Kannappa Nayanar: Union with Lord Shiva

Far above all humanity, on a rocky hill, a man discovered an ancient temple of Lord Shiva. Such was the power of the temple, and the shrine within it that he decided to remain there while his hunter friends were sent home to tell his father he was not coming back. Within a small temple that housed the beautiful emblem of Lord Shiva, he sat, catching the first gaze of the shrine, pure in itself and silent.

A silent interior, created in rock, with the wind whistling through the grilled windows; this was the most perfect place for a contemplative lifestyle. The man gazed at the idol, its beauty filled the air with energy, giving him a sense of awakening and a connection he had never felt before. He suddenly knew, this was his life, this was his goal and this was the only reason for his birth.

Life took a turn, for the worse for others, but for him it was different. The meaning of life had brought in new zest, new contemplation, new curiosity and all of this was triggered by the presence of divinity within the emblem that resided in this temple. The lap of nature had everything to offer. The waterfalls provided the pure water for abhishekam, the animals provided tender meat, and the flowers were the fragrance in His home and the herbs bloomed into a different fragrance bringing purity into the air, a freshness that was so divine, so new and so alive that the earth appeared most fertile and in full bloom.

Within this paradise the man contemplated, probably not in sacred syllables, or mula mantras or bija mantras that were recited but the Lord was offered the best of everything. As life passed by, the man raised each flower to the lord in worship, offering it as part of his very own heart, surrendering to the Lord.

My heart merges into you O Lord Shiva

My heart ceases to be with me any more

You have stolen the only thing I ever possessed,

Love, deep love for you O Lord.

As the puja continued, the flowers gracefully fell over the sacred stone, decorating Him and draping Him in a dress of color and fragrance. Color that dressed the Lord in brightness, fragrance that enveloped the room into potency, into a space where the air stood still and the lamp glowed brighter than before.

The man looked up at the Lord again, tears rolled down his eyes as his heart melted into divine song. He closed his eyes and burst into tune, sweetness rained in the room, echoing among the walls as they descended as a garland of letters on to the very emblem. When he opened his eyes, the Lord stared at him. Twinkling eyes, full of life and clarity… a different kind of clarity coupled with purity as they stared on at him. The Lord and the man stared at each other. This was a divine moment, one that is scarcely granted to any devotee, one that is felt once in a million years. The man’s heart sank; he was blessed to be given this divine vision. He picked up a vilva patra and placed it on each of his eyes, and then on his forehead and placed it back on the peetha.

To the bright eyes of the Lord

These are my eyes, I offer in each leaf of this vilva

I surrender to you, I seek no other vision

My sight has gone, I see only you

Divinity, surrounding my soul, capturing my imagination

Capturing my heart, soul and vision,

I see only you Lord, I can see only you.

This Vilva I offer to you, are my eyes, my life, my being, me

As he placed the sacred vilva on the peetha and raised his head, the eyes of the Lord bled, tears of a different kind rolled down, tears in blood that emoted to his surrender. The hunter looked up, with pain in his heart, over the Lord’s plight, over his suffering and tried to stop the bleeding with all the herbs he could find, crushing them to paste… yet they continued to bleed.

He raised his arrow, and just as the vilva leaf signified the three eyed Lord Trayambakeshawara, he dug out of his socket, the sun, his eye, the glowing radiance and placed it over the bleeding eye of the Lord. It was a moment of lull, the Lord twinkled again, beautiful eyes as the Sun and Moon glowed from within the Linga. The heart stopped a beat, as the hunter overjoyed over his Lord’s eye danced around the room, little aware that he now bled in the socket. When he stopped to look at the Lord, the other eye now began to bleed.

It was simple. He had the solution. He took out the arrow and as he raised his foot and placed it at the Lord’s bleeding eye, he aimed the arrow to cull out the moon, his eye from its socket. This was surrender, where the self feels no pain, nor loss, nor sorrow nor time nor fear, nor greed; this was a state to be in.

Oh Lord, the vilva, a significance of my own eyes

I offer to thee, my very own fire, sun and moon.

Here take my eyes, for I have seen thee,

Divine vision, I need not see no more

You are all I wanted to see,

I have lived for this moment.

As he drew the arrow close, the three eyed Lord, appeared, transforming the room into a moment in heaven. The power surged, the moment weakened every nerve in the man, the room glowed in sacred light, the world halted, the wind stopped, the silence overpowered the room, the emblem shined and the hunter was gone. A moment in history, a moment of life, a moment of true meaning, a moment divine, a moment felt and a moment never to come back. This is the moment of true worthwhile living.

Related links:

Kalahasti - the land where Vayu is felt

A reflection on Lord Shiva

Mano Laya with Lord Shiva

Photo courtesy: Shaivam.org

Hrudaya Kamalam, the lotus of my heart blooms

Shiva consciousness brings alive an enhanced feeling of bliss that is awakened when the hrudaya kamalam blooms. But what is Shiva consciousness.

The path into Shiva consciousness is one that leaves behind misery and trouble, no matter how much the reality of it continues to stay.

Shiva consciousness means welcoming Lord Shiva to reside within oneself.

Shiva consciousness means, being aware of his subtle presence during the hours of consciousness.

Shiva consciousness renders an emotion so strong, that all else looks trivial and the world is just a place to float in and out of.

Shiva consciousness means a certain power, that subdues the outer world in front of one self

Shiva consciousness means a reality, quite different from what is normally perceived.

Shiva consciousness is the realization of inherent rhythm in each mantra that sings his praise.

As one sinks into this ocean of bliss, into this world of emotion where the only thought is goodness and the heart melts so much that it just brings forth the Ganges forming tears in one's eyes, Shiva consciousness is a state that is achieved only when we try hard enough.

Its then that the light of enlightenment glows from within. One descends into serious worship, invoking each jyothir linga that reduces our sins to ash.

To the twelve Jyothir lingas I worship,

Every morning and every evening

I surrender myself to this divine grace

To rise within me in divine energy

To lift me into another realm of consciousness

One of peace and tranquility

I worship Shiva Trayambakeshwara

In twelve forms so divine

To wake within me and rise

The lotus of love and bliss

My hrudaya kamalam

My lotus heart, that beats in the rhythm of the mantra

The beeja mantra in each syllable

Om Na Ma Shi Va Ya

I rise above all humanity

I rise above all misery

I grow in all the eight directions

I am sadashiva

Within me rises the nature of Shiva

The bindu, the center of his consciousness

The energy that represents him

Within three layers of my heart that blooms

He holds me, my blooming self,

He is my golden stem

While i glow in the morning light

The walls of my earthly presence

Break forth with divine grace

The lotus of enlightenment blooms at last

I am Shiva, pure consciousness, I am Shiva, the subtle self, I sit on the throne, his peeta that resides at the center of my heart, my hrudaya kamalam.

