Lord Siva is an annoying friend whom you'd really love to hate, but can't for one second because you just love Him too much.
He also has a wicked sense of humour that is very spontaneous and situationally driven.
Siva in form of Guru (teacher), teaches through example and experience. He teaches through perception and intuition. He IS the 'eureka moment'.
He is serendipity, coincidence and divine inspiration.
Siva in form of Friend is a practical joker and there's no other way to put it. He is also a huge show off, often challenging you to games you
know you cannot win vs God.
Still, one fails...one tries...one realises how pointless it is and sighs.
Siva in form of Lover is to experience the very essence of timelessness. It is the pause between each heartbeat, where the past and future merge. The place in Sahasrara Chakra where he is in Yoga with Divine Mother.
Shakti is like the bashful virgin bride on Her wedding night....
Shiva: "Come into my embrace, dear beloved and let us join as one".
Shakti: "Are we not already one my Lord? Why must we do all this
now"?
Shiva: "Is there a better time my dear? After all, you are addressing the master of it."
Shakti: "So, without which one of us wouldn't the other exist again?"
Shiva: "Are you
still going on about all that? I'll explain it to you later; now let us embrace."
Shakti: "Could I love you any less after being in Your embrace?"
Shiva: "Can that which never diminishes be thus diminished?"
Shakti: "Yes, but can that which is unknown remain so after it is known? I'd rather not spoil everything.".
Shiva: *laughs* "You have already said we are one, so how will this 'spoil everything'?.
Shakti: "Why do it then? You just missed My whole point."
Shiva: "Why not? You missed Mine and you
will miss My point if you continue to just stand there arguing. I interrupted my Samadhi for this."
Shakti: "I am She who reveals Your Ajna-eye so you can experience that Samadhi. The same eye that burned Kama Deva (desire) to ashes. I am She who also conceals it to create the universe as per Your instructions...I shall thus come into Your embrace".
Shakti Unbridled:
Wait, why is Kali Maa standing all over Lord Shiva's prostrate corpse again (some may ask)?
I have always said that 'If Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, then all the powers that be have no fury like a Goddess scorned'.
So, once Goddess Kali gets going on one of Her destructive rampages, there's no 'off switch'. She'll start with destroying ignorance, attachment, greed and lustful desire, but She wont be satisfied with that.
The Goddess' desires are insatiable and unquenchable. This is why Asutosha (Lord Shiva in the form of benevolent provider) is Her husband.
However, even Lord Shiva is under threat from Her impulsive and indiscriminate, murderous ways. He is like; "so yeah, my Dear, leave that whole 'destroying the universe thing' to Me. When the time is right (which is not now), We shall both do the Tandavam Dance together. I shall teach it to You."
Kali Maa's focus and intent is so one-pointed that She totally ignores and disregards the words of Her beloved Siva.
Lord Siva doesn't like seeing His Devi in this form. He understands She does it to achieve what is necessary, but Her Durga Form accomplishes exactly the same...but how to stop Her and get Her to see that?
So, Lord Siva gives Her the final ultimatum..."Love vs Vengeance"..."Good vs Evil".
Thus, He throws Himself down fully prostrate at Kali Ma's feet, begging Her suppilcation in the direct path of Her destructive rampage.
Kali Maa places Her beautiful Foot on Lord Shiva's chest and immediately 'comes to Her senses' (noticing the huge disrespect She has just committed to Siva) and resumes form as Durga Maa or Parvati/Gauri - the 'nice' form of the Goddess.
All the photos, Murthis and images you see where Kali Maa is standing on Lord Shiva, takes place just moments prior to Her transformation.
Shiva: "Come, sit at My feet dear beloved and I shall explain the concept of Viveka (discernment/discrimination). Even Lord Brahma failed to understand it even though His Vehicle is Hamsa (Hamsa the Swan can separate water from milk after mixing). It's the reason why I beheaded Him...come, let me tell You about it".
Shakti: "Iccha and Kriya is nought without Gyan (Jnana), so I shall await your instruction, my Guru".
Speaking of Siva
One of the first books I ever read which totally inspired me to worship and Love my Lord Siva in form rather than concept was a small tome of Virashaiva poetry:
Speaking of Siva by A.K. Ramanujan
After reading it from cover to cover (and eventually wearing them all off). I came to the eventual conclusion that the whole text, in itself, was a total enigma.
Here we have a school of Lingayats (Virashaivas) worshiping Lord Shiva in impersonal form as per the Saiva Agamas, yet writing the most beautiful love poems to Lord Siva ever?
Yeah, one can only remain 'impersonal' for just so long...
My favourite poems were written by:
Sage Basavana - Who referred to Siva by the name "The Lord of Meeting Rivers". Basavanna was more of the 'poet philosopher' but he also experienced great devotion for his Lord. He stressed that just as the waters of two meeting rivers join together and merge as one, so does the individual consciousness and that of the all-pervading Consciousness - Lord Siva.
Maha Deviyakki - who referred to Siva by the name "Lord, White as Jasmine" (Cennamalikarjuna). Devi was a very early feminist Sadhu who walked around and prayed to Siva fully naked. I admire her spirit and courage immensely! When she was asked "why do you not dress yourself and hide your shame?" she replied "until the fruit is fully ripe, the skin will not peel off".
***********
Ardhanarishwara
To Siva, my Lord facing South,
To Sivaa, my Lord facing North,
Eyes locked in silent, unwavering gaze,
Minds joined beyond comparable distinction,
Lost in a moment outside time.
Just as the Formless gives rise to form,
Form dissolves back into the Formless.
Bodies locked in static, synchronic movement,
Souls joined at the impetus of Creation,
Found at the moment of causal conception.
To Siva, my Lord facing South,
To Sivaa, my Lord facing North,
Through association, the Vedas are realised,
Where the named and nameless are constructs,
Lost in a plane outside existence.
The Formless dictates form through Will.
Inspiration incubating ideas of expression.
Through deduction, all duality self negates,
As lovers enact their most fondest embrace,
Found within the loci of experience.
To Siva, My Lord facing South,
To Sivaa, my Lord facing North;
Heartbeats unite, the dawning awareness,
Love surpassing all conditioned limitation,
Lost in a passion outside desire.
The Formless assumes form through Action.
Atoms dancing to the universal vibration.
The universe exists both in and of itself,
Where Love begets the child of its longing,
Found in a river of flowing tears.
To Siva, My Lord facing South,
To Sivaa, my Lord facing North,
Existing at the polarities within my body,
Siva at Sahasrara, Sivaa at Muladhara,
Lost in the degrees of separation.
The Formless realises form through Dissolution.
Siva awakens Sivaa from Her hibernation,
He takes Her by the hand and she rises.
"Follow Me back to Kailasha." She obeys.
Found in the nectar of Moksha.
- by NobodyYouKnow.
*my daughter's friend just put an extra gig on the internet. I don't die that easily. lol
