Why is Shiva so special !

 

Shiva accepts souls as they are. 
He doesn’t expect you to change. 
He doesn’t try to change you. 
He doesn’t judge you.

 

Shiva has abundant compassion – not pity or charity or kindness – but he has abundant compassion.  Shiva has infinite amount of empathy for everyone.  Shiva deals equitably with devas, danavas, sages, humans, spirits, ghosts, ghouls and creatures of every species ever created.  For this reason, each and everyone feels they can approach Shiva and will get a “fair deal” from him. 

 

Out of empathy, he understands everyone’s reasons for what they do and feels for them, their karmas, their runanubandas (karmic bonds), their passions and potentials.  Being infinitely optimistic, Shiva always feels that given the right chance, the soul will make a significant contribution to the well being of the universe.  For this reason, Shiva is quick to please and usually grants whatever is asked of him.  Whatever Shiva does for you is going to be good for you.  For this reason, he is called Shiva - the auspicious one.

 

Shiva forgives easily.  Like an indulgent parent, he sees the potential and limitations of each soul and forgives them, giving them yet another opportunity to prove themselves.  Yet, like a mature parent, he knows the probable outcome and is not easily perturbed when the soul comes crying for more help again and again and yet again.  Out of infinite love, Shiva provides succor and sooths the pain of all those who come to him.

 

Shiva continues to teach all creatures, knowing that his task is like that of a teacher who tirelessly teaches the same syllabus year after year.  Forever the patient teacher, Shiva goes through the same lesson again and again till the soul has mastered the skill and is ready to move on.  As a guru, Dakshina-murti teaches sages and sinners alike and dispenses lessons that best suit each of his students at their own level of understanding.  He doesn’t expect any more from you than you are willing or able to learn. 

 

Though people often call him the “God of Destruction”, Shiva doesn’t care for its negative connotations.  He knows the absolute importance of destruction as an integral part of creation and carries out the work of sustaining these universal processes without any expectation of gratitude or adulation from anyone.  Shiva dances, sings, meditates, laughs and cries for his own pleasure.  Who cares what others think ?  Shiva doesn’t.  Forever existing in his own “masti”, Shiva cares not for the critic or censor or acceptance of anyone but himself.  Shiva lives in the “present”, for the “moment”.

 

Shiva doesn’t care for pomp and ceremony.  Outward rituals are of no use in trying to please him.  He cares only to see the motive and genuine feelings behind every action.  Even then, he doesn’t judge it, he simply observes.  Shiva’s spirit of generosity is such that he is willing to accept those others have rejected.  For example, Shiva accepts the dhaturo flower which everyone else rejects because of its pungent smell and poisonous liquid.  Shiva is just as happy to visit charnel grounds and deserted mountain caves as he is to sit in the divine durbar of Indra or sagely congregation of Bhrama.

 

At the outset, Shiva seems like an infinitely complex personality and yet he is as simple and as uncomplicated as the beauty of dawn or dusk, as obvious as the sun and moon, as present as the wind that brushes past our cheeks or as close as our soul.  For this reason I have not "labeled" Shiva as Lord or God or Mahadeva - because he is above all such titles. 

 

Shiva is simply Shiva !
OM namah Shivaya !!

 

© Bhagwat    [email protected]

 

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