Thursday, March 7, 2013

SIGNIFICANCE OF FORM OF SHIVA






Another explanation of his role as destroyer is that we invoke Shiva to give us the capacity to destroy all our attachments and unwanted thoughts.
He destroys our imperfections in order to ensure our spiritual progress. He destroys our illusions, desires and ignorance. He destroys our evil and negative nature. He destroys our old memories, so that we can move on with the movement of time. He destroys our relationships, attachment, impurities, physical and mental wrong doings, the effects of bad karma, our passions and emotions and many things that stand between us and God as impediments to our progress and inner transformation. And in the end when we have made sufficient progress, when we are ready and prepared, and when we are willing without any inner conflict, he destroys death.


Lord Shiva is known as the ''giver god'', lord of mercy and kindness. He always protects his devotees from evil forces like lust, greed and anger. He is the most kind -hearted God who grants boons and bestows grace to his devotees.  Let us try to understand Shivafrom different standpoints.Â

From the highest standpoint, Shiva is the formless, Absolute reality . Shiva’s name itself means auspiciousness. This is our own true nature.

From the cosmic standpoint, Shiva represents the Lord of the Universe – the creator, sustainer and destroyer of the world.Â

From the departmental standpoint, we worship Brahma for creation, Vishnu for sustenance and Shiva for destruction. Since there can be no destruction without creation and vice versa, we cannot attribute creation to one deity and destruction to the other. Our distinction between these three powers is merely to help clarify the various processes of life.

In another aspect, as a particular form that manifested on earth, Shiva is said to have appeared in numerous incarnations as an enlightened master (Guru) who teaches the knowledge of the Self to his disciples. This form is known as Dakshinamurthy.


One explanation for Ganga sitting on the head of Shiva is that we should learn to keep the head cool and win the world. This is possible only through knowledge and devotion.

On Shiva’s forehead is the crescent moon and in his neck is poison. The former represents the nectar of life and the latter, death. The pair of opposites indicate that we should be able to accept pain as well as pleasure in life and that we should have inner balance and equipoise in the midst of all good and bad experiences.

The poison, kept in his neck, without being swallowed, is significant. He did not become poisonous or bitter himself. In the same way one should be able to go through all experiences of life and still abide in his own true nature, without becoming bitter.

A snake garland adorns his neck. The snake represents the mind that spits out its poison of negative thoughts. Yet if we keep the mind under perfect control, so that it is quiet within and does not agitate us or others, it will lie peacefully in meditation.

The ashes all over his body indicate that our bodies will turn to ashes one day and hence we should rise above the identification with the body even while we are living.



The bull, Nandi is linked with Shiva and it is considered as his vehicle. The bull symbolizes both power and ignorance. Tiger's skin makes Lord Shiva's clothing and his seat, which illustrates the idea that he is the source of potential energy during the dissolution of the universe. And it is also says that the tiger is the vehicle of Shakthi, the Goddess of all power & force. Shiva is beyond & above any kind of force. He is its master & carries the skin of the tiger as the victor of every force.




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