Bhringi
According to Hindu tradition, Bhringi is an ascetic and devoted follower of the god Shiva . The legends and representations of Bhringi are popular only in southern India .
Legend
In the Vamana Purana it is reported that Shiva did not kill the demon ( asura ) Andhaka , but kept him close to him for eons as his prisoner until he was only a sack full of bones. Eventually he realized who he was and under the name of Bhringi he became a follower and loyal servant and admirer of Shiva.
According to other legends, Bhringi was a sage ( rishi ) who wanted to worship Shiva only by circling ( pradakshina ) , but not his wife Parvati . Then she moved closer and closer to Shiva, whereupon Bhringi first turned into a snake, then into a bee and finally into a worm in order to slip through the slightest gap between the two in order to still be able to realize his project. In the end Shiva and Parvati transformed into an inseparable, half male, half female form ( ardhanarishvara ) - Bhringi recognized his mistake and gave up his previous attitude. Since he was emaciated as a result of his ascetic exercises or by a curse by Parvati and could hardly stand upright, Shiva gave him a third leg.
presentation
The skeletal and mostly three-legged bhringi can be seen in several depictions near Shiva (and Parvati) - individual depictions are extremely rare.
meaning
In Shiva temples, a worshiping circumambulation ( pradakshina ) of the male lingam without the simultaneous worship of the female yoni is impossible - the two belong together indissolubly and inseparably. Anyone who does not recognize this fact or who opposes it is making a serious mistake and inevitably makes a fool of himself.