Shiva means the ‘pure one’ or the ‘auspicious one’ – the Supreme Being who cannot be contaminated by the imperfections of the world. The very utterance of his name purifies everyone.

 

Shiva means the ‘pure one’ or the ‘auspicious one’ – the Supreme Being who cannot be contaminated by the imperfections of the world. The very utterance of his name purifies everyone.

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Shiva is in fact the only god who is not affected by the three Gunas of Prakriti. In Samkhya philosophy, there are three Gunas (guiding principles) of Prakriti (universal nature). These are Sattva– forces that are responsible for purity and goodness; Rajas – all that motivates activity and passion; and Tamas, which is loosely translated as darkness – forces that promote sloth, ignorance and death.

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Unaffected by these principles, Shiva is said to be the only god who has no Aadi(birth or beginning) or Anta (death or end), often referred to as AadiAnanta Shiva.

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Shiva is feared as the destroyer and loved as the merciful Bholenath at the same time. His powers and actions are better described as transformative, not simply destructive. Shiva is responsible for change – through death and through the destruction of the ego and through the shedding of old habits and material attachments.

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His various depictions propagate balance and harmony. They teach one the importance of the life cycle and how one must understand and respect it in order to co-exist harmoniously with nature, society and the universe.

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All that has a beginning must have an end – through Shiva’s powers nothing is truly destroyed except the illusion of individuality. His transformative and purifying powers pave the way for a better reality – a beautiful new beginning along with new opportunities.

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As the god who constantly meditates and lives as a simple ascetic, Shiva searches and strives for a universe in perfect harmony and balance. While best known as the destroyer, Shiva truly represents hope, transformation and goodness.

Om Namah Shivaya ~ Jai Bholenath! Shubh Somvaar.