Shiva - Assimilation of the Mortals with the Truth

    Shivratri takes place on the thirteenth or fourteenth night in the dark half of every lunar month. On this night, "The holy night of Shiva," all devout followers of Shaivism gather in Himalayan towns or mosques to offer special prayers to this Hindu God (Petrova, Interview). Shiva is unique because few gods are worshiped in the dark half of the lunar month, a time when many consider ghosts and demons to dominate the cosmos. Shiva is the only one who can control the powers of these evil forces. When the moon takes its curved shape, those honoring Shiva remain awake all night to praise him with songs: they must also fast so the only food they obtain is that of the thought of Shiva and his power. During this ritual, offerings are given to the phallic structure known as a linga which represents Shiva; this curved column with a lotus flower perching on top contains the beginning and the end of the cosmos. Masha Petrova, a Hindu expert, informed me that the linga "represents the male virility and it rests in a yoni which symbolizes the female reproductive organs, thus making a union of both forces in nature" (Petrova, Interview). To praise Shiva, "Water is poured over the linga, and offerings of bel leaves, bhang, milk, and sweetmeats are made" (Pattanaik, 105). Through these such offerings and prayers the devotees seek Shiva's grace on this celebrated holiday.

Shiva is a beautiful man and god as he appears in many pictures. His appearance and the objects surrounding him seem random, but, upon closer inspection, every part of Shiva has meaning. Shiva is very white in complexion, although his neck is blue because it is said that he drank the poison halahal (a result of sea-churning) from the ocean gods. Shiva bravely drank this poison to save other beings who might have died from its use (Petrova, Interview). On the middle of his forehead stares a third eye which is used to distinguish truth from illusion and to show his position as lord of yoga. His thick, brown hair coils on his head in the shape of a conch shell. For ornaments, he wears hoops in his ears, and rudraksha beads formed from tears he sheds as he ponders the end of the world.  He has a moon in his hair because he is the Lord of the Dark.  Also in his hair, is a woman named Ganga, of the Ganges River, and because he protected her fall to Earth, both Ganga and the Ganges are found in Shiva's matted tufts of hair (Petrova, Interview). Shiva uses several animal hides to clothe himself, including antelope skins, elephant hides, and tiger skins. The Hindu god can be seen adorned with snakes, especially cobras, which, show "his refusal to react or respond to any threat or temptation" (Pattanaik, 98).     Shiva's bull Nandi, serves as his transportation (vahana) as well as his insignia, which represents restrained power. His four arms hold varying objects and can be seen in different arrangements: normally, he holds a trident (the three prongs represent the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva), a minidrum (representing the first sound of creation and the final sound of doom), while the other two hands are positioned to grant boons and assure protection (Goomar, 3).  Because Shiva is said to be the originator of all forms of dance, his Nataraj pose is also well recognized.

Shiva

In this pose he is standing on one leg with his damaru (minidrum) in one hand, a bowl of fire in the other, one hand granting protection, and the other hand bent towards the ground. The minidrum represents the words and syllables formed from cosmic sound, the fire portrays creation and destruction, and his hand positions are known as mudras which exist today in yoga. In some pictures, while Shiva is in this pose, he is stepping on the demon of ignorance (Petrova, Interview).

    The history of this Hindu god began thousands of years ago, yet today he is still worshipped with the same enthusiasm. Shiva, which means "assimilation of the mortals with the Truth," is one of the Hindu Trinity. All three gods of the trinity came from Brahma. Brahma is the supreme spirit who created the universe, Vishnu is the preserver who nurtures the universe, and Shiva is the destroyer (Goomar, 2). Shiva's role came about when

