Who is Shiva?
Shiva is one of the three gods in the Hindu trinity. The trinity consists of three gods who are responsible for the creation, upkeep and destruction of the world. The other two gods are Brahma and Vishnu. Brahma is the creator of the universe while Vishnu is the preserver of it. Shiva's role is to destroy the universe in order to re-create it.
Hindus believe his powers of destruction and recreation are used even now to destroy the illusions and imperfections of this world, paving the way for beneficial change. According to Hindu belief, this destruction is not arbitrary, but constructive. Shiva is therefore seen as the source of both good and evil and is regarded as the one who combines many contradictory elements. Sometimes he is an ascetic, abstaining from all worldly pleasures. At others he is a malang. It is Shiva's relationship with his wife, Parvati which brings him balance. Their union allows him to be an ascetic and a lover, within the bounds of marriage. Hindus who worship Shiva as their primary god are members of the Shaivism sect. In his representations as a man, Shiva always has a blue face and throat. Strictly speaking his body is white, but images often show him with a blue body too. Shiva is represented with the following features:
-A third eye
-A cobra necklace
-The vibhuti
- The trident
What is Shivatatva?
“Shiva doesn’t have a body, he was never a person at all. To symbolize the unfathomable, the infinite divinity, and to make it comprehensible for young people, for children and others, humans created a form. In fact, there is no form to Shiva.Shiva is a principle (Tattva) from where everything has come, everything is sustained in it, and everything dissolves into it. Shiva is the space, it is the consciousness.
There is no way that you can even step out of Shiva at anytime because Shiva is the whole creation. That is why Shiva’s body is depicted in blue because blue signifies the sky; the all pervading infinity which has no limits, and no shape.
The consciousness which is bliss and innocence, the consciousness which is in the root of dispassion – is Shiva. The whole world is moving in an auspicious rhythm of innocence and intelligence – that is Shiva.
The permanent and eternal source of energy, the eternal state of being, the one and only one – is Shiva.”
Why Shiva is called Mahakal?
Mahakal is an avatar of Lord Shiva who is worshiped primarily at the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. It is a form of the Lord which is widely revered by the devotees of Lord Shiva worldwide.The meaning of ‘Kaal’ in Hinduism is time and the ‘Maha’ or greatness of Lord Shiva is thought to be greater than time itself. Lord Shiva is so powerful that the concept of mortal time doesn’t affect him in any way. Instead Lord Shiva has the power to end time itself, as he is the divine destroyer of the Universe and all things in it.It is said that during the incident of Daksha yagna Sati had jumped in the yagna fire when her father Daksha caused great insult of Shiva. This enraged Lord Shiva and he began his Tandav, the dance of death which threatened to destroy the entire universe. In this form also, Lord Shiva was known as Mahakal. Another interesting legend behind Lord Shiva being called Mahakal is the story of a Brahmin and his four sons, who were all devoted bhaktas of Lord Shiva. Once when they were busy in their penance for Lord Shiva, a demon named Dushan attacked them. Dushan was very powerful as he had gained a boon from Lord Brahma. Just as Dushan was about to attack the Brahmins, the earth split open and Lord Shiva manifested before him in his huge form of Mahakal. When Dushan refused to back down, Lord Shiva burnt him to ashes. Then on the request of the people of Ujjain and the king Chandrasena (who Shiva had also helped), Lord Shiva agreed to stay back as the swayambhu murthi or lingam of Mahakaleshwar. Mahakal Shiva who resides in the Mahakaleshwar Temple offers blessings and protection to the people from physical harms and other intangible evils, and to all those who come to visit his sacred shrine throughout the year.
What is the significance of Shiva in YOG?
Lord Shiva, among the great deities of Hinduism, most personifies the practice of yoga. As Yogeshwar, the great lord of yoga, he rules over all aspects of yoga relative to body, mind and consciousness.
Shiva is the lord of asana. 84 lakhs of asanas said to have derived from his movements. As Nataraj, the lord of the dance, his dance and gestures also reflect yoga postures.
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| Mataji too belongs to Himalayan Sidhha Yog Tradition |
Shiva symbolises the immortal Prana, the undying force of eternal existence. He is honoured as Mrityunjaya, the one who conquers death. Tantric yoga teachings about Prana relate to Shiva, who holds the inner power of pranayama. Many great yoga traditions arise from Shiva and honour him as their original guru. Most Himalayan sadhus are Shaivites. Shaivite Yoga includes the Nath traditions that form the main teachings of Hatha Yoga and Siddha Yoga. In Vedic times, Shiva was lauded as Rudra along with the Maruts, his wandering sages, and with great Rishis like Vasishta. Shiva Yogis maintain a special sacred fire in honour of this Vedic heritage.
Shaivite yoga in the Mahabharata is called Pashupata Yoga. The image of Shiva as Pashupati or the lord of the animals, with a three-headed form, is the most enduring image in Indian art, found as early as the Harappan era. Shiva represents the eternal presence of yoga behind the dharmic culture of India. Shiva's numerous shrines throughout India hold many yogic powers, from Kailas and Manasarovar in the north to Rameshwaram in the south, including the famous 12 Jyotir Lingas from Somnath to Kashi Vishwanath. A steady stream of pilgrims attends these sanctuaries regularly today as they have for thousands of years. The Kumbha Mela, the world's largest religious gathering, provides a centre stage to his worship extending to tens of millions of devotees.
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