Lord Shiva and Pa Varg, by Ravi Kiran
The pa varga in Devanagari script(pa fa ba bha ma) has an interesting property. Each letter involves opening one’s mouth. An even more interesting link involves Lord Shiva; each letter of the pa varga is related to one of Shiva’s aspects. A shloka in his praise goes thus:
paarvatii phaNi baalendu bhasma mandaakinii yutaa |
apavarga pradaa muurtiH kathaM syaat.h tava shaMkara ||
(phaNi = snake, baala = child, indu = moon, bhasma = ashes, mandAkinI = River Ganga, yuta = equipped with, apavarga = heaven(liberation), pradA (from pra+dA, to give) = one that bestows, mUrti = idol, kathaM = how, syAt = may be)
The meaning of this shloka is : shiva ! Your form is full of pa varga. (Parvati, phaNi, bAlendu, bhasma and mandAkinI). How shall that form attached to these things be the bestower of apavarga (mokSha)?
What does the reference to the letters of pa varga mean here? Let us look at the letters one by one:
pa: pa stands for Parvati. In Hindu scriptures, Parvati is the very embodiment of love and affection for husband. It is this trait of hers that made Lord Shiva merge into her and be known as ardha-nareshwar (eshwar as one half of parvati).
pha: pha stands for “phan” or hood. Lord Shiva is typically depicted with a snake wrapped around his neck with its hood upright. An interesting interpretation exists for this. In our day-to-day life, we meet many negative-minded or harmful personalities. Often, we cannot shut our eyes and imagine they will go away. Sometimes they have to be picked up and carried along too, however disturbing their personality and habits are. In the course of time, it is quite possible that their behavior will undergo a transformation, so much so that they can be carried along agreeably — as calmly as Lord Shiva carries the snake on his neck!
ba: ba stands for “baalendu.” It refers to the moon near Lord Shiva’s forehead. This moon is supposed to represent the moon on the second day after amavasya (new moon day). This day is considered extremely auspicious by Hindus. Therefore, Lord Shiva also brings along with him an element of auspiciousness. Moreover, just as baalendu blossoms into full-moon, we too must strive hard to do more auspicious work as that would help us to transform us. Extending the cyclical nature of moon’s appearance increasing up to the full-moon day, we need to learn and do more every day.
bha: bha refers to bhasma or the ashes that Lord Shiva is smeared with. Typically ash is applied to the forehead and is considered holy. This attribute of Lord Shiva instructs us to become so pious and pure that people treat us with the same holiness — so much even the ashes we become one day become holy for this world.
ma: ma refers to Mandakini, another name for the holy river Ganga. Lord Shiva is also depicted as the primal origin of Ganga, holding her atop his head. Hindus all over believe that a dip in the waters of this river results in all their accumulated sins being washed away. This attribute of Lord Shiva enjoins us to have the transforming character of Ganga so that just by coming into contact with us, everyone changes for the better.
More generally, the family of Lord Shiva presents a fascinating picture of harmonious coexistence among entities commonly regarded as natural foes in the animal world. Parvati’s vahana (vehicle) is the Lion, yet we have Nandi (the Bull) accompanying Shiva. Similarly, the vehicles of Murugan and Vinayaka are the peacock and rat. These are present along with the snake on Lord Shiva’s neck. This interesting connection along with the above shloka is but a small example of the deep and mystic connections that remain to be unearthed and understood in Hinduism.
Shloka reference: http://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_z_misc_subhaashita/subhaashhita_kedar.itx
Image reference: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parvati
Ravi Kiran is a software architect at Honda Research Institute, Mountain View, CA. He can be contacted at ravika@gmail.com
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May 1st, 2008 13:47
Beautiful! Excellent!
Well Done Ravi
May 2nd, 2008 10:52
Shiva etc have nothing to do with Hindu religion. There was no mention about Shiva in the Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagwat Gita.
Shiva comes from Purana, which is not religion as such.
May 2nd, 2008 15:14
(This is addressed to the above poster, “A.Moron”)
How can you claim that Shiva is not part of the Hindu religion, just because he does not appear in 3 scriptures. The beauty of Hindu dharma is the numerous and diverse scriptures, all of which are respected equally. You cannot claim that only certain scriptures are part of the Hindu fold and all others are not. Krishna does not appear until the Mahabharat…so according to your argument Krishna has nothing to do with Hinduism.
That being said, Rudra does appear as a deity in the Vedas.