man accepted "cosmic truism," which says that to create, one must first destroy. Of the Trinity, Shiva has the most important place and duty. On one occasion Vishnu and Brahma had a dispute over who was the greater god. Brahma believed that he was the best of the Trinity because he created everything and everyone, including the other two gods of the trinity. Vishnu disagreed and found himself to be worthy of the most respect because he nurtures and preserves everyone including the other two gods. This quarrel quickly turned into a battle, but thankfully Shiva appeared. Shiva took the form of a giant pillar (the linga) and placed himself between the two gods. Both were stunned by the height of the pillar because neither could see where it ended or began. The fighting ended as Brahma took the form of a swan so he could fly to the top, and Vishnu took the form of a white boar so he could investigate the base. Although neither god was able to find an end to the pillar, Brahma had found a ketaki flower during his search.  Upon meeting again, Brahma told Vishnu that he had reached the top of the pillar, on top of which lay the ketaki flower, which he had in his hands.  Hearing this, Shiva came out from within the linga and confronted Brahma on his lie. After having one of his heads cut off, Brahma apologized to Shiva and affirmed that Shiva was the greatest of the trinity - Vishnu agreed. Shiva then declared that he was supreme, and that everyone who wants salvation should pray to the linga (Goomar, 7).     Through folklore, we learn of Shiva's position in past lives and the lives of his followers at present. In one story from the Mahabharata, we are told why Shiva possesses a third eye on the middle of his forehead. One day while Shiva was engrossed in deep meditation in the Himalayas, Uma, his consort, snuck up behind him and placed her hands over his eyes. When she did this, there was darkness everywhere until Shiva's brow opened and a sharp ray of light jumped from the hole. Then the darkness vanished, as flames engulfed the Himalayas that had been touched by Shiva's light. Uma begged Shiva's pardon, and so he returned the mountains to their previous appearance. In the place where the light had shot forth now was Shiva's third eye. The third eye is portrayed by many scriptures as the "power of discrimination or reason" (Goomar, 16).  The eye logically represents knowledge because when everything was dark it shed light on the world, allowing Shiva to see. Shiva's third eye is necessary for him to have reason. In other tales, we learn that he uses this third eye to turn

An example of a Hindu Trident

 his enemies to ash by setting them aflame (Goomar, 16). 

    Another story tells of Shiva's Tandav (Destruction) dance from which the alphabet was believed to have been born. While dancing, Shiva beat his minidrum (Damaru) and made fourteen sounds of the alphabet. Because words were then created from these letters, language and grammar were born. Thus, Shiva is said to have played a major part in arts, knowledge, and sciences because they all revolve around language. (Pattanaik, 108).

    The theme of Shiva and the Trinity can still be found throughout literature today. In E.M. Forster's A Passage to India, this theme is subtly but surely demonstrated. At the end of this novel, which tells of the cultural conflict between the ruling British and the native Indians of India, we see a lucid analogy that displays cosmic truism (in order to create one must destroy). The main characters have all gathered at a traditional Hindu ceremony for the birth of Krishna. During this ceremony, statues of Hindu Gods, made of mud, are taken into the Ganges where the water sips away at them until they return once again, to dirt on the bottom of the river floor. The cycle of the mud statues can represent death in order to have birth or  the recreation of new statues for another festival.  The presence of the Trinity is imminent: the mud statues were preserved by Vishnu, destroyed by Shiva, and would be created once again by Brahma. Forster shows the reader the cycle of the Hindu religion.

    Before researching Shiva, I had no idea that Shaivism was lurking in my blood.  Shiva is said to have created dance (mainly yoga). My life revolves around my ability to express myself rhythmically through tap, jazz, and ballet. I depend on dance for tranquility, peace of mind, and freedom from a chaotic world.  More importantly, I am an avid student of yoga. Shiva could always be found meditating on a mountain or in a desolate cave. I appreciate his journey for inner peace through deep breathing and body sculpting. Yoga is the embryo of all dance; without it I would not have the flexibility, coordination, and balance to perform other forms of dance successfully. Yoga allows me to transcend every pressure, every problem, and every feeling into a place where I simply "am." After hearing of the tragedy in New York and Washington, distraught wouldn't even begin to explain my feelings of fear and pain. During every forty-two minute period class that day, my thoughts were with my family and friends in those cities. Sixth period dance was the only class that liberated me from the gruesome thoughts of death, hate, and war.  Through such poses as the tree, stork, and warrior, I was delivered into a world with no hurt, pain, or violence. Since the tragedy on September eleventh, I have used yoga to overcome my sadness and anxiety, which has allowed me to proceed with my life.

    Researching Shiva allowed me to appreciate not only another religion but another culture. Oddly, while researching, I was trying to relate India and Hinduism to America and Christianity much like Jonah Blank does in his book, Arrow of the Blue-Skinned God: "Many observers have noted some superficial parallels between Hinduism and Christianity" (Blank, 252). Within its pages, the book compares the Trinity of Hinduism to the Trinity of Christianity. While I admit these two religions are similar in form and function, I believe that both exemplify the differences of the people who practice them. For example, the Christian Trinity isn't made up of three different gods, it is the same god in different forms; this shows the monotheism versus polytheism, which separates the religions and its followers.

    Finally, I realized that Hinduism should be appreciated for its differences, not its similarities. Despite these similarities, the unique religion and culture of Hinduism lives in a cosmos of its own and it should always be seen that way. With the knowledge that this religion is the soul of its people, one realizes that he could never compare Hinduism or Shiva to any other religion or god - just as it is unjust to compare one human soul to another. Now, I genuinely admire the unique presence of Hinduism and India in a diverse world.