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Who Was Pippalaad
Pippalaad was Maharshi Dadheechi's son. He was none other but Rudra's incarnation for the welfare of all. Skand Puraan (p 33) gives Dadheechi's wife's name as Suvarchaa, and her son was Pippalaad.

Bhavishya Puraan, 4/36 gives a story of Pippalaad Muni too, which is quite different from this one. It is difficult to say whether both Pippalaad are the same or the different ones - because the Bhavishya Puraan's Pippalaad was Kaushik Muni's son.

Rishi Dadheechi with his tough penance received the boon from Shiv Jee that, firstly his bones should be harder than any Vajra and secondly he should get Shiv Jee as his son. After leaving his body for Devtaa, Devtaa's architect Vishwakarmaa built Vajra weapon from his bones and then only Indra could kill that demon - Vritraasur.

When Dadheechi's wife came back to the Aashram and learnt how her husband had sacrificed his life for Devtaa, she got very angry and cursed Indra and the other Devtaa. Then she got a pyre ready to become Satee, but just as she was going to do that, she heard a celestial voice from heaven which said - "Hey Devee, You are carrying the sage's child in your womb, therefore, you should give up the idea of being Satee. A pregnant woman should not destroy her body by burning it."

Hearing all this, she was dismayed at once but her only desire was to go to the place where her husband had gone. So she tore her stomach with a piece of stone and the embryo came out of it. It was so bright that all the three Lok were lit up with its light. After all he was an incarnation of Rudra. As she was aware of the fact that child was Rudra's incarnation, she offered her prayers - "Dear son, I leave you near this fig tree. May you grow into a person who will bring happiness to one and all." and saying all this she followed her husband and ended her life.

Marriage of Pippalaad
After that Brahmaa and all other Devtaa came there and offered prayers to the infant incarnation of Rudra. Brahmaa Jee named him Pippalaad, because he took birth under a Peepal tree. Later on this tree took care of the infant. Then performing all ceremonies, Devtaa went back to their respective abodes leaving Pippalaad under the fig tree. The Rudra incarnation Pippalaad performed Tap for long time under that fig tree for the welfare of all.

Once taking bath in Pushpbhadraa River, Rishi Pippalaad saw a beautiful Princess Padmaa (Devee Paarvatee's incarnation), the daughter of King Aranya. He got attracted to her so he went to the King and asked the hand of his daughter Padmaa. King first thought how can he give his beautiful daughter to a sage like this, who is very old and almost in the last stage of his life with skeleton compared body, but then realizing his Tej from Tap he fulfilled Pippalaad's desire. Thus he married his daughter Padmaa to Pippalaad.

Padmaa was very beautiful and Pativrataa. One day Dharm Dev came to test her virginity near the river. He tried a lot to distract her by pointing again and again to the old age of Pippalaad Muni. At this she got annoyed and cursed him to get demolish soon. Listening her curse, Dharm Dev appeared in his original form and asked an apology from her. Devee replied - "I cursed you unknowingly but even then a given curse cannot be taken back. I cannot release you from this curse, but in every Yug, one part of Dharm will be destroyed. In Sat Yug, Dharm will be present in all your four forms, in Tretaa Yug Dharm will be present with three forms, in Dwaapar Yug Dharm will stand with two forms, while in Kali Yug only one form of Dharm will be present."

That is the reason Kali Yug is running short of Dharm. Dharm then being satisfied by Devee's virginity blessed her with 10 children and made her husband a handsome youth. They both lived happily and had ten children. They were all great sages and vigorous performers of Tapasyaa like their father.

Pippalaad's Curse to Shani
Once Pippalaad asked Devtaa why his father left him before his birth. Devtaa told him the whole story. It all happened because of Shani's (Saturn) violent Drishti (sight) - the main cause of a person's pain and death. Pippalaad got very angry hearing this and cursed Shani to be out of the Galaxy, but then at Devtaa's prayer he placed Shani back into the Galaxy. But he ordained that Shani would not torment the devotees of Shiv and all others till the age of sixteen. If Shani would violate his declaration, he would reduce him to ashes. That is why, it is advisable to light lamp under a fig tree on Saturday to get rid of Shani's problem.

In this way, this great and powerful sage Pippalaad performed various acts. He is famous for making Indra afraid, and Prashn Upanishad where he answers his six pupils' questions. Prashn Upanishad is associated with Atharv Ved.

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