(An artistic representation of Shiva, surrounded by 12 Jyotirlingas)

 

Destroyer in the trinity of Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Preserver), and Shiva. The embodiment of spiritual wisdom and God of Gods,Mahadeva. (Glossary for the Vahinis)

 

Also Shivam. Temple, the divine; refers to Shiva. Also, grace, auspiciousness, goodness. (Glossary for the Vahinis)

 

Shiva, the God of beneficence and compassion the renovator, guardian and father of the universe-is worshipped and revered, propitiated and prayed to for mercy on the auspicious eve of Maha Shivaratri. Shiva, the destroyer God of the Hindu trinity (Brahma, Creator; Vishnu, protector; Shiva, destroyer) - he who adorns himself with the cloak of an elephant skin, symbolic of the elemental bestial primitive traits which his grace destroys and makes powerless and harmless - he who is impervious to temptation and is in perfect balance always is implored, beseeched and prayed to for the self control and even mindedness which destroys desire, the root cause of delusion. (S&M, pp. 139-140)

 

Shiva has the trident, the three pronged spear, as His weapon; He is worshipped with the bilva leaf, which is tri-folate. The significance is that Shiva likes the three forms of worship namely Bhakti, Jnana and Vairagya; that is to say, devotion , discrimination and detachment. You should not pray to God for secular advantages. You should pray only for peace. That one pointed devotion can be got only by long practice of Sadhana, especially, the Sadhana of Namasmarana (Remembering God through his Name). Thank the Lord for giving you this life, this much intelligence, this much detachment; do Namasmarana with this gratefulness in the background of your mind. (SSS Vol. 6, pp. 48-49)

 

I am neither merit nor sin, neither happiness nor sorrow.

I am none of these either –places of pilgrimage, scriptures or Yjanas (sacrifices).

I am not the food, the consumer of food or process of eating.

I am the Atman, the very embodiment of Divinity. I am Shiva himself.

(SSS Vol.34, 2001)

 

Dharma (Duty) is the spiritual expression of the Divine Will in relation to society. The term ‘Aishvarya’ is derived from the word Ishvara (The Supreme Lord). The terms Shiva or Shankara mean Auspicious. ‘Sam’ means Chidananda (Blissful Awareness). ‘Kara’ means the one who causes it’. ‘Shankara’ means the One who causes blissful awareness. Sankara is the One who confers Chidananda on those who take refuge in Him or adore Him.

 

The secret of Creation is evident from the description of the form of Shiva. The crescent moon on Shiva’s head symbolises the consciousness in human beings, the Ganga symbolises the Life Force and the snakes on Shiva’s body represent the myriads of living beings. He resides on a silver mountain. His dearest friend is Kubera, the Lord of Wealth. Despite being endowed with all these, why was He obliged to carry the begging bowl? To demonstrate to the world that every kind of wealth is a hindrance to spiritual advancement, Shiva renounced everything. It is through renunciation Shiva became the eternal embodiment of supreme bliss.

 

The Lord has another name. It is only when the love principle underlying this name is rightly understood, the real form of the Cosmos can be recognised. That name is Sambashiva. ‘Saa’ means divinity. ‘Amba’ refers to the cosmos. ‘Shiva’ means the Supreme Person (Purusha).

 

Ishvara has yet another name: Yogasikha. The sky is His blue form. The directions (Dik) are His garment. Hence He is known as Digambara. He is also known as Panchanana the Five-headed One. The five are: Earth, water, fire, air and Akasha (space). His five heads represent the five basic elements (Pancha bhutas).

 

Shiva is also described as Bhutanatha, the Lord of all created beings. ‘Bhuta refers to creation. Ishvara is the Lord of every creature in the universe. Hence, the entire cosmos is reflected as an image in the Lord.

 

Shiva is known as ‘Subhankara’, the one who is ever good (Subham). In the world, whoever takes a bodily form, whether it be humans, deities or avatars, sometime or the other the body gets tainted (Asubham). The prefix ‘Shri’ is affixed to the names of such persons to indicate that without the prefix; they are tainted by their bodies. That is why ‘Shri’ is affixed to the names of such persons to indicate that without the prefix they are tainted by their bodies. That is way ‘Shri’ is added to the names of Krishna,Rama, Venkateswara and so on to confer beatitude on them. With regard to Ishvara, however, the epithet ‘Shri’ is not applied because Ishvara is ever in a state of beatitude. Shankara remains Shankara without a ‘Shri’. Shiva is not called ‘Shri Shiva’. Ishvara is not referred to as ‘Shri Ishvara’. He is the embodiment of all auspiciousness and holiness. Hence he needs no other appellation. He is the source of all prosperity and well-being (Sakala Aishvarya).

