WHAT IS THE UNION OF SHIVA & SHAKTI?

This whole creation is a play of Shiva, the dance of one consciousness that has manifested into all these diverse species in the world. The entire creation going around in an auspicious rhythm of innocence and intelligence is Shiva. Shiva is the eternal state of Being.

Shivratri is when the Shiva tatva and Shakti become one. We celebrate the union of Shiva and Shakti on Shivaratri but recognising the underlying non-dual nature of Brahman is what Shivratri is about. The primordial and dynamic energy is wedded to the transcendental one.

The silent witness is Shiva or the chidakasha and the energy is chitti or chidvilasa, the creative energy that plays and displays in the infinite. Shiva is the formless Being; Shakti is the manifestation of this conciousness. This is the recognition of the dual aspect of matter and energy, prakriti and purusha, the dravya and guna - substance and its qualities.

Usually right from when we are awake, we are into activity until we get tired and go off to sleep in the night. But there is a state that is beyond the sleeping, waking and dreaming states. On Shivratri, we stay awake and come to experience the one universal consciousness beyond the three states. It is an occasion to awaken one’s self from all sorts of slumber. The jagran (staying awake) on Shivratri is not just forcing oneself to be awake or singing bhajans aloud. It is about going inward and being consciously aware of the inner rest that sleep anyway brings everyday. When you go beyond a certain layer of sleep, the rest in samadhi or Shiva sayujya happens.

EKALINGA

Shiva is symbolically represented by the linga. The Divine in reality is beyond any gender. So the Divine is called Ekalinga, or one gender which is the Self, the Atman. Beyond the body, mind and intellect, and beyond likes and dislikes, that Self is only one, it is Ekalinga.

SHIVA’S ABODE

‘Kailasa’ is the legendary abode of Shiva, meaning where there is only celebration and happiness. Shiva is present everywhere, whether in samsara or sanyasa, Shiva cannot be escaped from. To feel the presence of Shiva Tattva all the time is the essence of Shivaratri.

Though Shiva is not a person who walked on this earth thousands of years ago, his depiction is one with eyes closed with a snake around his neck, that indicates that He may appear to be sleeping but he is fully awake, like a snake. He is painted blue in pictures. Blue signifies the vastness of the sky. The moon on his head depicts everything within him. All the entities- living and otherwise- are part of his Gana. In the procession of Shiva, all types of people can be seen present. He accepts everyone as they are and they all belong to the one consciousness. It’s said “Sarvam shivamayam jagat”. This whole world is Shivamaya.

Shivratri signifies being aware of everything you have and being grateful for it. Be grateful for the happiness which leads to growth, and also for sadness which gives depth to life. This is the right way of observing Shivratri.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR The writer is an Indian yoga guru, a spiritual leader, founder of The Art of Living