The Shiv Tattva; SHIVO BHUTVA SHIVAM YAJET

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The Shiv Tattva; SHIVO BHUTVA SHIVAM YAJET

 

 

 

On those who wholeheartedly surrender their possessions, souls and bodies,

Nataraja, the Gracious Giver, will at once bestow His golden lotus feet. That is

the truth! Natchintanai

 

 

 

The Shiva Tattva : Shiva!

 

 

 

HareShiv! HareShiv! HareShiv!

 

 

 

The name, the word itself seems to come with so much aplomb to the Hindu mind.

Images flood the mind' eye. The savage one; The handsome one. The fierce one;

The ardent lover of Parvati. One who wears snakes for ornaments; One who holds

the Ganges on his head. One who destroys; One who dances. Wearer of leopard

skin; Wielder of cymbals. One with long matted hair; One who wears the moon on

his head! Worshipped in the form of a phallic symbol; Worshipped for the power

of his third eye…

 

 

 

The word Shiva is derived from the sanskrut root `Shing' meaning swapney. The

derived word thus implies `that in which everyone sleeps to or relaxes'. It is

that non-dual substratum of the whole cosmos in which everyone attains total

fulfillment & relaxation. Mandukya Upanishad says that `Shantam Shivam

Chaturtham Advaitam Manyante', i.e. the peaceful, non-dual, fourth state of

Consciousness is Shivam †" extremely auspicious & fulfilling.

 

 

 

This is the Shiva Tattva.

 

 

 

It is not something which is objectifiable but is realised as our very

subjective essence. He is realised as our very Self. The word Shiva in its most

fundamental meaning is a synonym of Brahman. The terms Siva or Sankara mean

Auspicious. Sam means Chitaananda (Blissful Awareness). Kara means the one who

causes it. Sankara means the One who causes blissful awareness. Sankara is the

One who confers Chitaananda on those who take refuge in Him or adore Him. Siva

means, graciousness; auspiciousness; Mangalam. He is all graciousness, ever

auspicious, Sarva Mangalam. Siva is adored as the teacher of teachers,

Dakshinamurti. The form of Siva is itself a great lesson in tolerance and

forbearance.

 

 

 

It is only when the love principle underlying this name is rightly understood,

the real form of the Cosmos can be recognized. That name is Saambasiva. Saa

means divinity. Amba refers to the cosmos. Siva means the Supreme person

Purusha.

 

 

 

Yogasikha. The sky is His blue form. The directions, Dik are His garment. Hence

He is known as Digambara. He is also known as Panchaanana - the Five-headed One.

The five are: Earth, water, fire and aakaasa space. His five heads represent

the five basic elements panchabhuthas. Siva is also described as Bhuthanaatha -

the Lord of all created beings. Bhutha refers to creation - the one who is ever

good Subham.

 

 

 

It is for the well-being of the world that Lord Siva swallowed the Halahala

poison. Again, it is for the sake of the worlds good that Siva contained the

Ganga in His matted locks. Siva bears the moon on His head to confer peace of

mind on mankind. When man moulds himself on the pattern of Easwara, he will get

rid of all his evil tendencies and offer to the world what is good in him. That

is the meaning of the worship of Siva. It is only when man gives up utterly his

bad thoughts, evil desires and wicked deeds; he will be able to transform

himself into divinity.

 

 

 

He is both static and dynamic and is both creator and destroyer. He is the

oldest and the youngest; he is the eternal youth as well as the infant. He is

the source of fertility in all living beings. He has gentle as well as fierce

forms. Shiva is the greatest of renounces as well as the ideal lover. He

destroys evil and protects good. He bestows prosperity on worshipers although he

is austere. He is omnipresent and resides in everyone as pure consciousness.

Shiva is inseparable from Shakti - Parvati the daughter of Himavaan - Haimavati.

There is no Shiva without Shakti and no Shakti without Shiva, the two are one -

or the absolute state of being - consciousness and bliss.

 

 

 

The five mantras that constitute Lord Shiva's body are Sadyojaata, Vaamadeva,

Aghora, Tatpurusha and Eesaana. Eesaana is Shiva not visible to the human eye,

Sadyojaata is Shiva realized in his basic reality (as in the element earth, in

the sense of smell, in the power of procreation and in the mind). The

Vishnudharmottara Purana of the 6th century CE assigns a face and an element to

each of the above mantras. (Sadyojaata - earth, Vaamadeva - water, Aghora -

fire, Tatpurusha - air and Eesaana - space).

 

 

 

The names of the deified faces with their elements are Mahadeva (earth),

Bhairava (fire), Nandi (air), Uma (water) and Sadasiva (space). Panchamukha

lingams have been seen from the 2nd century onwards. The Trimurthi Sadasiva

image of Shiva in the Elephanta Caves near Mumbai is a portrayal in stone, of

the five faces of Shiva. The fourth and the fifth heads are not seen in this

image here.

 

 

 

The works of sages Vyasa, Vasishta, Patanjali, the poet Kalidasa, the tamil

saint poets Nayanmars - Appar, Sundarar, Sambandar, the poet Manikkavachakar,

the mystic tamil siddhas, hindu philosophers, the spiritual leader Adi

Sankaracharya and others such as Basavanna and Appayya Deekshitar speak of the

attributes of Shiva.

 

 

 

Lord Shiva is worshipped as the embodiment of the primary elements of wind,

water, fire, earth and space at Kalahasti, Jambukeswaram, Arunachalam,

Kanchipuram and Chidambaram.

 

 

 

Lord Shiva is the Lord of mercy and compassion. He protects devotees from evil

forces such as lust, greed, and anger. He grants boons, bestows grace and

awakens wisdom in His devotees. The symbolism discussed below includes major

symbols that are common to all pictures and images of Shiva venerated by Hindus.

Since the tasks of Lord Shiva are numerous, He cannot be symbolized in one form.

For this reason the images of Shiva vary significantly in their symbolism.

 

 

 

1. The unclad body covered with ashes: the unclad body symbolizes the

transcendental aspect of the Lord. Since most things reduce to ashes when

burned, ashes symbolize the physical universe. The ashes on the unclad body of

the Lord signify that Shiva is the source of the entire universe which emanates

from Him, but He transcends the physical phenomena and is not affected by it.

 

 

 

2. Matted locks: Lord Shiva is the Master of yoga. The three matted

locks on the head of the Lord convey the idea that integration of the physical,

mental and spiritual energies is the ideal of yoga.

 

 

 

3. Ganga: Ganga (river Ganges) is associated with Hindu mythology and

is the most sacred river of Hindus. According to tradition, one who bathes in

Ganga (revered as Mother Ganga) in accordance with traditional rites and

ceremonies on religious occasions in combination with certain astrological

events, is freed from sin and attains knowledge, purity and peace. Ganga,

symbolically represented on the head of the Lord by a female (Mother Ganga) with

a jet of water emanating from her mouth and falling on the ground, signifies

that the Lord destroys sin, removes ignorance, and bestows knowledge, purity and

peace on the devotees.

 

 

 

4. The crescent moon: is shown on the side of the Lord's head as an

ornament, and not as an integral part of His countenance. The waxing and waning

phenomenon of the moon symbolizes the time cycle through which creation evolves

from the beginning to the end. Since the Lord is the Eternal Reality, He is

beyond time. Thus, the crescent moon is only one of His ornaments, and not an

integral part of Him.

 

 

 

5. Three eyes: Lord Shiva, also called Tryambaka Deva (literally,

" three-eyed Lord " ), is depicted as having three eyes: the sun is His right eye,

the moon the left eye and fire the third eye. The two eyes on the right and left

indicate His activity in the physical world. The third eye in the center of the

forehead symbolizes spiritual knowledge and power, and is thus called the eye of

wisdom or knowledge. Like fire, the powerful gaze of Shiva's third eye

annihilates evil, and thus the evil-doers fear His third eye.

 

 

 

6. Half-open eyes: when the Lord opens His eyes, a new cycle of

creation emerges and when He closes them, the universe dissolves for creation of

the next cycle. The half-open eyes convey the idea that creation is going

through cyclic process, with no beginning and no end. Lord Shiva is the Master

of Yoga, as He uses His yogic power to project the universe from Himself. The

half-open eyes also symbolize His yogic posture.

 

 

 

7. Kundalas (two ear rings): two Kundalas, Alakshya (meaning " which

cannot be shown by any sign " ) and Niranjan (meaning " which cannot be seen by

mortal eyes " ) in the ears of the Lord signify that He is beyond ordinary

perception. Since the kundala in the left ear of the Lord is of the type used by

women and the one in His right ear is of the type used by men, these Kundalas

also symbolize the Shiva and Shakti (male and female) principle of creation.

 

 

 

8. Snake around the neck: sages have used snakes to symbolize the

yogic power of Lord Shiva with which He dissolves and recreates the universe.

Like a yogi, a snake hoards nothing, carries nothing, builds nothing, lives on

air alone for a long time, and lives in mountains and forests. The venom of a

snake, therefore, symbolizes the yogic power.

 

 

 

9. A snake (Vasuki Naga): is shown curled three times around the neck

of the Lord and is looking towards His right side. The three coils of the snake

symbolize the past, present and future - time in cycles. The Lord wearing the

curled snake like an ornament signifies that creation proceeds in cycles and is

time dependent, but the Lord Himself transcends time. The right side of the body

symbolizes the human activities based upon knowledge, reason and logic. The

snake looking towards the right side of the Lord signifies that the Lord's

eternal laws of reason and justice preserve natural order in the universe.

 

 

 

10. Rudraksha necklace: Rudra is another name of Shiva. Rudra also means

" strict or uncompromising " and aksha means " eye. " Rudraksha necklace worn by the

Lord illustrates that He uses His cosmic laws firmly - without compromise - to

maintain law and order in the universe. The necklace has 108 beads which

symbolize the elements used in the creation of the world.

 

 

 

11. Varda Mudra: the Lord's right hand is shown in a boon-bestowing and

blessing pose. As stated earlier, Lord Shiva annihilates evil, grants boons,

bestows grace, destroys ignorance, and awakens wisdom in His devotees.

 

 

 

12. Trident (Trisula): a three-pronged trident shown adjacent to the Lord

symbolizes His three fundamental powers (shakti) of will (iccha), action (kriya)

and knowledge (jnana). The trident also symbolizes the Lord's power to destroy

evil and ignorance.

 

 

 

13. Damaru (drum): a small drum with two sides separated from each other by

a thin neck-like structure symbolizes the two utterly dissimilar states of

existence, unmanifest and manifest. When a damaru is vibrated, it produces

dissimilar sounds which are fused together by resonance to create one sound. The

sound thus produced symbolizes Nada, the cosmic sound of AUM, which can be heard

during deep meditation. According to Hindu scriptures, Nada is the source of

creation.

 

 

 

14. Kamandalu: a water pot (Kamandalu) made from a dry pumpkin contains

nectar and is shown on the ground next to Shiva. The process of making Kamandalu

has deep spiritual significance. A ripe pumpkin is plucked from a plant, its

fruit is removed and the shell is cleaned for containing the nectar. In the same

way, 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, symbolized by the nectar in the Kamandalu.

 

 

 

15. Nandi: the bull is associated with Shiva and is said to be His vehicle.

The bull symbolizes both power and ignorance. Lord Shiva's use of the bull as a

vehicle conveys the idea that He removes ignorance and bestows power of wisdom

on His devotees. The bull is called Vrisha in Sanskrit. Vrisha also means dharma

(righteousness). Thus a bull shown next to Shiva also indicates that He is the

etemal companion of righteousness.

 

 

 

16. Tiger skin: a tiger skin symbolizes potential energy. Lord Shiva,

sitting on or wearing a tiger skin, illustrates the idea that He is the source

of the creative energy that remains in potential form during the dissolution

state of the universe. Of His own Divine Will, the Lord activates the potential

form of the creative energy to project the universe in endless cycles.

 

 

 

17. Cremation ground: Shiva sitting in the cremation ground signifies that

He is the controller of death in the physical world. Since birth and death are

cyclic, controlling one implies controlling the other. Thus, Lord Shiva is

revered as the ultimate controller of birth and death in the phenomenal world.

 

 

 

18. Lord Shiva wears a snake coiled around his upper arms and neck

symbolizing the power he has over the most deadly of creatures. Snakes are also

used to symbolize the Hindu dogma of reincarnation. Their natural process of

molting or shedding their skin is symbolic of the human souls transmigration of

bodies from one life to another.

 

 

 

19. Shiva holds a skull that represents samsara, the cycle of life, death

and rebirth. Samsara is a central belief in Hinduism. Shiva himself also

represents this complete cycle because he is Mahakala the Lord of Time,

destroying and creating all things.

 

 

 

20. There are sixty-four lilas or sports in which he is said to have

partaken and infinite stories from his tumultuous marriage to his drinking of

the poison during the famous incident in Hindu mythology of the churning of the

ocean. Through all the myths Shiva emerges the same, powerful, impulsive, angry,

frightening, charming, one who holds the damru (drum) either sides of which

makes our night and day and one whose ankle bells are the source of all sound.

No guru can give you realization; this you can only attain for yourself. The

guru can guide and show the way, but the disciple must do the practice. -OM

SHIVAM GURUM DEVAM

 

 

 

 

 

The koshas are often compared to the layers of an onion, which veil the truth

that the Divine resides within us,the bindu and without.

 

 

 

Anna-maya-kosha is the sheath 'composed of food' and represents the physical

body.

 

 

 

Prana-maya-kosha is the sheath 'composed of the life force' and is the energy

field associated with sustaining the gross physical body. It connects the

physical body to the mind.

 

 

 

Mano-maya-kosha is the sheath 'composed of the mind', which refers to the

function of the lower mind (manas) that processes the input of the senses. Manas

is driven by doubt and desire.

 

 

 

Vijnana-maya-kosha is the sheath 'composed of intelligence' and refers to the

higher mind in it's function of discerning that which is real and unreal.

 

 

 

It is the seat of wisdom. Where the lower mind causes doubt and uncertainty, the

higher mind or buddhi brings certainty and faith or shradda.

 

 

 

Ananda-maya-kosha is the sheath 'composed of bliss' and is equated with the

transcendental Self or the atman. It is considered to be the final veil

surrounding the ultimate Reality.

 

 

 

As the ruler of the five directions of space, of the five elements, of the five

human races, of the five senses and all that is ruled by the number 5, Shiva is

called 'Panchanana' or five-faced.

 

 

 

One of the five faces looks upward, while the other four look to the four

cardinal directions. The face looking upward is The Ruler, Ishana, who is the

master of all knowledge. The eastern face is called The Supreme Man, Tat-purusa.

He is the enjoyer of Nature. The southern face of Shiva is called Aghora, The

Non-fearful. He represents the eternal law and is the divinity of the shining

darkness. The western face is the Left Hand Diety, Vamadeva. He is the notion of

I-ness (ahamkara). The northern face of Shiva isThe Suddenly Born or Sadyojata.

In this aspect, He represents the mind and the sacrificial elixir or soma.

 

 

 

The conch shell, sometimes shown as an attribute of Shiva, is the symbol of the

origin of existence. It is called Panchajanya, which means 'born of five' - the

'five' being the five elements, earth, water, air, fire and ether.

 

 

 

The Shiva Mantra of five letters is called 'panchaksara'. Meditation on this

mantra activates the qualities of sattva and rajas, helping one to overcome

ignorance, ego and attachment.

 

 

 

On those who wholeheartedly surrender their possessions, souls and bodies,

Nataraja, the Gracious Giver, will at once bestow His golden lotus feet. That is

the truth! Natchintanai

 

 

 

To keep the body healthy, a man must obey steadily all the laws of health, this

frail body and Spirit must have enough of the 5 Tatva, fresh air, enough and the

right kind of nourishment, enough rest and no strain. So far as the body is

healthy and we are able to forget it altogether, it does its own work faithfully

day after day, hour after hour, minute after minute, and we need not think

anything about it, but just guide it as a good and delicate instrument for all

the uses of our lives.

 

 

 

Be in Lord Shiv Tattva all the time. Every one tells me I have so much to do, I

do not have time to perform pooja. I ask you one question; do you have time to

eat, drink, watch tv, gossip (and be miserable) then you do have time to be near

HIM if you want to. So do not tell me you do not have time. Beacuse you wish I

can make time for you. But you have to come near me, feel me.

 

 

 

So many people are suffering from depression why? be at peace with me and

depression will go away like rat runs from a ship. Let me tell you this, which

is true. I know it is true because I have seen it proved many times. If we are

restless and unhappy and find the true cause in ourselves, and refuse

persistently to act or speak or think from that cause, peace comes to us.

 

 

 

Take the man/woman who was jealous, -- if he/she had turned about and looked the

jealousy squarely in the face, and seen it in all its hideousness, and then used

his/her will to refuse to act or to speak or to think from it, -- he/she would

have become a quiet, happy person instead of going about with his/her brain in a

mess and her whole nervous system in a constant turmoil.

 

 

 

Blessed is the man or woman who has discovered that spiritually nauseating

flavor within his own " hurt feelings " ; -- that discovery is the beginning of

gaining a happy and vigorous freedom, and any one who feels himself to be on the

way to that freedom would leave no stone unturned to help his fellowman.

 

 

 

The only real peace is the peace from God.

 

 

 

Do not live a lie everyday. Do you know what it the meaning of " I am living a

lie. " No one ever got anywhere really by living a lie, any more than any one

ever solved a problem in mathematics by using the wrong figures .

 

 

 

" In the one who has conquered his Self and is peaceful, the Supreme Self, in

heat or cold, joy or pain, honor or disgrace, abides in serenity. He who is full

of wisdom and understanding, calm and controlled, to whom a clod, a stone and

gold are the same, is in truth a yogi. "

 

 

 

Be a living YOGI, be a snayasi in mind and thoughts. You will be at peace. The

real anand will be yours. This is what the saints have been giving to us for

centuries.

 

 

 

Om,

 

Rajyalaxmi

[Guest guest]

Madam,

Thank you a lot for such great information and spiritual aspects of Lord Shiva.

D.M.M.RAO--- On Thu, 30/7/09, raj_laxmi_us <rajyalaxmi11 wrote:

raj_laxmi_us <rajyalaxmi11 The Shiv Tattva; SHIVO BHUTVA SHIVAM YAJET Date: Thursday, 30 July, 2009, 8:12 AM

The Shiv Tattva; SHIVO BHUTVA SHIVAM YAJETOn those who wholeheartedly surrender their possessions, souls and bodies, Nataraja, the Gracious Giver, will at once bestow His golden lotus feet. That is the truth! NatchintanaiThe Shiva Tattva : Shiva!HareShiv! HareShiv! HareShiv!The name, the word itself seems to come with so much aplomb to the Hindu mind. Images flood the mind' eye. The savage one; The handsome one. The fierce one; The ardent lover of Parvati. One who wears snakes for ornaments; One who holds the Ganges on his head. One who destroys; One who dances. Wearer of leopard skin; Wielder of cymbals. One with long matted hair; One who wears the moon on his head! Worshipped in the form of a phallic symbol; Worshipped for the power of his third eye…The word Shiva is derived from the sanskrut root `Shing' meaning swapney. The derived word thus implies `that in which everyone sleeps to or relaxes'. It

is that non-dual substratum of the whole cosmos in which everyone attains total fulfillment & relaxation. Mandukya Upanishad says that `Shantam Shivam Chaturtham Advaitam Manyante', i.e. the peaceful, non-dual, fourth state of Consciousness is Shivam â€" extremely auspicious & fulfilling.This is the Shiva Tattva.It is not something which is objectifiable but is realised as our very subjective essence. He is realised as our very Self. The word Shiva in its most fundamental meaning is a synonym of Brahman. The terms Siva or Sankara mean Auspicious. Sam means Chitaananda (Blissful Awareness). Kara means the one who causes it. Sankara means the One who causes blissful awareness. Sankara is the One who confers Chitaananda on those who take refuge in Him or adore Him. Siva means, graciousness; auspiciousness; Mangalam. He is all graciousness, ever auspicious, Sarva Mangalam. Siva is adored as the teacher of teachers, Dakshinamurti.

The form of Siva is itself a great lesson in tolerance and forbearance.It is only when the love principle underlying this name is rightly understood, the real form of the Cosmos can be recognized. That name is Saambasiva. Saa means divinity. Amba refers to the cosmos. Siva means the Supreme person Purusha.Yogasikha. The sky is His blue form. The directions, Dik are His garment. Hence He is known as Digambara. He is also known as Panchaanana - the Five-headed One. The five are: Earth, water, fire and aakaasa space. His five heads represent the five basic elements panchabhuthas. Siva is also described as Bhuthanaatha - the Lord of all created beings. Bhutha refers to creation - the one who is ever good Subham.It is for the well-being of the world that Lord Siva swallowed the Halahala poison. Again, it is for the sake of the worlds good that Siva contained the Ganga in His matted locks. Siva bears the moon on His head to confer

peace of mind on mankind. When man moulds himself on the pattern of Easwara, he will get rid of all his evil tendencies and offer to the world what is good in him. That is the meaning of the worship of Siva. It is only when man gives up utterly his bad thoughts, evil desires and wicked deeds; he will be able to transform himself into divinity.He is both static and dynamic and is both creator and destroyer. He is the oldest and the youngest; he is the eternal youth as well as the infant. He is the source of fertility in all living beings. He has gentle as well as fierce forms. Shiva is the greatest of renounces as well as the ideal lover. He destroys evil and protects good. He bestows prosperity on worshipers although he is austere. He is omnipresent and resides in everyone as pure consciousness. Shiva is inseparable from Shakti - Parvati the daughter of Himavaan - Haimavati. There is no Shiva without Shakti and no Shakti without Shiva, the two

are one - or the absolute state of being - consciousness and bliss.The five mantras that constitute Lord Shiva's body are Sadyojaata, Vaamadeva, Aghora, Tatpurusha and Eesaana. Eesaana is Shiva not visible to the human eye, Sadyojaata is Shiva realized in his basic reality (as in the element earth, in the sense of smell, in the power of procreation and in the mind). The Vishnudharmottara Purana of the 6th century CE assigns a face and an element to each of the above mantras. (Sadyojaata - earth, Vaamadeva - water, Aghora - fire, Tatpurusha - air and Eesaana - space).The names of the deified faces with their elements are Mahadeva (earth), Bhairava (fire), Nandi (air), Uma (water) and Sadasiva (space). Panchamukha lingams have been seen from the 2nd century onwards. The Trimurthi Sadasiva image of Shiva in the Elephanta Caves near Mumbai is a portrayal in stone, of the five faces of Shiva. The fourth and the fifth heads are not seen in

this image here.The works of sages Vyasa, Vasishta, Patanjali, the poet Kalidasa, the tamil saint poets Nayanmars - Appar, Sundarar, Sambandar, the poet Manikkavachakar, the mystic tamil siddhas, hindu philosophers, the spiritual leader Adi Sankaracharya and others such as Basavanna and Appayya Deekshitar speak of the attributes of Shiva.Lord Shiva is worshipped as the embodiment of the primary elements of wind, water, fire, earth and space at Kalahasti, Jambukeswaram, Arunachalam, Kanchipuram and Chidambaram.Lord Shiva is the Lord of mercy and compassion. He protects devotees from evil forces such as lust, greed, and anger. He grants boons, bestows grace and awakens wisdom in His devotees. The symbolism discussed below includes major symbols that are common to all pictures and images of Shiva venerated by Hindus. Since the tasks of Lord Shiva are numerous, He cannot be symbolized in one form. For this reason the images of Shiva

vary significantly in their symbolism.1. The unclad body covered with ashes: the unclad body symbolizes the transcendental aspect of the Lord.. Since most things reduce to ashes when burned, ashes symbolize the physical universe. The ashes on the unclad body of the Lord signify that Shiva is the source of the entire universe which emanates from Him, but He transcends the physical phenomena and is not affected by it.2. Matted locks: Lord Shiva is the Master of yoga. The three matted locks on the head of the Lord convey the idea that integration of the physical, mental and spiritual energies is the ideal of yoga.3. Ganga: Ganga (river Ganges) is associated with Hindu mythology and is the most sacred river of Hindus. According to tradition, one who bathes in Ganga (revered as Mother Ganga) in accordance with traditional rites and ceremonies on religious occasions in combination with certain astrological events, is freed from sin and

attains knowledge, purity and peace. Ganga, symbolically represented on the head of the Lord by a female (Mother Ganga) with a jet of water emanating from her mouth and falling on the ground, signifies that the Lord destroys sin, removes ignorance, and bestows knowledge, purity and peace on the devotees.4. The crescent moon: is shown on the side of the Lord's head as an ornament, and not as an integral part of His countenance. The waxing and waning phenomenon of the moon symbolizes the time cycle through which creation evolves from the beginning to the end. Since the Lord is the Eternal Reality, He is beyond time. Thus, the crescent moon is only one of His ornaments, and not an integral part of Him.5. Three eyes: Lord Shiva, also called Tryambaka Deva (literally, "three-eyed Lord"), is depicted as having three eyes: the sun is His right eye, the moon the left eye and fire the third eye. The two eyes on the right and left indicate His

activity in the physical world. The third eye in the center of the forehead symbolizes spiritual knowledge and power, and is thus called the eye of wisdom or knowledge. Like fire, the powerful gaze of Shiva's third eye annihilates evil, and thus the evil-doers fear His third eye.6. Half-open eyes: when the Lord opens His eyes, a new cycle of creation emerges and when He closes them, the universe dissolves for creation of the next cycle. The half-open eyes convey the idea that creation is going through cyclic process, with no beginning and no end. Lord Shiva is the Master of Yoga, as He uses His yogic power to project the universe from Himself. The half-open eyes also symbolize His yogic posture.7. Kundalas (two ear rings): two Kundalas, Alakshya (meaning "which cannot be shown by any sign") and Niranjan (meaning "which cannot be seen by mortal eyes") in the ears of the Lord signify that He is beyond ordinary perception. Since the kundala

