Namami-shamishannirvan roopam, vibhum vyapakam brahma-ved swaroopam.
Nijam nirgunam nirvikalpam niriham chidakashmakashvasam bhajeham ||
Which means, It is the Lord, it is the most powerful, it is all over, spread everywhere. There is no place that it is not. It is that space, that consciousness where all the knowledge is present. It was never born and it has no attributes. It is a state of Samadhi where there is nothing, just the inner sky of consciousness. That is Shiva.
Shiva is the great god, also known as Mahadev. Shiva is one of the supreme beings who creates, protects and transforms the universe.
The name Shiva is "Sha + Ee + Va",
Sha stands for Shareeram or body
Ee stands for Eeshwari or life giving energy
Va stands for Vayu or motion
Why Shiva....?
Shiva is one of the most important gods in Hindu pantheon, considered as member of holy trinity.
He represent goodness, benevolence and serve as a Protector but he also has a darker side as the leader of evil spirits, Ghosts and Vampires and as the master of Thieves, Villains.
As with many major god, Shiva was involved in many adventurous episodes which illustrate his virtuous character and offer instruction on how to live correctly. For example, self-sacrifice is emphasised when Vasuki, the king of Serpents, threatened to vomit snake venom across the seas. Shiva, assuming the form of a giant tortoise or turtle, collected the venom in his palm and drank it. The poison burned his throat and left a permanent blue scar, hence one of his many titles became Neelakantha or Blue Throat.
For centuries, historians and devotees have romanticized the image of Lord Shiva. A body smeared with ash, a tiger skin, a crescent moon, a snake around the neck, the third eye, matted hair, river Ganga flowing from the hair, a trident in one hand, a dumroo in the other, sometimes consumed in a cosmic dance and sometimes sitting still like a rock. Along with this, there are also 1008 names of God Shiva to describe his attributes.
Each of these has its own significance,
- A third eye: The extra eye represents the wisdom, insight, alertness and awareness that Shiva has. It is also believed to be the source of his untamed energy.
- A cobra necklace : This signifies Shiva's power over the most dangerous creatures in the world. Some traditions also say that the snake represents Shiva's power of destruction and recreation. The snake sheds its skin to make way for new, smooth skin.
- The Vibhuti / Ash / Basma : The Vibhuti are three lines drawn horizontally across the forehead in white ash. They represent Shiva's all-pervading nature, his superhuman power and wealth. Also, they cover up his powerful third eye. Members of Shaivism often draw vibhuti lines across their forehead.
- The trident : The three-pronged trident represents the three functions of the Hindu triumvirate. i.e., Aadibhautik (Physical), Aadhyaatmik (Spiritual) and Aadidaivik (Ethereal)
- Crescent Moon : Wisdom is beyond the mind, but it needs to be expressed with a tinge of mind and this is symbolized by the crescent moon.
- River Ganga : Ganga means knowledge; Knowledge that purifies the soul. Knowledge is limitless and never ending.
- Kailasa : The abode of Shiva is in Mount Kailasa, and the Smashana (the cremation ground). Kailasa means 'where there is only celebration', and Smashana is where there is only void. The Divinity dwells in the void as well as in celebration. And in you there is void, in you there is celebration.
- Dumroo : Whole universe will expand and collapses and again re-expands, this is the process of creation. The whole world is nothing but rhythms; energy rising and collapsing to rise again. So the Damroo signifies that, from expansion it collapses and again expands.
To truly understand Shiva, it is vital to know that Shiva is not limited to three things: name, form and time.
Yoga, Ayurveda, Astronomy, Meditation, Self-defence art, Dance, Music to the musical instrument are his creativity which he gave to Saptha Rishis.
Shiva is not limited to any particular Dharma or segment of humanity. Shiva is limitless and belongs to everyone including Mountains, Rivers, Yogis, trees, Soil, Air, Demons, Animals, Humans, Sun, Star, Moon galaxies to the universe.
Significance of Chanting "Om Namah Shivaya"
Mantras are those energizing sounds which help to uplift the consciousness.
Om - Soul
Na - Earth
Mah - Water
Si - Fire
Va - Air
Ya - Sky
Om is the sound of the universe
That is it is attached with the five essential elements of the materialistic world.
So when there is peace, love and harmony in all the five elements then there is bliss and there is joy!
Here, you can see how this Panchakshri Mantra helped in many ways.
One of the hymns in rig veda says that,
Yasya nishvasitam Vedah yo vedebhyo akhilam jagat
Nirmame tam aham vande vidyaatirtha Maheshvaram |
Shivatvam Gurutvamcha-Shakti tvameva tvameivasi Mata Pita-cha tvameva Tvaimevasi bandhur tvaimevasi vidya gatirmeya matirdevi sarvam tvamaiva ||
Which means, To Him I bow down, whose very exhalation of breath are the Vedas, the One who creates the universe from it, remaining uninvolved, un-manifest, and who is the most sacred and cherished shrine of pilgrimage for all the streams of knowledge. You are Shiva, You are the Guru also and the Divine Energy manifest in Creation. You are Mother, Father and the best companion also, and You are the Knowledge of all that is. Bless me so that my intellect be devoted and directed unto You, and that it may dwell in it forever.
