Lord SHIVA....................THE MOST MYSTERIOUS HINDU GOD.........

Lord SHIVA....................THE MOST MYSTERIOUS HINDU GOD.........

Moola Mantra of..............LORD- SHIVA......PANCHAKSHARI MANTRA.

Om Namah Shivaya..............Its TRANSLATION............

I bow to SHIVA, Shiva is the SUPREME REALITY, THE INNER SELF and it is the name given to consciousness that DWELLS IN ALL.

Of all the deities in the Hindu pantheon, by far the most complex and mysterious to me is Śiva. Devotees and scholars alike have attempted to pierce the shrouds of textual and archaeological history to understand his origin, nature and evolution. Yet he continues to defy comprehension and definition.

Some, following John Marshall, have sought him in the phallic emblems, baetyls, seals and sculptures of the Indus Valley Civilisation. Others like Doris Srinivasan place his origins firmly in the early Vedic fold, and in the Vedic deity Rudra. Still others like Phyllis Granoff point to the textual and iconographic chasm between the Vedic Rudra and the classical Śiva, indicating a need for serious contemplation and research to understand how, if indeed they are one and the same deity, the transition and transformation came about.Rudra’s nature from the early Vedic to the late Vedic period embodies continuities and differences. We find that his benign aspect increasing gradually while his destructive aspect declines, though remains. Rudra of the Ṛgveda is a minor deity, a storm god with just three hymns dedicated to him: 1.114, 2.33 and 6.46. (He appears along with Soma in 1.43 and 6.74). His dual nature is already evident. Prone to anger and quick to dispatch weapons especially arrows against those who enrage him, he is also a deity with healing remedies and a provider of good luck. He is the flame-red boar of heaven, youthful with braided hair, powerful lips, merciful hands, tender-hearted and easy to invoke. Father of the Maruts, dazzling like the bright sun, powerful like a wild beast, swift, with the destructive power of lightning, storm and fire, he is lord of the sacrifice, of song and the physician of physicians. One of the adjectives used for him is indeed śiva (auspicious), but not exclusively. It is used for Agni and Indra and is also the name of a people in the Ṛgveda (7.18.7) The classical iconography (candra, Gaṅgā, liṅga) so familiar to us today is completely absent.

By the time of the composition of the Yajurveda saṃhitas, Rudra has grown tremendously in stature. His importance and physical appearance in the minds of the ṛṣis has changed. Now he is clad in skin, dwells in the mountains, is aged and has a thousand eyes. Ambika is mentioned for the first time in the Vedic corpus at this stage, not as his wife, but as his sister. In what J Bruce Long calls the “embodiment of divine ambivalence”, both the auspicious (śiva) as well as malevolent (rudra) aspects are developed in the renowned Śatarudriya prayer which occurs in the kṛṣṇa Yajurveda and with some modification in the śukla Yajurveda. From being a minor atmospheric deity in the Ṛg saṃhita, he has become Viśvarūpa and his presence can be felt in streams, ponds, banks, on the road, on barren land, in the cow pen, in the heart the whirlpool, in the dust and mist.

Now addressed as Nīlagrīva, Śitikanṭha, Giriśaya (mountain dweller), Viṣāpaharaṇa (one on whom the deadliest poison has no effect), and Paśupati, he is the lord of the forests, trees, fields and plants. In the Śatarudriya is also evident his all-inclusive divinity which is extended to wanderers, thieves, tricksters, robbers and pilferers. His Rudras/gaṇapatis are the lords of carpenters, potters, blacksmiths, fishermen, hunters and the Niṣādas, a non-Vedic tribe. While the Śatarudriya becomes a central text in the worship of the Purāṇic Śiva centuries later, there are just as many features that are unfamiliar (as are familiar) to the devotee who reads it for the first time. For instance, Rudra as Rathapati (lord of chariots), Harikeśa (one who has green hair/green leaves as hair), Kūpya (of the well) and Avaṭya (of the pit/hole).