in the left ear of the Lord is of the type used by women and the one in His right ear is of the type used by men, these Kundalas also symbolize the Shiva and Shakti (male and female) principle of creation.8. Snake around the neck: sages have used snakes to symbolize the yogic power of Lord Shiva with which He dissolves and recreates the universe. Like a yogi, a snake hoards nothing, carries nothing, builds nothing, lives on air alone for a long time, and lives in mountains and forests. The venom of a snake, therefore, symbolizes the yogic power.9. A snake (Vasuki Naga): is shown curled three times around the neck of the Lord and is looking towards His right side. The three coils of the snake symbolize the past, present and future - time in cycles. The Lord wearing the curled snake like an ornament signifies that creation proceeds in cycles and is time dependent, but the Lord Himself transcends time. The right side of the body symbolizes

the human activities based upon knowledge, reason and logic. The snake looking towards the right side of the Lord signifies that the Lord's eternal laws of reason and justice preserve natural order in the universe.10.. Rudraksha necklace: Rudra is another name of Shiva. Rudra also means "strict or uncompromising" and aksha means "eye." Rudraksha necklace worn by the Lord illustrates that He uses His cosmic laws firmly - without compromise - to maintain law and order in the universe. The necklace has 108 beads which symbolize the elements used in the creation of the world.11. Varda Mudra: the Lord's right hand is shown in a boon-bestowing and blessing pose. As stated earlier, Lord Shiva annihilates evil, grants boons, bestows grace, destroys ignorance, and awakens wisdom in His devotees.12. Trident (Trisula): a three-pronged trident shown adjacent to the Lord symbolizes His three fundamental powers (shakti) of will (iccha), action

(kriya) and knowledge (jnana). The trident also symbolizes the Lord's power to destroy evil and ignorance.13. Damaru (drum): a small drum with two sides separated from each other by a thin neck-like structure symbolizes the two utterly dissimilar states of existence, unmanifest and manifest.. When a damaru is vibrated, it produces dissimilar sounds which are fused together by resonance to create one sound. The sound thus produced symbolizes Nada, the cosmic sound of AUM, which can be heard during deep meditation.. According to Hindu scriptures, Nada is the source of creation.14. Kamandalu: a water pot (Kamandalu) made from a dry pumpkin contains nectar and is shown on the ground next to Shiva. The process of making Kamandalu has deep spiritual significance. A ripe pumpkin is plucked from a plant, its fruit is removed and the shell is cleaned for containing the nectar. In the same way, 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, symbolized by the nectar in the Kamandalu.15. Nandi: the bull is associated with Shiva and is said to be His vehicle. The bull symbolizes both power and ignorance. Lord Shiva's use of the bull as a vehicle conveys the idea that He removes ignorance and bestows power of wisdom on His devotees. The bull is called Vrisha in Sanskrit. Vrisha also means dharma (righteousness) . Thus a bull shown next to Shiva also indicates that He is the etemal companion of righteousness.16. Tiger skin: a tiger skin symbolizes potential energy. Lord Shiva, sitting on or wearing a tiger skin, illustrates the idea that He is the source of the creative energy that remains in potential form during the dissolution state of the universe. Of His own Divine Will, the Lord activates the potential form of the creative energy to project the universe in endless

cycles.17. Cremation ground: Shiva sitting in the cremation ground signifies that He is the controller of death in the physical world. Since birth and death are cyclic, controlling one implies controlling the other. Thus, Lord Shiva is revered as the ultimate controller of birth and death in the phenomenal world.18. Lord Shiva wears a snake coiled around his upper arms and neck symbolizing the power he has over the most deadly of creatures. Snakes are also used to symbolize the Hindu dogma of reincarnation. Their natural process of molting or shedding their skin is symbolic of the human souls transmigration of bodies from one life to another.19. Shiva holds a skull that represents samsara, the cycle of life, death and rebirth. Samsara is a central belief in Hinduism. Shiva himself also represents this complete cycle because he is Mahakala the Lord of Time, destroying and creating all things.20. There are sixty-four lilas

or sports in which he is said to have partaken and infinite stories from his tumultuous marriage to his drinking of the poison during the famous incident in Hindu mythology of the churning of the ocean. Through all the myths Shiva emerges the same, powerful, impulsive, angry, frightening, charming, one who holds the damru (drum) either sides of which makes our night and day and one whose ankle bells are the source of all sound. No guru can give you realization; this you can only attain for yourself. The guru can guide and show the way, but the disciple must do the practice. -OM SHIVAM GURUM DEVAMThe koshas are often compared to the layers of an onion, which veil the truth that the Divine resides within us,the bindu and without.Anna-maya-kosha is the sheath 'composed of food' and represents the physical body.Prana-maya-kosha is the sheath 'composed of the life force' and is the energy field associated with sustaining the gross

