Shiv, according to the Hinudus, is the father of our Universe. He is the source of everything which we can perceive or anything which our intelligence can think of. The giant celestial bodies that our astronomers cannot fully fathom and the minutest of living or non living entities, every thing has its origin in Him. So Shiva is greater than the greatest and more minute than the minutest. He is the divine dot, which cannot be perceived by our senses. This dot is a point or seed of cosmic creation, sustenance and conclusion.
The term Shiv is composed of two syllables “Shi” and “Va”. “Shi” means the redeemer of sins and “Va” means the liberator of sufferings. Shiv is self illumining and is beyond the three attributes of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. He created Vishnu, the preserver as Sattva, Brahma, the creator as Rajas and Rudra, the destroyer as Tamas. He is also worshipped in the Jyotirlinga form.
In the Shiv Purana there is a story where Shiv appears before both Vishnu and Brahma in the form of a Jyotirlinga and asks them to find its beginning and end. The appearance of Lord Shiv in the form of the Jyotirlinga is till today celebrated as Maha Shiv Ratri. On Shiv Ratri a devout Hindu prays and fasts for the blessings of Lord Shiv. Both Lord Vishnu and Brahma were unable to fathom the beginning and end of the Lingam of light and thus humbled, started to pray before the Shiv Linga with folded hands. Lord Shiv appeared before them and asked Brahma to create living beings on this earth and asked Lord Vishnu to preserve them .
Shiva, along with all human souls, dwells in the supreme abode of divine illumination and complete silence. It is called Shanti Dham or Param Dham and is located amidst the sixth element of sacred light, far beyond the physical universe.
Shiv revealed the Vedas to Brahma and then Brahma revealed the Vedas to Manu. Vedas are the sacred knowledge about soul, supreme soul, law of karma and bondage, meditation and the method to cut through the bondage of karma and become liberated souls again, which is our original and inherent nature.
His divine knowledge, revealed through Brahma, gives us insight to see the self and other beings as soul and to experience the soul’s natural purity, peace, love, bliss, knowledge, power and happiness.
By seeking the companionship of Supreme Soul Shiva in meditation, we need not make special efforts to weed out our unwanted, negative and harmful personality traits and habits, as they would automatically not only get sublimated in the subtle fire of intellectual communion or yoga of our inner self with the divine being, but would also be substituted with the natural, pure, positive, healthy and benevolent qualities, powers and proclivities of the Supreme Soul.
Being firmly seated in the joyful experience of our inner-self, we can smoothly connect and commune with the Almighty who is the eternal source of infinite spiritual knowledge, virtues and strength. By this simple and natural process of introspection and contemplation on self and the Supreme, we can empower ourselves and become one with Sat-Chit-Anand, truth-consciousness-bliss.
Lord Shiva is the Lord of mercy and compassion. He protects devotees from evil forces such as lust, greed, and anger. He grants boons, bestows grace and awakens wisdom in His devotees. Since the tasks of Lord Shiva are numerous, He cannot be symbolized in one form. For this reason the images of Shiva vary significantly in their symbolism.
