Shiva, the bestower of blessings – Shiva Purana

Shiva, the bestower of blessings – Shiva Purana
In the chapter 2 in Section 5 of Uma-saṃhita of Shiva Purana, Upamanyu narrated to Shri Krishna on His asking, the the details of the persons who have attained their desires by propitiating Shiva. Upamanyu said to Shri Krishna: --

“O leading scion of the family of Yadus, I shall enumerate the various devotees, by whom the cherished desires of their hearts have been realised through the propitiation of Shva. Please listen.

1. Formerly Hiraṇyakashipu attained the glory of the suzerainty over all the gods for a period of a million years from the moon-crested lord Shiva. His excellent son Nandana was very famous. Thanks to Shiva’s boon he kept Indra under him for ten thousand years. Shiva, the lord of all worlds, when satisfied granted the lordship over the three worlds to Vidyutprabha for a period of a hundred thousand years. Shiva blessed him with ten million sons also and said - You will become my follower for ever. Shiva, lovingly gave him an auspicious kingdom in Kusha Dvipa (Arabian Peninsula).
2. The Daitya Shatamukha created by Brahma, performed the penance of Shiva formerly for a hundred years and obtained a thousand sons.
3. The famous sage Yājnavalkya glorified in the Vedas, propitiated him and acquired excellent knowledge.
4. The sage Veda vyasa who had acquired unequalled glory propitiated him and attained knowledge of the three times—past, present and future.
5. The Balakhilyas harassed by Indra secured from Shiva the invincible Garuḍa who brought them Soma juice.
   1. When all the waters became dried up and lost by the prior fury of Shiva they were worshipped and made to flow again by the gods through the skull. Anasuya, the chaste wife of Atri observed fast for three hundred years sleeping only on the threshing rod. She secured the three sons—the sage Dattatreya, Durvasas and the moon, thanks to Shiva’s favour. She made Gaṅga flow in Chitrakuṭa.
   2. O Madhusudana, after pleasing Mahadeva the bestower of happiness to the devotees, Vikarṇa obtained great Siddhi. King Citrasena of steady devotion delighted Shiva and attained freedom from the terror of all other kings and unequalled pleasure as well. Shrikara, the son of a cowherdess, became his devotee on seeing the worship of Shiva performed by the king and attained great Siddhi. Prince Citrangada, the husband of Simantini, was drowned in Yamuna but was saved by Shiva’s blessings. He went to the abode of Takṣaka and gained his friendship. The delighted prince of good rites then returned to his house with diverse riches. His beloved wife Simantini who regularly performed Somavrata acquired excellent blessedness and fortune, thanks to Shiva’s grace. While she was performing this Vrata a certain brahmin boy, out of greed, had assumed the guise of a woman fraudulently. Due to her power, he became a woman permanently.
   3. Cancula, a vicious harlot, heard a virtuous story from a brahmin at Gokarna and became a devotee of Shíva. She attained the great goal.
   4. Binduga the sinning husband of Cancula heard Shiva puraṇa through the good offices of his wife and attained the good goal of Shiva.
   5. Pingala a notorious prostitute and the base brahmin Mandara worshipped the bull of Shiva and attained the supreme goal. A certain prostitute Mahananda devoted to Shiva, dedicating herself at the feet of Shiva delighted him and attained good goal.
   6. Kaikeyi, a brahmin girl, respectfully performing Shiva’s Vratas attained great happiness, thanks to the regular performance of Shiva’s vrata.
   7. king Vimarsana adopting Shiva’s devotion attained great goal formerly, thanks to Shiva’s blessings.
   8. Durjana, a sinful knavish king running after women attained Shiva, thanks to devotion to Shiva. He was unaffected by all actions.
   9. A hunter Shankara performing Shivavrata along with his wife and attached to the Bhasma from the funeral pyre attained the great goal by his devotion.
   10. A caṇḍala woman Saumini performed the worship by ignorance and attained the goal of Shivaby the blessings of the lord.
   11. A hunter Mahakala, a wild Kirata habitually injuring others, worshipped Shiva with devotion and attained the goal of the good.
   12. Durvasas a leading sage popularised his cult in the world, thanks to the blessings of Shiva. He spread Shiva’s cult of devotion that yields salvation to the devotee.
   13. Propitiating Shiva, the benefector of the worlds, Vishvamitra a Kṣatriya became a brahmin. Ho was as though a second Brahma since he created a new heaven. By worshipping Shiva with devotion Brahma, the most excellent devotee of Shiva, became the creator and grandfather of the worlds.
   14. It was due to Shiva’s blessings that the excellent sage Markandeya, the holy lord and foremost among Shiva’s devotees, became long-lived. Devendra, a great devotee of Shiva, enjoyed the three worlds formerly. He became the lord of all the gods.
   15. Bana, the son of Bali, was a great devotee of Shiva and had great control over senses. Thanks to Shiva’s blessings he became the leader of the universe and lord of all. Shakti became Vishnu due to great devotion,
   16. Dadhicha became a great Isvara.
   17. Rama became a devotee of Shankara.
   18. Kaṇada, Bhargava, Guru and Gautama became great masters and lords due to devotion to Shiva.
   19. Shakalya, the praiseworthy soul propitiated Shivafor nine hundred years by means of mental sacrifice. The lord was satisfied and said — you will become the writer of a book. Your fame in the three worlds will never fade. Your family will never be extinct. It will be adorned by the sages. O excellent sage, you will be the composer of Aphorisms later on. O descendant of Yadu, thus the great sage secured boons from Shiva and became well known and honoured in the three worlds.
   20. In the Treta Yuga there was a sage famous as Shavarni. He performed penance for six thousand years. Lord Rudra spoke to him directly — “O faultless one, I am satisfied with you. You will become the writer of a book and attain fame. You will be free from death and old age.”

Shiva, when worshipped by the meritorious devotees of yore he confers all auspicious desires as wished by them.