My understanding and knowledge of god as a Hindu has always been based upon what I acquired from my elders at home, neighbours, teachers, festivals, religious books, stories related to them and few other sources that I am unable to recall right now. As a result of this understanding, Krishna became my favourite god over all of my growing years and the god that I feared was Shiva!
So, why did I fear him? is the question...to which there is more than one answer. Sometimes, it was the way staunch prayers and rule-bound rituals were offered for a 'Shiva Trayodashi' (also called Pradosh), some other times there was the super-strict "Solah-Somvaari"(16-Mondays) fast with a list of unchangeable and rigid rules for both prayer and fasting. Then there is the "Maha Mrityunjay Mantr" which is said to save lives right out of death-trap, but again with a condition, there can be no scope of the hymn being misspelt! With these and a few more, my fear of Shiva grew...I always saw him like a strict father with a cane, ready to bash up for the smallest mistakes. But all of this had to stop somewhere and it faded one fine morning, when I decided to read a book much more holier than any holy books I have read so far... The holy book is called "Immortals of Meluha". Until then I was still not too happy with Shiva, but as I read the first few pages, I exactly knew why we fall in love with gods, when we do!
Shiva, then got into my realisation as one subtle man with his own thoughts and rules of his tribe, with his respect for everyone who cared to be, with seamless love for Sati, with the insecurities of a little child, with compassion for Ganesh, with undeterred brotherhood for Brihaspati, a passionate dancer, a joy maker, a ready-to-go traveller, simple yet super smart at analytics, a singer... Shiva is so much me. How then could I stay away from him? How else do we fall in love?
Falling in love with Shiva therefore made me love god! It helped me reinstate my faith in the Inner Shiva! Therefore Shivoham.
I suppose...this is how "Har-Har-Mahadev" takes its grip in every era!
Thankyou Amish Tripathi for this abundance!
Satyam.Shivam.Sundaram!!!
Nirupama
So, why did I fear him? is the question...to which there is more than one answer. Sometimes, it was the way staunch prayers and rule-bound rituals were offered for a 'Shiva Trayodashi' (also called Pradosh), some other times there was the super-strict "Solah-Somvaari"(16-Mondays) fast with a list of unchangeable and rigid rules for both prayer and fasting. Then there is the "Maha Mrityunjay Mantr" which is said to save lives right out of death-trap, but again with a condition, there can be no scope of the hymn being misspelt! With these and a few more, my fear of Shiva grew...I always saw him like a strict father with a cane, ready to bash up for the smallest mistakes. But all of this had to stop somewhere and it faded one fine morning, when I decided to read a book much more holier than any holy books I have read so far... The holy book is called "Immortals of Meluha". Until then I was still not too happy with Shiva, but as I read the first few pages, I exactly knew why we fall in love with gods, when we do!
Shiva, then got into my realisation as one subtle man with his own thoughts and rules of his tribe, with his respect for everyone who cared to be, with seamless love for Sati, with the insecurities of a little child, with compassion for Ganesh, with undeterred brotherhood for Brihaspati, a passionate dancer, a joy maker, a ready-to-go traveller, simple yet super smart at analytics, a singer... Shiva is so much me. How then could I stay away from him? How else do we fall in love?
Falling in love with Shiva therefore made me love god! It helped me reinstate my faith in the Inner Shiva! Therefore Shivoham.
I suppose...this is how "Har-Har-Mahadev" takes its grip in every era!
Thankyou Amish Tripathi for this abundance!
Satyam.Shivam.Sundaram!!!
Nirupama
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