https://medium.com/@sonuarticles74/is-hanuman-one-of-the-rudra-avatar-of-lord-shiva-310277206e5b

Hanuman is believed to be Lord Shiva’s 11th Rudra avatar. Discover his divine birth, Panchamukhi form, and role as Rama’s greatest devotee and protector.

Press enter or click to view image in full size

I’ve always been fascinated by the deeper connections in our Hindu traditions, and one that really moves me is the relationship between Lord Shiva and Hanuman ji. Our scriptures tell us that among Mahadev’s 19 incarnations, Hanuman is his 11th Rudra avatar — and honestly, this is something I love exploring because it reveals such beautiful layers of devotion.

When you think about it, Hanuman ji embodies everything we associate with both Shiva’s power and pure bhakti. He was born specifically to serve Lord Rama, carrying within him that incredible strength, that fearless heart, and that complete surrender that makes him Rama’s greatest devotee. There’s a reason people say that if any divine presence walks among us today, it’s Hanuman — our beloved follower of Sri Rama.

This connection between Shiva and Hanuman makes so much sense when you see how Hanuman ji operates in the world — protecting dharma, blessing devotees, and showing us what true devotion looks like.

Let me share with you these 19 forms of our beloved Mahadev:

  1. Nandi Avatar — Nandi, who’s Shiva’s ride and divine gatekeeper, is actually considered one of his incarnations.
  2. Piplad Avatar (Immortal — born to protect righteousness and justice) — According to the legends, Lord Shiva was born as Piplad in sage Dhatichi’s home. Devotees worship this form of Shiva to get relief from Saturn’s bad effects.
  3. Veerabhadra Avatar — This is Shiva’s fierce and wrathful form. Veerabhadra was born when Sati sacrificed herself in her father Daksha’s fire ceremony. In this form, he cuts off Daksha’s head, scatters all the gods with his rage, and then goes back to Mount Kailash. This is his most aggressive and destructive Rudra avatar.
  4. Ashwatthama (Immortal — one of the Saptachiranjeevi who survived the Mahabharata war and has eternal life) — In the Mahabharata, the one born to Drona and Kripi as Ashwatthama is also considered an avatar of Lord Shiva.
  5. Sharabha Avatar — Part lion, part bird, Sharabha is an eight-legged creature more powerful than both lions and elephants, who appeared to kill Lord Vishnu’s Narasimha avatar.
  6. Bhairav Avatar (Immortal — eternal form to protect the Shakti temples) — In his terrifying Bhairav form, Lord Shiva protects all these sacred Shakti sites. Kala Bhairav, Annadhani Bhairav, and other Bhairav forms are Shiva’s fierce aspects connected to destruction. Every Shakti temple also has a shrine dedicated to Bhairav.
  7. Durvasa Avatar (Immortal — born to maintain cosmic order) — The great sage known for his angry nature — this avatar of Lord Shiva is considered his true form.
  8. Sureshwar Avatar — This form shows just how much Shiva loves his devotees — he takes care of his true followers like Upamanyu with endless love.
  9. Vrishabha Avatar (Immortal — born to kill demons) — This bull form of Lord Shiva appeared to destroy Vishnu’s demon sons in the underworld.
  10. Krishna Darshan Avatar — In this form, Shiva shows up to remind people why our religious ceremonies matter and what yajnas are really all about.
  11. Hanuman Avatar (Immortal — devotee of Lord Rama and eternal power) — Lord Hanuman, who was Rama’s ultimate devotee and mighty companion, was another important avatar of Lord Shiva.