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Lect#12: Symbolism of Idols=Lord Shiva & Lord Vishnu

It has been a tradition in civilized nation to provide hidden messages in places where people will least

search for it...

The best example would be art forms, which are used to convey messages to those who are ready to

take it, or in the state where they would grasp the subtle meaning in the display. Sometimes the

messages are not that subtle but very simple and yet we don’t seem to recognize them, maybe because

of our ignorance or biased thinking.

One of the oldest civilizations in the world is Vedic, and the art forms of this civilization have simple

symbols, which had tons to say, but the essence of the art has been lost. I would like to discuss about

the symbolism of gods, what the vedic saints would have thought about it while they created these

images of god.

Vaishnavas and the shaivites fought over the superiority of their gods, but the attributes to their gods

have been given well before this war started. When we consider the actual meaning of the gods and

then reconsider the myths, it would become clear that they actually don’t contradict. They create an

ambiguity only to those who don’t understand them. The west think that the Vedic civilization was

obsessed with wild animals, infact they will call vedic gods to be paganic, in a way they are, but they are

more than what they appear.

Let us see the deeper essence of the Idol’s appearance as a symbol of some ideals and the legacies

they left behind by their ideal actions for greater good of civilization.

WHY SO FEW TEMPLES OF LORD BRAHMA COMPARED TO SHIVA & VISHNU

Our minds continuously and effortlessly entertain thoughts of doing and creating. We have no

difficulty in creating thoughts in our minds but we donot know how to sustain and destroy those

thoughts very well. For example, we can have thought of buying a house or car very easily, but often

to achieve the power to maintain our action and destroy the hurdles to achieve the goal. Having

created so many entanglements and attachments in our lives, we become helpless and cannot free

ourselves from them. Therefore to achieve our goal, we need to first destroy our hurdles (due to

our entanglements) we need the inner power of destruction, so we invoke Lord Shiva.

Secondly, we need to sustain noble thoughts and make them consistent with reaching our

goal, so we invoke Lord Vishnu. These actions require many attempts of failure and successes

while creating a thought only one! The gods and goddesses are understood from 4 aspects:

absolute, cosmic, departmental and incarnation.

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Some historians believe that the figure of Shiva as we know him today was built up over time, with the

ideas of many regional sects being amalgamated into a single figure Once upon a time there

was a strong, disciplined, caring fearless man on earth……….

MEANING OF SHIVA: Similar word shav means, inert matter corpse. Shiva’s presence converts it

into a living form which bestows love, honor, and affection. Hence the root word Shiva means that

brings “auspicious one” and it is our own true nature. Shiva has multiple meanings: "The Pure

One", or "the One who is not affected by three Gunas of Prakrti (Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas)" or "the

One who purifies everyone”. Shiva might have originated from Tamil word 'sivappu' means "red"

in Tamil language but while addressing a person's skin texture in Tamil the word 'Sivappu' is used

for being Fair Skinned Attributes Shiva is usually worshiped in the aniconic form of Lingam Shiva

of the highest level is limitless, transcendent, unchanging and formless. It represents the seed of

the universe, demonstrating Shiva's quality of creation. One in whom the whole creation sleeps

after dissolution (black hole?? ). The term Dharma originally refers to what upholds things and

can be symbolized by a pillar. The Shiva linga is the universal pillar of Dharma. Hindus believe his

powers of destruction and recreation are used even now to destroy the illusions and

imperfections of this world, paving the way for beneficial change. Shiva is therefore seen as the

source of both good and evil and is regarded as the one who combines many contradictory

elements.

Sivalinga/Jyotirlinga: The way of worship of primitive men was by representing The Almighty on

a stone. The sacred of all Shiva linga is worshipped as Jyotir linga. Jyotirlinga means The Radiant

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sign of The Almighty. The Jyotirlingas are mentioned in Shiva Purana. The worship of the Shiva-

Linga originated from the famous hymn in the Atharva-Veda Samhitâ sung in praise of the Yupa-

Stambha, the sacrificial post. In that hymn, a description is found of the beginning- less and

endless Stambha or Skambha, and it is shown that the saidSkambha is put in place of the

eternal Brahman. Just as the Yajna(sacrificial) fire, its smoke, ashes, and flames, the Soma plant,

and the ox that used to carry on its back the wood for the Vedic sacrifice gave place to the

conceptions of the brightness of Shiva's body, his tawny matted hair, his blue throat, and the riding

on the bull of the Shiva, the Yupa-Skambha gave place in time to the Shiva-Linga. In the text Linga

Purana, the same hymn is expanded in the shape of stories, meant to establish the glory of the great

Stambha and the superiority of Shiva as Mahadeva. Central luminary is the linga and its field of

revolution is the yoni. The planets form a yoni or circle as they revolve around the Sun as the

linga, of the solar system, its central principle or axis. Yet the Sun itself is revolving around other

stars and creating a yoni. Some view the linga as the black hole where everything is annihilated

and new creation of pillar of light is generated around which all the gases and masses revolve.).

OTHER NAMES OF SHIVA: also known as Parameshwara (the Supreme God),] Mahadeva,

Mahesh("Great God") or Bholenath ("Simple Lord"). Shiva is also regarded as the patron god of

yoga and arts. Other popular names associated with Shiva are Mahadev, Mahesh, Maheshwar,

Shankar, Shambhu, Rudra, Har, Trilochan, Devendra (meaning Chief of the Gods) and Trilokinath

(meaning Lord of the three realms).

Shiva also has many benevolent and fearsome forms.

In benevolent aspects>, he is depicted as an omniscient Yogi who lives an ascetic life on Mount

Kailash, as well as a householder with wife Parvati and two sons, Ganesha & Kartikeya or as the

Cosmic-Dancer. In fierce aspects>, he is often depicted slaying demons. Shiva as we know him

today shares features with the Vedic god Rudra.

Shiva's form: Shiva has a crescent moon on his head. He is said to be fair like camphor/moon or

like an ice clad mountain. Has golden brown hair. Ummm… He has deer, fire and Damaru and Mala

or a kind of weapon trishul. He wears five serpents as ornaments. He wears a garland of skulls. He is

pressing with his feet the demon Muyalaka, a dwarf, holding a cobra. He faces south. Panchakshara

itself is his body.

The trident>, like almost all other forms in Hinduism, can be understood as the symbolism of the

unity of three worlds that a human faces - his inside world, his immediate world, and the broader

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overall world with hell, heaven, earth. Can be three Gunas— Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. At the base of

the trident, all three forks unite. It also represents using bhakti, jnan and karma in a united manner

to kill negative forces.

Third eye: (Trilochana) Shiva> is often depicted with a third eye, with which he burned Desire

(Kāma) to ashes. It is also “eye of truth & wisdom/insight”. Name is "Tryambakam” "having three

eyes". However, in Vedic Sanskrit, the word ambā or ambikā means "mother", and this early

meaning of the word is the basis for the translation "three mothers” refers to Rudra, which

according to some traditions were shared with the goddess Ambikā. It has been mentioned that

when Shiva loses his temper badly, his third eye opens which can destroy most of the things to

ashes. Shiva two eyes are Love and justice. There has been balance between sentimental and

harhness whenever dealing with the world. But when things get chaotic, then the third eye of

wisdom and knowledge is opened to destroy passion and ignorance.

Crescent moon>: (The epithets "Chandrasekhara/Chandramouli")- Shiva bears on his head the

crescent moon. The waxing and waning phenomenon of the moon symbolizes the time cycle

through which creation evolves from the beginning to the end. The wearing of the crescent moon in

his head indicates that He has controlled the mind perfectly.

Ashes, digambara: (The epithet "Bhasmaanga Raaga") - Shiva smears his naked (digambara) body

with ashes (bhasma). Ashes represent the final reality that a human being will face - the end of all

material existence. One epithet for Shiva is "inhabitant of the cremation ground"

(Shmashanavasin), referring to this connection. Ashes also cools and protects body.

Matted hair: (The epithet "Jataajoota Dhari/Kapardina"). A kaparda is a cowrie shell, or a braid of

hair in the form of a shell, or, more generally, hair that is shaggy or curly. His hair is said to be like

molten gold in color or being yellowish-white.

Blue throat: The epithet Nīlakaṇtha since Shiva drank the Halahala poison churned up from the

Samudra Manthan to eliminate its destructive capacity. Shiva drank but did not swallow or spit out

the poison. He held it and it became ornamental. This personifies that whoever is able to go through

all experiences of life and still do not become bitter, will be happy and at peace like Shiva. Only

great people will be able to swallow all poison of life !

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Sacred Ganges: (The epithet "Gangadhara") Bearer of Ganga. The ferocious Ganges River was

controlled and flows from the matted hair of Shiva. The flow of the Ganges also represents the

nectar of immortality/knowledge that keeps us cool and nurtured.

Tiger skin: (The epithet "Krittivasana").He is often shown seated upon a tiger skin an honour

reserved for the most accomplished of Hindu ascetics, the Brahmarishis. Tiger represents lust. His

sitting on the tiger’s skin indicates that He has conquered lust.

Serpents: (The epithet "Nagendra Haara"). Shiva is often shown garlanded with a snake. The snake

holds poison and sheds its skin to make way for new, smooth skin. Shiva can handle poison of life

and have renewal of new life. (Immortality). Also serpent and tiger fear creates fear. Shiva is

fearless. He has the moom+ganges+damru that are calming+nurturing while

serpent+trishul+snakes+tiger and fearful things. Shiva holds contradictory things also in control.