The eight directional hrudaya kamalam is the lotus with eight petals, each facing a cardinal direction. Each petal houses an akshar of Lord Shiva's beeja mantra. The center of this flower, one that I describe in sacred yellow and worship, houses the very Lord himself, the pure Linga of Sadashiva. This powerful form, this powerful nature of the Lord can be touched and realized within the consciousness of the blooming hrudaya kamalam, the path to which is through the divine hymns of the Rudram.

The significance of the pancha bhootas

I am
I am the fire
I am the water
I am the earth
I am the wind
I am ether
I am no longer "I"

I am and as a jiva I offer myself to the Lord

I am and through the path of fire I offer myself with prayer to the Lord

I am and through the path of water, I offer food to the Lord, I offer flowers and fragrance to the Lord

I am and as I sit, in the lap of the mother, mother earth cradles me on my journey to the Lord

I am and as I sing to the Lord, my breath is my path to awakening, sacred syllables fall like a garland of love for the Lord

I am not, I cease to exist, I have merged, I am one with the Lord, I am ether...I have but no form.

The elements, fire, water, earth and wind are but for me, a path to reach Lord Shiva. How then can I ignore this gift, how then can I be ignorant that I cannot see the path ahead, how then can I say I do not have the time?

The value of the pancha bhoota is as secretive as it is transparent. It’s as simple as it appears complex. Its as sacred as it is almost nonexistent. Yet, these are not my creation, these are gifts of nature, pure in themselves for me to clasp onto on my journey to the Lord, during worship, during puja.

I am torn between two worlds, one that I live in and that which saps my energy, the other I long to be in and I try hard to reach. Everything around me, my life, the people, the world and its problems, are these not all a making of my mind. It is an illusory world, one that would cease to exist, should I just not think about it? Yet, I churn in this ocean, yet I suffer karma, and yet Lord Shiva grants me the elixir to life, the path in to heaven hidden in this labyrinth of life.

I watch the fire, as it grows and climbs with each drop of ghee poured on it, my heart burns in this light of enlightenment as I imagine the Lord in ablution.

I offer fruit flower and a divine meal to the Lord, through the path of water, he accepts my offering, and takes in the essence of my offering blessing it as prasadam.

I offer my love, my adoration in the form of sacred syllables, syllables that are meant not to benefit my worldly existence but break my illusion and melt my heart into deep emotion towards divinity, each word expressing the purity of the Lord’s nature imbibing it within myself, I become He.

I offer myself, seated still in equilibrium, nothing shakes or moves as mother earth holds me still, my thought and mind reside in pure imagination of the Lord’s vision when I raise the Arti to view His divine presence.

I sink into my own, I leave this earthly self, I am just the mind, I am no body, I am just a power that merges with the supreme. I stay here in Samadhi, no time can control me, no force can destroy. I was, and now I do not exist.

I am the fire, I am the water, I am the earth, I am the wind, I am nothing. I am but a drop of imagination in the vast ocean of Lord Shiva's creation.

Related links:
A reflection on Lord Shiva
Expression in Abhinaya, the art of Bharata
Dip in the sacred river

Photo courtesy: Mellagi, flickr.com

Fire, the visible path to divinity

The fire of life

The fire of energy
Is in the form of Shakti

The fire of enlightenment
The fire in the awakened third eye
Is in the form of Shiva

The fire of worship
The fire of purity
Is in the form of yajna

The fire of completion
The fire of transformation
Is in the form of a funeral pyre

The fire of light
The fire of faith and hope
Is in the form of a lamp

Fire, the feel of it is heat and energy, the blue hue is that of Kali, the glow is unique, the bright yellow is the radiance of Parvati, and the red hue is her pure Shakti as Mahishasuramardhini. She makes the fire, she is the charge, she has the momentum, she is the fury, and she is the power of life.

Lord Shiva awaits, he waits at our third eye, to be awoken by Shakti as she rises within us. Agni, Surya and Chandra are the trinetra, His three eyes, the light that brings things alive. And when Shakti merges with Shiva, when the Kundalini rises to the brow, she glows, the fire kindles, and Agni comes alive, opening the third eye, the eye the reveals detachment, reveals enlightenment, reveals sheer magnetic power that renders us supreme. To this Lord of enlightenment, I humbly offer a vilva, the three potent leaves, the Lord's most favorite, signifying my eyes, and worship Him to awaken me.

This fire, this worship is of love, of toil, of feeling, of praise, of offering myself in divine conversation through mantra, potent syllables that flow with the ghee aiding the flames. Each mantra, its potency is capsules of divine syllables that vibrate in the space around me as I pour ghee into the flame of the yajna, the path they take to reach divinity. While pure cow dung burns, while sacred twigs crumble in the heat, and the ghee raises the crackling fire, I worship the Lord to continue burning this flame in my heart, to make my lotus bloom, to awaken my chakras.

With my life, I offer yajna and with my death I lie here awaiting, Mata Annapurni holds me in her lap, Lord Trayambakeshwara Shiva whispers the Taraka in my ears. This is the only sound am aware of as I get ready for my journey beyond, I lie here along the Ganges waiting to exit. This is a state, I am alone, I know no one, I hear no cry, I rest at last as the fire of heaven, the path to the Lord begins to eat into my earthly being, I become history. Mata Kali, steps on me, Her divine feet hold my body down, her foot on my chest gives me hope, as the blue hued flames rise and consume me turning me to ash. I end, but my real journey to divinity starts here. The life in me embarks on its next journey.

During this life, I worship, I pray, that this journey will be wholesome and fulfilling. During this life I pray to Lord Trayambakeshwara to awaken me beyond this maya of existence, remove me from all earthly attachments, fill my heart with love for Him. Oh Divine Mother, your compassion that surpasses all, bless me with your grace and power that I may, oh Mother, hold this lamp of hope, this flame that I call myself will burn near you forever, fueled by your compassion, your grace, your love to forever be in your shadow.

Divine Love in the Gita Govinda of Sri Jayadeva

When it comes to divine love, Lord Krishna describes it best. Love, that captures the mind, where he conquers every mind at the same time, where each woman feels he belongs to her, where every man admires his relationship with Radha. What an amazing leela that would be!

Such divine chemistry, such charm experienced, where he grips the emotions and leaves the heart wishing for more. Krishna, probably defined love a lot differently. The Leelas of Radha and Krishna as described by Jayadeva bring alive love of a different nature, one that is selfless, and one that is of complete surrender.