The Atharvaveda represents a further stage of elevation for the Vedic Rudra. Book XV of this saṃhita identifies him with all of creation in a language which is distinctly Vedic but addresses the deity as Eka-vrātya, vrātyas being not of the ārya community. (Read the first few hymns, or the whole book in translation here. He becomes Mahādeva and holds the bow of Indra, erstwhile chief of the Vedic gods. The texts speak of seven attendants of this deity including Bhava, Īśāna, Paśupati, Śarva, Ugra, Rudra and Mahādeva. They are apart, yet a part of him – a theme which Phyllis Granoff takes up in her research on later developments in the persona of Śiva. Rudra/Mahādeva/Eka-Vrātya is fond of strong sura and shares a special relationship with a puṁścalī (a harlot, lit one who goes after men) but also becomes one with all that the ārya hold pure. Varuṇa, Soma and the seven ṛṣis follow him; hymns like rathantara and brihat follow him, as do the ādityas, and viśvedevas. Mahadev Chakravarti posits the theory that Vedic Rudra is not of ārya origin and that the Atharvaveda represents his increased acceptance by the custodians of the ārya belief system.

The brāhmaṇas progress this continual and by now seemingly unstoppable ascent of Rudra. AB Keith says even the gods are afraid of him by this stage. By the time of the composition of the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (see ŚU 6.18) Rudra has become the one god, the one who creates brahman and bestows the Veda upon him/it. At ŚU 3.2 we encounter a familiar theme: “There is only one Rudra; he has not tolerated a second who would reign over these worlds by his sovereign powers. After drawing in all beings he stands as the protector at the end of time, turning West towards men” Clearly by this period, a cult of Rudra (widely accepted today as a precursor to Śaivism) has been established. Further evidence is to be found in Patañjali’s Mahābhāṣya. Commenting on Pāṇini’s sutra V.2.76, he talks of discreet followers of the deity – Śiva-bhāgavatas, who were āyaḥśūlika (possessing iron spears/lances) and daṇḍājinaka (holders of a staff and wearing animal skin). Patañjali is dated circa second century BCE, while the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad is thought to have been composed between the sixth and the fourth century BCE.

He remains connected to the Vedic ritual as can be seen in the śrauta and gṛhya sutras. Over and above that it is recommended that he be adored in practically all walks of life. Śāṅkhāyana gṛhyasutra prescribes Rudra worship to sick people. The Pāraskara gṛhyasutra directs “adoration” when crossing a path, approaching a cross road, swimming across a river, getting into a boat, entering a forest or climbing a mountain, passing by a burial ground or a cow pen. For Rudra clearly has come to inhabit the universe. The Hiraṇyakeśī gṛhyasutra recommends the same if one chances upon a cattle dung heap, is plunged into a river, is near a creeping snake, by a sacrificial site or a big old tree.

So far we have touched upon the trajectory of Rudra in the early and late Vedic texts. As yet there is no consensus as to the origin of this deity. Was he pre-ārya? Was he contemporary but external to the ārya? Was he a mountain or a forest god? A malevolent force of nature? Or was he clearly as ārya as Agni, Vāyu and Soma, as Doris Srinivasan would have us believe? Did he gain all his epithets by absorbing the gods of smaller autochthonous cults? What were the stories that led to his names in the Śatarudriya? We have traversed close to two thousand years of textual history and as yet we haven’t even reached the part where he becomes unequivocally Śiva or Śankara. I urge all to learn Sanskrit, read the Vedic corpus and find your own answers!

Symbolic Name of Lord SHIVA...................

When  looking at an image of Lord Shiva, it seems to reveal something to our inner self, as it does to all living beings, blessed to know about him, blessed to be able to worship him. To begin with, he is the only powerful deity, who does not adorn jewels, clothes, or surround himself with luxuries. He dresses in just a tiger skin, just bare-basic clothing for survival, no ornaments, gold, gems or crowns. His first outright message is to disengage the mind from distractions of wealth, temporary beauty image, and luxury that maya traps us into and we so willingly stay chained into, and we waste our time running after.

