School of Hinduism (Lesson-2)

Shiva is not just a Tapasvin. He is also a Yogi. The aim of yoga is to unknot the mind, uncrumple the consciousness, attain the triple state of sat-chitta-ananda: unconditional truth, purified consciousness, tranquil bliss. Shiva is therefore associated with bilva leaves, whose three leaves represent sat-chitta-ananda and whose stalk holding the three leaves together represents yoga. The three blades of Shiva's trident also represent sat-chitta-ananda and its staff represents yoga.

When Parvati ji was doing Tapa to become worthy of marrying Shiva, she used to eat only leaves - Bel patra. In the last stage she even quit taking leaves. Hence she got the name "Aparna".

Lord Shiva is shown to carry a Drum in his hand. It is actually a rattle-drum which is used by men who control and train monkeys. Monkeys are Symbols of our Mind: like monkeys our mind is Restless. So rattle drum in Shiva's hand is a Symbolism to control and tame our mind through yoga, tapa, or bhakti... Om Namah Shivaya...

Lord Shiva is shown to have moon on his head. That moon is like a cup and hence it is the last day of the waning moon before it disappears from sky on a new moon night. When it appears so in the sky, it's Shiv-ratri and people pray to Shiva. The Moon is Symbol of our Moods. Like moon waxes and wanes our mood changes too from sadness to happiness. So people pray to Shiva on Shivratri to bless them with happiness, symbolized in moon coming back after new moon night by His blessings. Om Namah Shivay.

Bhagwan Shankar is called 'Bholenath'. He is not 'Ignorant' but 'Innocent'. There is a difference between

Devas wanted Shiva to marry Parvati, so they sent Kamdev to Shiva. But Shiva's third eye opened and Kamdev was burnt down. Devas told Parvati jokingly that Shiva had destroyed Kama. Parvatiji said, "In your eyes He has destroyed Kama today. But I know that He has always been Nishkaam and victorious." Such was her trust and devotion on Shiva... Only she was worthy of being Shiva's wife... Jai Shiv Shambhu, jai Ma Parvati!

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Why do we touch the feet of elders? Man stands on his feet. Touching the feet is a sign of respect for the age, maturity, nobility and divinity that our elders personify. It symbolizes our recognition of their selfless love for us. This tradition reflects the strong family ties in Indian/Hindu culture...

Homa (offering of oblations into the fire with sacred chants) signifies the offering or surrender of ego and egocentric desires into the flame of knowledge. The resulting ash signifies purity of mind resulting from such actions. Bhasma is especially associated with Shiva. Ash doesnt decay. God is the imperishable Truth that remains when all illusions of forms are dissolved.

At the end of the aarati, we place our hands over the flame and then touch our eyes and the top of the head. It means - may the light that illumined the Lord light up my vision, may my vision be divine and my thoughts noble and beautiful...

We break a coconut and offer as prasaada. The coconut is broken, symbolizing the breaking of the ego. The juice within, representing the inner tendencies (vaasanas) is offered along with the white kernel - the mind, to the Lord. A mind thus purified by the touch of the Lord is used as prasaada (a holy gift)...

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What is freedom? Some take it that freedom is identified with slavery to their own impulses. This is the freedom that makes drunkards, gluttons, and libertines. ... Liberty to realize what is our own will may be an essential condition of freedom, but until we are as free from that will, and the desires suggested by that body and mind, as from those of all the other hundreds of millions of human beings, we do not know what real freedom is. - Sister Nivedita of Ramkrishna-Vivekananda, around 1905.

Sri Ramakrishna was gathering flowers one morning for the temple worship. It suddenly flashed upon his mind that the whole earth was a vast altar, and the flowers blossoming on the plants were already offered in worship at the feet of God. Sri Ramakrishna never again gathered puja-flowers...

When Swami Vivekananda was a small kid, he got to know that our Rishis and sadhus sat on meditation such that they won’t know and their hair and beard will grow long enough to touch the ground... He also then sat on Dhyan mudra and after every 5 minutes he opened his eyes to check if his beard grew or not :-)) Then he went to his mother and complained, "Maa, why doesn’t my beard grow??" Ma told him that it happens when one meditates for too long... From that day, he started meditating regularly...

- Rahul Tiwary 

Previous Posts: (1) School of Hinduism (Lesson-1) ; (2) School of Hinduism (Discussion-1 on Lesson-1)