[Excerpts from commentaries, letters and articles written by Swami Chinmayananda]
SHIVA means the “supremely Blissful” – the “Tranquil” – the “Good” – the “most Auspicious”. Shiva means Auspiciousness, that State of the Supreme Auspiciousness, the State of Perfection and Beatitude, is a state an individual experiences when all other usual fields of perception are transcended. Lord Shiva is considered as one of the Trinities who is the Lord of Destruction.
A spiritual seeker’s sole purpose is to destroy the ego and the “non-apprehension of the Reality” (avidya) which is the cause for it. Where this destruction is complete, the very Lord of Destruction, Shiva, alone remains. Hence, Lord Shiva is represented, as the Lord of Meditation — the pure infinite Self, which is the substratum for the entire universe.
The “man-woman” form of Siva (Ardhanareeswara) represents in art-form the depth-significance in realising the microcosm and macrocosm as the mere play of the One Self, in and through the not-Self.
Siva Linga symbolism
All movements in the cosmos are elliptical, and therefore, the diagram of the ellipse represents our cosmos. If that ellipse is half-buried, what would be seen on the surface is a Siva Linga. So, the Siva Linga represents the manifested and therefore vividly visible part of the cosmos, which is supported by the other part of the ellipse, which is hidden from our vision. Thus, the universe of names and forms is the “Linga”(symbol) for the Lord who supports it all.
Amrita symbolism
In the glorious story of Lord Shiva (Neelakanta), it is described how in the preparation of Nectar (Amrita), the Gods and the Demons churn the milky ocean with the mountain Mandara as the churning rod and the self-volunteered Vasuki as the churning rope.
Subjectively, in each of us when the churning is done in our purified Sattwic mind (the milky ocean), with the intellect (Mandara) that supports the mind, and the rope of ego (serpent Vasuki) by the lower (Asuras) and the higher (Devas) in us, meditation starts.
In the early stages of this meditation (churning) many tempting profits (Siddhis) emerge out but if the churning is continued, a time would come when, just before the experience of immortality (Amrita), the ego (Vasuki) must vomit out its entire subconscious and unconscious Vasanas (poison).
During the churning of the milky ocean, the heavenly serpent, Vasuki, who was used as the rope got exhausted and started feeling sick and brought out its most virulent poison in its fatigue. Frightened of its fumes, both devas and asuras started running helter-skelter, afraid of the total destruction it can spill and the holocaust it will create.
Lord Shiva received it and swallowed it Himself to save the universe. Parvati, His faithful consort, caught Him by the throat, not allowing the mortal poison to go down; Lord Shiva did not spit it out. Thus the poison had to get absorbed in His neck, making Him blue-necked Lord – Neelakanta.
This great “poison of ignorance” cannot be totally eliminated until Wisdom (Jnanam) comes. This ignorance can only be held in the neck — indicating a point away from and between the head and the heart. Ego and ego-centric desires should not be allowed to poison either the head or heart of the meditator at this moment, and naturally, when the churning continues, the Supreme Experience is unfolded and the Goal is gained.
Third-eye
Parameshwara is described in the Siva Purana as three-eyed. Lord Shiva is pictured as having not only the fleshy eyes of the mortal, but also a “third-eye” on His forehead – the Eye of Intuition, the Vision on Pure Knowledge.
The intuitive wisdom of Truth is born with perfect integration of the mind and the intellect, that is, when devotion for the Lord blends with subtle contemplation upon the transcendental Truth.
Devotion and contemplation are the two limbs which take one to the abode of Truth. When these two combine – that is, when, with an attitude of devotion, a seeker uses intellectual discrimination to penetrate the mysteries of the Truth – a subjective apprehension – experience of the Reality arises in the seeker’s bosom.
This is symbolised by the opening of the third eye of wisdom. It is described in Siva Purana that in His ecstasy of joy, dancing in His meditation seat, when he opens his third-eye, the entire world of Names and Forms around Him gets burnt out. This is one of the incomparable mystic pictures that signify the mighty one, who, on waking up to the God Consciousness, transcends the limited vision of the word of Names and Forms, and comes to live the Universal Oneness.
Lord Shiva’s eyes
Lord Shiva’s eyes are half-closed; they view the outer world with inner wisdom. Closed eyes would represent one wholly introverted and oblivious to the world.
Fully open eyes would signify total extrovertedness. The symbolism of Shiva’s half-closed eyes, however, indicate that He is fully conscious of the within and the without. He understands the world outside to be only a reflection of the Self within. With this intuitive experience, His actions sing the song of the Self in all transactions in the world.
A realised person is one who has conquered the ego and kept it under perfect control. In contrast to such a one, worldly persons are victimised by the demands of the ego. In such people, the ego gains the upper hand, and they become subservient to its whims and fancies.
The glory of a “man of perfection” is, therefore, in transcending the ego. This transcendence is symbolised by Lord Shiva coiling a serpent around his neck as a decoration for His body. The serpent represents or symbolises the ego. It is used for adorning His personality instead of destroying Him!
Start regular Japa with ‘Om Namah Shivaya’. Hurry up. Tomorrow may be a day too late.
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