His message is to refrain from getting too materialistic and to understand that simplicity is a sign of power. He is so powerful, yet so humble and simple in his persona.

His half open and tied tresses, show how he does let his hair-down, stay calm, enjoy surroundings, and he wants us to live each day as it comes, enjoying the moment, yet his half tied tresses, indicate, we should continue to do our duty, at our pace. His tied hair, continuously saves the Earth from the powerful flow of the river Ganga. If he gives up his dharma, the entire earth will submerge. So, it indicates a middle path of doing one’s duty continuously, inside us, the quest to seek the divine should never die. Keep the thirst and quest on, keep doing your duties to others, yet, enjoying the beauty and joys that surround us.

The Moon on his head, might indicate that he lives on the highest point, on Earth, Mt. Kailash, that he lives close to us, and every night the moon transiting the night sky, is worn by the head of the almighty who is also watching over us, every second. He saved the moon from the curse of Daksha and thus gave the Moon a place to stay.

The nilakanth, or his blue neck, with the story of his drinking hala-hal vrish from the samudra manthan, could tell a human, that vaani/speech can be like vrish or poison, and should always be under check. So many karmas turn bad, just due to bad words emitted in the heat-of-a-moment and the snake in his neck is a motivation for us to arouse our kundalini shakti. The three and a half coiled snake, we see so many times, is that bhujangini shakti- kundalini shakti, that can activate the sleeping parts of the brain, elevating us from the current level and helping us reach our divine God.

Vanmalaa or garland in his neck, indicates his love for nature, his love for Dance, Music, drama and beauty, which show his artistic sides. It also indicates, his soft side within.

His trident or Trishul with three spears, could be an indicator or symbol of destroying all three gunas, the Rajo, Tamo and Sattva Guna. He is motivating us to try and rise above the ebb and flow of the three gunas. The Trishul can also mean he wants us to reach for moksha, by killing the present, past and future, which are symbolised by the three spears of trishul.

His third eye, or activated Ajna chakra, sends the message to meditate, and with the opening of this pineal gland chakra, shall all our karmas, moha, lobh, krodh, and kaam , be destroyed.

His Damru (hand drum), is like a wake up call, asking us to wake up from this muddle of maya, that it is high time, we humans utilize this yoni, yog, opportunity and get out of this endless cycle of sufferings, to go back home to Ananda state and start working towards the real goal of life.

The bells on his waist, are a reassuring sign, that when we will walk through the dark jungle of tapas, of mediation we will not walk alone, through the sides, by our side, he will walk us through it. His presence will be felt deep in the state of samadhi, he will make us feel it.

Nandi ji – the Bull – can indicate the male energy. The cow is the most precious possession for mankind and the Bull is thus the male other half of this nurturing cow. Milk, butter, ghee and so much more comes from cows, but the Bull is the silent father who does contribute. He also ploughs the land, that then becomes ready for seeds for farming. Again, the seeds are sown, but earth is made ready by the Bull.

Finally – the lingam , to me, is the matter part of a deepak jyoti. Mata Shakti can be the ghee/oil that will nourish the jyoti, but unless the cotton lump takes the form of linga, or a conical upright form, the creation of heat and light to nourish, nurture, and guide humans cannot be created. We stare at it, create the essence of the universe everyday, in our puja, yet we do not grasp the secrets it is showing us. Every linga of Shiv Ji tells us, how matter and energy have combined, to create light – knowledge – which should help us free ourselves from this Maya and provide heat – which is nurturing and nourishing us.

om namah shivaya!
om aem hrim kleem chamundayae vicchaye!

