Ardhnarishwar – Me Without You is Incomplete
Ardhnarishvara is the androgynous form of the Shiva and his consort
Parvati (Shakti). In this incarnation Lord Shiva and his consort
Parvati are merged limb to limb in one form with the right side
depicting Shiva and the left Parvati. There are various mythological
stories which shed light and have interesting tales to the origin of
the Ardhnarishvara form.
It is said that once, Lord Brahma did severe penance to please Lord
Shiva to ask for a boon to manifest creation. Shiva manifested as
Ardhnarishwar form however Brahma was unable to take the heat
emanating from the pure Shakti – Shiv form. Hence Lord Shiva then
separated the feminine part of his body (Goddess Parmeshwari) and
instructed her to begin creation.
It is said that Both Brahma (the creator) and Vishnu (the preserver)
manifested from the body of goddess Parmeshwari for Shakti is the
creator and the preserver of the world as Shakti is the nature around
us which helps us to be born in our environment (Brahma) and also
provides us with the utilities and resources to sustain our life forms
(Vishnu).
Ardhanarishvara represents the synthesis of masculine and feminine
energies of the universe (Purusha and Prakriti) symbolizing that both
cannot be without the other – one is incomplete in the absence of the
other.
Another story of Ardhnarishvara has its roots in Sage Bhringi who
tried to worship only Shiva, and ignored Parvati while worshiping
Shiva. The sage tried to go around Shiva without circling Parvati.
Agitated Parvati sat on Shiva’s thigh so as to ensure Bhringi would
not succeed and had to encircle her too . Seeing this Sage Bhringi
then took the form of a bee and tried to circle Shiva through the
small gap between Shiva and Parvati. Infuriated with Sage Bhringis
attempts Parvati united herself with Shiva- fusing herself limb to
limb thereby compelling Sage Bhringi to worship her as well as Shiva
in the form of Ardhanarishvara.
However there is a much deeper significance of the Ardhnarishvara
incarnation for this form signifies the interdependence of Nature and
Man – Man and Woman. It is said that a Woman completes a Man. This
saying does not only apply purely in a companion and physical sense
but also drives home the fact that both Man (manhood representing –
discrimination, single pointed goal orientation, path to
righteousness, intellectual decision making) and Woman (representing
sensitivity, emotions, tenderness, compassion, passion) cannot survive
in singularity and both these emotions are not competing with each
other but rather need each other for survival as each of these
complement each other.
Woman represents Nature – for she has the power to create – to give
birth and to sustain her creation. Hence it is said it blessed to be
born as a Woman. Our Universe- Our Environment – Our Surrounding
Nature – Shakti has helped create and sustain us. She provides us with
Food, Resources and Shelter.
Man – Purush thrives on Nature – which is Fertile and provides him
resources. Man in his over zealous attitude has exploited Shakti which
once in a while reminds man of her exploitation through earthquakes,
Tsunamis, Forest Fires etc. However Nature cannot be without Man for
her purpose would be defeated. She reaps and grows by engaging man
into procreation – Creating New Technologies – New Foundations.
Similarly Man cannot sustain without Nature as he is kept in activity
and dynamism through Shakti – Nature.
Thus the form of Ardhnareshwara represents the union of Purush (Shiva)
and Shakti. Both feed from each other and are merged limb to limb -
inseparable – as sustenance of one without the other is not possible
which is amply visible in distant planets with no life forms and only
nature. The solar system has planets with resources such as diamonds
but they remain unappreciated because there is no observer (Purush) to
appreciate the observation (Nature) and hence defeating the purpose of
the to be observed natures presence.
“Me without You” is incomplete is the truth of life which we all are
made to realize at some juncture in our life. Our life is made of
several moments of impact and it is these impacts which make us what
we are. They define us and ever continuously change us. Hence just as
Nature does not remain constant so does Purush remain in an ever
changing flux where moments of impact change the Path of our Journey –
our outlook to life – our goals – our purpose.
It is said that those we meet during our path are our soulmates – our
guides for lessons that we must learn. It is upto us to complete
ourselves by correctly learning the lesson and progress ahead. Our
companion (better half or spouse) is our twin who complements us in
every way in life hence ensuring that together we are complete as a
unit. Our twin allows us to experience not only our characteristics
but also experience what we lack through their eyes and observations.
Hence both Manhood and Womanhood are needed to guide us to our goals –
our destiny and take us towards a meaningful complete life which is
one of the fundamentals of Ardhnareshwara – for God is not only man or
only woman – he is all encompassing and every emotion that we feel is
just one of the myriad range of feelings which emanate from him.
