Shiva, the great God
Shiva and Shakti are indistinguishable. They are one. They are the universe. Shiva isn’t masculine. Shakti isn’t feminine. At the core of their mutual penetration the supreme consciousness opens.
Daniel Odier
Shiva is the meditative aspect of the entire universe. Considered to be the supreme God of Hindus, Shiva is worshiped with elaborate rituals on Maha Shivaratri. There are number of objects that signify Shiva, here is their significance.
Lingam: It is a symbol representation of being formless, universe bearer and the complete one. Lingam is an oval shaped stone, stating universe and the supreme power holding an entire universe in it.
Ashes: Shiva wears ashes to remind his devotees about the ultimate reality, and guide them not to get enamoured by physical beauty and materialistic world.
Snakes: Snake stands for the evil nature in the world. By wearing snake around his neck, lord Shiva assures us that no evil can touch us once we surrender to him.
Trident: Also known as trishul, trident symboloises that Shiva controls the world and its illusions. It represents the past, the present and the future. It also represents the three paths to self-realisation: path of knowledge, path of action and path of devotion. Trident also stands for the three evils which needs to be destroyed in one self, which is anger, lust and pride.
Third Eye: Lord Shiva is also known as Tryambaka Deva, which means three-eyed lord. His right and left eyes are the sun and moon, while the third eye on his forehead symbolises spiritual wisdom and the power to see beyond the apparent and destroy the evil.
Ganges: The holy water of Ganges in Shiva’s hair signifies the essential element of ritual purification.
Crescent Moon: The moon depicted on lord Shiva’s head represents the recurring nature of the universe and symbolises the cycle of creation.
Tiger Skin: The tiger is the vehicle of power, force and lust. Shiva sitting on it symbolises that he has conquered all the evils.
Damru: The damru in his hand symbolises the inner music. It is also believed that Shiva played damru to keep the demons away.
Shivaratri means night of Shiva. When Shiva was asked by wife Parvati what pleases him most, Shiva replied that it is the 14th night of the new moon, in the dark fortnight during the month of phalguna, and that day now is called the Maha Shivaratri. Shiva devotees observe fast on this day and worship lingam by offering it bel leaves, which are symbolic of the Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. The traditional ritual is done to bring auspicious energy to oneself and on the earth.
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