Jayadeva places a condition before one attempts to read the divine love verses in the Gita Govinda.

yadi hari-smaraëe sarasaà mano
yadi viläsa-kaläsu kutühalam
madhura-komala-känta-padävaléà
çåëu tadä jayadeva-sarasvatém

"If your heart yearns to delight in remembrance of Sri Hari; if you are hankering to contemplate upon him with intense affection; if you are over whelmed with curiosity to know about his skill in amorous pastimes; then by all means read the Gita Govinda. You will relish my lovely poetry. Although it is so emotive and mellifluous, if you are not possessed of the aforementioned qualifications then you must not read it. This literature is not for you."

Although the issues of eligibility to read the Gita Govinda are clearly stated by Sri Jayadeva, the unqualified section of society fail to understand him and try reading this poetry with enthusiasm for its charming linguistic embellishment. They do not grasp the real significance of his verses and hold his compositions to be something crude. They are not inclined to enter into sweet contemplation of Lord Krishna as they remain confined to their experience of misidentifying themselves with the physical body and consider sensual gratification to being the ultimate limit of happiness. Such slaves of love cannot understand the meaning of transcendental love described by the poet.

Sri Chaitanya-Charitamrita states:

(Ädi-lilä 4.164–66):

käma, prema—dõhäkära vibhinna lakñaëa
lauha ära hema yaiche svarüpe-vilakñaëa
ätmendriya-préti-väïchä—täre bali ‘käma’
kåñëendriya-préti-icchä dhare ‘prema’ näma
kämera tätparya—nija-sambhoga kevala
kåñëa-sukha-tätparya—prema mahä-bala

"The characteristics of worldly lust and transcendental love are completely different. If mundane lust is likened to iron then spiritual love can be likened to gold. The desire to give satisfaction to one’s own senses is called lust. However, the desire to satisfy the senses of Sri Krishna is called pure love or prema. The goal of lust is one’s own enjoyment, whereas the purpose of love is to please Sri Krishna. Such prema is immensely powerful."

Sri Jayadeva Goswamy has defined the qualifications required to read this poem:

yadi hari-smaraëe sarasaà mano
yadi viläsa-kaläsu kutühalam
madhura-komala-känta-padävaléà
çåëu tadä jayadeva-sarasvatém

"If you want your mind to be deeply attached to the constant remembrance of Sri Hari, or your heart is already absorbed in contemplation upon him; and if you are curious to taste the mellows of his pastimes – that is, you hanker exclusively for this and for nothing else – then by all means listen to these gentle, appealing and honeyed verses of the transcendental poetry of Jayadeva."

The poetry of Jayadeva is a literary work that needs to be imbibed, and realized in the pursuit of one's own spiritualism. Be it Krishna or Lord Shiva, the path in devotion is the same, bhava needs to be felt, mano laya needs to be achieved.

As the Bhagavad Geeta states:

ManushyANAm sahasrEshu kaschidyathi siddhayE
yathathAmapi siddhAnAm kaschinmAm vEtthi ttatvaha
7-3

There are a lot of people but only a few are inclined to enter into the spiritual path. Out of these, fewer still pray deeply for liberation of the soul from the constant cycle of birth and death. From this handful of people, only one turns out to be the blessed one. It is metaphorically compared to flowers. There are many flowers but only a few are entitled to be offered to God. Out of these only a few are plucked and offered to God in prayer and finally only one flower reaches His bossom. Even if one steps into the spiritual path, it is difficult to pursue it till the end. Self realization requires dedication, and will power, sacrifice, control over the senses and equanimity.

Courtesy:
Stories of Bhaktas (telugubhakti.com)
Sri Gita-Govinda of Sri Jayadeva Gosvami

Varalakshmi Puja - Amman descends into the rice

Tradition brings with it certain happiness, which is first followed mechanically and then realized along the way as the heart grows fonder.

Varalakshmi Amman, is worshiped on this day, as she is brought alive within the Kalash and coconut that hold her divine presence in a seat of mango leaves. What is visible to the eye is her presence dressed as a Bride, dressed as a Goddess, residing at her seat as all the lamps lights dance around her in joy.

What lies beneath this amazing spectacle, is her form that every lady draws on the surface of pot, covered in rice powder. Going back to the context of the Vishnudharmottara, this is what is called divine art. Every woman of the house takes part in this art, and draws the form of the Goddess onto the rice laden surface of the pot.

Divine art, the first step to pave the way for the Mother to descend into her residence.
Divine art, a drawing that is meditated upon, by every woman, that imbibes every good quality of a divine wife, that she aspires to be
Divine art, a sketch in kumkum, that signifies that her marriage is like that of Shiva and Parvati, intact, happy, and prosperous.
Divine art, that brings out the beauty of the perfect wife, the aspiration every sumangali worships Amman for, in her house, in her puja room, in her heart.
Divine art, she draws, that is the imprint of the Mother brought down to life, from the depths of her hopeful heart that she would render the most beautiful form.

What a lovely moment, to see a lady sit at her seat, holding a kalash in her hand smeared with rice paste that has dried, her canvas to draw when she never learned this art. How beautiful to see her draw with every line, the beauty she wishes to imbibe, the perfection she hopes to achieve, the life she wishes to lead as a bride, the love and devout feeling she has, the power that she hopes to receive, that will aid her to grow her family.

This moment, the lady of the house communes with the Goddess, sings to her, worships her, loves her, adores her, and looks up to the Mother with awe and asks her to bless her family with love, prosperity, happiness and peace.

There is such beauty in divine art, there is such potency in divine art! Its about the power of the mind, the sincerity of the lady, the love that she has in abundance to draw, to describe the beauty of the Goddess.

Divine Art, is that which is described by the Vishnudharmottara, to be superior art, because its not about skill but the Bhakti, the love for divinity, love for the Goddess, that makes even a non artist, one who would otherwise shy away, draw from the depths of their imagination and give it power, give it life.

Sage Agastya drew the form of Urvashi to describe the beauty of an Apsara, the Indian woman draws the form of the Divine Mother, Amman, the beauty of life, the beauty in character, the power center of the universe. Such power is not realized and yet the picture is drawn.

Divine art, we may not know its presence, but we live it every moment. This is tradition.


Related topics:
The mark of a brahmin woman
Meaning of the Bindi
The fun in a brahmin household

Realm of the supreme, a step closer.

The ancient occult sciences refer to yantra and mantra as a method used to connect with the divine in a realm of orthodoxy, and purity if one can follow it. It may not always be easy to understand the root character of a deity through a geometrical pattern.

How does one accept or understand the meaning of a deity and his/her captured character within a few lines of geometry with syllables scattered around?

How does one attempt to feel their presence in a set of complicated lines that fail to keep our intrigue though they are permanent residents of our puja room?

How does one go to explain the existence of the inanimate, who can only be felt within the mind and are not for everyone's curious idle entertainment?

Is framing this potent nature of the deity into a frame and lighting a lamp really enough?

How would you react if I said, he/she lives there within that metal, a breathing living entity whom you need to realize, is waiting to be a part of your life every day, but maybe you are not making him/her part of your life?

How would you react if I stated from the Thirumantiram, that you are meditating without knowing so...having been given a life, you are a jiva, and since you breath, you utter the sacred syllables with every breath, that which is a rhythm in ajapa (not vocally).

Would it change your outlook if you were made aware that with every breath you meditate on, is Sa while inhaling and Hom on exhaling in a constant rhythm of Sahom, or Hamsa.

Would it bring wonder to you that SaHom means "I am he" or "I am Siva" and Hamsa means swan. That unconsciously you are in constant meditation and if you made a conscious effort you would be well past that in your spiritual career?

Does it tickle your curiosity if I had to give you a very tiny example on how to identify this character or essence of the divine in a very simple way?

Look at the image below and try to identify it. As a hint read clock wise. Read the letters drawn on the outside and then read the letters drawn within the 3 petaled lotus.
When you realize that the outer set of letter inscribed are Om Na Ma Shi Va Ya you would come to realize that the letters in the inner petals are Ka Vi Tha. This is a possible yantra that describes the nature and character of a person, more human, so you can connect with as well as represented in a geometric form more commonly known as yantras.

Yet, there is familiarity, there is a connection with someone human, whose character has been drawn, depicting their nature which to your knowledge is that of a blogger intrigued by the depth of Lord Shiva's realm. You identify with this character, you know she exists, you know this is probably the most perfect inanimate description of her vibrant nature.

Similarly, when you go back to your Puja room, and stare again at the yantra of the deities within the frames of your puja room, wouldn't they be living entities who had just been reduced to metal in your ignorance? Or would they be living there, waiting for your attention, your time and your mind space to be noticed?

And now that you have identified their presence as living entities, just neglected by your mind till now, how do you make the first step to communicate with them? Mantra. You talk to them in a language they know best. The associated mantra of the deity who resides within your puja room chamber. It could be as simple as Om Na Ma shi Va Ya or Om Na Mo Na Ra Ya Na Ya or any other depending on who you prefer.

How about extending the warmth, give them food maybe... and a conversation in song? Flowers, fruit, dates, and agarbatti with a lamp lit. An offering to them to fecilitate this relationship. With a drop of water, this is an offering in their language, "Neyvediam samarpayami" to tell them you care, you love them, you want to know them better.

And then the song, in mantra, not many, just one or two which you can repeat in a certain pattern, for a few minutes with bhakti for them to be pleased, for them to know your attention and mind space is with them. End the conversation with the Arti, showing them the flame of your life, inscribing the letter Om in the air and then circulating it clockwise around the form of the deity. This divine conversation has ended.

Its simple, really. Just switch off the world from your mind and your cell phone for a little while and divinity is in every breath you roll out. And then You and Divinity are one, nothing else exists.

Kalighat, where death meets you face to face

The idea of a Shamshan ghat brings darkness and death to the mind. It brings a gloomy picture to those who visit it to cremate their dead. Yet to a few others it is a place of intrigue and for some others its a strange place of worship. Kalighat is a place that brings you so powerfully close to the truth and we just wonder about what is beyond this familiar world.

Kalighat's shamshan ghat is one such mystical place. Few come here though this cremation ground is well lit and has enough architecture to leave you dizzy in its overpowering presence. The glint of turquoise blue is felt in the presence of the Mother here who paints the night with her hue.

Kalighat is silent, a little cut away from the bustling streets just outside. Kali reigns here in all her supremacy. Feared as she is, and deadly as she appears, the world of Kali and Lord Shiva means different things to different people. It brings fear to those who know little or nothing about them; it brings love in the hearts of those who have familiarized with her terrific form. Here she resides keeping control and living with all the lesser spirits that inhabit the other world.

She stands here, over the body of Lord Shiva in shavasana. With a foot over his thigh and the other over his chest, Kali signifies the transition of the soul from one world to the other in the blazing fire of cremation as Shiva whispers the Taraka mantra into the ears of the dead as they burn to ash. Kali at the Kalighat temple, has fury in her eyes and yet within this wild nature there is a coy side. A coy side brought forth by her posture as she stands on Shiva.

Kali belongs to the realm of death, she brings alive a different world which can be felt very deep but cannot be expressed in words. While we assume that death is all about light and darkness, there is a different feeling that is invoked when one comes close to Kali and Bhairava Shiva, and looks at them through the eyes of the Aghoris and tantriks.

Aghoris might have a strange approach, and might have an even more stranger lifestyle that is completely indigestible to us. Yet they bring one truth to us that death is not about light and darkness which is an extension of an illusion but that of magnetic power.

Shiva sadhana and Kali worship and associated mantras increase the magnetic power of the self. The energy is that which attracts and not that which can be seen. This power is not entirely dependent on light, though at some stage it might bring the person to glow extraordinarily, that is they almost seems to have a halo around them.

One thing we need to realize is that when we feel the power of sacred shrine, we actually feel its magnitude, we feel its power to attract us and intrigue us, a kind of magnetism. We do not see any light either internal or external. The unknown magnetic power of these sacred shrines is what draws us close to them.

This is the supreme power, this is the power that gives rise to siddis, this is the power that makes us walk on water, or levitate, or exude light or live longer and cut out external dependencies of food and water. This is the power of the Gods we search for, this is the power that wakes our Nadis and gives us that extra strength which separates us from all others. This is when we are at Nirvana, this is when the lotus blooms at the Sahasraha, this is when we walk into samadhi, this is when Lord Shiva and Kali embrace us. This is when we attain Mrityunjaya.

Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantihi

Related topics:
Awakening the Nadi Gantham at the Nabhi Kamalam
Taraka Mantra - Passage to heaven
Manikarnika Ghat: Where life meets the world beyond

Awakening at the Chit Sabha, Chidambaram

I have reached a strange feeling in my journey in Shiva realization. A series of thoughts just hit me one one after another. I feel a strange futility in writing. How can I explain my experience of the divine formless Lord in words when I realize I cant really communicate the intensity or its essence in entirety?

I have realized the different layers of learning. I am excited about my finds but I am unable to share it with anyone...not that they wont listen but they may not realize the real beauty in it. How do you tell a blind man the color of bright orange flowers that grows and blooms on the tree in front of him? I feel alone, I feel some where from here my journey is that of a lone one, and no amount of explaining is going to get my thought across to anyone. And yet for some strange reason... I write.

