Shiva & Shivraatri

Is shiva a human being?

Shiva is a principle, an energy field, a consciousness that permeates the entire universe. Shiva wasn’t a person who walked this Earth. Shiva cannot be limited by time as he is Mahakaal, the time of times.

Where do we find Shiva?

The seven layers of existence are body, breath, mind, intellect, memory, ego and Self. As we go deeper into these layers, they get more and more refined. Beyond the level of the Self lies cosmic intelligence and beyond the cosmic intelligence lies the very subtle prakriti in Shakti form. Beyond that lies Shiva or the Shiva tattva. The five elements which make up the human body are the manifestation of the subtle forces of the Shiva consciousness but in gross form.

Diving into a vastness

The shiva consciousness is extremely subtle and human intelligence is extremely gross. For the gross human intelligence to understand the subtle is impossible. It is only the subtle that has power over the gross. The only aim of the practitioners of yoga, meditation and the allied practices is to tap or dissolve into that Shiva consciousness. We have no say over it because we’re beings of limited intelligence. We cannot access that subtle realm of consciousness through our limited intellect. So we have to wait for that power, that intelligence to shower its grace on us at a given time. Shivratri is that time. It is that night that gives us the rare opportunity to dissolve our limited identities and merge in the vastness that is Shiva.

Staying awake

The energy makes itself accessible on the night of shivratri but if we are in a gross state we may miss this opportunity. Hence the importance of preparation for this night that all devotees wait for. Eating light food, meditating, doing seva, and charity are all ways which will take away grossness from our consciousness, helping it go deeper and take a dip in the Shiva tattva. The generous vastness that has opened itself for us, might even let us dissolve some part of us in its limitlessness. This dissolution is what we call samadhi. Whenever we have experienced extreme bliss, joy or happiness from within, some dissolution has happened. Wherever there is celebration, know that the shiva principle has blossomed. You have attained Kailasa – a place where only celebration exists. The opposite is also true. When shiva tattva dawns in you, your life becomes a celebration.

Shiva tandava

It is also believed that it was on Shivratri that Shiva in all his splendour danced the tandava and brought down divine wisdom to human levels so that we could comprehend it easily.

A cosmic wedding

Some also believe that it was on Shivratri that Shiva and Parvati were married.

Honoring the Savior

When the Gods and demons churned the Kshirsagar or the ‘Ocean of Milk’ to obtain ambrosia that lay at its depths, a pot of poison emerged. Lord Shiva consumed this poison, saving both the Gods and mankind. The poison lodged in the Lord’s throat, turning him blue. Shivratri is honoring the savior.

Taming the fury of the Ganga

As Ganga, the celestial river, descended from the heavens in full force, Lord Shiva caught her in his matted locks, and released her on the Earth in several streams. This prevented destruction on Earth. As a tribute to him, the shivalinga is bathed on this auspicious night.

Shivratri can also be understood as Shiva and Shakti coming together – Shiva as the father and Shakti as the mother. The coming together of both these divine energies results in sowing the seed of creation. At a grosser level, the same energies are represented by Surya and Chandra. In Jyotish (astrology), Surya represents the father and Chandra, the mother. Their coming together in a particular alignment is the cause for creation to happen constantly on planet Earth.

Credit: https://www.artofliving.org