Let's Talk About Shiva

[The Sum of Awe]

I do retain the idea than Siva is not different from His emanation, as He is the whole universe, everything.

Would you say the same for Vishnu? What about Brahma?

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Brahman doesn't mean genderless. Nirguna Brahman (Brahman without qualities/attributes) is genderless. Brahman manifests as deities (Saguna Brahman) and appears to have gender.

Śiva is Saguna Brahman.

Are Vishnu and Brahma Saguna Brahman as well?

 

[Vinayaka]

Would you say the same for Vishnu? What about Brahma?

For Vishnu, yes, but not for Brahma. For Vaishnavites, Vishnu does it all and is all, while there is no sect who worship Brahma as Supreme, doing it all.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Are Vishnu and Brahma Saguna Brahman as well?

Yes.

 

[Tomef]

Looking over the religious threads, a fair amount of them are about Jesus or Christianity.

It seems unbalanced.

Let's talk about Shiva for awhile instead.

What do you know about him that feels relevant? What would you like to know about him? What's a favorite story about him? (Or other related questions or comments.)

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Does the trident have some kind of symbolic meaning?

 

[SalixIncendium]

Does the trident have some kind of symbolic meaning?

In my understanding it is the representation of the three gunas (properties/qualities) of the universe.

• Sattva - goodness/truth/purity/balance
• Rajas - activity/passion
• Tamas - inactivity/chaos

 

[Vinayaka]

Does the trident have some kind of symbolic meaning?

Besides what Salix said, I've also heard it can represent the 3 bondages of anava, karma, and maya, and He uses it to conquer those.

 

[Vinayaka]

When the state is attained when one becomes Siva, the malas - the bonds diverse, mental states and experiences that arose for the individualized soul - will all fade like the beams of the moon in the presence of the rising sun. - Tirumanthiram, verse 1537

 

[mangalavara]

Does the trident have some kind of symbolic meaning?

To me, it represents him as the originator, sustainer, and dissolver of the universe.

 

[Aupmanyav]

What do you know about him that feels relevant? What would you like to know about him? What's a favorite story about him? (Or other related questions or comments.)

There are many stories about Shiva, but what I like is his setting. Aloof in high himalayas,accompanied by his consort, Mother Parvati and sons, Ganesha and Kartikeya (Murugan), and there mounts which are enemies of each other, the bull, the lion, the peacock, the snakes, the mouse. Mother Ganges cascading from his locks and the moon adorning his forehead. But his household is at peace and lets him have his drink of marijuana.

 

[Vinayaka]

There are many stories about Shiva, but what I like is his setting. Aloof in high himalayas,accompanied by his consort, Mother Parvati and sons, Ganesha and Kartikeya (Murugan), and there mounts which are enemies of each other, the bull, the lion, the peacock, the snakes, the mouse. Mother Ganges flowing from his hair and the moon decorating his forehead. But his household is at peace and lets him have his drink of marijuana.

How common is getting high on the streets of Delhi these days? The association of Siva with it seems to be primarily a North Indian and Puranic thing. I have yet to meet a high devotee, but then I haven't been around much.

 

[Valjean]

The destroyer! Sweet! So brahmas the creator. What exactly does Vishnu do?

The destroyer of Maya (illusion), and revealer of reality. Shiva's the Red Pill.

 

[Vinayaka]

Adding you to my ignore list now. Your **** about Judaism is repulsive and what you just said to Vinayaka was extremely ignorant and arrogant. I won’t miss a damn thing you post on RF in the future.

Why I start threads in the DIR.

 

[SalixIncendium]

Adding you to my ignore list now. Your **** about Judaism is repulsive and what you just said to Vinayaka was extremely ignorant and arrogant. I won’t miss a damn thing you post on RF in the future.

Why I start threads in the DIR.

Why I am selective in who is worthy of my attention.

Stay above the fray.

 

[Aupmanyav]

How common is getting high on the streets of Delhi these days? The association of Siva with it seems to be primarily a North Indian and Puranic thing. I have yet to meet a high devotee, but then I haven't been around much.

North Indians also are high devotees of Shiva. Visualizing him differently does not matter. We still get the same - non-attachment with worldly things.
'Bum Bhole, Har Har Har Mahadev' (the North Indian Shiva slogan).
'Bhole' means simple.

 

[mangalavara]

North Indians also are high devotees of Shiva. Visualizing him differently does not matter. We still get the same - non-attachment with worldly things.
'Bum Bhole, Har Har Har Mahadev' (the North Indian Shiva slogan).
'Bhole' means simple.

My Śiva drinks a brew of Korean red ginseng and honey.

 

[Vinidra]

I have nothing of use to add, but I just wanted to say I'm loving all these lovely posts about Shiva!

 

[Aupmanyav]

Would you say the same for Vishnu? What about Brahma?

No. That is Vaishnavas to say so. And we don't dispute it. It is their right to say so. Shiva may be some one's principal deity. Some one else may have Vishnu as the principal deity. That is why Shaivas, Vaishnavas and Shaktas (for whom Mother Goddess is the principal deity). Brahma is the left out. He is not among the Hindu principal deities.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Are Vishnu and Brahma Saguna Brahman as well?

All deities are 'saguna'. 'Nirguna' Brahman does not even have consciousness (views will differ). It is eternal, all constituting, changeless and un-involved. All changes, forms, involvements are but illusions.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Does the trident have some kind of symbolic meaning?

Another view will be the three kinds of problems (Vyadhis). Adhibhautika (physical), Adhyatmika (Adhi+aatmic, mental) and Adhidaivika (because of deities, happenings, chance for an atheist Hindu like me). Trident (Trishula) removes all three kind of Vyadhis (problems) with its three probes.