SHIVA, THE MAHAKAAL (PART–1)

Who is Shiva:

In Hinduism, Shiva is worshipped throughout India and a few other countries as one of the most important deity. Shiva is prayed in both forms viz. “saakar form” (as Lord Shiva or Shanker in form of deity) and Nirakar (as Lingam, formless). Shiva literally means “auspiciousness, welfare”. He is represented as god of destruction as destruction is root of re-creation (rebirth).

Saakar form of Shiva [1]:

Shiva is depicted as under:

1. Dark-skinned ascetic with a blue throat (blue signify drinking of poison which came out during samundra manthan).
2. Usually seated cross-legged on a tiger skin (tiger skin signify source of the creative energy that remains in potential form during the dissolution state of the universe)
3. The hair is matted and coiled on his head, adorned with a snake and a crescent moon (signifying control over time).
4. Ganga is flowing out of his topknot.
5. Shiva has four arms and three eyes. The third eye, in the middle of his forehead, is always closed and only opens to annihilate an evil doer.
6. A garland of skulls, rudraksha beads, or a snake hangs from his neck. One snake is shown curled three times (symbolize cycles of the past, present and future) around the neck of Shiva and is looking towards his right side (symbolizes the human activities based upon knowledge, reason and logic).
7. Shiva also wears snakes as armlets and bracelets.
8. Two Kundal, Alakh (means “which cannot be shown by any sign”) and Niranjan (means “which cannot be seen by mortal eyes”), in the ears of Shiva symbolize that He is beyond ordinary perception. Since the Kundal in his left ear is of the type used by women and the one in his right ear is of the type used by men, these Kundal also symbolize the Shiv and Shakti (male and female) principle of creation – the Ardh-Naareeshwar principle of creation.
9. A small drum / damaroo which produces cosmic sound of Aum, which can be heard during deep meditation.

• A water pot (Kamandal) made from a dry pumpkin contains nectar and is shown on the ground next to Shiva signifies that, an individual must break away from attachment to the physical world and clean his inner self of egoistic desires in order to experience the bliss of the Self.

1. Trishul (Trident) symbolizes His three fundamental powers iccha(will), kriya(action) and jnana (knowledge).

• Shiva is most often shown to be seated on Mount Kailash (represent the center of the universe).
• Shiva is the creator of dance and of the first 16 rhythmic syllables ever uttered, from which the Sanskrit language was born. His dance of anger is called the Roudra Tandava and his dance of joy, the Ananda Tandava. [2]

What are the attributes of Shiva:

Tulsidas borne in Varanasi, city in UP, India, composed Ram Charit Manas in 15 – 16thcentury.  He has explained the various attributes of Shiva in the devotional hymn “Rudrashtakam” appear in the Uttara Kand of Ram Charit Manas


“(नमामि ईशम् निर्वाणरुपम् विभुम् व्यापकम् ब्रह्मवेदस्वरूपम्, । निजम् निर्गुणम् निर्विकल्पम् निरीहम् चिदाकाशमाकाशवासम् भजेऽहम्  निराकारम्  ओंकारमूलम्  तुरीयम्  गिरा ज्ञान गोतीतम् ईशम्  गिरीशम् | करालम् महाकाल कालम्  कृपालम् | गुणागार संसारपारम्  नतोऽहम् ॥ तुषाराद्रि संकाश गौरम् गभीरम् । मनोभूत कोटिप्रभा श्री शरीरम् | स्फुरन्मौलि कल्लोलिनी चारु गङ्गा लसद् भाल बालेन्दु कण्ठे भुजङ्गा | चलत्कुण्डलम् भ्रू सुनेत्रम् विशालम् प्रसन्नाननम्  नीलकण्ठम्  दयालम् | मृगाधीश चर्माम्बरम् मुण्ड मालम् प्रियम् शंकरम्  सर्वनाथम् भजामि ॥ प्रचण्डम्  प्रकृष्टम् प्रगल्भम् परेशम्। अखण्डम्  अजम् भानुकोटि प्रकाशम् त्रयः शूल निर्मूलनम् शूलपाणिम् भजेऽहम् भवानीपतिम् भावगम्यम् | कलातीत कल्याण कल्पान्तकारी सदा सज्जनानन्ददाता पुरारि । चिदानंद संदोह मोहापहारी| प्रसीद प्रसीद प्रभो मन्मथारी | न यावत् उमानाथ पादाराविन्दम् भजंतीह लोके परे वा नराणाम् | न तावत् सुखम् शांति सन्ताप नाशम् | प्रसीद प्रभो सर्वभूताधिवासम् | न जानामि योगम् जपम् नैव पूजाम् नतोऽहम् सदा सर्वदा शम्भुः तुभ्यम् । जरा जन्म दुःखौघ तातप्यमानम् प्रभो पाहि आपन्नमामीश शम्भो |
रुद्राष्टकम् इदम् प्रोक्तम् विप्रेण हर तोषये । ये पठन्ति नरा भक्त्या तेषाम् शम्भुः प्रसीदति)”

The above hymn explains the attributes of Shiva [3] as under:

1. who is omnipresent, embodiment of nirvana bliss, having full knowledge of creation of Brahman (universe), originator of the Vedas,
2. who dwells in his own self, Who is quality-less, beyond attributes/ origin of qualities, hence cannot be measured by standards of qualities,
3. who is immutable, who is desire less, Who is immeasurable like the sky,
4. who dwells in the sky,
5. who is formless,
6. who is root of Om (sound of universe),
7. who is always in “Turiya” (the fourth and sublime state of existence),
8. who is beyond the scope of voice, knowledge and words,
9. who dwells on Mount Kailash,

• who is fierce, destroyer of death / Mahakaal, benevolent and compassionate,

1. who is treasury of all qualities, beyond the mundane universe,

• whose face is sweet & fair like snowy mountain,
• who is so deep that to understand him one has to go to absolute depth of divinity, who is mind of all beings / elements,
• who is of immense splendour, beautiful bodied with shiny forehead, wavy and enticing sacred Ganges flows from his head, a young moon is shining on his forehead, who wears snake garland around the neck and lion skin around his waist,
• who is eternal bliss, and Who absolves abundant passion (absorbs happiness which comes from materialistic wishes)

​Hence, Shiva is formless and also depicted as god of destruction. He is beyond time, at centre of universe, root of universal sound ‘Aum’ and re-birth, creator of Sanskrit language and natya & other Shastras and provides eternal bliss.

Reference:

1. http://www.speakingtree.in/search/shiva
2. http://sivasakti.com/tantra/other-hindu-deities/shiva-the-god-of-destruction/
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudrashtakam