Tag Archives: Shiva

What Is Hindu Dharma?

Image June 19, 2014 jcisnowjs 4 Comments

Few weeks back, I took Marriage Blessings in a church (with the same husband of mine, of the last five years). Why? There is quite an interesting story behind it…. promise to post it in my next writeup.

It’s not a big deal if you want to read your marriage vows again, but if you are a Hindu by religion and do some function, that too, of marriage sort of, in a Church than it’s bound to raise many questions. Some of them were less of a question and more of statements, coming from family and friends. Like, have you changed your religion?, or, Is it done for some christian belief?, or, did you forgot abut your culture?, or, You are now totally in influence of western culture… and blah blah…..

Questioning is good, it makes your mind curious, and makes you look out for the right answer. I am reading about religion, specially Hindu, since childhood, now a days I have taken a fancy about other religions too and their stories, about their evolution and coming to existence. Reading about other religions has in fact made me more closer to understanding my own religion – Hindu Dharma.

First of all, Hindu is not a religion, it’s a Dharma. If you go into translation, then Dharma (Hindi/Sanskrit word) is translated as Religion in English. But, Dharma has a more broad meaning to it than just Religion. Dharma means to hold, to bear, to believe; to hold what you believe, to believe what is true, to believe what is right. Dharma means to hold on to your rightful beliefs and truth.

Hindu Dharma, Hinduism, or Sanatan Dharma as called popularly, actually speak of practices which are in harmony of nature, and manifestation of happiness and peace. When our Vedas and Upanishads speak of God, they do not talk of something which is out of reach and unimaginable. Bhaagvat and Shiv Puran when speak of, how God, or to say, super almighty came into existence and this universe is created, they say that God was always there, and he created man as his image. It also states that all the Devs and and Devis, resides in various forms in man’s body.

But, why say that Gods resides in your own body? Why are we going to temples then? When our Vedas say, that everything is created by God, and He is residing in everything and everyone. He is everywhere in everyone, then why are we looking outwards for him? Why are we not respecting others and ourselves too, as God is within all of us.

So, lets settle on the point that God is within you and me. But, does he resides in my American friend too? He is no Hindu. So maybe not my God, but the God that he believes in, maybe He is in him. But, does that mean that I should not respect him, as he has some other God? Wait, but it’s a God. Why take a Panga (make an issue), with any God? So, let’s respect all. Settled.

Now, coming to Church and temples. Hinduism is the oldest practices in this whole world, and the reason why it has survived for so long is mainly based on one of it’s founding principle of “Vasudeva Kutumbakam”, which states that entire world is actually a big family. Acceptance of all the things as they are, and grasping every good thing is the key behind this ever evolving religion.

In it’s entire history, Hinduism have not embarked on any other religion or belief, to impose itself. Over the years it has learnt to live with peace and harmony, with others. This is what it teaches us too. As long as Hindu Dharma is preaching the above, I feel proud to be one. I have always believed in respecting others beliefs and rituals and will proudly do so, always. This is My Dharma, My Religion.

Life, Spiritual

Why We Pray to Shiva Linga?

Image February 3, 2014 jcisnowjs 6 Comments

Disclaimer: This article is based on my understanding made through reading various religious and spiritual books. Being a science student I have always looked for reasons behind everything, even when I know that some things can not be explained. Still, I have tried. Fool me. In no way my intentions are to hurt feelings or beliefs of anyone. In fact I am not strong enough to hurt your beliefs. So, try to read the below article with an open mind, otherwise you always have the choice of not reading it.

Why We Pray to Shiva Linga — Shiva Linga

Every time we bring Lord Shiva to our thoughts, there are generally two images that come to our mind. One that has form of a male human God wearing animal skin, having a drum (dumroo) in the hand, Ganga flowing throw hairs and snakes curled around the blue colored neck. Another image is that of a Shiva Linga, to be precise, denoting male phallus and female sexual organ (yoni) at the base.

But, why these two representation of Lord Shiva?

First lets discuss that why we are praying to what looks like the sexual organs of male and female body. So, while I was reading about the Kundalini, the Seven Chakras, and spiritual course of universe coming into existence from a single energy source. It struck me that what I have read in various religious books like Vedas, Shuk-Sagar and Shiv Puraan about Devas location and their role in universe creation, is actually so much related to our body, the Chakras inside and the sleeping Kundalini residing in the body.

Kundalini which dwells in the base of our spine in the Muladhaar Chakra, sleeps there in the coiled form. It rests in coiled form and thus sometimes expressed as a serpent, also named Bhujungi. This Kundalini when awakened is The Shakti, the ultimate energy form in its full power. Shakti which as per Indian Vedas and Puraans is the AadiShakti and companion of AadiShiva. Shiva who is static, used his Shakti the kinetic energy, to create the universe and everything in the universe. It is The Shakti, who has created everything as per the intention of Shiva, and she is thus the Mother of all. Sometimes also, referred as Mother Nature (Prakriti), and Maya the illusion.

Shakti and Shiva both complement and complete each other. Without his Shakti, Shiva is nothing, and without Shiva, Shakti is of no use. This can be stated in simple terms as, if Shakti is power, than Shiva is the Power Holder. If the power holder is not able enough or deserving to hold the power, then the power can not be put into any use. Same way, if a deserving power holder do not have enough power in his hands, he can not do anything useful. Thus, a union of Shiva and Shakti can be the only one powerful enough to create and hold everything in the union as one. That’s why when Shiva created this universe (Srishti), with the help of his Shakti, he took the form of Ardhnarishvar, God represented as half male and half female form.

