No God in the Hindu pantheon fires the imagination quite like Shiva does! He is an extraordinarily complex figure, whose essence is, in truth, unknowable. His 1008 names describe manifold, deeply polarized attributes. He is awe-inspiring Adi Nath, the Primordial Lord. As Bhuteshvara, he rules over the elements. But he is also Ajagandhi, who smells like a goat; as Bhasmeshvar, he is the ash-smeared one who roams around graveyards.
Among the holy triad of Hindu gods, Shiva is the Destroyer. His power to obliterate the universe however, is not to be interpreted as nihilism. Creation flourishes when the law of dharma prevails and there is equilibrium between the positive and negative. When dark forces prevail, Shiva steps in and destroys everything, thus allowing for a new cycle of regeneration. Shiva is spectacularly represented in this aspect as Nataraja, the Cosmic Dancer, framed by a circle of fire. One raised arm holds the fire that destroys the universe. The other holds a damaru – a small, hourglass shaped drum from which issues Nada, the primordial sound from which creation originates. Shiva’s third hand points down to his raised foot signifying spiritual liberation. Beneath the other foot lies a squirming demon, popular symbol of ignorance.
He is the Wrathful One whose fierce glare once reduced the hapless Kama, God of Love, to ash; his quick temper also resulted in his unknowingly beheading his own son, Ganesha. At the core of Shiva however, is a deep simplicity. One of his names is Bholenath, the Innocent One. As Ashutosh, he is easily pleased by devotees. Mythology abounds with tales of assorted demons and evildoers who worshipped him and in return received extraordinary powers which they proceeded to misuse!
Shiva’s iconography is rich in symbolism. He wears a crescent moon – the symbol of intuitive powers – upon his forehead. The sacred Ganges flowing from it is the eternal life-force. Two hands hold a weapon each – the trident and the axe. The other two hands are held in mudras or stylized gestures indicating protection to devotees against fear and the giving of boons. His third eye is usually turned inwards (a symbol of spiritual knowledge). The ashes smeared on his body represent the inevitability of death in all life forms.
Shiva’s consort is Parvati or Shakti, the female principle. His divine vehicle is Nandi the Bull. Mahashivaratri, during January-February, is the festival dedicated to Shiva, when devotees fast all day and pray to him at night to be absolved of all their sins.
« February 2010 | Main | April 2010 »
March 2010
03/16/2010
03/09/2010
Hindu God Brahma
He is the Creator of the Universe, yet unlike the other two members of the Hindu triad – Vishnu the Preserver and Shiva the Destroyer – Brahma languishes in relative obscurity. Only a handful of temples exist in his honor. While Shiva and Vishnu evoke awe and deep devotion among millions, it’s unlikely you’ll find Brahma worshipped in a typical Hindu home.
Several legends exist to explain his lack of visibility; the common thread running through them is that Brahma so angered another god or sage that He was cursed into insignificance. A sad state of affairs for one who is believed to be the father of Manu, progenitor of mankind!
Brahma is commonly depicted in a lotus flower whose stem emerges from the navel of Vishnu. In other iconography, he is represented as a white bearded, ruddy-complexioned figure with four heads and four arms. Each face constantly recites one of the four Vedas. Differing from other gods, the arms hold no weapons. One hand clasps a spoon-like scepter used to pour oil into a sacred fire – he is thus the Lord of sacrifices. Another holds a metal jar containing water, the fluid signifying ether from which creation evolved. Brahma’s third hand holds prayer beads with which he tracks the passage of time in the Universe. The fourth hand may be shown holding the Vedas or a lotus flower.
Brahma’s consort is Saraswati, who presides over knowledge and the arts. Their divine vehicle is a white swan which possesses the ability to separate a mixture of milk and water. This symbolizes the importance of justice being rendered even to those ensnared in complex circumstances. The swan also represents the power to discern between that which has value from the worthless.
Once a year, on a full moon night between October and November, hundreds of pilgrims gather at Pushkar, Rajasthan to take a dip in the lake close to the Brahma temple and pay their respects to the God.
03/01/2010
Devi – The Sacred Feminine in Hinduism
From Gaia and Ashtart to Isis, Venus and Juno, female divinities have occupied a vital role in ancient cultures. Hinduism though, is the only surviving religion where worship of the feminine principle continues in an unbroken tradition. The ancients named this principle “Shakti” which varyingly means power, divine energy and life force.
Folk vs. classic traditions
While Devi is the generic name for the sacred feminine, there are distinct traditions that determine how she is perceived and worshiped in her myriad manifestations.
In the original folk tradition (still widely followed in southern India), every village has its own Goddess, usually a virgin. These deities are not celestials; rather, many were wronged or desecrated women, their fury transforming them into powerful goddesses who must be constantly worshiped and placated. They preside over disease, fertility, childbirth and death. Villagers stricken with pox-like ailments, for instance, pray to Mariamman or Sitala Devi for deliverance. Another aspect of this feral goddess is Kali, who avenges injustice or tyranny and protects the innocent.
Festivals to honor them incorporated animal sacrifice (now banned by law). Their iconography ranges from vermilion-smeared stones, trees, spears and bronze statues to red clad, magnificently wild-eyed women, armed with a plethora of deadly weapons.
In the classical tradition, derived from ancient religious texts and mythology, Devi is a far more docile, domesticated figure. Lotus-eyed, desirable, gracious and compassionate, she appears in multiple forms both as consort to the gods or as an individual icon.
Parvati is Shiva the Destroyer’s wife, the mother goddess of creation, fertility and marriage. While Shiva is matter itself – the stuff of the Universe – Parvati as Shakti is the dynamic life force. The propitiation of this force is the basis of all Hindu religious practice. Together, Shiva and Parvati symbolize the union of the male and female principles, resulting in Creation and the endless cycle of birth, decay and death.
Lakshmi is wife to Vishnu the Preserver, the radiant goddess of wealth who visits Earth during the festival of Diwali. Saraswati is unique among goddesses across religions in representing the link between intellect and the sacred feminine. Seated on a swan in resplendent white, she presides over literature, the arts and all learning, the patroness of all students. In Vedic hymns, she appears as Vak, or speech, the force that produced the ancient mantras.
The benign countenances and sensuous forms of these goddesses are derived from fertility spirits called yakshis, whose sculpted forms decorate Buddhist and Jain gateways from the 5th century. In this tradition, even Durga, goddess of war, is a strikingly beautiful female figure.
Navratri, a nine-day celebration is dedicated to Lakshmi, Saraswati and Durga, a thanksgiving festival and a time to experience the Goddess in all her glory.
The Goddess in popular culture
More forms of the Goddess are revered in mythology and celebrated in music and dance. Usha, Prithvi and Aditi are associated with the earth in Vedic literature, but are no longer worshiped. Radha, beloved of Lord Krishna is deeply venerated in northern India. Sita, Lord Rama’s wife in the Ramayana is upheld in popular culture as an ideal of womanhood.
In popular stories recounted over generations, these goddesses are virtually a part of Hindu families. By turns passionate, wise, devious, warm and jealous, they too need the love of their devotees! The Goddess continues to evolve, even in our mundane times! In 1975, a simplistic, folk-tale based Hindi film, Jai Santoshi Ma became a runaway hit. Its protagonist, Santoshi Ma (Goddess of Contentment), a little known deity until then, “crossed over” into mainstream religious practice and began to be worshiped widely by north Indian women as an abiding symbol of family values, peace and happiness.