Deer in hand: His holding deer on one hand indicates that He has removed the Chanchalata of the

mind (i.e., attained maturity and firmness in thought process). A deer jumps from one place to

another swiftly, similar to the mind moving from one thought to another.

Drum/dumru: Instrument of music, which sounds like OM. It is also considered source of

calmness and flow of knowledge. An hour glass that time passes and then repeats itself.

Axe: (Sanskrit: Parashu): The parashu is the weapon of Lord Shiva who gave it to Parashurama,

sixth Avatar of Vishnu, whose name means "Rama with the axe" and also taught him its mastery.

Axe cuts things (cuts bonds and entanglements).

Kamandal:Has the life in it.

Earing Right ear small & Left ear Large: Shows he is combination of make+female in equalifty.

Sati first wife and parvati 2nd wife are shown always with shiva. There is Ardhnareeswar

Ardhanarishvara reconciles and harmonizes the two conflicting ways of life: the spiritual way of the

ascetic as represented by Shiva, and the materialistic way of the householder as symbolized by

Parvati, This shows that truth is not available from either male or female side. Truth of life needs

both approaches; ration and intuition, emotion and action, moon and sun, introspection and action

Nandī: (The epithet "Nandi Vaahana"). Shiva's association with cattle is reflected in his name

Paśupati, or Pashupati . Rishabha or the bull represents Dharma Devata. Lord Siva rides on the bull.

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Bull is his vehicle. This denotes that Lord Siva is the protector of Dharma, is an embodiment of

Dharma or righteousness.

Gaṇa: The Gaṇas are attendants of Shiva and live in Kailash. They are often referred to as the

bhutaganas, or ghostly hosts, on account of their nature. Generally benign, except when their lord is

transgressed against, they are often invoked to intercede with the lord

Mount Kailāsa: Mount Kailash in the Himalayas is his traditional abode.[111] In Hindu mythology,

Mount Kailāsa is conceived as resembling a Linga, representing the center of the universe•

Varanasi: Varanasi (Benares) is considered to be the city specially loved by Shiva, and is one of the

holiest places of pilgrimage in India. It is referred to, in religious contexts, as Kashi.

Lord of the dance: Dance is an important art form in India, and Shiva is believed to be the master

of it. He is often called the Lord of Dance. The rhythm of dance is a metaphor for the balance in the

universe which Shiva is believed to hold so masterfully. His most important dance is the Tandav.

This is the cosmic dance of death, which he performs at the end of an age, to destroy the universe.

There is an interesting legend behind the conception of Shiva as Nataraja. In a dense forest in

South India, there dwelt multitudes of heretical sages. Thither proceeded Shiva to confute them,

accompanied by Vishnu disguised as a beautiful woman. The sages were at first led to violent

dispute amongst themselves, but their anger was soon directed against Shiva, and they endeavored

to destroy him by means of incantations. A fierce tiger was created in sacrificial fires, and rushed

upon him; but smiling gently, he seized it and, with the nail of his little finger, stripped off its skin,

and wrapped it about himself like a silken cloth. Undiscouraged by failure, the sages renewed their

offerings, and produced a monstrous serpent, which however Shiva seized and wreathed about his

neck like a garland. Then he began to dance; but there rushed upon him a last monster in the shape

of a malignant dwarf. Upon him the god pressed the tip of his foot, and broke the creature’s back, so

that it writhed upon the ground; and so, his last foe prostrate, Shiva resumed the dance.

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Symbolism of Vishnu

Vishnu, considered the most patient, intelligent of the trinity has been symbolized in a very special way.

He has four arms like many of the other gods in this pantheon. He is represented with a blue skin, he is

shown wearing the Kaustubha mani and a flower garland. On his chest there is a mark of srivatsa. He

also has crown like all other gods (exceptions exists) in vedic civilization. He also wears two earrings. He

is always shown having the

1. Conch (Panchajanya ) in left upper hand

2. Chakra (Sudarshan) in upper right hand

3. Mace (kaumodaki) in left lower hand

4. Lotus (Padma) in right lower hand

He is sometimes shown standing Upright with Laksmi on a lotus. He is also shown reclined on the

Sesha Naaga/Ananta naaga , with Lakshmi and the sesha naaga resting on the Ksheer Saagar (Ocean

of milk), Here Brahma is shown sitting on the lotus which came out of Vishnu’s Navel. Another way

this divinity is represented is while flying the Garuda.

Vishnu : The name itself means the “All pervading one”, so he literally means everything that exists,

this is nothing but one of the attribute of Brahman. Vishnu in technical sense is nothing but the space

that exists, so he is the one who manifests space in the void or is the space itself. One, who supports,

preserves, sustains and governs the universe and originates and develops all elements within.

Vishvarupa which is beyond the ordinary limits of human perception or imagination.

