PARAKUNNATH SREE VETTAKKORUMAKAN PAYYAN KSHETHRAM (TEMPLE), AROLI, KANNUR, KERALA: Shiva is the god of Destruction as well as Creation, which in a perpetual cyclical movement follow one another. His body is covered with ashes, symbolic of death and regeneration.

Thursday 9 February 2017

Shiva is the god of Destruction as well as Creation, which in a perpetual cyclical movement follow one another. His body is covered with ashes, symbolic of death and regeneration.

Shiva is the god of Destruction as well as Creation, which in a perpetual cyclical movement follow one another. His body is covered with ashes, symbolic of death and regeneration. Shiva is always naked, which symbolizes his primal condition, his non-attachment to the world. On his forehead are three horizontal lines, painted with ashes, representing the threefold power of will, knowledge and action. Around his neck is a garland of 108 beads, the 108 elements of material creation, and on his hand/arm a rosary of 50 beads, the 50 letters of the Sanskrit alphabet. Shiva is often shown sitting or wandering in the cremation ground, which symbolizes the correct attitude of a yogi to life. Shmashana is the end of the pysical phase of life. This is a prerequisite for every new creation.

Sadhus, the holy men of India and Nepal in appearance try to resemble Shiva; for sadhus he is the Master of Yogis. Following his example, quite a few sadhus walk about naked, symbolising their renunciation of the world of mortals, and rub their body with ashes of their holy fires, symbolic of death and rebirth. They have given up their basic need as well as social status, thus walk around naked. Many sadhus wear extremely long hair (jata), again in emulation of Lord Shiva, whose long strands of hair are regarded as the 'seat' of his supernatural powers. The Gorakhnathis are commonly referred to as Yogis or Jogis. Although in outlook very similar to the sannyasis, the yogis adhere to the Tantric way taught by their Guru-founder Gorakhnath. Still, they are devotees of Shiva, albeit in his manifestation as Bhairava, and they worship Hanuman Ji and Dattatreya. Another sect Aghoris emulate the most extreme characteristics of Lord Shiva as the Conqueror of Death: his favourite haunt is the cremation-grounds; he bathes in cremation-ashes; he wears a garland of skulls and bones; he keeps spirits and ghosts for company. The Aghoris willingly transgress all ascetic and Hindu taboos, convinced as they are that by 'reversing all values' they will speed up enlightenment.