Friday, March 8, 2013

The Dance of Shiva

Om tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭi-vardhanam
urvārukam iva bandhanān mṛtyormukṣīya māmṛtāt

The above verse from Rigveda [7.59.12], known as the Mahamritunjaya  or the Death-conquering Mantra is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Ironically, it is Shiva Himself who is revered as the harbinger of the final Destruction of the World!


Shiva, the Destroyer




That the Mahabharat follows the Indus perception of Shiva again shows that the two developed same imagery and that this penultimate battle between Good and Evil occurred around the same time as the Indus-Saraswati Civilization! In an article titled {The Riddle of India's Ancient Past}the French proto-historian Michel Danino believes there are strong links between Vedas and the Harappan culture.


Pashupati Seal from Indus-Saraswati excavations



The Horned Gods - Pashupati & Cernunnos

Just like Shiva, Cernunnos is believed to be the god of Nature and Fertililty and is still revered in Celtic mythology as the 'Lord of Animals' (quite similar to the Indus Pashupati!). Whatever the connection between the two, it is not easy to understand Shiva completely as he is described variously at various places with completely opposite attributes.

In Yajurveda, the contrary attributes are referred to as Rudra, the terrifying and Shiva, the auspicious (Sanskrit Shiv = Shubh). Some scholars believe Rudra to be the older form which was merged later with a 'Non-Aryan' god Shiva or Pashupati in later times. But do the scriptures support such a hypothesis?

Shiva, the Consummate Yogi
Rudra, the Destroyer of Creation
{Image courtesy - Devon ke dev, Mahadev}

 Shiva or Rudra?

The story of Rudra's birth is very interesting and is identically revealed in many Puranas.

As I had earlier mentioned in the post {Creation by Brahma}, inspite of Brahma's efforts at populating the world, the early sons of Brahma chose to follow the path of Spirituality instead of procreation and Brahma was sorely disappointed. His first creations, the Sanat Kumars, in fact abhorred entering the Samsar Chakra so much that they continue living the form of 5 year old kids and never attain puberty!


Rudra born from Brahma's Frown



Lord Shiv with the Rudras

As regards the three-eyes, it is interesting to note that the Pineal gland in Human beings is located at the region of the Third-Eye and has tissue similar to that of the normal functioning eye. Indeed the gland in many vertebrates has cells similar to the photoreceptors of eye used for vision! Could it then be another vestigial organ that we humans possessed earlier but now has a very limited value??

The Deep Seated Third Eye
 Shiva, the only being with a Completely functional Pineal Gland?

Lord Shiv, then would be the most ancient progenitor of our race in whom the organ functions as it should. But Brahma got terrified of these three-eyed fierce forms and requested Lord Shiva to create a more benign aspect of Himself and that is how Shakti was given a form!

Shiva and Shakti

Rudra, thus took the form of Ardhanarishwar and generated a female principle from His left half who was the Rudrani. Each of the 11 Rudras similarly obtained a consort thus providing Brahma some satisfaction of seeing his creations multiply. Shiva's consort Uma  or Shakti is the primeval Goddess who also represents the Yogmaya of Lord Vishnu.

Lord as Ardha-naarishwar

The festival of Mahashivaratri marks the night when Lord Shiv was married to Parvati, the final form of Uma who was earlier born as Daksha's daughter Sati.

Shiva with His beloved Sati in happier times

The union of Shiva and Shakti is represented symbolically in the form of the Lingam and the Yoni. It symbolizes Hieros-gamos or the 'Sacred Union' between God and the Goddess that gives birth to creation. It is yet another tribute to the ancient Indians' acceptance of the sexual act as a natural phenomenon and one that needs to be worshiped and not abhorred.

The same union is celebrated in Tibetan Tantrism where it is referred to as Yab-Yum (Father-Mother). Shiva is depicted here as Yamantaka or End-of-Yama revealing the episode when He rescued Rishi Markandeya from Yamdev's noose literally at gun-point (Trident point if you please!).