Ardhnarishvara is the androgynous form of the Shiva and his consort
Parvati (Shakti). In this incarnation Lord Shiva and his consort
Parvati are merged limb to limb in one form with the right side
depicting Shiva and the left Parvati. There are various mythological
stories which shed light and have interesting tales to the origin of
the Ardhnarishvara form.
It is said that once, Lord Brahma did severe penance to please Lord
Shiva to ask for a boon to manifest creation. Shiva manifested as
Ardhnarishwar form however Brahma was unable to take the heat
emanating from the pure Shakti – Shiv form. Hence Lord Shiva then
separated the feminine part of his body (Goddess Parmeshwari) and
instructed her to begin creation.
It is said that Both Brahma (the creator) and Vishnu (the preserver)
manifested from the body of goddess Parmeshwari for Shakti is the
creator and the preserver of the world as Shakti is the nature around
us which helps us to be born in our environment (Brahma) and also
provides us with the utilities and resources to sustain our life forms
(Vishnu).
Ardhanarishvara represents the synthesis of masculine and feminine
energies of the universe (Purusha and Prakriti) symbolizing that both
cannot be without the other – one is incomplete in the absence of the
other.
Another story of Ardhnarishvara has its roots in Sage Bhringi who
tried to worship only Shiva, and ignored Parvati while worshiping
Shiva. The sage tried to go around Shiva without circling Parvati.
Agitated Parvati sat on Shiva’s thigh so as to ensure Bhringi would
not succeed and had to encircle her too . Seeing this Sage Bhringi
then took the form of a bee and tried to circle Shiva through the
small gap between Shiva and Parvati. Infuriated with Sage Bhringis
attempts Parvati united herself with Shiva- fusing herself limb to
limb thereby compelling Sage Bhringi to worship her as well as Shiva
in the form of Ardhanarishvara.
However there is a much deeper significance of the Ardhnarishvara
incarnation for this form signifies the interdependence of Nature and
Man – Man and Woman. It is said that a Woman completes a Man. This
saying does not only apply purely in a companion and physical sense
but also drives home the fact that both Man (manhood representing –
discrimination, single pointed goal orientation, path to
righteousness, intellectual decision making) and Woman (representing
sensitivity, emotions, tenderness, compassion, passion) cannot survive
in singularity and both these emotions are not competing with each
other but rather need each other for survival as each of these
complement each other.
Woman represents Nature – for she has the power to create – to give
birth and to sustain her creation. Hence it is said it blessed to be
born as a Woman. Our Universe- Our Environment – Our Surrounding
Nature – Shakti has helped create and sustain us. She provides us with
Food, Resources and Shelter.
Man – Purush thrives on Nature – which is Fertile and provides him
resources. Man in his over zealous attitude has exploited Shakti which
once in a while reminds man of her exploitation through earthquakes,
Tsunamis, Forest Fires etc. However Nature cannot be without Man for
her purpose would be defeated. She reaps and grows by engaging man
into procreation – Creating New Technologies – New Foundations.
Similarly Man cannot sustain without Nature as he is kept in activity
and dynamism through Shakti – Nature.
Thus the form of Ardhnareshwara represents the union of Purush (Shiva)
and Shakti. Both feed from each other and are merged limb to limb -
inseparable – as sustenance of one without the other is not possible
which is amply visible in distant planets with no life forms and only
nature. The solar system has planets with resources such as diamonds
but they remain unappreciated because there is no observer (Purush) to
appreciate the observation (Nature) and hence defeating the purpose of
the to be observed natures presence.
“Me without You” is incomplete is the truth of life which we all are
made to realize at some juncture in our life. Our life is made of
several moments of impact and it is these impacts which make us what
we are. They define us and ever continuously change us. Hence just as
Nature does not remain constant so does Purush remain in an ever
changing flux where moments of impact change the Path of our Journey –
our outlook to life – our goals – our purpose.
It is said that those we meet during our path are our soulmates – our
guides for lessons that we must learn. It is upto us to complete
ourselves by correctly learning the lesson and progress ahead. Our
companion (better half or spouse) is our twin who complements us in
every way in life hence ensuring that together we are complete as a
unit. Our twin allows us to experience not only our characteristics
but also experience what we lack through their eyes and observations.
Hence both Manhood and Womanhood are needed to guide us to our goals –
our destiny and take us towards a meaningful complete life which is
one of the fundamentals of Ardhnareshwara – for God is not only man or
only woman – he is all encompassing and every emotion that we feel is
just one of the myriad range of feelings which emanate from him.
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