Friday, November 14, 2008

Who is Shiva? शिव जय श्री पशुपतिनाथ

शिवो गुरूः शिवो देवः शिवो बन्धुः शरीरिणम
शिवो आत्मा शिवो जीवः शिवादनयन्न किंचन

SHIVO GURUHU SHIVO DEVAHA SHIVO BANDUHU SHARIRINAM |
SHIV ATMA SHIVO JEEVAHA SHIVADANYANN KINCHAN ||


Meaning: Lord Shiva himself is the teacher (Guru), Shiva is the God, Shiva is the friend of all creatures. Shiva himself is Atma (Soul) and Shiva is the Jeeva (living creature) himself. There is nothing devoid of Shiva. The virtue and benefits achieved as the result of charity, name, recitation and religious sacrifices offered to Shiva, are infinite. This has unequivocally been said in all the scriptures, that only tongue (mouth) is pure that has the name of Shiva on its lips. That mind, only is chaste that is absorbed in contemplation of the different Lilas and stories associated with Shiva. That ear only is pure that is eager to listen to the story of Shiva. Those hands only are pure that worship Lord Shiva regularly. Those eyes only are pure who see the worship of Lord Shiva, That head only is pure that prostrates before Lord Shiva. Those feet only are pure that walk and move with devotion in the holy places associated to Lord Shiva.

यस्येन्द्रियाणि सर्वाणि वर्तन्ते शिव कर्मसु
निस्तरिति संसार भुक्तिं मुक्तिं विन्दति

YASYENDRIYANI SARVANI VARTANTE SHIVA KARMASU
SA NISTARTI SANSARAM BHUKTIM MUKTIM CHA VINDATI ||

Meaning: He only shall cross this world whose senses are in the service of Lord Shiva. He is the one who enjoys all the fruits and attains salvation. He is respected amongst all the creatures, which has even a little devotion towards Shiva in the heart.


॥जय श्री पशुपतिनाथ॥

Shiva is the experiencer and the highest object of experience. Shiva is the goal of Sadhana. There is nothing apart from Shiva. There is nothing other than Shiva. Whatever there is, is Shiva. There is nothing, which is not Shiva. There is no place, which is not Shiva. There is no time, which is not Shiva. To be aware of this is to be aware of Shiva.

Shiva (शिव) is lord of the lords and it is really not easy to write/explain everything about Shiva. However many have tried to explain him and praised him as per their knowledge but the explanation is endless and it is un-imaginable from a human being even devas, asuras and other rishi munis have very little words to explain about the lord almighty.

Shiva means the supreme one, the auspicious one, the pure one and for me the beloved one. Shiva is named as Pashupati which means the Lord of all living beings either it is humans, devas, asuras or any creatures. Another name Mahadeva depicts the great God, supreme in all devas (Gods).

The God staying in a state blissful, enjoying in Its Own Self eternally, without any flaws is the Supreme Lord Shiva. The Perfection is the completeness - there is nothing external that is required to make the Self blissful.

Lord Shiva is reckoned among the Tridevas (trimity). Brahma is the creator, Lord Vishnu is the preserver and Lord Shiva is the destroyer. Shiva is the lord of Shakti also.

Lord Shiva is absolute which does not have any parents which never takes birth which is all alone without association with any of the creatures or creations enjoying in the Self. God is the only one who is dependable for anybody / anything to surrender to as it is the only perennial Being. Hence God is the Lord of all creatures (lives/souls). For this reason the Lord is hailed as Pashupati (Lord of living beings). Whether it is devas or asuras or humans or other creatures all are pashus. That being the case how could the Lord be partial to one section of pashus and withdrawing the Grace for the other? So anybody who worships the Lord sincerely could get blessed with Its Grace irrespective of the caste, creed, race, power, status and qualities.

It is in fact to be noted that Lord Shiva is worshipped by the devas like viShNu, braHma, indra, by asuras like bANa, rAvaNa, tripura, sUrapadma, by humans like sha~Nkara bhagavatpAda, samban^dhar, appar, by other creatures like jaTAyu, sampAdi (eagles), vAli (monkey) and the list goes on and on. One finds in the purANas the variety of people of different backgrounds and qualities worship the Lord Shiva. There are many histories of temples which talk of the cranes, bees, elephants, spiders, snakes worshipping the Lord and getting blessed. So the Lord as the Supreme blesses anyone who worships in sincere devotion. There is no discrimination on who the seeker is. The Lord is so merciful that He showers the boons one look for when there is a determination to seek Him. It is evident from the history of asura bANa who attained a great fame of his valor and got the place in the abode of Lord Shiva all due to his determined worship of the Lord.
Lord Shiva is the God of all. Like the mother He showers the grace for all the children, but the misusing children get punished. This Supreme Lord better than a mother does not withhold the grace, He is our beloved Pashupati.

The God would not be biased. It would not differentiate between one group versus the other, whether it be divines or daemons or humans or plats or creatures or on sex or on race etc. All that matters is dharma and the pure devotion towards it. No doubt this lovely Lord Shiva is worshipped alike by divines, daemons, scholars, not much learnt simple, and the other creatures.

Source: aboutshiva

Urday

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