Blue Skin: He is shown with a blue skin, the reason is simple, he is the representation of Ether, so he has

to be blue, the color of sky -- water-filled clouds --.

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Kaustubha Mani: He is the owner of the most precious of material possessions anyone can have, this is

just another way to say that human life is not only about spirituality but also about materialism, or the

dualism of “being the everything” and still having material possession.

Kaustubham is the most shiny jewell and was known to cause greed in everyone except Vishnu. It is also

where Lakshmi(Consort of Vishnu) resides.

Srivatsa mark: This mark is present on the chest, where Laksmi resides, venerating the goddess. Means

“Endless knot”.

Crown: This is just to reinforce that he is “The Lord”.

Earrings: He is shown wearing two earrings. This represents the extreme opposites, like knowledge and

ignorance, pleasure and pain. He is the source of everything, the good and bad etc.

Panchajanya (Conch): This is the conch, which is the source of creation. Panchajanya represents the five

basic elements of universe, (air, water, space, fire, earth), thus reinforcing itself to be the source of

origin. It can also be said that this conch is used to sustain the universe by creating vibration of life. It

symbolizes continuous creation like the conch’s spirals. Or scientifically speaking The Vishnu (Space) has

created the vibration of creation (symbolizing the self created universe).

Sudarshana Chakra: This weapon is a Chakra (spinning disk-like super weapon with 108 serrated edges

discus) which symbolizes Purity of mind. Su-Darshan means good/superior vision. This chakra has been

used many a time by Vishnu to destroy the demons, The Chakra as such cannot destroy, in fact its name

suggests that it was used to destroy only the ego or bad element of the entities and provide a Superior

vision to him towards Spirituality. Represents also keeper-owner of the celestial bodies and heavens

that is in continuous motion. Collectively means the one which is mobile= dynamic equilibrium and

motion/change. Ultimate weapon to eliminate the enemy of law, order and preservation

Kaumodaki Mace: This represents destructive nature of the god. It symbolizes the destruction of egos

and negative traits or even the destruction of universe itself.

Padma Lotus: The lotus represents Awakening consciousness and in hands of Vishnu it means that to

awaken our consciousness we have to understand Vishnu or Vishnu is the source of individual

awakening.

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Vishnu reclined on the Shesha naaga. Shesha Naaga is a representation of time. Shesha means

remaining; shesha naga refers to the time remaining after each creation cycle, which is always Infinity.

The other name of shesha naga is Ananta naga which means endless, thus saying that after each cycle

what is left is endless time. Vishnu (Space) reclined on Time is a perfect way to show the relation

between space and time. Space lying on the bed of time is a perfect analogy to our universe. This

whole setup is shown on the Ksheer sagar, or the ocean of milk, this could be a possible analogy to

Milky way as in Mayan civilization and also represent the Chaos outside universe (I know there is no

outside universe, this is the chaos before universe is created). This picture shows that universe (space

and time) is created or lies in the ocean of Chaos, and out of space and consciousness (Vishnu) the

Material creator (Brahma on the lotus from the navel of Vishnu) has come into existence. Brahma here

is not actually the God as such but the personification of creation process. Vishnu is not the creator but

Brahma is, but Brahma came out of Vishnu, this is a very subtle way of explaining the creation of

Universe. Initially came the space and time, and then came the material existence.

Vishnu is shown flying the Garuda. It is said that when Garuda flaps his wings a chanting sound of Vedas

is created, this in essence means that Garuda itself is the personification of knowledge. Also Garuda is a

strong enemy of snakes bringing him in a position against the Shesha naaga, in a way saying that

knowledge is superior to time(illusion) or ignorance. Vishnu being on both of them shows his mastery

over knowledge and his control on time.

Matsya (fish) ---saves Sage Manu from floods and recovers the Vedas from demons.

Kurma (tortoise) ---sustains the earth on his back.

•Varaha (boar) ---brings the earth back from the bottom of the ocean where it was dragged down by a

demon, known as Hiranyaksha; Varaha kills the demon.

•Narasimha (man-lion) ---kills the demon King Hiranyakashipu, who was planning to kill his own son, a

devotee of Lord Vishnu.

•Vamana (dwarf) ---the first human incarnation of the Lord, kills the demon King Mahabhali, who had

deprived the gods of their possessions.

•Parasurama (the warrior with an axe) ---saves Brahmins from the tyranny of the arrogant Kshatriyas.

•Rama---kills Ravana, the demon king of Lanka.

•Sri Krishna---the most popular incarnation; Krishna's contributions throughout his life include the

teachings of the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna.

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•Buddha---Hindus consider Buddha as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and accept his teachings, but do

not directly worship him. Some believe Balarama is also part of Lord Vishnu

•Kalkin (a man on a white horse) ---this incarnation is yet to come and will mark the end of all evil in the

world.

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