Lord Shiva,Nataraja and The Universe.
Shiva is a familiar God of Hindu all over the world. His dancing pose- "Shivathandavam" is attracting many scientists and research organisations. We can see a big idol of Nataraja in front of the CERN complex,Geneva, Europe.
Shiva in his dancing pose with a snake around his neck, with moon on his back and the Ganga from his Jada,what is this pose trying to explain to the world?...We know that any courageous man can walk with a snake around his neck!. Then what is Lord Shiva is trying to tell us?.. To understand Shiva and his poster we need to go beyond the worldly worship and analyze each part.
Let us start from the famous Shiva mantra, "Nama: Shivaya". Nam:Shivaya is also known as "Panchakshari mantra" or moola mantra. This mantra is described in the Samhitas's first. Then, in Brahmanas also. Brahmanas are the interpretations of the Samhitas. So we are using the Moolamantra from Samhita. Namashivaya mantra contains five stotras.
To understand any mantra ,we must know that there are two kind of bodies. One is Vangmaya Sareeram ( worldily body) and Linga sareeram( physical body). Vangama sareeram can be understand by ear and Linga sareeram can be seen by our eyes. For any mantra these two ways are the only receivers to our intelligence.
Shiva Panchakshari Stotram.
There are several Shiva panchakshari stotras composed by various saints. This panchakshari stotra, composed by Sri Adi Shankaracharya, is based on the moolamantra of Lord Shiva “Namashivaya”. Each stanza starts with one of the five root words, na, ma, shi, va, and ya.
1.
Nagendraharaya Trilochanaya
Bhasmangaragaya Maheshvaraya
Nityaya Shuddhaya Digambaraya
Tasmai Nakaraya Namah Shivaya ..
Salutations to Shiva, who wears the king of snakes as a garland, the three-eyed god, whose body is smeared with ashes, the great lord, the eternal and pure one, who wears the directions as his garment, and who is represented by the syllable “na ”
2.
Mandakini salila chandana charchitaya
Nandishvara pramathanatha Maheshvaraya
Mandarapushpa bahupushhpa supujitaya
Tasmai Makaraya Namah Shivaya ..
I bow to Shiva, who has been worshipped with water from the Ganga (Mandakini) and anointed with sandalwood paste, the lord of Nandi, the lord of the host of goblins and ghosts, the great lord, who is worshiped with Mandara and many other kinds of flowers, and who is represented by the syllable “ma. ”
3.
Shivaya Gauri vadanabjavrunda
Suryaya Dakshadhvara Nashakaya
Shrinilakanthaya Vrushhadhvajaya
Tasmai Shikaraya Namah Shivaya ..
Salutations to shiva, who is all-auspiciousness, who is the sun that causes the lotus face of Gauri (Parvati) to blossom, who is the destroyer of the yajna of Daksha, whose throat is blue (Nilakantha), whose flag bears the emblem of the bull, and who is represented by the syllable “shi. ”
4.
Vasishhtha kumbhodbhava gautamarya
Munindra devarchita shekharaya .
Chandrarkavaishvanara lochanaya
Tasmai Vakaraya Namah Shivaya ..
Vasishhtha, Agastya, Gautama, and other venerable sages, and Indra and other gods have worshipped the head of (Shiva’s linga). I bow to that Shiva whose three eyes are the moon, sun and fire, and who is represented by the syllable “va. ”
5.
Yakshasvarupaya Jatadharaya
Pinakahastaya Sanatanaya
Divyaya Devaya Digambaraya
Tasmai Yakaraya Namah Shivaya ..
salutations to Shiva, who bears the form of a Yaksha, who has matted hair on his head, who bears the Pinaka bow in his hand, the primeval lord, the brilliant god, who is digambara (naked), and who is represented by the syllable “ya. ”
By this five slokas, ancient Rishi's ( Vaisheshikas) described Shiva is the essence of the universe. One body and millions of eyes, legs and hands. I and You are not there!. This mantra can be understood by pure imagination and mathematical skill only. We have to imagine the whole galaxy's together as one body and its act.
As per the Shiva purana, Ravana, Vyasa, Panini and Sanat Kumara's
witnessed the Thandava of Shiva. From His dance or thandava, Vyasa created slokas and music, Panini started the writing of Grammer, Sharira sastra or anatomy and preventive methods by Sanaka brothers. Everything which we are seeing, hearing, the sense of smell and the sense of touch are the parts of Nataraja.
We can find that the first and the fifth slokas ending with "Digambraya". Here the mantra describing Shiva's Swaroopa varnana ( Mentioning Shiva's body) Digambaraya means poles or sky as his clothes. In the Eastern side ,Shiva is the end of our eye sight, beyond that, it is a subject for our imagination. So Shiva is the whole world , in one body.
Second and fourth slokas describes the karma of Shiva. Third mantra mentions Shiva's Heart and thinking's.
In the first mantra Shiva uses Nagendra as an ornament. Nagendra is Anandan, also laying as a bed for Vishnu. Anandan is a Naga and Nagas found under the earth and water. Sarpas are living above the earth and sky. Why snakes are so important in Hindu thinking and culture? Naga is not snake in English. No exact English meanings for many Sanskrit words. Translating directly without understanding will be a great act of blunder.
Lord Krishna says to Arjuna in Vibhutiyoga In sarpas, I am Vasuki and in Nagas, I am Anantha. This means sarpa and Naga is not one and same.
It is left for us to find the meaning and concept of Naga, Shiva and Vishnu . In Sanskrit, Naga can be mean position of tuning fork or static to "Na>Aa>Ga. Ga means Gamanam( Movement). Na gachatheeti agam...If Ga is movement, agam is no movement- Stiram, like tree or a building. So Gati and agati or gamanam and agam are seen in Nagam. Gati and agati are combined in Nagam-Vakragati or curved movement or vibration. Vakragati is the nature of Naga. Vakragati is for Spanda(Vibration) or Parispanda(stillness). So Vibrating Shivashakti or Spanadana is Naga. So by visualizing this entire universe as one body and You and me as not two...entire plants, living things and ocean,mountain are part of that very body with millions of legs and hands, eyes and nose.....my legs and your legs are moving, within that move there is an anti move- that is vakragati or Nirspandam or static. That static power is Siva!.
Imagine two trains are moving in same speed in opposite direction!.. We feel a motionless state!... See , movement in static stage,that stage in between motion is Shiva. There no consciousness of me and you..only Siva is the consciousness! This Jagat is a process of endless movement. There are thousands of spandanas in me and that spandana makes nearby persons and the universe to move along with my rhythm of spandana. My spandana and the spandanas of other persons or dog nearby me, makes another rhythm of spandana. All movements are related and syncing with each others spandana and forming a combined rhythm of vibration of spandana like an orchestra. Each heart inducing others to vibrate according to and this combined vibration and this wholeness in between vibrations are NIRSPANDAM or stillness or Calmness. Lord Shiva is the symbol of that calmness.
Tomorrow 17-02-2015 is Sivathandava day. I think my effort to explain the concept of Shiva and His calmness is somehow fulfilled. Your comments will surely help me to improve further.
This blog is based on a talk by Sri.Nirmalanda Swamiji and I am using this blog to thank Swamiji.