108 Names of Lord SHIVA as Ashttotharashta Namavali mantra.......

1. Om Shivaya Namaha

Obeisances to the Auspicious One

2. Om Maheshvaraya Namaha

Obeisances to the Great God Shiva

3. Om Shambhave Namaha

Obeisances to the God who exists for our happiness alone

4. Om Pinakine Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva, who guards the path of dharma

5. Om Shashishekharaya Namaha

Obeisances to the God who wears the crescent moon in his hair

6. Om Vamadevaya Namaha

Obeisances to the God who is pleasing and auspicious in every way

7. Om Virupakshaya Namaha

Obeisances to the God of spotless form

8. Om Kapardine Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord with thickly matted hair

9. Om Nilalohitaya Namaha

Obeisances to the God splendid as the red sun at daybreak

10. Om Shankaraya Namaha

Obeisances to the source of all prosperity

11. Om Shulapanaye Namaha

Obeisances to the God who carries a spear

12. Om Khatvangine Namaha

Obeisances to the God who carries a knurled club

13. Om Vishnuvallabhaya Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva, who is dear to Lord Vishnu

14. Om Shipivishtaya Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord whose form emits great rays of light

15. Om Ambikanathaya Namaha

Obeisances to Ambika’s Lord

16. Om Shrikantaya Namaha

Obeisances to he whose throat is shining blue

17. Om Bhaktavatsalaya Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord who loves His devotees like new born calves

18. Om Bhavaya Namaha

Obeisances to the God who is existence itself

19. Om Sarvaya Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva who is all

20. Om Trilokeshaya Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva who is the Lord of all the three worlds

21. Om Shitakanthaya Namaha

Obeisances to the primal soul whose throat is deep blue

22. Om Shivapriyaya Namaha

Obeisances to the god who is dear to Shakti

23. Om Ugraya Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva whose presence is awesome and overwhelming

24. Om Kapaline Namaha

Obeisances to the God whose begging bowl is a human skull

25. Om Kamaraye Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva who conquers all passions

26. Om Andhakasura Sudanaya Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord who killed the asura Andhaka

27. Om Gangadharaya Namaha

Obeisances to the God who holds the Ganges River in his hair

28. Om Lalatakshaya Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord whose sport is creation

29. Om Kalakalaya Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva who is the death of death

30. Om Kripanidhaye Namaha

Obeisances to the God who is the treasure of compassion

31. Om Bhimaya Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva whose strength is awesome

32. Om Parashu Hastaya Namaha

Obeisances to the God who wields an axe in his hands

33. Om Mrigapanayae Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord who looks after the soul in the wilderness

34. Om Jatadharaya Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva who bears a mass of matted hair

35. Om Kailasavasine Namaha

Obeisances to the God who abides on Mount Kailas

36. Om Kavachine Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord who is wrapped in armor

37. Om Kathoraya Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva who causes all growth

38. Om Tripurantakaya Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord who destroyed the three demonic cities

39. Om Vrishankaya Namaha

Obeisances to the God whose emblem is a bull (Nandi)