ADIYOGI
Adiyogi stands for 'Adi' means first and 'Yogi' means the one who will be pure, chaste, spotless, self-sacrificing, and the absolute master of himself. Humility, un-ostentatiousness, forgiveness, uprightness, and firmness of purpose must adorn his character. So called as Adiyogi. In the yogic culture, Shiva is not known as a God, but as the Adiyogi or the first yogi – the originator of yoga or the one from whom yoga came forth. He was the one who first put this seed into the human mind. According to the yogic lore, over fifteen thousand years ago, Shiva attained to his full enlightenment and abandoned himself in an intense ecstatic dance upon the Himalayas. When his ecstasy allowed him some movement, he danced wildly. When it became beyond movement, he became utterly still.
“Shiva does not spell religion. Shiva spells responsibility–our ability to take our very life process in our hands.”
Why Shiva is worshipped in the form of Lingam?
Lingam means identification, form, a symbol which tells what the reality is? What is not visible yet can be identified by one thing – that is Lingam.
Shiva Linga is very ancient, in fact most ancient. From the form, you go to the formless, through the Shiva Linga. It is a symbol that is the representation of the cosmos and the creator of the cosmos, as one. It is the Shiva and the Shakti, the two principles in the creation. The silent un-manifest and the dynamic manifestation together are represented as Shiva Linga. Shiva Linga is not just Shiva, but the completion of the total Supreme Consciousness.
The reason behind worshipping Shiva as Shivling, is that, Sages of Darukaranya has cursed Lord Shiva. When he went to live with the sages in the Darukaranya, their wives were attracted to the Lord Shiva for which the sages went on to send large antelopne and giant tiger against Shiva. But, Shiva was very powerful and managed to face tiger wearing tiger's skin. The angry Sages then cursed Lord Shiva for his manhood, in result to which, fell off the ground, Suddenly earthquakes occurred and resulting to which sages became afraid and realised the impact of the curse they wished. So, they went to Shiva asked for forgiveness. Kind Shiva forgives them but since then, Lord Shiva's symbolic Linga is being worshipped.
The Shivalinga consists of three parts,
- Brahma-Pitha : The circular base.
- Vishnu-Pitha : The bowl-like pedestal in the middle.
- Shiva-Pitha : The topmost cylindrical pillar with a rounded head.
Each of these refers to the Trinity among Hindu gods– Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Preserver), and Shiva (the Destroyer). So, the Lingam symbolizes the union all the three gods.
What is Jyothirling? What are the significance of Dwadasha Jyothirling?
The Legend of the "Jyotirlinga" is mentioned in the Shiva Purana. When Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma were debating over who is supreme, Lord Shiva had produced a vast pillar of light and asked both of them to find the end of the light in both directions. To which, Lord Brahma lied that he found the end, but Lord Vishnu accepted the defeat. Lord Shiva then cursed Lord Brahma that even though he is the creator of the Universe, he won't be worshipped. And the Jyotirlingas here are believed to have appeared from that infinite pillar of light produced by Lord Shiva.
Jyoti means 'radiance' and lingam means 'Image or Sign' of Shiva. Jyotir Lingam thus means the Radiant Sign of The Almighty Shiva.
There are 12 Jyotirlinga in India. It is believed that Lord Shiva first manifested himself on Earth on the night of the Aridra Nakshatra, thus the special reverence for the Jyotirlinga. There is no unique appearance to mark the Jyotirlingas. Many people believe that you can see these lingas as columns of fire piercing through the earth after you reach a high level of spiritual attainment. Originally there were 64 Jyotirlingas out of which 12 are considered to be highly auspicious and holy. The 12 Jyotirlinga temples in India take the name of the presiding deity. Each considered a different manifestation of Lord Shiva. The primary image as all these lingas is the “lingam” representing the beginning and end stambh pillar or the infinite nature of Lord Shiva.
One more interesting thing about these Dwadasha Jyothirlingam is that all 12 places form a shape of Conch.
All 12 Jyothirlingas with there location are included in this mantra,
Saurashtre Somanathamcha, Shrishaile Mallikarjunam
Ujjainyam Mahakaalam Omkaram Maleshwaram ||1||
Paralyaam Vaidyanathamcha, Dakinyam Bheemashankaram
Sethubandethu Ramesham, Nagesham Darukavanam ||2||
Varanasyam tu Vishvesham, Traiyambakam Gauthamithate
Himalayetu Kedaram, Gushmesham tu Shivalaye ||3||
Shiva as a Lord of Dance (Nataraja)
Nata means Dance or performance whereas Raja means King. He is a Cosmic Dancer.
The following are the 5 significant elements indicating Panchakritya or 5 Key acts of Nataraja.
- Circle of Fire : The frame around Nataraja signifies Maya or Illusion. One can experience it in cyclical phenomenon of birth & death.
- Srushti or Creation : Nataraja carries Damuru in rear right arm, the vibration of which creates the Universe.
- Samhara or Destruction : The raised rear left hand carries Fire, which implies constant change or a transformation.
- Sthiti or Maintainence : The open palm of the forehand indicates an Assurance. Nothing to be worried over cosmic overhaul.
- Tirobhava or Concealment : Hidden lower left palm pointing downwards indicates illusion or veil of ignorance.
Words are not just enough to describe who is Shiva, his forms, his leela. Its incredible and only thing all we can do is just take his blessings 🙏🙏🙏
Hara Hara Mahadev.....!!!
- S Vaishnavi Kothur