Shiva, Mahashivaratri, and alliance of Universe

Bishaldeep Kakati 

(Advocate, Gauhati High Court, deep.kakati99@gmail.com)

Karpoor Gauram Karunavataaram Sansar Saasaram Bhujagendra Haram.
Sada Vasantam Hiridayara Vindhe, Bhavam Bhavani Sahitam Namami. This powerful mantra associated with Lord Shiva itself is believed to protect devotees from threats, negativity, dangers, and enemies. Further, the chanting of this mantra enhances the vibrations and energies within our mind so as to bring success and prosperity in every walk of life. This particular aspect is brought into discussion to understand the power of Lord Shiva, who many believe is not only a deity but also the universe itself. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva is also known as ‘The God of Gods’ or Mahadev and, at the same time, ‘The Destroyer’ or ‘Mahakaal’. As such, the philosophy behind the energy of Lord Shiva inflicts a sense of both spirituality and mysticism.

According to Hindu mythology, there have been many instances as well where Lord Shiva gave back life to the one who has already died or the one who is about to die. Mythology narrates stories where he, with his divine power, gave a new life to ‘Chandra Devta’, to ‘King Daksha’, and, of course, to ‘Rishi Markandeya’, who is also believed to be the creator of the very powerful ‘Mahamrityunjay’ mantra. However, Lord Shiva is also believed to be the one who turned ‘Kamdeva’ into ashes with his rage. As such, it is quite rightly said that no one can understand Lord Shiva or his mysticism, as he is the universe itself.

The mysticism of Lord Shiva can also be related to the objects he adorns. On one hand, he puts the moon on his head, which is believed to be an object of calmness; on the other hand, he stores in his neck the poisonous ‘Halahal Bish”. Interestingly, when he plays his Dumbaru, there is a spell of melody, but on the contrary, when he performs his ‘Tandav Ntriya’, it is believed to destroy the mortal world. But amidst all these, he is all known as ‘Bholenath’, because it is very easy to please him as well. It is said in folklore that Lord Shiva is satisfied even if a devotee wholeheartedly bestows him a single ‘Bel Patra’. In fact, if Lord Shiva is satisfied with his devotee, he bestows upon him all the blessings that can make him the most powerful one as well. One example of such a devotee of Lord Shiva was Ravana, who was so powerful that it required the incarnation of both Lord Narayana and Lord Shiva himself to kill him in the form of Lord Rama and Lord Hanumana, respectively. Such is the power, innocence, and divine power of Lord Shiva.

It is believed that one need not even visit a Lord Shiva temple to offer his prayers, because Lord Shiva is satisfied even when one remembers him wholeheartedly from any place in the world. However, the devotees often worship Lord Shiva in the ‘Sawan’ month or on the auspicious occasion of ‘Mahashivaratri’. In fact, the night of ‘Mahashivaratri’ has some divine connections with mind, matter, and the form of life in the mortal world, which as a whole can be tagged as the power of the universe. In this context, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar quoted, “Every Mahashivaratri is meant to wake up every particle of your body. The festival is a wake-up call to move away from conflicts and move towards truth, beauty, peace, and benevolence—the ethereal qualities of Shiva.”

Human life on earth often desires three types of peace: material peace, i.e., peace from your surroundings, peace of the body and mind, and peace of the soul. If one carefully analyses, often night is when humans can experience these three types of peace, because night is the time when all the activities stop, the body goes into rest mode, and the environment is also calm and cool. However, Mahashivaratri is the night when one should be awake because it is the night of the merging of Shiva and Shakti that enhances spiritual power and also brings solace to different layers of consciousness. The power of the universe on this night is absolutely divine, and as such, if one stays awake and meditates on the night of Shivaratri, he can achieve the three layers of peace as stated above.

Science reveals that the primary soul of the universe is nothing but energy. Conspicuously, Shiva too is a form of energy that is the universe itself. ‘Sha’ in Shiva means shareeram, or body; ‘ee’ means live, giving energy; and ‘va’ means vayu, or motion. Interestingly, the body, energy, and motion more or less comprise the entire universe itself. Another aspect related to it is that if ‘ee’ is removed from Shiva, it becomes ‘Shava’ which means a dead body. So it can be concluded that anything with life is Shiva, and anything without it is Shava, or dead. As such, where there is Shiva, there is the potential of life. Mahashivaratri is therefore the right time to understand the philosophy of life by devoting oneself to the power of meditation so as to connect with the universe, or Lord Shiva.

Shiva philosophy also portrays that the night of Mahashivaratri is the unification of material and spiritual. It is believed that the Shiva tattva is 10 inches above the material ground, but on the night of the Shivaratri, the Shiva tattva (consciousness, energy, or principle) touches the earth element. As such, this night is divine as it provides the opportunity for our consciousness to come alive within our body and, in the process, connect with Lord Shiva.

Mythology depicts Shiva as the one that has no start or end, and the same aspect in science is termed infinite. Shiva resides in the consciousness of every individual, and Mahashivaratri is the night when one can realise the Shiva or the consciousness and, as such, can free himself from the different factors that affect the way of living a life of solicitude in the mortal world.