Shankara's Secret - 7 Secret of Shiva !

Chapter 3: Shankara's Secret

Shiva reflects back all things material. He holds on to nothing. To him, everything is as ephemeral as camphor. That is why he is called Karpura Gauranga, he who is as white as camphor.

The goddess stands in opposition of Shiva as both the radiant Gauri, producing light, and as the dark Kali, consuming light. While Shiva sits still in the north, she comes forth swaying from the south as Dakshina-Kali, demanding to be seen. 

The goddess is naked with her hair untied and drinks blood. Her nakedness is an invitation to sex, hence childbirth and life. Her lust for blood is her acceptance of death. She is born life and death. Her unbound hair is a reminder that she is wild and raw. She is Shakti, energy, constantly on the move. He, on the other hand, is still the hooded cobra. He shuts his eyes to her.

Determined to get Pashu-pati to help humans, Shakti dances on top of him. She hopes to transform Shiva, the insensitive God, into Shankara, the God who empathizes, and is patient.

Daksha is Praja-pati, master of the people. He is not Pashu-pati, master of animal instincts.

Shiva is known as Chandrashekhara, on whose head sits the moon.

The Devas call Shiva, Maha-deva, the greatest of gods, he who is God, hence independent of nature's laws.

Shiva seems to side with the Asuras by giving them their guru, Shukra, the secret knowledge of resurrection, known as Sanjivini Vidya.

When Sati follows Shiva, she does it out of unconditional love. She does not expect him to change. She serves him without asking anything in return. Shiva remains the wandering Tapasvin. She accepts him as he is. This is why sati means a devoted wife.

To show Praja-pati a fear greater than all other fears, Shiva's righteous outrage takes the form of Virabhadra, a terrifying warrior.

The 3rd eye of Shiva indicates transcendental wisdom.

Shiva is domesticated by Shakti. The hermit turns into Shankara, the householder. The goddess is therefore called Kamakshi or Kamakhya, she in whose eyes resides Kama.

Shiva refuses to respond to lust. That is why Kama fails. Shiva responds to prayer. That is why Kamakshi succeeds.

Bhringi, a follower of Shiva took a form of bee, intending to fly through the gap between Shiva and Shakti's neck, thus completing his round of Shiva and excluding Shakti. Shiva then merged his body with Shakti. He became Ardhanareshwara, God who is half-woman, making it impossible for Bhringi to make his way between the two. Shakti then cursed Bhringi that he would loose all the parts of the body that come from the mother.

The relationship of Shiva and Parvati is not based on power. There is no conqueror and there ia no conquest. Each one allows the other to dominate. Neither seeks to dominate the other. This is love.

In Shiva temples, Shiva cannot be worshipped without acknowledging the Goddess. The Linga stone rises from a leaf-shaped trough that points north towards the Pole Star. This is the Yoni, the entrance of the womb of the Goddess.

The temple or Garbha Griha is the container of the womb into which Shiva has been drawn. She envelops him. Only through her can he be realised. Neither imagination, nor the wisdom that bursts out of it, has any meaning without nature.

Shiva and Shakti thus form one single unit.

One can go around the Shiva-linga but not completely, the circular path around is blocked by the tip of the trough. After moving clockwise, one has to turn around and in a counter clock wise direction.

A reminder that to reach Pashu-pati one has to live in the realm of Praja-pati.

- excerpts from Devdutt Pattanaik's 7 Secret of Shiva.

Om Namah Shivay.