Chants of ‘Har Har Mahadev’ fill the air during
Shivratri celebrations
. However, Shivratri is not meant to be celebrated externally; the night of
Shiv
is intended for spiritual union with nirakar, nirgun Brahmn. The opening sutra of
Shiv Sutras
of Kashmir Shaivism is ‘Chaitanyam Atma’, meaning atman becoming aware of Itself. Shivratri signifies union of atman with the Self and is observed with meditation, prayers, and fasting, focusing on introspection and devotion.
Everything is a manifestation of divine consciousness. However, avidya and ignorance create bondage. Our belief in a separate self becomes the root of our suffering. Simply realising ‘I am Shiv’ dissolves all limitations. By resting in awareness beyond dual nature of existence, one realises true nature of Shiv.
Tantra promotes direct experience of the Divine through internal communion. Shiv is everywhere, transcending notions of purity and impurity. Shankar, the manifest form of incorporeal Shiv dancing in the shamshan, cremation ground, is one of
Tantra and Shaivism
‘s most profound and esoteric symbols. It represents dance of destruction and creation, the ultimate reality beyond life and death. This is tandav, cosmic dance symbolising dissolution and illusion, liberating the soul, and revealing eternal truth of existence.
In Tantra, shamshan is not just a place of death but transformation. In his manifest form, Shankar accepts everything—he consumes poison, bhang, and even suffering. Shankar drank the poison that emerged during Samudra Manthan, which turned him blue, signifying his infinite capacity to transform negativity. Vijnan Bhairav Tantra is an ancient Shaiva Tantra text structured as a dialogue between Shankar and Parvati. The text emphasises vi
Read More