Coming to how Kundalini is related to the universe creation and Shiva Shakti. Not going into much details here, (maybe in some another post), When Shakti was creating the Universe, one form that she took was, of Prakrti. As Prakrti she evolves Mind (Sixth Chakra), senses and matter of five forms namely Ether (fifth Chakra), Air (Fourth), Fire (Third), Water (Second), and Earth (last Muladhaar Chakra). When Shakti entered the last Chakra, her last creation of universe, she then went to rest there in her coiled sleeping form. This sleeping coiled Shakti is termed as Kundalini. This coiled Shakti, in her lowest form is represented as a serpent (Shakti) clinging to Linga (Shiva),or a yoni (Shakti) making a base for Linga (Shiva). Thus, when we are praying to a Shiva Linga we are also praying for the awakening of the Shiva’s Shakti.

In her true or active form, this Shakti travels through all the six Chakras upwards and move to the seventh Chakra, Shashrara lotus Chakra or Crown Chakra, the Chakra of Shiva. Shiva is said to reside in the Crown Chakra, the highest point. Shakti or Kundalini when awakened to her highest state moves to the Crown Chakra to unite with her Shiva. Here, with the union of Shiva and her Shakti, Moksha is achieved, as this is the stage of God. Here, Shiva and Shakti in union are represented as a point (Bindu), which is in reality the point of creation and also destruction of universe.

Now, to mention why Shiva is represented as two forms, one as Shiva Linga and other as a God in human form. My rendition is that, Shiva when represented as Shiva Linga is shown in his true formless nature, the Aadideva Shiva, in union with his Shakti. But, Shiva when represented as human god, is Mahadev (not Aadideva), along with Parvati by his side (but, not in union). This is the place which Mahadev or Rudra has taken along with other MahaDevs like, Vishnu and Brahma to take care of the Srashti (Universe), created by the Aadidevas Shiva-Shakti.

Hope my interpretation is helpful in explaining what can not be explained.

Let Shakti be with you and you be the Shiva.

Kids and Me

Can you kill a Spider, Mom?

October 21, 2013 jcisnowjs Leave a comment

Courage of a Girl-Women-Mother

Yesterday I posted a tweet which was based on change in the strength of a girl once she becomes a mother. Then as I was explaining it further to some of my audience I myself felt the changes that I have gone through with time. I remembered the time when I was that little girl who was always sitting quietly in a corner with a book on her lap. The time when I had no fears, just had a fearwall (yeah its not a typo, I have written it fear-wall and not firewall J ). That fearwall was my Parents.

I was scared of little flies, spiders, frogs and lizards specially (believe me the list is pretty long), but I always knew that I had my mother who will protect me from them.

Now time has changed, I don’t have my mother to protect me but now I am a mother and now I have to fulfill my job of protecting my little ones. That reminds me, I am no longer scared of flies, spiders, frogs, not even of lizards (to some extentJ ). I can take care of them, I can take care of everything, yes everything once it will come down to save my children.

Some of this courage has come with time and knowledge, as now I know that small little flies cannot kill me (unless they are in my food, L Gross….). But, most of it from a simple fact that I am a mother now and I cannot let anyone or anything harm my babies.

So, what changed me, is it the love for my children, or the responsibility towards my kids or some chemicals or hormones have changed in my body? I am not sure, maybe it’s a mix of all or maybe something else. But, I am not alone. I have seen every other mother who can reciprocate this feeling. Every mother is made like this. Made courageous by default. I guess!!!

It can only be a mother who can fight with the almighty, the God Shiva. A fight to save her child. A fight which not only frightened the one who has no fears. Frightened the one who is superior in power to everyone and everything that exists and that does not exist. Frightened the one and all who have tried to harm her child, Ganesh. It can be a mother only who can demand to give life to her dead child, who can show the consequences if her child is not given the life back, who can make even God realize his mistake of harming a child, who can clench the life of her child from the jaws of death. She is a mother, she is not a girl, not a woman, not a human, not a deity/devi. She is a mother and a mother only at that point of time. A mother who can fight with the God.

I have heard so many inspiring stories of mothers, or of the sons who were what they were because of their mothers. In everyday lives too, I have seen girls who were afraid of the dark (who couldn’t even go to the bathroom to pee at night), now after being a mother single handedly rocking their child to sleep in the darkness of night. Big cheers for them!!!

I would also like to share the story of Pooja Chopra and her mother Neera Chopra. Neera was thrown out of her house when she gave birth to second daughter child. But, she survived and struggled for her children. She fought with the world and its hypocrisies to raise her two daughters into two independent and successful human beings. J

There are so many Neera’s around the world all fighting their battles for themselves and for their kids.

When we talk of this motherly courage, this is not limited to us humans only. This is seen so many times in animals also. They also protect their loved ones irrespective of the dangerous consequences ahead. I have seen them fighting with their predators to save their little ones. All credits to Discovery channel J

On this thought, just look around and see all the mothers, see what they are doing for their kids, see what they are sacrificing for their kids. Admire them, encourage them, help them, and appreciate them. Because it’s the best that we can do, rest she will take care of….. because she is a Mother.