Lord Shiva and the Philosophy Associated with Him (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 07)

(http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2004/May_Jun/v1.ShivaPhilosophyDevotion)  

These instances teach us that we should regard the whole world as God made manifest.

The round stone worshiped as the pindi of Shiva also indicates this deep aspect of divine philosophy.

It reminds us that the cosmic expression is round, it has no beginning or end; an atomic orbit is also round; the earth is also globular.

Thus, the philosophy of worshiping the pindi implies worshiping the world; service for global welfare.

It also tells us that we should treat others with the same respect and warmth, as we would like to receive from the world, because we are all different sparks of the same Light.

If we could understand and adopt this philosophy in life, we would no doubt be the true devotees of Shiva, and our power, our knowledge and our potentials would also become grand like those of His true devotees.

Lord Shiva and the Philosophy Associated with Him (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 06)

(http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2004/May_Jun/v1.ShivaPhilosophyDevotion) 

One day, mother Yashoda was scolding Lord Krishna in His childhood, because despite her repeated admonishments, the kid had again eaten soil. Krishna innocently replied that he had not eaten any soil; he opened his mouth before Yashoda as a proof of his innocence. When the mother peeped in His mouth, she was stunned to see the entire cosmos, the revolving galaxies, the infinite life forms, the gamut of Nature's manifestations there. Lord Ram had also done a similar feat, as cited in the holy Ramayana, when He showed His limitless self, His cosmic form to Kag Bhushundi, the great devotee in the form of a crow.

Lord Shiva and the Philosophy Associated with Him (Translation of a discourse of Revered Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

(Post 05)

(http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2004/May_Jun/v1.ShivaPhilosophyDevotion)

We should know the subtle and causal forms of Lord Shiva, which when realized in the idol, would make His presence real for us, in that gross physical symbol.

What is the inner form of Shiva that we should realize in His idols?

What is its philosophy?

Well, as symbolized by his round globular linga, He is Omnipresent; the globe, the entire cosmos is His manifestation. If we regard the universe as His emanation and interact with it accordingly, we would be able to touch the bedrock of spirituality and see the limitless expression of God that was projected by Shri Ram and Krishna before their deserving devotees.

As described in the Gita, when Arjun was confused in the battlefield and got ensnared in attachment and despair, Lord Krishna appeared before him in the cosmic form and showed him that everything in the world was His play. Every individual manifestation, from the tiniest to the largest, comes out of Him and merges back into Him.