Lord Shiva is one of the popular gods in the Hindu religion. Maha Shivaratri, the Great Night of Shiva, marks the union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi. The anniversary usually falls in the month of February or March (lunar calendar). It is a religious celebration where devotees stay awake and fast through the entire night. This year it fell on 19th Feb. So, I decided to dedicate this month on the colourful mythological stories of Lord Shiva.
Among the many stories we read were:
Story 1: The story of the hunter who is delayed in the forest. To prevent becoming the prey of wild animals as the sun sets, he climbs on a Bilva tree. He is afraid he will fall down if he dozes off and hence decides to keep himself awake by plucking the leaves of the tree. While doing this, he witnesses animals being extraordinarily kind to each other in this forest. This brings a sense of calmness to his mind. The next morning he leaves the jungle a changed man. He gives up hunting. From that day till the end of his life he is kind to animals and fellow humans. Many years later, when he dies he is surprised to reach the gates of heaven. After all, he was a hunter killing living beings for most of his adult life. When he asks God, Lord Shiva tells him that the night that he stayed awake was Shivarathri. He had unwittingly fasted and thought of good things. Also, the Bilva leaves he was dropping was actually falling on a small Shiva Linga (see pictures below) under the tree. This had pleased the Lord, who forgave his sins because he had become a changed man after that day.
Story 2: Boon to Bhagiratha: How River Ganga descends to earth from heaven.
King Bhagiratha requests Mother Ganga to descend from heaven to earth in order to purify his land. Ganga agrees but warns him that she is way too ferocious for the earth to handle. He requests Lord Shiva to help Mother Ganga land gently. Now, Ganga wants to show-off to Shiva and comes charging violently towards him. Shiva is too quick and traps her in his matted locks. Ganga's pride is broken. She pleads for forgiveness and begs to be released. Shiva obliges and lets her flow gently from his hair bun.
Story 3: Markandeya: Sixteen Forever
Markandeya, a great devotee of Lord Shiva, is a child prodigy. He is destined to die as soon as he completes his sixteenth year. When Yama, the lord of death, comes to collect Markandeya on the stipulated day, the young boy runs to Lord Shiva to save himself. He begs the Lord to let him live so that he can serve his aged parents, who will become helpless if he were to die. Lord Shiva is in a fix as he cannot change fate. Idea strikes and the Lord grants him a boon where he will remain forever sixteen years old. Thus, Yama goes back empty handed. Markandeya lives a long young life and serves his parents well.
Story 4: NeelaKanta - How Shiva got a blue throat:
The Gods and Demons together are churning the nectar of immortality from the ocean using Vasuki, the snake, as the rope around Mount Mandara and Lord Vishnu has taken the form of a Turtle supporting the mountain. Days of churning makes Vasuki sick and he begins to spew a deadly poison that can destroy the three worlds. The Gods run to Lord Shiva for help. Never the one to disappoint anyone who sincerely seeks his help, Shiva begins to drink all the poison. His beloved Parvathi, holds his throat to prevent him from swallowing the poison and hurting himself. He appreciates her love and decides to keep the poison in his throat. Thus the blue throat!
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Posted below are drawings of the different forms of Lord Shiva drawn by 5-6 year olds in my class. I have written down the details and significance of some of those forms.
Shiva:
He has matted locks and wears leopard hide.
Ganga flows from his hair and the moon rests on the other side.
He holds a trishul (trident, his celestial weapon) onto which a Damru (the hourglass drum) is tied
He stands on Mount Kailash, his holy abide.
Among the many stories we read were:
Story 1: The story of the hunter who is delayed in the forest. To prevent becoming the prey of wild animals as the sun sets, he climbs on a Bilva tree. He is afraid he will fall down if he dozes off and hence decides to keep himself awake by plucking the leaves of the tree. While doing this, he witnesses animals being extraordinarily kind to each other in this forest. This brings a sense of calmness to his mind. The next morning he leaves the jungle a changed man. He gives up hunting. From that day till the end of his life he is kind to animals and fellow humans. Many years later, when he dies he is surprised to reach the gates of heaven. After all, he was a hunter killing living beings for most of his adult life. When he asks God, Lord Shiva tells him that the night that he stayed awake was Shivarathri. He had unwittingly fasted and thought of good things. Also, the Bilva leaves he was dropping was actually falling on a small Shiva Linga (see pictures below) under the tree. This had pleased the Lord, who forgave his sins because he had become a changed man after that day.
Story 2: Boon to Bhagiratha: How River Ganga descends to earth from heaven.
King Bhagiratha requests Mother Ganga to descend from heaven to earth in order to purify his land. Ganga agrees but warns him that she is way too ferocious for the earth to handle. He requests Lord Shiva to help Mother Ganga land gently. Now, Ganga wants to show-off to Shiva and comes charging violently towards him. Shiva is too quick and traps her in his matted locks. Ganga's pride is broken. She pleads for forgiveness and begs to be released. Shiva obliges and lets her flow gently from his hair bun.
Story 3: Markandeya: Sixteen Forever
Markandeya, a great devotee of Lord Shiva, is a child prodigy. He is destined to die as soon as he completes his sixteenth year. When Yama, the lord of death, comes to collect Markandeya on the stipulated day, the young boy runs to Lord Shiva to save himself. He begs the Lord to let him live so that he can serve his aged parents, who will become helpless if he were to die. Lord Shiva is in a fix as he cannot change fate. Idea strikes and the Lord grants him a boon where he will remain forever sixteen years old. Thus, Yama goes back empty handed. Markandeya lives a long young life and serves his parents well.
Story 4: NeelaKanta - How Shiva got a blue throat:
The Gods and Demons together are churning the nectar of immortality from the ocean using Vasuki, the snake, as the rope around Mount Mandara and Lord Vishnu has taken the form of a Turtle supporting the mountain. Days of churning makes Vasuki sick and he begins to spew a deadly poison that can destroy the three worlds. The Gods run to Lord Shiva for help. Never the one to disappoint anyone who sincerely seeks his help, Shiva begins to drink all the poison. His beloved Parvathi, holds his throat to prevent him from swallowing the poison and hurting himself. He appreciates her love and decides to keep the poison in his throat. Thus the blue throat!
------------------------------------------
Posted below are drawings of the different forms of Lord Shiva drawn by 5-6 year olds in my class. I have written down the details and significance of some of those forms.
The Shiva Linga:
Fruits, flowers, diya, kolam (rangoli) and incense around the lings as pooja offerings.
Fruits, flowers, diya, kolam (rangoli) and incense around the lings as pooja offerings.
Shiva:
He has matted locks and wears leopard hide.
Ganga flows from his hair and the moon rests on the other side.
His neck has a snake wrapped around
Rudraksha bead string necklace is also found
Rudraksha bead string necklace is also found
His forehead has three stripes of holy ash smeared,
the third eye in the center is to be feared
He stands on Mount Kailash, his holy abide.
Nataraja: The King of Dance
- Shiva is shown with four arms and flying locks dancing on the figure of a demon, who represents human ignorance. This action symbolizes Embodiment / Enlightenment.
- The back right hand holds the damaru, the drum whose beats begin Creation.
- The front right hand is in the “fear-not” gesture, made by holding the palm outward with fingers pointing up. This symbolizes Protection.
- The back left hand carries Agni (fire) in his palm, symbolizing Destruction.
- The front left hand is held across his chest in the elephant-trunk pose, with wrist limp and fingers pointed downward toward the uplifted left foot, which symbolizes Release.
- His figure is encircled by a ring of flames, representing the eternal cyclical nature of existence: destruction and creation
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