Oh Lord Shiva, I stand speechless again at the door of your divine hall. The Vishnudharmottara says that the Supreme Brahman is formless, yet Agastyar created Urvashi by drawing her form out of mango juice, redifining the essence of beauty to all in heaven. He brought life to her character, he brought power to her form by just drawing a few lines to describe her. Such was the beauty of the divine apsara, who danced her way into the hearts of all the devas at Indra's court. Such was the power of painting and art that it gave life to imagination. This is the real power of art in expression.

Even more mystifying is the divine hall of dance on earth, the chit sabha at Chidambaram. The Golden hall in which Lord Shiva performs. In this grand venue, the Natya Raja's presence is felt, his formless self takes life within the lines of grace at this power center and he lights up the floor that gave birth to the Akasha linga.

I stand here spell bound, staring at the hall, where no one stands, where nothing moves. I look on into the sanctum, far inside surrounded by a door of flickering lamps. No flowers adorn his being, but just pure jewellery covers his self. He is Lord Nataraja, the Lord of dance, of expression, of life.

This is divine illusion, this is divine reality as the Lord awakens the rhythm into the air and the bells resound. The lamps rise, various flames light up this interior as the priest performs Arti. This is a dream, where in this chamber he raises his leg with grace. Its a delight, its a heavy feeling in the heart as one breaks down to absorb this amazingly unique form of the lord.

Within his chamber, shrouded by the deep backness of ignorance, the flames of enlightenment are lit. Within the resounding echo of mantras that wash the floor, he steps on Apasmara purusha. As the divine light of Arti rise he blesses us in Abhaya. How expressive is he, how handsome his face, how lavish his appearance in the glow of gold, and how his presence lights up the floor of dark ignorance. Indeed what a divine illusion, brought so magneficiently to life, indeed the light of enlightenment appears to be a figment of Lord Shiva's imagination, one that he makes us want, while we suffer in the blackness of its ignorance.

Imagination is a talent, it is the power to imagine, to describe beauty and attributes, to describe form and color, to describe action and rules and give it life... isnt this world just Lord Natarja's imagination, one even greater than that of Agastya?

I am speechless, I realize why most of the adorations written are in poetry. There is no better form to explain or express HIM in any better way. Language is limited to those who dont know how to use it, sound is powerful to those who know how to. Its so beautiful when we realize that this post in English is all powerless while just a single word "Hrim" can encapsulate the very energy of the Goddess Durga. How hopeless I am, that I dont even know how to craft the beauty of the Lord that i see within my limited imagination.

I simply stare at his divine form dance, silhoutted by the rising flames that gracefully dance around him. Speechless, silent, awakened.

Courtesy: Raja Deekshitar A heartfelt thanks to him for granting me this divine vision at Chidambaram.

Stella Kramrisch - Vishnudharmpttara Part 3
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Significance of the Panchamukha Linga

When I am dormant
The energy lies within me
Atma lingaaya Nama Om

The flame of this energy
Rises into divine vision
Into Rudra, the divine self
The red glow, the hue
Shines forth with all divinity.

The raw form of Rudra, in his fiery matted hair has been depicted beautifully in the Ekamukha linga of Lord Shiva at Udayagiri in the 4th cen A.D. by the Guptas. The self, raw, alone, composed with wisdom is described here. Within a sacred rocky chamber that echoes his presence I come alive within the Eka Mukha linga.



The Prana rises within me
I grow, I am present
I reside everywhere
I engulf the universe
I cover all the directions
I am panchamukha linga
I am Sadashiva



Panchamukha, the rising Shiva grows in all directions. As I evolve He rises too within me. The self, Atma lingam is at the core - Isana*. Isana is the root of the self, the core that holds all the energy within. The power of Isana is to reveal the energy of the self, this is the power of enlightenment, this is space, this is consciousness, this is Shiva within me.

To its east rises Tatpurusha, that which I am, "Tat Tvam Asi". My being rises, awakens to the world, awakens to consciousness. This is the expression of the supreme soul, of Atman that rises and is the life within us, the very presence of Iswara, He is Surya the rays of life. He is the prana I breathe, He is light, He is air.

To the south rises Aghora, the fire, the flames of life, the raw heat and beauty of Rudra in his fiery presence. He signifies life, he signifies dissolution or re-absorption, he signifies the end. He signifies the equilibrium that lies beyond birth and death, he signifies eternal bliss in the living fire of Shiva Rudra*.

To the west rises Sadyojata, the power to create. This is the power to multiply beyond the self. This is the universal power of creation where the miracle of life is visible to us. I am alive, I am the self, I can create, I am represented by Sadayojata, I am the earth that flourishes with life, I am Brahma* the creator.

To the north rises Vamadeva. Vamadeva is the beauty of the self, the poetry and the aesthetics that makes us. Vamadeva is the epitome of all the grace that we have, the presence of our beautiful nature for the world to behold. Vamadeva is the personification of love, representing the feminine form of Shiva, warmth that makes us want to take care of what we create. Vamadeva represents the Vishnu* aspect of preservation within us. It represents sustenance with life giving waters.

Panchamukha Shiva Linga is a powerful symbolism, a reflection of a great reality that encompasses all supreme deities. This form represents the Universe and all its creation, its life and itself as a whole in all directions.

The beauty of the panchamukha linga explains apparently disconnected concepts -
1) why the other heads of the panchamukha linga at Eklingji temple near Udaipur alone are named differently,
2) the placement of other deities around the Bana linga in the Panchayatana puja
3) the connection with Trimurthy at Elephanta and Adbhutanath Shiva*
4) the meaning of panchamukha which is a supreme thought, much more than just the mere naming of 5 heads.

* Elephanta Trimurthy has the 3 heads named as Vishnu, Brahma and Rudra Shiva
* Adbhutanath Shiva has the 3 heads named as Vamadeva, Isana Shiva and Aghora Rudra

Related topics:

Eklingji town, Shiva temples near Udaipur, Rajasthan
Bana Lingas from the depths of the Narmada River
Adbhutanath Shiva and the miracle of living!
Mahasadashiva - Vishwaroopa darshanam

Photo courtesy: Unknown, flickr.com

Divinity of Lord Shiva

Srinivasan sat down to pray, he was tired, tired of life, its miseries, tired of people. He sat down to spend some time with the Lord, wishing he could give more time than he had to just thinking and being with the Lord. He thought back on his life, and remembered his frustration over not understand the root principle of his deepest desire that drew him close to these temples and yet he could not explain the intensity of that emotion to anyone.