40. Om Vrishabharudhaya Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva who rides a bull

41. Om Bhasmoddhulita Vigrahaya Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord covered with holy ash

42. Om Samapriyaya Namaha

Obeisances to the God exceedingly fond of hymns from the Sama Veda

43. Om Svaramayaya Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva who creates through sound

44. Om Trayimurtaye Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord who is worshiped in three forms

45. Om Anishvaraya Namaha

Obeisances to the undisputed Lord

46. Om Sarvagyaya Namaha

Obeisances to the God who knows all things

47. Om Paramatmane Namaha

Obeisances to the Supreme Self

48. Om Somasuragni Lochanaya Namaha

Obeisances to the light of the eyes of Soma, Surya and Agni

49. Om Havishe Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva who receives oblations of ghee

50. Om Yagyamayaya Namaha

Obeisances to the architect of all sacrificial rites

51. Om Somaya Namaha

Obeisances to the Moon-glow of the mystic’s vision

52. Om Panchavaktraya Namaha

Obeisances to the God of the five activities

53. Om Sadashivaya Namaha

Obeisances to the eternally auspicious benevolent Shiva

54. Om Vishveshvaraya Namaha

Obeisances to the all-pervading ruler of the cosmos

55. Om Virabhadraya Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva the foremost of heroes

56. Om Gananathaya Namaha

Obeisances to the God of the Ganas

57. Om Prajapataye Namaha

Obeisances to the Creator

58. Om Hiranyaretase Namaha

Obeisances to the God who emanates golden souls

59. Om Durdharshaya Namaha

Obeisances to the unconquerable being

60. Om Girishaya Namaha

Obeisances to the monarch of the holy mountain Kailas

61. Om Girishaya Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord of the Himalayas

62. Om Anaghaya Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva who can inspire no fear

63. Om Bujangabhushanaya Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord adorned with golden snakes

64. Om Bhargaya Namaha

Obeisances to the foremost of rishis

65. Om Giridhanvane Namaha

Obeisances to the God whose weapon is a mountain

66. Om Giripriyaya Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord who is fond of mountains

67. Om Krittivasase Namaha

Obeisances to the God who wears clothes of hide

68. Om Purarataye Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord who is thoroughly at home in the wilderness

69. Om Bhagavate Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord of prosperity

70. Om Pramathadhipaya Namaha

Obeisances to the God who is served by goblins

71. Om Mritunjayaya Namaha

Obeisances to the conqueror of death

72. Om Sukshmatanave Namaha

Obeisances to the subtlest of the subtle

73. Om Jagadvyapine Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva who fills the whole world

74. Om Jagadgurave Namaha

Obeisances to the guru of all the worlds

75. Om Vyomakeshaya Namaha

Obeisances to the God whose hair is the spreading sky above

76. Om Mahasenajanakaya Namaha

Obeisances to the origin of Mahasena

77. Om Charuvikramaya Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva, the guardian of wandering pilgrims

78. Om Rudraya Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord who is fit to be praised

79. Om Bhutapataye Namaha

Obeisances to the source of living creatures, including the Bhutas, or ghostly creatures

80. Om Sthanave Namaha

Obeisances to the firm and immovable deity

81. Om Ahirbudhnyaya Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord who waits for the sleeping kundalini

82. Om Digambaraya Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva whose robes is the cosmos

83. Om Ashtamurtaye Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord who has eight forms

84. Om Anekatmane Namaha

Obeisances to the God who is the one soul

85. Om Satvikaya Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord of boundless energy

86. Om Shuddha Vigrahaya Namaha

Obeisances to him who is free of all doubt and dissension

87. Om Shashvataya Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva, endless and eternal

88. Om Khandaparashave Namaha

Obeisances to the God who cuts through the mind’s despair

89. Om Ajaya Namaha

Obeisances to the instigator of all that occurs

90. Om Papavimochakaya Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord who releases all fetters

91. Om Mridaya Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord who shows only mercy

92. Om Pashupataye Namaha

Obeisances to the ruler of all evolving souls, the animals

93. Om Devaya Namaha

Obeisances to the foremost of devas, demigods

94. Om Mahadevaya Namaha

Obeisances to the greatest of the gods

95. Om Avyayaya Namaha

Obeisances to the one never subject to change

96. Om Haraye Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva who dissolves all bondage

97. Om Pashudantabhide Namaha

Obeisances to the one who punished Pushan

98. Om Avyagraya Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord who is steady and unwavering

99. Om Dakshadhvaraharaya Namaha

Obeisances to the destroyer of Daksha’s conceited sacrifice

100. Om Haraya Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord who withdraws the cosmos

101. Om Bhaganetrabhide Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva who taught Bhaga to see more clearly

102. Om Avyaktaya Namaha

Obeisances to Shiva who is subtle and unseen

103. Om Sahasrakshaya Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord of limitless forms

104. Om Sahasrapade Namaha

Obeisances to the God who is standing and walking everywhere

105. Om Apavargapradaya Namaha

Obeisances to the Lord who gives and takes all things

106. Om Anantaya Namaha

Obeisances to the God who is unending

107. Om Tarakaya Namaha

Obeisances to the great liberator of mankind

108. Om Parameshvaraya Namaha

Obeisances to the great God

 

J.KANNAN, M.Com, FIATA

"WE DON'T THINK TO BREATHE

 WE BREATHE TO THINK"