Why do we adore Shiva sitting in meditation with ash covering his body? Just to remind us that everything is ash. This body is ash and it will become ash. That is the symbolism of vibhuti, to remind us that we are dust and nothing else.
The body that we call ‘I’ is actually just a pile of dust. When we pray and offer ourselves to Shiva, we cannot forget that everything belongs to the Supreme. Our bodies will go through the furnace, through fire, then where are all our possessions, knowledge and other acquisitions? The spirit will go on in another body; it will carry on in other spheres to grow, advance, to look for the Divine. Shiva is a great Yogi who is seated within each of us. That is why we say Shivoham, we identify our Self with Shiva. These are not mere words. When we say Aham Brahmasmi, it means we are Divine. I do not say ‘I am God.’ I say ‘I am Divine’ because that is the essence of human nature.
Each of us is Divine and when the external identity is dissolved, the true, Divine identity of what we really are, reveals itself. Shiva is always seated in meditation to represent that the mind has to calm itself. As long as the mind is wandering, there will be misery.
But when we have learnt to calm the mind and surrender it to the Supreme, then He can reveal Himself. That’s the essence of Mahashivaratri — to surrender your mind. Focus it on God. Chant the Divine Name. The three cosmic energies, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, are the three cosmic energies of creation, protection and destruction. These energies create balance in the universe and these are ever-present inside us. We have so much inside us; yet, we are only looking outside.
Only when we look inside, when we forget our body, mind, chores and worries, and sincerely say to Shiva to cleanse our Self so that we can realise Him in each moment, we can understand the meaning of our existence. ■
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