It had costed him many sleepless nights, frustration of doing things he didn’t like and of not spending time where he really wanted to. He was exhausted with life, and failed to understand this uncanny thirst he suffered without reason. He wondered about the temples, the sheer rocks that made them, the echo and tune when hit upon the sharply chiseled sides and the hollows that reverberated with the music of the heavens. He wondered about the odors, the chill in the interiors, the play of light and darkness and the many forms that embraced him as he walked through the silent corridors. He thought about the elaborately carved pillars, the symbols of divinity sprinkled all over the walls and ceiling, and everything was so magical as they called out to his heart asking him to look a little closer but yet he found nothing, he didn’t understand the meaning. This ate into his mind; the deep desire to want to know these aspects had made him act on various impulses yet nothing answered the restlessness within his mind which continued to persist.

Srinivasan began his worship, looking at the Lord in complete adoration as his hymns gathered momentum and reached certain equilibrium. He had begun to sway; he had touched the feet of the Lord in his mind and offered flowers. He sang to the Lord praising him with gratitude for granting him this opportunity to clear his mind and worship him. He felt blessed that he was able to perform puja of a serious nature while the rest of the world shunned it and consumed itself looking for immediate benefits.

Srinivasan saw the temple in his minds eye again. Why was he so drawn to it? Why did he break down into tears when he walked around it? Why did he feel bliss in the scorching heat of the rocky floor in the hot sun as he walked around it? Why did his heart swoon to the Lord in the inner sanctum, why did his eyes well up with tears, why did he break into song of divine words and why was his heart so heavy that he couldn’t breathe anymore.

Srinivasan's voice broke as he forced the mantra strongly as he sang; he was overwhelmed as he sat facing the Lord. He was breaking down again when his mind woke up once more. He had felt the Lord within his heart, he had felt the power of the Lord within the temple sanctum, he had felt the force that draws only the pure hearts, he felt the Lord calling him every time. Srinivasan broke down. His quest about himself was ending and he was beginning to piece himself together. He was coming face to face with himself, as another entity, realizing what all he, Srinivasan, really wanted. As the mantras heightened, and the rhythm filled the air drowning every sound around it, Srinivasan just broke down. It took 15 years to answer one questions, it took 15 years to realize one aspect about himself, it took 15 years to let the temple talk to him and touch his heart, it took 15 years to realize the force, the power of the Lord call him, and make him realize he was able to even connect with them!

Srinivasan was exhausted, almost paralyzed in bliss as his body awakened to this new found knowledge within his mind. The world looked a distant reality, its troubles were trivial and its people were a lost herd of sheep waiting for their master to help them out of their aimless lives. He was awakening his mind and it was so fresh and open and so receptive to the tunes of heaven, he could barely believe he had made it to the doors of Kailasa within his mind. He prayed again, raising the lamp of enlightenment to the Lord. He thanked the Lord for this moment that he would keep as his own and explain it to no one for they wouldn’t understand what bliss is. This was a quest about himself that was answered, he was now a step closer to the Lord, he was Atman touched and realized again for a brief moment, and He is Shiva the moment of truth.

Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra, Bhubhaneshwar

Amidst the entire fan fair that surrounds the mela of the Jagannath Rath Yatra, the three deities Krishna Jagannatha, Subhadra and Balabhadra make their way out of the shrine of Puri. Whether they go on vacation or to their aunt’s house or to Krishna Jagannatha’s birthplace is still a speculation on the original myth. What appears to be a complex mammoth wooden structure covered with cloth to almost look like the very temple on the move could hold far more significance than just a wooden structure that transports the Gods to their heavenly abode. It is unfortunate that the emphasis is put on the Rath Yatra or Rath Tana which starts in the afternoon and not on the invoking ceremony in the morning that is the Ratha Prathistha of the Rathas themselves.

The Rath is made to look like a temple, that which traditionally represents the original temple with a platform. The wooden platform has wheels embedded within it with ropes that get pulled by the devotees. This is no ordinary Rath, it is the very character of the Lord Jagannatha Krishna enshrined into the wood that makes up this giant structure.

What’s obvious about this Rath is the towering vimana(roof) that houses the deity within with horses that pull this chariot. What is not obvious is the shape of the floor of the Rath which is far more symbolic than a few logs of timber held together. The Rath Yatra may appear to be a joy ride for the Lord and his family on three Raths being pulled all the way for Puri Jagannath mandir with drum beats and song, with folk dance and color celebrating the journey of the Lord, but it is a little more than just all the fun.

The answer to this might be found in the Brihat Tantra Sara, a large compilation of Tantrik texts that suggest that Krishna appears as a full bloomed tantrik devata with his own yantra/mandala. This yantra has the Krishna Mantra in the center:

Krishnaya Govindaya Klim sadhya Gopijanavallabhaya Svaha|

This mantra which is the essence describing the potency of Lord Krishna Jagannatha is the epicenter of the mandala the form of which can also be the “naksha” or floor plan of the Rath. The Rath where the main idol of Lord Krishna is kept is within the center of the floor plan. Surrounding it is an imaginary six pointed star, where the beeja mantras of Krishna, i.e. Shreem and Hrim alternate each other thrice, as part of the design of the mandala symbolic in nature and embedded within the floor and could be given life to during the morning ceremony. Scattered in logical order around the points of the hexagonal star are the letters of Sri Krishna:

Klim Kri shna ya Na mah

Within the 8 petals of the yantra is the longer mantra of Shri Krishna:

Namah Kamadeva| ya Sarvajanapriya| ya Sarvajan| sammohana| ya Jvala Prajvala| Sarvajanasya Hri| dayamavamsham| Kurukura Svaha||

Surrounding the 8 petals are the Matrikas or the letters of the sanskrit alphabet and in the angles of the protecting walls are the beeja mantras Shreem and Hrim again.

The Rath is sacred; the floor of the Rath is of a peculiar shape, a shape that has approximately 12 pointed ends which form this protective wall resembling the Krishna Mandala, and also reflects the temple ground plan on which the wooden temple stands. The sacred space between the protective external walls and the hexagonal star in the center contains the very letters of praise to Lord Jagannatha, within the lotus flower with 8 petals around the circle of potency, but what we see are a crowd of priests who are seen all over this sacred space.

This is the character of Lord Krishna Jagannatha, this is His power, and this is Him represented by the entire Rath from the floor to the shikhara of the Rath. What we see is the schematic tribal version of the Lord within this sacred space, completely decorated and seated atop his Rath, and though this vision of the Lord sits at the epicenter of this mobile throne, the very essence of the Lord is symbolized all across the flood and in the air that surrounds Him.

The Rath is the very embodiment of Lord Krishna Jagannatha and his family, it is the very element of their presence as they sway through the air purifying it with sound and light. The Lord in all his prana, housed in this very Rath drives through the Indian countryside of Puri. This land is blessed, to see the very Lord mingle with his people.

