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

(Post 15)

(http://literature.awgp.org/akhandjyoti/2004/Jul_Aug/v1.LordShivaPhilosophy)

Implications of Scriptural Depictions: 

The scriptural descriptions narrate the simplicity of the wedding ceremony of Shiva and Parvati.

He did not go after big people or Gods of heaven to join the wedding procession.

Rather, he took the ghosts and the palitas along.

As praised in the following hymn of the Ramacharit Manas -
"Tanu Kshina Kou Ati Pita, Pavan Kou Apavan Tanu Dhare"
(Those with ugly, horrifying and diseased bodies were also among Shiva's Baraatis (participants of the wedding procession)).

Shiva had taken due care of even the deprived and downtrodden.

We should also broaden our hearts and pay attention to those scorned by the society.

If we cannot get rid of our hatred, fears and prejudices, we can never enjoy the sense of bliss and fulfillment, the devotees of Shiva deserve.

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.

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

(Post 04)

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

We will have to find out and eliminate our shortcomings, our infirmities.

Unless we are honest in our own efforts towards spiritual elevation, how can we gain and demonstrate the immense benefits of spirituality, and how can we convince the world that we are the devotees of the Supreme Power and Presence, that can change the course of human history and destiny for the better.

So, where has been our major mistake?

Well, the root cause of our failure is our misconception. We have only seen the external form in the idols of Lord Shiva (and Parvati), and have mechanically followed the customary rituals of worship.

We have not understood the philosophy, the true meaning of devotion to Lord Shiva.

What we see in the temples as the idol of God is only like the gross representation of His limited manifestation.

The gross body is only an outer shell; the source of life, the prana lies inside.

The external and internal both together make a complete unit; their conjugation is like completion of electrical circuit by connecting the positive and negative poles.

The current of divine force would begin to flow in the idol we worship, if we realize and activate, by our inner faith and true devotion, the sublime power of the God it symbolizes.

We ritually put our heads at the feet of the idol; worship it with flowers, sandalwood powder, and what not. We pray before it, sing devotional songs, etc., but that is only an external activity. It remains incomplete without the understanding and the linkage with the inner, and the true divine power.

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

(Post 03)

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

The scriptures are full of such descriptions evincing the ultimate, eternal power of Lord Shiva.

But what has happened today?

We also worship and offer our devotion to Lord Shiva, still we remain afflicted by so many difficulties and sufferings.

Why isn't the divine grace of Shiva bestowed upon us?

Why and how we have lost the righteous path and sullied our lives, despite being His devotees?

When will God uplift us?

I myself was once quite puzzled by such questions and doubts in my mind. But soon a story from Shiva Puran clarified all my doubts and conveyed me the answers.

Why our devotion is of no avail?

I had read it while translating the eighteen Puranas from Sanskrit to Hindi. It clarified to me why our devotion to Lord Shiva does not result in the kinds of miraculous boons our ancestors were receiving.

Why don't we see any signs of His generous boons, which were so easily showered in the ancient times on anyone who did tapa for His grace?

It is not that people like you and me are per se debarred from receiving such boons; rather, it is the:
- fault in our approach,
- the half-heartedness of our dedication,
- insincerity of our devotion, and
- the shaky nature of our faith
that hinder accomplishment of our sadhana.

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

(Post 02)

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

Their idols, which we worship in the temples by offerings of flowers, kumkum, etc. are only symbols to help us focus our faith and devotion. The rituals of worship are also symbolic.

We have to clearly understand that the key to receiving divine grace lies in shraddha and vishwasa.

 "Yabhyam Bina Na Pashyanti" - without which, no one, not even a siddha, can have a vision of the indwelling Divinity.

I recall here a story from the Puranas that explains the above fact more clearly.

The anecdote (pertains to the pre-historic time before the Era of Lord Ram):

"Once upon a time, when Rishi Parashuram learnt that the world was suffering from anarchy, corruption, injustice, exploitation and immorality in every walk of life, he could not sit like a silent observer. In reflective silence he prayed for guidance and light to be able to find an effective remedy.

He retired to Uttarkashi and engaged himself in rigorous worship of Lord Shiva. Pleased by his tapa, Lord Shiva blessed him with an angelic axe (parshu), and bid him to use it for the eradication and uprooting of all the evils and vices that had spread in the society of that time. Indeed, Parashuram did liberate the earth from all the evil forces and immoral trends; nothing could stand before the infinite might of Shiva's weapon".

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

(Post 01)

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

Translation of the original discourse in Hindi: "Bhagvana Shiva Aur Unaka Tatva Darshan"

Let us begin with the collective chanting of the Gayatri Mantra:

"Om Bhur Bhuvah Swah, Tatsaviturvarenyam Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi, Dhiyo Yonah Prachodayat ||"

Sisters and Brothers,

When Goswami Tulasidas ji began to write the holy and sublime Epic "Ramcharit Manas", he first prayed to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati as:
"Bhavani Shankarau Vande Shraddha Vishwasarupinau |
 Yabhyam Vina Na Pashyanti Siddhah Swantasthmiswaram ||"

The saint poet firmly believed that the great Epic being written by him, through divine inspiration, could not serve the purpose of enlightening the masses, and liberating them from the agonies and sufferings of the world, without the divine grace of Bhavani-Shankar (Parvati and Shiva). Therefore, he ardently invoked the grace of Bhavani-Shankar.

The above shloka (couplet) originated from the depths of his aspiring soul and is the key to the understanding of the basic divine attributes of masculine-feminine divinity, which actually manifests as Shiva-Shakti or Bhavani-Shankar

This evening, we too have prayed to Bhavani-Shankar.

Let us try to grasp the great message conveyed through the above salutation.

 "Bhavani Shankarau Vande" means "We pray to the Goddess Bhavani (Parvati) and God Shankar (Shiva)".

Who are they?

"Shraddha Vishwasa Rupinau" - Parvati is shraddha and Shiva is vishwasa.

Shraddha - absolute intrinsic faith that inspires and inculcates divine virtues and values,

and

Vishwasa - unperturbed confidence and inner belief, together prepare the ground for the manifestation of the divine force of Shiva-Parvati.