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Just like Vaishnavas follow Pancharatra Agamas and Shaivites follow Shaiva Agamas, Shakta follow Shakta Agamas, aka Shakta Tantras. (I discuss an exception which proves the rule here.) One such Shakta Agama is the Todala Tantra. In Patala 5 of the Todala Tantra, Shiva tells Parvati about methods of worshiping Shiva. But in the course of doing so he makes one interesting prohibition:

Devi, one should never meditate on the deva with poison in his throat in the Kali yuga. If you want to perish, if you desire madness, you gain it by worshiping Nilakantha. If someone does the puja or actions of Nilakantha, it is like slaying me. Maheshani, if a fool should commit the sin of performing this prohibited action, he is a very wicked person. His son, wife and wealth are destroyed, no doubt, if he should do puja of the deva with poison in his throat. In this world, he becomes poverty-stricken and after death is reborn as a pig. If he should do purascarana of Nilakantha's mantra, he must certainly die within a fortnight.

My question is, why does the Todala Tantra prohibit the worship of Nilakantha during the Kali Yuga? For those who don't know, Nilakantha is a famous name of Shiva, referring to the fact that Shiva's throat turned blue when he drank the Kalahuta poison. So it's strange that he'd say "If someone does the puja or actions of Nilakantha, it is like slaying me." when he is Nilakantha.

I don't think this is a case of a Shakta text discouraging worship of a rival god, because this entire chapter of the Todala Tantra is devoted to worshiping Siva. Could this be related to Bhrigu's curse on Shiva that he can only be worshiped in Linga form, which I discuss in my answer here? That happened shortly before the story of Venkateshwara, which would align with the Kali Yuga timing mentioned in the quote.

Keshav Srinivasan
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    Sounds extremely suspicious. – Surya Apr 25 '17 at 08:59
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    may be related to toxic in neelkanth near to one of the chakras(vishuddhi) but still weird . – Friendy Apr 25 '17 at 09:42
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    @Friendy Yeah, it's weird that Shiva would say "If someone does the puja or actions of Nilakantha, it is like slaying me." when he is Nilakantha. – Keshav Srinivasan Apr 25 '17 at 15:02
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    could be an interpolation .. – Rakesh Joshi Apr 30 '17 at 10:32
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    Yeah, it could be an interpolation, but what would someone's motivation be for someone to make Shiva say "If someone does the puja or actions of Nilakantha, it is like slaying me." in a chapter that otherwise talks about worshiping Shiva? The passage seems to be saying that one particular form of Shiva should not be worshiped. – Keshav Srinivasan Apr 30 '17 at 14:47
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    I don't think it is true at all otherwise Tiru Neelakanta Nayanar would have died already.... – Tezz May 03 '17 at 10:43
  • @Tezz Haha, well first of all we don't know if he did Purascharana for the specific Nilakanta mantra alluded to in the Todala Tantra. Second of all, if you go by the traditional dating the first 5 Alwars were born in the Dwapara Yuga. The same may be true of some of the Nayanars. – Keshav Srinivasan May 03 '17 at 14:55
  • @KeshavSrinivasan obviously such interpolation are by rival sects. Example tamasika purANa interpolation by non shaivites. – Rakesh Joshi Dec 09 '17 at 23:12
  • @KeshavSrinivasan this is because the Neelakanta mantra is cursed in Kaliyug. Thus the todala tantra says to avoid the worship of Nilakantha form of Mahadeva. If you see Nilakantha is the consort of Dashbhuja Katyayani thus worshipped with her. But, then his worship includes Shapa vimochan which is given by Guru. It isn't any sort of interplotation. Only after rigourous shap mochan one can worship Mahadev in his Nilakantha form. – Chamunda das Jul 04 '22 at 13:55

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