Related topics:
Jagannathpur temple - Ranchi - anything but Juggernaut.

Courtesy:

Religiousworlds.com. © 1975-1999. All rights reserved.

Shiva within the sacrificial fire

To Lord Lingodbhava within the wall of fire I pray
To Lord Rudra, the vanquisher of evil, I bow
To Lord Nataraja who dances with grace within a ring of fire
In adoration I pour my heart in the form of flowers

Shiva has been depicted with fire as Lingodbhava, as Rudra, and as Nataraja. Fire, Agni, Surya denote Shiva, as the very flame of wisdom within our heart. How do we in this life and at these times connect to this divine fire? The secret of this is in the worship of the Lord through fire sacrifice.

Tantra 1 in the Thirumantiram reveals the beauty of this sacrificial flame as well as its potency. As the words in Tamil poetry roll out the worship of this sacred flame in rhythmic verses, the Thirumantiram also brings out its value to us.

Prosperity springs from sacrifice, for fire is a unique method of conversation with the supreme. Fire, is not just an element, but a path that connects the mortal with the supreme. Fire cannot be created, it can only be discovered and its true potency can only be realized by that aspirant who worships its very flames. Fire doesn’t die, it just appears and disappears, it is the very presence of the Lord, that we fail to realize. Fire is sacred, its pure, it is the power of life revealed.

Fire is the path that through which every mantra recited is purified. When mantra is recited feeding the fire with ghee, it burns away all our karma, both good and bad. This fire that rises out of the sacrificial pit, burns our ego in its divine flames. It purifies our thoughts and kills the ego within our heart. It is the path to salvation; its flames are our door to ever lasting bliss. Within the inner flame of the heart, all karmic evils accumulated are a wick that burns in this divine flame. All diseases that karma brings in its presence, fade and fall into the sacrificial fire that rapidly rises within us.

Sacrifice brings with it wealth, wealth and honor of a different kind. While accumulated wealth brings lack of peace and constant greed, its a grievous curse we live with. The fire of the sacrificial pit brings wealth to us, beyond the limited materialism of our mind. As fire sacrifices are performed, undying wealth is attained.

Lord Shiva himself is the fire, he is that burning flame that resides within my heart. He is the Lord who has fire in his eyes, each flame is denoted by Surya, Chandra and Agni. The Lord is the master of the holy fire sacrifice. The fire of Agni that of enlightenment is the fire in his third eye. The Lord is the fire within all fires, he is the inner flame, the inner fire. He is that which burns, He is the heat, He is the light, He is the flame that dances, He is that life giving flame within my heart. The Lord is the fire I trigger in the sacrificial pit, growing His warmth with twigs and ghee, reciting His various names with mantra, calming His climbing flames with honey.

Lord Shiva is in the fire of the funeral pyre. He raises the soul to a higher realm, to the truth of existence. He whispers the Taraka to the dead and holds the flaming Kali over Himself, leading the dead through transit from life to that beyond.

Within this limited time of my life, I raise the sacrificial flames of the Lord within the yagna kunda. Bless me with prosperity Lord, bless me with new life. Keep this fire within my heart alive, day and night, render me immortal with these flames.

Another interpretation of the sacrificial fire is given in the 3rd chapter (verse 14) of the Bhagavat Gita. Lord Krishna says, that Karma has to be performed, one cannot escape it. Its within these undying flames that the same Karma is burnt.

Chapter 3 verse 14, Bhagavat Gita:

Annaad bhavanti bhootaani parjanyaad anna sambhavah|
Yajnaad bhavati parjanyo yajnah karma samudbhavah||

From food comes forth being, and from rain food is produced, from the fire sacrifice arises the rain and sacrifice is born of action.

Lord Krishna says, it is the fire sacrifice that sustains us, for its through the flames of this sacrifice that the rain is brought. When it rains the parched land awakens, and blooms into prosperity. When there is abundance, food is produced and from this life sustaining food comes the being.

The Bhagavat Gita renders the meaning of this prosperity most beautifully and it requires Karma to get these riches. Without karma we cannot live and by accumulating it we do not attain salvation. The only way out of this karmic cycle is the offering of the self to the sacrificial fire.

Photo courtesy:
Ermes's Public Gallery, Picasa
Copyright © community.webshots.com/user/ancientcoinsofindia
Copyright © Britannica

Lajja Gauri and the Tree of Life

Disclaimer - Content of this post needs to be understood with an open mind.

The complexity of India art, ritual and belief system can be simplified into two forms of worship and adoration. One is for the miracle of death which is realized in the worship of ancestors in which the quest for afterlife and rebirth are dwelled upon and the other is for the miracle of life that is realized in creation and its constant presence around us in the world. This is pronounced in the depth of both Hinduism and Buddhism.

Indra with a staff

Going back to the ancient days of the Ashoka era, when vedic deities held supreme power, Lord Indra was accepted into both Buddhist and Hindu pantheon of Gods. Indra is often depicted with a staff and is believed to have released life giving waters to earth after slaying the demon and also released the Sun into the sky thereby starting the cosmic cycle. This placed Indra as one of the supreme deities who brings to earth the miracle of life, and his releasing water to the earth is associated with water cosmology. Indra's staff therefore became the potent symbol of life spiritually, and denoted supremacy and proliferation of race and rule politically.

This potent belief of Indra's staff was further explored by Ashoka in the kingdom of Magadha, where he spread his faith on Dharma by placing edicts across his kingdom in the form of Ashoka Pillars. The Ashoka pillars stand for spiritualism and pure living, they teach the value of dharma and exude his imperialism across Magadha. But what were these pillars and what was their significance?

The pillars were not just a list of rules for better living surmounted by a lion signifying imperialism. These pillars in their very construct were the symbolism of the "Tree of Life" that stems from the pot of water placed at the bottom from which rises the shaft( yashti) of the pillar(stambha). The "Tree of Life" flowers into a lion capital or into an architectural unit depicted on temple walls in later years(photo below with pillars marked in white) but primarily re-emphasizing on the root principle of water cosmology.

Airavateshwara Temple, North wall, Darasuram near Kumbhakonam

The "Tree of Life", was symbolized by Ashoka when he erected his pillars with engraved edicts and placed them into the earth by digging a pit and covering it with water or placed an earthen pot full of water at the base inside the pit from which rises the shaft of the pillar. This architectural unit of a water-pot based pillar signifies the potency of the miracle of life and its constant presence in this world as we know it.

