Bhagavan Sri Shiva

Bhagavan Sri Shiva

satyam sivam sundaram !

SADASIVA

Siva
“That from whom words recede, not approaching him even with the mind; that from whom this entire Universe, beginning with Brahma, Visnu, Rudra and Indra along with all elements and all sense organs is evolved at first, he is the lord Mahadeva, Sadasiva – The Omniscient, the lord of the Universe. He can be realized by supreme devotion and not by other means. Rudra, Hari, Hara and other lords of Devas are ever desirous of seeing him moved by a great devotion.

One is liberated by devotion unto Siva, devotion to Siva is due to his grace and his grace is due to devotion, just as seed gives rise to the sprout and the sprout produces the seed. It is by the grace of Siva alone, the means of achievement of the achievable can be realized and that is the essence of the Vidya, mystic learning, mentioned in the Vedas.

Listening to the glory of Siva, glorifying him by means of words and deliberation within the mind, constitute the greatest of the means of achievement. Sadasiva is to be heard glorified and meditated upon.

Siva alone is glorified as Niskala, nameless and formless, since he is identical with supreme Brahman. He is also Sakala as he has an embodied form. He is both Sakala and Niskala. It is in his Niskala aspect that the Linga, the phallic image is appropriate and in the Sakala aspect, the worship of his embodied form is appropriate. Other deities, not being Brahmin, have no Niskala aspect anywhere. In view of other deities being embodied alone, are worshipped solely in the bodily form while Siva has Brahmatva and other Jivatva.

ORIGIN OF PHALLIC IMAGE, THE LINGA OF SIVA

Once, the noble souls Brahma and Visnu fought with each other, to establish their Supremacy. In order to eradicate their arrogance, lord Paramesvara, the great lord Siva, showed his unembodied Niskala form in the form of a column in their midst. He showed his phallus emblem separate, evolved out of the column with a desire to bless the three worlds. The embodied forms of different Devas yield only enjoyment whilst Siva, the phallic emblem and the embodied form together bestow auspicious enjoyment and salvation.

Once, long ago, foremost among Yogins, Visnu, was having a nap on his serpant – couch, surrounded by the goddess of fortune and his attendants when Brahma, the foremost among the Vedic Scholars happened to come there and asked the lotus-eyed Visnu to stand as a mark of respect for him. Brahma even told Visnu that expiatory rights were ordained for that spiteful wretch who behaved like a haughty fool at the site of a honourable elderly person.

Visnu did not loose his cool and asked Brahma to sit on the couch. Brahma told Visnu that he was the protector of the world. On this Visnu told Brahma that the whole universe was situated within him and that Brahma’s thinking was that of a thief. He further told Brahma that he was born of the lotus from his naval-region and that he was his son.

Arguing with each other, claiming that each was better than the other, they got ready to fight like two foolish goats desirous of killing each other. The two heroic deities, seated on their respective vehicles, namely the Swan and the Garuda, fought together along with their attendants.

The scene was witnessed by different groups of Devas moving about in aerial chariots and scattered flowers everywhere. The Garuda vehicle deity, Visnu became infuriated and discharged unbearable arrows and many kinds of weapons on Brahma’s chest. Brahma too hurled many arrows of fiery fury with different kinds of weapons on Visnu. The Devas commented on the wondrous fight and were agitated, Visnu in his great fury and mental agitation breathed hard and discharged the Maheswara weapon over Brahma. Annoyed at this, Brahma aimed the terrible Pasupata weapon at the chest of Visnu. These two weapons of Brahma and Visnu faced each other in terrible clash. Devas in their helpless agitation and vexation talked among themselves as people do at the time of war between the monarchs.

The three pointed trident bearing deity, the supreme Brahma; Siva was the cause of creation, maintenance, annihilation, concealment and blessing. Without His corroboration even any individual anywhere cannot split a blade of grass. Devas, thus desired to go to Siva’s abode and accordingly came to the summit of Kailasa, where the moon crested god rested. On seeing that region of Paramesvara in the shape of Omkara, they bent their heads down in reverence and entered the palace. Siva, the supreme leader of the Devas was brilliantly shining on the gem-set seat in the company of Uma on an altar in the middle of the council-chamber. His right leg was kept on the knee of the left, his lotus like hands were placed over the legs with his attendants all round him.

Devas were happy to see the lords. The lord on seeing the Devas beckoned them to him through his attendants and addressed them gravely with sweet auspicious words.

Iswara asked them of their well being saying that if they were happy under his suzerainty. He told them that he was aware of the fight between Brahma and Visnu and agitation in their part was like a redundant speech. In that very assembly the lord announced his desire to go to the battlefield of Hari and Brahma and accordingly issued His directive to a hundred of the commanders of his attendants........