 

Man is the product of interaction of Purusha (the Supreme) and Prakriti (Nature). Consequently man should have the perennial bliss of the Divine and remain perpetually blessed. Man is made in the image of Nature. Man can divinise himself only by contemplating on the attributes of the Divine (Ishvara), The three eyes of Shiva represent the three worlds (lokas). Shiva’s trident is symbolic of the Past, the Present and the Future, the three aspects of Time. The three gunas (Sattva,Rajas,Tamas) are images of the Trinity - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The three worlds, the triune aspect of Time, the three gunas (qualities) are thus manifestations of the Ishvara Principle. When the Divine is installed in the heart in this manner, man can raise himself to the level of the Divine. It is for the well-being of the world that Shiva swallowed the Halahala, poison. Again, it is for the sake of the world’s good that Shiva contained the Ganga in his matted locks. Shiva bears the moon on His head to confer peace of mind on mankind. When man moulds himself on the pattern of Ishvara, he will get rid of all his evil tendencies and offer to the world what is good in him. This is the meaning of the worship of Shiva. It is only when man gives up utterly his bad thoughts, evil desires and wicked deeds; he will be able to transform himself into divinity. (SSS Vol.23)

 

(Shiva surrounded by various events in his life.)

 

Shiva means - Graciousness, Auspiciousness, Mangalam. (SSS Vol.8, p. 156)

 

Shiva is worshipped with the three-leaved bilva for He is immanent in the three worlds in the three phases of Time, in the three attributes of Nature. He removes the three types of grief; He has no basis outside Him; He is the source of Bliss. He is the embodiment of sweetness and efficacy of Nectar. ‘Since every being is Shiva Swarupa, (for without Shiva, it is mere ‘Shava’ - corpse) man has to live up to that divine status. (SSS Vol.9, p. 37)

 

Lord Shiva resides in the Himalayas, as the Puranas declare. The inner meaning of this declaration is: Lord Shiva lives in hearts that are as pure, as white and as cool as the snow (Hima) and also as steady and unmoved (achala) as these mountains. (SSS Vol.9, p. 194)

 

Shiva, is said to go about with a begging bowl. He teaches that renunciation, detachment, indifference to good fortune or bad, are the paths to attain Him. Shiva is known as Mrityunjaya (He who vanquishes death). And, He is also the Kamari (the destroyer of Desire). These two Names show that he who destroys desire can conquer Death, for desire breeds activity, activity breeds consequence, consequence breeds bondage, bondage results in birth and birth involves death. (SSS Vol.12, p. 15)

 

Man has to realize the Truth and demonstrate in thought, word, and deed, that Truth is the very basis of his existence. Know the Truth and the Truth shall make you strong, steady, kin with all, and free from the bonds of lust and hate. He has to learn the lesson of Shiva: swallow the poison of anger and greed, and make it ineffective in its effort to harm the world. Spread consolation and comfort through speech and action.

 

Shiva wears the Crescent on His crown so that the soft moonlight might mark out the pilgrim route to God and make the journey less toilsome. He spreads joy and peace. But, Shiva hides the fiery, ferocious poison behind the blue patch on his throat. That is a lesson for man: keep under restraint the qualities and tendencies in you that are anti-social, the poisonous hatreds and competitive Greeds.

 

The Shivam does not mean any particular God. It includes all mankind, for man has to realize that he is Shivam. Then the Sundaram too is a reminder that Truth is beauty, and beauty is divine, not mere physical beauty but moral and spiritual beauty. Give up ugly thoughts, unpleasant speech, and disgusting acts. Have the ideal of beauty ever in mind. (LA, pp. 32-33)

 

Shiva stands for humility. A person with humility is one of Shivam (auspiciousness). On the other hand, a person with ego is verily a Shavam (corpse). . (DD on 12.03.2002, p. 5)

 

Lo! Behold

The Lord of the icy peak

Crowned with crescent moon

Glistering matted locks

Be drenched by heaven descending Ganga

Flaming eye in the forehead,

Venomous potion-poison-Halahala

Purpling the beauteous neck

Live bracelets of wriggling

Serpents and a belt of

Cobra holding up the

Elephant hide, his sole garment.

Pearly ash smearing the chest

A blinding white

Spot of vermilion on the

Forehead beside the searing eye

Ruddy lips smeared by

Fresh chewed betel,

Diamond studded earrings

Of purest gold, dancing like

Stars twinkling in the sky,

Vision negating form

The fair person of the Lord

Radiating Effulgence Divine.

(Telugu poem)

 

Lord Shiva has donned this divine form in order to teach a renunciant outlook to the world, including his consort,Parvati. His another habit is to beg for alms.