Yamantaka Shiva in Yab-Yum formation

While both Shiva and Shakti represent the Male and Female forms, their vehicles also represent their innate attributes. Shiva's vehicle Nandi, the bull, represents magnificence, virility and proud masculinity while Parvati's vehicle, the mountain Lion or Singh represents her Power or Shakti and the taming of animal instincts by the Mother Goddess.


Zebu Bull from Harrapan seals

The worship of Shiva and Shakti thus represents an ancient rite of recognizing the Universe as a balance of the Male and the Female, the Doer and the Energy, the Yin and the Yang and the Yab and the Yum. The night of their union or Mahashivratri is also believed to be the night when Shiva appeared in the form of a Lingam of Fire and challenged the gods Brahma and Vishnu's contest for supremacy. That was the night Lord Vishnu's magnanimity came to fore while Brahma's cheating led to Shiva putting the curse that he would never be worshiped. The Somnath Temple in Gujarat commemorates this very occasion!

My visit to the Somnath Temple


Sati did eventually marry Lord Shiv against her father's wishes and ultimately sacrificed herself in the Yagnya fire at Kankhal, Haridwar to protect her husband's honor. Shiva carries the corpse of Sati on His shoulder lamenting His loss till Lord Vishnu uses His Chakra to disintegrate the body. Each part of the body falling on Earth provides a Divine foundation and thus are formed the 51 Shaktipeeths (Seats-of-Energy)!

This incident shows that Shiva and Vishnu work in tandem too and their Oneness-in-Duality is also seen in the combined form of Vishnu (Hari) and Shiva (Har) that depicts both deities as two faces of the same coin working hand-in-hand to ensure smooth functioning of the Universe.

Hari-Hara the Divine combination of Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva


Virbhadra, born from Shiva's locks beheads Daksha
Virbhadra statue carved out of rock at Kailash Temple, Ellora

This  is what makes Shiva more relatable to humans.. it shows that even at the highest level of spirituality, the bonds of affection may cause a person to slip and plunge into gloom or anger. 

Kailash, the Abode of Shiva


Satellite Image of Mt. Kailash with Mansarovar and Rakshas Taal
 Catching a glimpse of the Holy Mountain



View of the Om Parvat en route to Mount Kailash


The Original Abode of Lord Shiv






Shiva Family on Mount Kailash




Naimittik Pralaya

The destruction that takes place at the end of a daytime of Brahma is referred to as Naimittik, implying incidental or occasional opposed to Prakritik Pralaya that takes place at the end of Brahma's lifetime. {Check the post - Pralaya, the End of Days for more on this}



The energy thus released was stored underwater in the shape of a mare and is known as the Vadava {Check this link for details - On Wings of Fire}. The fire-mare resides under the ocean (Molten Earth's core?) and one of the myths calls her wife of Yama and hence a harbinger of Death.

 Vadava Fire hidden below the Oceans


Submarine Volcanoes -  Flames of the Vadava Fire?

 Eruption of an Underwater Volcano

Normally, the fire is kept in check with the waters of the Global Ocean. But as Mahabharat verses [12.248.13-17] state, the end of the Day of Brahma is nigh that Rudra sparks off the fire again and this explosion from the mare's mouth in the Southern Ocean begins the process of Pralaya.  

Vishnu Purana [1.7.24-40] also agrees that this destruction would begin with an underwater explosion and shall be succeeded by a 100 year drought during which the seas, rivers, and streams will all be drained of water. The sun would be replaced by seven suns (will our Sun increase in size?), and the three worlds as well as the underworlds shall be burned bare of life. This then, is the Final Destiny of our planet and this is what we call Tandav, the Final Dance of Shiva. As each atom is created, another is destroyed and this continues forever in a cyclical manner. 

Shiva dancing the Dance of Destruction at Elephanta Caves


Om tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭi-vardhanam
urvārukam iva bandhanān mṛtyormukṣīya māmṛtāt

Who nourishes and nurtures all beings,
May He liberate us from Death and take us to Immortality.

Aum Shanti: Shanti: Shanti:

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