Meanwhile far away in the interior forests of the Hindu Brahmanical countryside way back in an era even before Ashoka probably, another version of the potent "Tree of Life" took shape. Going back into the realm of Lord Shiva, there runs a mythical story on Lord Shiva and Parvati (Mother Goddess). After their wedlock they returned to Kailasa and retreated into the caves of this divine mountain. For eons they remained here, in union away from all the worlds. Meanwhile, there was trouble in Devaloka and on earth as the Asuras had again begun to harass the devas and other mortals. This disturbed the Rishis, Devas and other Gods and they came to the cave entrance seeking Lord Shiva's help to vanquish the charging Asuras. Realizing that they were unable to awaken Lord Shiva out of his marital bliss, they decided to step into the cave. Deep within the cave, the Lord and His consort, lay in union. Parvati was taken by surprize on the sudden entry of the heavenly folk, and in order to save her embarassment, she picks up a full bloomed lotus and covers her face.

This moment, of Parvati attempting to cover her embarassment (Lajja) has been depicted in sculpture as Lajja Gauri showing her face covered with the lotus as well as her holding a lotus bud in each hand signifying fertility, life and creation. Her raw beauty has been depicted without any subtlety, her moment of union with Lord Shiva has been captured by the scuptor. Dr. Ramachandra C. Dhere in his book "Lajja Gauri" describes her womb to represent an earthen pot. This representation brings alive the original concept of the miracle of living where the "Tree of Life" is represented by progeny and lineage. The potency of the life giving waters in water cosmology is metaphorically represented by the waters within the yoni of the woman.

This echoes the same symbolism with which Ashoka erected his edicts around Magadha. These waters are considered enpowering and they render the living all powerful and brings prosperity. Such was the depth of belief in Indian iconography and representation in Indian art.

Photo courtesy:
Indra with staff: Christopher Tadgell is Senior Lecturer in Architectural History at the School of Architecture, Canterbury College, Kent Institute of Art and Design 1996, http://www.ellipsis.com/history/
Ashoka Pillar: © Lexicon of Greek Personal Names. All rights reserved.
Lajja Gauri: Naganatha Temple, Naganathakolla, Bijapur District, India. Badami Museum, Item B36 Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), government photograph. Date c. 650 CE. Image scanned by uploader from Bolon, Carol Radcliffe, Forms of the Goddess Lajja Gauri in Indian Art, The Pennsylvania State University Press (University Park, Penn., 1992)
This image is in the public domain in India because its term of copyright has expired.
Airaveteshwara temple: commons.Wikipedia.org

Alidhanrita Shiva: Victory dance over evil

Click of the photo to view the complete form of

Alidhanrita Shiva, Kailasanatha temple, Kanchipuram

The most famous form of Nataraja that we know envelops the Panchakriyas, i.e. the five activities comprising of:
Shristi - the process of creation and evolution,
Sthiti - the process of continuous maintenance,
Samhara - the process of destruction,
Tirobhava - the curtain of illusions by his various incarnations, and
Anugraha - ultimate salvation and release.

The form of Alidhanrita Shiva is the expression of victory or Samhara brought out through natya and shilpa shastras. This form of Shiva has been described in sculpture, painting and dance as the victory over evil, over the cities of Tripura. Alidhanrita Shiva is the culmination of the dance form of Tripurantaka Shiva and depicts a warrior's victory over one's own evils.

What does the form of Tripurantaka Shiva signify?

While destroying the three cities of Tripura, Shiva plays the warrior who rides the chariot into space to destroy the three flying cities. This celestial chariot vividly paints Brahma as the charioteer who rides the earth, one of Shiva's Ashtamurtis* that makes up the chariot. The Sun and the Moon who also are a part of the Ashtamurtis and are the very eyes of Lord Shiva Trayambakeshwara, take up their significant roles as the wheels of this celestial chariot. Shiva's ornament Vasuki, the snake plays the bow-string and Mount Meru is the very bow that twangs sending reverberations of victory over the three cities. Vishnu, is the arrow that is aimed at Tripura along with Agni who is again a part of the Ashtamurtis of Shiva. The four horses that pull this divine chariot are the Vedas that are the very breath of Brahma. Shiva, the great warrior rides this divine chariot. This is described in the dance form of Alidha depicting Tripurantaka Shiva vanquishing the three cities.

Raghuvamsa describes: (Raghuvamsa 3, 52)

atishthad alidhaviseshasobhina vupuhprakarshena vidambitesvarah

Lord Shiva Tripurantaka destroys the three cities in terrific rage, the furious emotion that is expressed in his gaze is called Raudra Drishti in the Natya Shastra. This expression is depicted in only the paintings at the Tanjore temple murals and is not captured in the sculptural version of this form, where the expression is more of Karuna or compassion. His fury is vividly described in the painting, where his eyebrows are raised and his eyes are wide open displaying pupils that are depicted as wide rounded balls. The eyes are crooked and depict the severe fury raging out of the being of Tripurantaka Shiva.

How do we relive the experience of Tripurantaka Shiva and the victorious dance of Alidhanrita Shiva when we worship the Lord?

With emotions tuned into the realm of Shiva we as a Bhakta surrender to Lord Shiva during puja. As the sacred syllables roll out into mantras in rhythmic flow, in the light of the ghee lamp we offer flowers and vilva leaves to the Lord.

Om Trighalam trigunadharam trinetram chakrayuttam
Trijanmapapa sangharam yega vilvam Shivarpanam

With this prayer to Lord Shiva residing within the chamber of my heart, I offer myself to the Lord, and to the divine three eyed Lord I give up my sins and karma of the last three janmas. I take on the very same warrior like form of Alidhanrita Shiva and destroy my own three cities of evil and dance my own victorious dance of liberation destroying my own karma. I am Him, I am alidha, I am what remains when I vanquish my own desires and bad thinking with my own furious gaze and burn those thoughts to ash. And after giving up myself into an egoless existence, I pray to the Lord to free me off this misery. In pure adoration to the Lord I offer myself, and with my chariot symbolized by Agni, Surya and Chandra, each signified by the three leaves of the Vilva, the very embodiment of Trayambaka, the three eyes of the Lord Himself, each defined by Chandra, Surya and Agni, I embark on my chariot to destroy my own demons, with every offering of Vilva leaves I make during my worship.

Thus, having imbibed the very form of Tripurantaka Shiva and having destroyed our own karma, one enters the realm of Alidhanrita Shiva where one is in union with the Lord dancing the joyous dance of victory after severing (samhara) one's own deep desire of self pride.

*The Ashtamurtis are Prithvi, Chandra, Surya, Agni, Vayu, Water, Varuna and Dikpalas.

Photo courtesy:Origin of photo unknown
Reference: Nataraja in Art, Thought and Literature - C.Sivaramamurti