PARAKUNNATH SREE VETTAKKORUMAKAN PAYYAN KSHETHRAM (TEMPLE), AROLI, KANNUR, KERALA: In Indian spirituality, Lord Shiva commands a high position.

Monday, 20 March 2017

In Indian spirituality, Lord Shiva commands a high position.

In Indian spirituality, Lord Shiva commands a high position. He is innocent, auspicious, wise and dynamic, fearless and fierce ; the ultimate rebel who has charmed thousands of generations over annals of time. Shiva the Destroyer is observed as a complex godhead whose existence fuses conflicting elements. He is the core of the centrifugal forces of the cosmos due to his role in death and destruction. He dissolves elements in order to create and hence propels the cycle of birth and death.

Known for his feral passion and fearful temperament, Lord Shiva is said to be the greatest ascetic Mahayogi (the Patron god of Yoga and Meditation), passively refraining from all forms of desires and pleasures. At the other end of the spectrum, he exists as hedonist Bholenath. Lord Shiva is given the title of the ultimate self-controlled entity abounding in serenity. Contrastingly He is violent Mahakal, and he is the volatile dancing Nataraja engulfed by wafting flames. Whether Mahadev or Pashupati, Kala Bhairava or Vishwanath, Mahesh or Bhava – the original rebel is truly the most fascinating Deva. He is the most potent energy in the universe despite being one of ambiguity and paradox. At the highest level he is infinite, transcendental and formless.

Lord Shiva’s sacred number is five. One of his supreme mantras (na ma si va ya) has five syllables. The Great Benefactor’s body itself is composed of five mantras – called panchabrahmans. These are all forms of divinity with distinct names and iconography. Sadyojata, Vamadeva, Aghora, Tatpurusha and Isana are represented by the five faces of Lord Shiva and are associated with the five elements, the five senses, the five organs of action and the five organs of perception.!