Feb 11, 2010, 12.00am IST
YOGI ASHWINI.
Nature has its way of providing balance in Creation. For every aspect, there exists one that is equal and opposite.
Darkness is nothing but the absence of light. Similarly, silence is the absence of sound. It is only duality in nature, the coexistence of the positive and the negative, that lends meaning to the whole of existence.
If at any given time, there exists the entire gamut of the positive and the negative, the two will balance each other out completely, the net result being shunya or zero. There would be everything, yet nothing. The only thing that could fit such a description is the formless, the Nirakaar or Para Brahmn. This is the swaroop or essence of Shiva. In the words of Shankaracharya: "Na punyam na paapam na saukhyam na dukham, chidananda rupa Shivoham Shivoham" ^ Neither good nor bad, there is no joy or sorrow, only the Universal Presence.
What then do we make of Nataraja, the dancing male form, or the half-man half-woman Ardhanareeswara, or the sadhu whose body is smeared with ash? Are all these mere mythological constructs? To understand the import of these, we need to go back to the beginning of Creation...
When Creation began, there existed just one Supreme Consciousness that manifested as Adi Shakti, the Primordial feminine energy. From her emerged Shiva. Interestingly, the first physical manifestation of Creation was the sound of "Aum" which emanated from the damru or drum of Shiva. His dance of Creation gave form to the Universe. Thus, what manifested was Shiva and the energy responsible for this manifestation was also Shiva.
Adi Shakti in all her glory then chose to be the consort of Shiva as Parvati. While entire Creation (including Shiva) draws energy from Shakti, Shakti without Shiva is just pure energy that needs a vehicle to channelise itself. Complete evolution thus becomes a union of opposing forces.
This evolution is seen as awakening of the Kundalini or seat of energy in us. The process involves rising up through the chakras, what rises up being Kundalini or Shakti. This is a semi-dormant force residing at the base chakra. For this to happen, Shiva seated at the highest chakra has to come down and unite with Shakti at every subsequent chakra. The Samudra Manthan or the churning of the celestial ocean where both nectar and poison were produced is nothing but the awakening of Kundalini.
Amrit or nectar is the union of Shiva-Shakti that bestows salvation. The vish or venom produced as an equal and opposite phenomenon necessitates the role of a guru in evolution. It was Shiva as Neelkanth who took in all the poison and preserved it in his throat for maintaining balance. In this sense, an evolved guru strives to achieve a balance.
Shiva then becomes the transformer, the granter of salvation, 'dev-adi-dev Mahadev'. The first experience of this all-pervasive energy of Shiva lies in closing the eyes. When the eyes are shut, one experiences a vast expanse of space, the chittakaash, wherein lies everything perceivable and unperceivable.
The night of Mahashivratri has special significance as the energy patterns of this day resonate with the energy of Shiva. For a spiritual aspirant this is the night of Sanatan Kriya and mantra sadhna. The guru, in his role as facilitator, gives the disciple-seeker a specific mantra and kriya to practise at the right time on this night. The special night of Mahashivratri creates an ambience that enables close communion between seekers, the guru and seeker, and helps one to focus on channelising one's energy in positive ways.
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