The Trimurti is a concept in Hinduism in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer or preserver and Shiva the destroyer or transformer. These three deities have been called “the Hindu triad” or the “Great Trinity”.
Here we will discuss about Shiva, the destroyer or transformer because people are scared of destruction and thus worship Him more than the other two deities.
Not only Hindus, but a few from other caste, creed or community worship Lord Shiva or Shivalinga. People do fasting in His name or go to temples and pour water or milk with other offerings to the Shivalinga, with a hope that this God will save them from destruction and give power to overcome the sufferings of life and kill the enemies they have. It is so because since thousands of years the picture of Lord Shiva is portrayed like a voilent being as unclad body covered with ashes; matted locks, crescent moon, long hairs and Ganga on the head; three eyes; snake curled three times around the neck; wearing Rudraksha necklace; trishul in hand; sitting on tiger skin in a cremation ground with his vehicle Nandi bull and a Shivalinga either with the picture or idol or alone. These features are enough to make someone scarry and force to bow down before the idol or picture.
In fact, Shiva and Shivalinga is inside us which transform the energy from lowest level to the highest level i.e. Divinity. We have 72000 nerves or nadis emanating from base of the Spine, out of which three are major nadis, which are Ida, Pingla and Sushumna. We breath through Sushumna nadi before the birth i.e. during our stay in the womb of mother and after the birth we start breathing through Ida and Pingla (apparently two sides of our nasal; left is Ida and right is Pingla). Sushumna nadi starts from base of the spine and goes through it upto top of the head. All the major Energy Centres (Chakras) are along this nadi, which starts from base with Mooladhara and moves up along Sushumna nadi, as Swadhisthan, Manipoorak, Anahat, Vishuddha, Ajna and on the top of head, Sahastrara. Sushumna nadi and these Seven Energy Centres are the path to evolution and to realise Divinity (God).
The Mooladhara Energy Center is situated at base of the spine (tailbone/coccyx) attached to mouth of Sushumna Nadi. It consist of four petals of deep purplish-red color and in the pericarp is a yellow square and in its pericarp there is a red triangle. Above the traingle, there is a Svayambhu Linga of dark color, called Shivalinga. Above and round this Linga, fine fibre of the lotus-stalk form coiled three and half times like a serpent and its tail remains in Sushumna nadi. This Linga may be revealed by knowledge and Meditation. By meditating on Mooladhara, a man becomes Lord of speech and King among men, and an adept in all kinds of learning, become ever free from all diseases, and his inmost Spirit becomes full of great gladness.
Likewise in the middle of the fourth Energy Centre, called Anahata, which is situated in heart region inside Sushumna nadi, there is a triangle and in its centre there is Shiva in the form of Vana-Linga of golden color with criscent moon and a dot on his head. By meditating on Anahata, one becomes Lord of Speech and becomes the Creator, Protector and Destroyer of World. Becomes foremost among Yogis, dearer than the dearest to women, wise and full of noble deeds. His senses are completely under control. His mind remains in intense concentration. His inspired speech flows like a stream of water.
In the fifth Energy Centre i.e., Vishuddha, which is located at Cervical vertebrae (throat region), there is Sada-Shiva, seated on a great lion seat which is placed on the back of a bull. He is in form of Arddhanarishvara and half of his body is in color of snow and other half the color of gold. He wears a tiger skin, his whole body is smeared with ashes and he has a garland of snakes round his neck. By meditating on Vishuddha, one attains complete knowledge of Atma (Brahman); becomes great Sage, eloquent and wise, enjoys uninterrupted peace of mind; sees the 3 periods of past present and future; free from disease and sorrow and long-lived; destroyer of endless dangers.
The Sixth Energy Centre is between the eyes, named Ajna which means command. Within this Lotus dwells the subtle mind. It has two petals of white color. There is a triangle in the centre, in which a Linga is present called Itara-Linga, which is lightening like, and combination of letters ‘O’ and ‘m’ (in Dot form) which form OM. By meditating on Ajna, one sees the Light in the form of flaming lamp, which is lustrous like clearly shining morning Sun, and glows between the Sky (Sahasrara) and Earth (Mooladhara). One can able to move all the 3 worlds and no God is able to control his power i.e. he becomes God himself. He is able to enter another’s body at will; becomes most excellent among Munis and all knowing and all seeing; becomes benefactor of all and versed in all the Shastras. He realizes his unity with Brahman and acquires excellent and unknown powers. Full of fame and long-lived; He knows no decay. The excellent Yogi at the time of death joyfully places his Prana here and enters (after death) that Supreme, Eternal, Birth less state.
There is analogy between the Portrait of Shiva/Shivalinga and Energy Centres inside a human being. Some intelligent person portrayed our internal figures of power and spread the message that by praying these portraits or idols, power may be achieved. In fact, it is the Shivalinga from where we can initiate to reach the highest point of divinity i.e. the Third Eye. There are a number of ways of meditation by which we can realize Shiva or Shivalinga inside us. Once we learn meditating on these Energy Centres, the enormous powers of Shiva can be generated as mentioned above. All the so-called “Gods” are within us. By worshipping externally to Shiva or other Gods, we get more attached to materialism and external world, which in turn gives insecurity and sufferings and we remain deprived of realizing the powers which are within us.
So what you wish to achieve…
Weakness, insecurity and sufferings, by worshipping external Gods ,
enormous power, freedom from sufferings and diseases, by exploring Gods within you.
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