Dr Arundhati Hoskeri
Educationalist, Mythologist and Motivational Speaker
Let’s understand the etymological meaning of word Shiva. Sham karoti iti shiva, in Sanskrit sham means auspiciousness, Karoti means to ceate, meaning the one who creates auspiciousness is Shiva. If this is true then why is Shiva called a destroyer or ‘Pralay karak’? Shiva destroyes the world but it is not the physical world that has manifested rather he destroys the internal world to release the soul trapped inside the body.
I used to think Shiva’s skin colour is blue or reddish pink as depicted in the pictures until I understood the meaning of a shloka ( verse) that describes Shiva.
कर्पूरगौरं करुणावतारम्
संसारसारं भुजगेन्द्रहारम् |
सदा वसन्तं हृदयारविन्दे
भवं भवानीसहितं नमामि ||
Karpoor Gauram, Karunavataram.
Samsar saaram, Bhujagendrahaaram.
Sada Vasantam, Hrudayarvinde.
Bhavam Bhavanim sahitam namami.
Purport :
Line 1: He is as white and as pure as camphor, he is a personification of compassion.
Line 2: He himself is the essence of the entire universe and who wears a snake like a garland.
Line 3: One who resides forever in the hearts of those whose heart is as pure as Lotus. Lotus is born in the sticky mud and dirt but remains unaffected and maintains its purity, similarly all those who remain unaffected from the mundane matters of the world remain connected to Lord Shiva.
Line 4: I bow to such a lord who is visualised along with Shakti .
But Shiva is also described as Nirakar ( formless), Nirvikar ( without any desires), Nirmohi ( without any attachments), Nirahakari ( without any ego) and he is Anadi-Anant ( without beginning and end)
Lord Shiva is depicted with three eyes ( Trinetra) the two eyes are always closed and he is in constant meditation and his third eye is placed between his brows vertically and when he opens it he looks into space because this eye of his emits fire of his Tapas-his great meditation lights up the fire.
OM NAMAHA SHIVAY
For understanding Shiva in totality, one life is not enough, I’m just trying to sip few drops from the large ocean of knowledge and I always believe in sharing what I understand with others.
Disclaimer:
Right from my childhood I am drawn towards Sanskrit, Hindu culture, Mythology, Vedas and Scriptures. My knowledge in this field is a collection of stories told by elders at home ( my father was a great Sanskrit scholar although lawyer by profession), listening to Pravachanas and Puranas by learned Brahmins and my own reading cum understanding from various books.
I strongly believe that “Knowledge is for sharing and it is nobody’s protected property. Knowledge is free and is always in circulation” I don’t claim any mastery of what I write nor copyright of what I write in my blogs. These are my understanding of our scriptures and culture. Please share my blogs freely with others and if you can enrich my writing by adding more information, please do so –add it in comment section, I will be happy to learn something more.