 

The opulent form essaying

Total detachment, begging bowl

In hand, seeking alms

For a frugal meal

At the heavenly abode, Kailasa

(DD on 02.03.2003, p.3)

 

Shiva lives in the burial ground and the burning ghat, the Rudrabhumi, the land of Shiva or Rudra. The place is no area of dread; it is an auspicious area, for all have to end their lives there. At the close of this life. Shiva is teaching you that death cannot be shunned or frightened away. It has to be gladly and bravely met. (NNSG Vol.7, p. 14)

 

Recognise the Subtle Form of Shiva

All the living beings in this world are dependant on food. They cannot live without food. Where does this food come from? The source of food is Lord Sankara who is infinite, beyond the reach of speech and mind and is one without a second. All that we see in this world, whether it belongs to past, present or future, is the creation of God. It was Parvati who realised this truth.

 

Many gods and goddesses came to her and said:

Oh Gowri! You are very young and Sambasiva is old;

He has matted locks and wears a tiger skin;

He rides a bull and is constantly on the move;

He is adorned with snakes;

How did you court him?

Don’t you know all this?

He has no house of his own and sleeps in the cremation ground.

(Telugu Poem)

 

‘Don’t you understand even this much? How can you think of marrying such a person?’ They asked. In reply, Parvati said smilingly, ‘You are seeing the outward appearance of Lord Shiva and are deluded to think that it is his real form. You are not able to recognise his true form, which is transcendental, celestial and eternal because your vision is limited to body, mind and intellect. Since you are concerned only with the beauty of the physical form and worldly materials, you see only that and are not able to recognise his subtle inner nature, which is divine. In fact, he is neither the body nor the mind; Linga is his true form. That Linga is not visible to anyone; it is located in his throat. Since I have realised his true form, I want to marry him. You are able to see only the physical form, and that too to a certain extent. But God is not limited to what your physical eye can see. He is Anor aniyan mahato mahiyan (God is subtler than the subtlest and vaster than the vastest). When you are able to visualise that cosmic form, you will not at all think about the physical form. You say, Lord Shiva is old. But this is not true.’

 

(Shiva with Parvati. Shiva is depicted three-eyed, the Ganges flowing through his matted hair, wearing ornaments of serpents and a skull garland, and covered in ashes, and seated on a tiger skin)

 

At that very moment, Shiva manifested there. He appeared to be younger than Gowri (Parvati). Both of them appeared to be a perfect match for each other. All the gods and goddesses were wonderstruck to see this. In this way, people are deluded to think one thing, and what happens is something else. People in the world want only physical beauty and worldly pleasures. They are not able to realise the inner truth of all that happens. Truthful nature is very essential to recognise this. No one can say, God has this or that form.

 

Is it possible to limit the One to a temple who pervades the entire cosmos?

How can one hold a lamp to the One who shines with the brilliance of a billion suns? How can one give a bath to the One who is present in all rivers?

How can one give a name to the One who is present in all beings?

How can one offer food to the One who has the entire cosmos in His belly?

(Telugu Poem)

 

God’s form is very subtle; it is extremely minute like an atom. That is this (saying this, Bhagavan waved His hand and materialised a Linga). This Linga (created by Bhagavan) resembles that (the one being worshipped by the chief priest).

 

The Mantra ‘Namah Sivaya’ contains five letters. This is a very great and sacred Mantra. It is Nirgunam, Niranjanam, Sanathana Niketanam, Nitya, Shuddha, Buddha, Mukta, Nirmala Swarupinam (attributeless, unsullied, final abode, eternal, pure, enlightened, free and embodiment of sacredness). Treasure this Mantra in your heart. Seeing outwardly, people generally think that Brahma is the creator, Vishnu is the sustainer and Shiva is the destroyer of the universe. But in reality, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are not different from each other; they are one. If you wish to have a Paan, you require three things - betel leaves, betel nut and slaked lime. When these three combine, they produce red colour. Wherefrom does this red colour come - from betel leaves, betel nut or lime? None of these can make red colour separately. When they all combine, they form red colour. In the same way, unity of Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshvara makes Divinity. Do not deprive your mind by considering them separate from each other. You should experience the unity of these three aspects of Divinity.

 

Once upon a time, Parvati wanted Shiva to build a house and prayed to him, ‘Oh Lord! You go from place to place to beg for alms. We have no home-made food nor do we have a shelter over our head. How can I run the family like this?’ Ishvara then explained to her, ‘Parvati! What will be the use of building a house? The rats will occupy it before we move in. Then we will need a cat to kill the rats. For the cat, milk will be required. So, we will have to buy a cow. Money is required for buying a cow. Isn’t it? Do you think building a house and running a family is an easy task? No, not at all. We should have no such desires. Once you aspire for me, you should have no other desires.’ All the wealth, property and material goods of the world are useless. (SS Nov ’07, p.384-387)