Ashutosh or Bhole - Baba. His mercy and quickness in responding to anyone who is worshiping him with boons, might make people think that he is innocent. Tats how, Lord Shiva got into trouble once by giving a boon to a demon called Vrakasura. The boon was the ability to turn anyone into ashes by the touch of the palm. And, then the demon wanted to try and see if the boon is working or not, by trying it on Lord Shiva himself. And, Vishnu had to disguise his form and trick the demon to try the special power that's been granted on himself and finally turning into ashes. Huuhh. A sigh of relief.

As a matter of fact, Lord Shiva is the greatest of all Vaishnavas (Vaishnavanam Yatha Shambu), one of the 12 Mahajanas and the position of him unique in the sense that Lord Shiva does not belong to the Category of living entities, Jivas including Lord Brahma and his creation and is the most powerful, second only to Lord Vishnu. Lord Shiva is neither an avatara nor avesha and is also not in between them. Lord Shiva is the greatest demigod, even greater than Lord Brahma. He is also a spiritual master having his own spiritual line called Rudra Sampradaya. The position of Lord Shiva is very beautiful explained in Brahma Samhita (Verse 45),”Just as milk is transformed into curd by the action of acids, but yet the effect curd is neither same as, nor different from, its cause, viz., milk, so I adore the primeval Lord Govinda of whom the state of Shambhu is a transformation for the performance of the work of destruction”. Thus, Lord Shiva who is in charge of mode of ignorance has connection with the material energy. Parvathi or Durga who is in charge of material energy is his wife.

Lord Shiva is so merciful that he is going around with Ghosts and Hobgoblins. Can’t imagine going around with Ghost without becoming crazy. Lord Shiva is in charge of Tamo Guna, mode of ignorance or the false ego. The greatest false ego one can have is to think one is same the material body. Even though he is so intimately connected with material energy and in charge of Mode of ignorance, he is no way affected by it and always remains pure. Also, to mention his dress of skin of a animal, body painted with ashes. In fact, the name Shivam means, all Auspiciousness. Lord Shiva has his own spiritual world called Mahesh Dham, where he is called Sadashiva. Just confuse, people he appears in the material world from the place between the eyebrows of Lord Brahma as Rudra who became angry at four Kumaras.

The furious Rudra was in Ardhanari form, half his body was male and other half female. He divided himself into two: the male and female. The male form then split itself into eleven, forming the eleven Rudras. Some of them were white and gentle; while others were dark and fierce. Namely,Manyu,Manu,Mahmasa,Mahan,Siva,Rtudhvaja,Ugraretas,Bhava,Kama,Vamadeva and Dhrtavrata.

From the woman were born the eleven Rudranis who became wives of the Rudras.

They are:Dhi,Vrtti,Usana,Urna,Niyuta,Sarpis,Ila,Ambika,Iravatl,Sudha and Diksa.

The names are mentioned different in different Puranas.

In Srimad Bhagavatham,3.12.11, Lord Brahma addresses the Rudra as follows, telling him all the places where he (as anger) can reside.

hṛd indriyāṇy asur vyoma

vāyur agnir jalaṁ mahī

sūryaś candras tapaś caiva

sthānāny agre kṛtāni te

My dear boy, I have already selected the following places for your residence: the heart, the senses, the air of life, the sky, the air, the fire, the water, the earth, the sun, the moon and austerity.

And, so many amazing pastimes of Lord Shiva can be quoted like, the churning of the milk ocean, the deadly venom was released and which was endangering the whole world. Lord Shiva drank the whole poison called Halahala and kept it in his throat, because which his throat became dark blue and that's why he is called Nilakanta - Blue throated one. And, the famous Daksha yajna, where he was humiliated by his father in-law, Daksha Prajapati and he simply walked away without being affected.

As you can see, Lord Shiva or Shiva tattva is a difficult subject matter to understand. Suffice to say, he is not innocent.

As you can see, Lord Shiva or Shiva tattva is a difficult subject matter to understand. Suffice to say that he is not innocent.