physical body. It connects the physical body to the mind.Mano-maya-kosha is the sheath 'composed of the mind', which refers to the function of the lower mind (manas) that processes the input of the senses. Manas is driven by doubt and desire.Vijnana-maya- kosha is the sheath 'composed of intelligence' and refers to the higher mind in it's function of discerning that which is real and unreal.It is the seat of wisdom. Where the lower mind causes doubt and uncertainty, the higher mind or buddhi brings certainty and faith or shradda.Ananda-maya- kosha is the sheath 'composed of bliss' and is equated with the transcendental Self or the atman. It is considered to be the final veil surrounding the ultimate Reality.As the ruler of the five directions of space, of the five elements, of the five human races, of the five senses and all that is ruled by the number 5, Shiva is called 'Panchanana' or five-faced.One of

the five faces looks upward, while the other four look to the four cardinal directions. The face looking upward is The Ruler, Ishana, who is the master of all knowledge. The eastern face is called The Supreme Man, Tat-purusa.. He is the enjoyer of Nature. The southern face of Shiva is called Aghora, The Non-fearful. He represents the eternal law and is the divinity of the shining darkness. The western face is the Left Hand Diety, Vamadeva. He is the notion of I-ness (ahamkara). The northern face of Shiva isThe Suddenly Born or Sadyojata. In this aspect, He represents the mind and the sacrificial elixir or soma.The conch shell, sometimes shown as an attribute of Shiva, is the symbol of the origin of existence. It is called Panchajanya, which means 'born of five' - the 'five' being the five elements, earth, water, air, fire and ether. The Shiva Mantra of five letters is called 'panchaksara' . Meditation on this mantra activates the

qualities of sattva and rajas, helping one to overcome ignorance, ego and attachment.On those who wholeheartedly surrender their possessions, souls and bodies, Nataraja, the Gracious Giver, will at once bestow His golden lotus feet. That is the truth! NatchintanaiTo keep the body healthy, a man must obey steadily all the laws of health, this frail body and Spirit must have enough of the 5 Tatva, fresh air, enough and the right kind of nourishment, enough rest and no strain. So far as the body is healthy and we are able to forget it altogether, it does its own work faithfully day after day, hour after hour, minute after minute, and we need not think anything about it, but just guide it as a good and delicate instrument for all the uses of our lives.Be in Lord Shiv Tattva all the time. Every one tells me I have so much to do, I do not have time to perform pooja. I ask you one question; do you have time to eat, drink, watch tv,

gossip (and be miserable) then you do have time to be near HIM if you want to. So do not tell me you do not have time. Beacuse you wish I can make time for you. But you have to come near me, feel me.So many people are suffering from depression why? be at peace with me and depression will go away like rat runs from a ship. Let me tell you this, which is true. I know it is true because I have seen it proved many times. If we are restless and unhappy and find the true cause in ourselves, and refuse persistently to act or speak or think from that cause, peace comes to us.Take the man/woman who was jealous, -- if he/she had turned about and looked the jealousy squarely in the face, and seen it in all its hideousness, and then used his/her will to refuse to act or to speak or to think from it, -- he/she would have become a quiet, happy person instead of going about with his/her brain in a mess and her whole nervous system in a constant

turmoil.Blessed is the man or woman who has discovered that spiritually nauseating flavor within his own " hurt feelings "; -- that discovery is the beginning of gaining a happy and vigorous freedom, and any one who feels himself to be on the way to that freedom would leave no stone unturned to help his fellowman.The only real peace is the peace from God.Do not live a lie everyday. Do you know what it the meaning of "I am living a lie." No one ever got anywhere really by living a lie, any more than any one ever solved a problem in mathematics by using the wrong figures . "In the one who has conquered his Self and is peaceful, the Supreme Self, in heat or cold, joy or pain, honor or disgrace, abides in serenity. He who is full of wisdom and understanding, calm and controlled, to whom a clod, a stone and gold are the same, is in truth a yogi."Be a living YOGI, be a snayasi in mind and thoughts. You will be at peace.

The real anand will be yours. This is what the saints have been giving to us for centuries.Om,Rajyalaxmi

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