May 8th, 2008 13:39
actually that’s inaccurate, shiva is mentioned by krishna in the mahabharata and in the ramayana shiva is mentioned as granting boons to people for their tapas
May 29th, 2008 18:53
Tears of sadness fall from my eyes, having read the comments made by ‘A.Moron’. Loving soul, divine spirit of SOMAM, verily is the RUDRA and ISH’VARA. Shiva is the incarnate swaroop of ANTARA-LINGHAM. Cosmos is one lingham and if one understands the metaphysics of cosmos, one can then understand RUDRA and SOMAM. For the records, may I please be allowed to recite the mantra of hara, the tearful compassionate God that embraces us with utmost divine love in life hereafter.
“Aum namoh namah Shiva Shivaya Namaha Aum”
There is nothing beyond Shiva and there is nothing animate or inanimate that does not dissolve with Shiva. MahaDeva Shambhoonatha Hara’s mahamrutyunjaya mantra is:
“Aum Tryambhakam Yajamahe Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam Urvarukamiva Bandhanan Mrityor Mukshiya Maamritat. Aum Tat Sat.”
We worship the Three-eyed One (Lord Siva who is verily Rudra, Somam, IshVara); Who is beautiful divine fragrance and who nourishes well all beings.
May He liberate us from death for the sake of immortality, even as the cucumber is severed from bondage to the creeper.
MahaDeva ChidaAnanda’s [Rudra's] Vedic shloka is:
Na mrityur na shanka na jatibhedah; Pita naibo main naibo mata na janma
Na bandhurna mitrang gururnaibo shishyah,Sachchidanandarupa Shivohom Shivohom Na punyong na papong na shaukhyong na dukhong. Na mantro na tirtha na vedah na yagah. Ahang bhojanang naibo bhojyong na bhokta; Chidanandarupah Shivohom Shivohom Shivohum Shivohum Shivohum
I am beyond death, I am beyond doubts I am beyond divisions.No one is my father, none my mother, nor was I born. Neither brother nor friend, neither teacher nor pupil, I am only truth, ecstasy and consciousness, I am Shiva. I am Shiva I am Shiva..Nothing is sin for me, nothing is holy, sadness and happiness are not known to me I don’t need chanting, nor holy places, no Veda no yagna….I am neither food, nor do I eat nor am I the enjoyer of these…My abode is always a conscious happiness. In the hearts of loving souls…I am Shiva… I am Shiva I am verily the spirit of life……the atman….
My beloved devotees sing of glory of dharma and rejoice in the moment of death without fear:
Om Sat-Chit-Ananda Parabrahma; Purushothama Paramatma; Sri Bhagavathi Sametha; Sri Bhagavathe Namaha
One who recites this mantra at the time of death shall have honour from SHIVA, HARA, RUDRA, MAHADEVA, SHAMBHOO, BHOLENATHA, SOMAM, PURSHOTAM PARAMATMAN……
Bhagavan says: Shiva is the greatest bhakta of Cosmos, and nothing is more beloved to Bhagavan Narayan than Shiva…..Every avatar Vishnoo has on earth, Bhagavan says to Mata Laxshmeeji that Shiva shall accompany him like a mirror soul mate…….Bhagavan says one who says anything against my bhakta hurts me the most………..Hence one must never slay a bhakta, a yogi, a Parama_Guru Shiva.
The third aspect of the Supreme Being is the process of dissolution of all creation, a precursor to the fresh beginning of the process of creation. This aspect is represented by Lord Shiva - the third of the Hindu Trinity. He represents darkness or Tamas and is often called the angry God. Even though associated with destruction and dissolution, since Hinduism believes in the inevitability of creation following destruction, Shiva is also associated with being a cause of creation in ending karma and begining light of fire of life. As a result, the Linga or phallus is said to be his symbol - the symbol of regeneration. Shiva or Maheshwara is the Divine Lord and in him are concentrated the three energies of understanding (Gyana), the will (Ichha) and action (Kriya) - thus forming the fountainhead of all knowledge. The nature of Shiva as representing the entire cosmos has led to his having 1008
names in the various Hindu scriptures extending the Vedic concept of multiple forms of a single divine power. The Vedas do not mention Shiva as the name of the god in question - instead he is named Rudra - the lord of songs, sacrifices, nourishment, the healer of diseases and the provider of property. The Vishnu Purana (religious Hindu text) describes the origin of Lord Shiva. It says that Brahma was initially unsuccessful in his attempts of creation. He meditated for a child, after which a child sprang forth from his forehead and divided itself into a male and female part. The male part started crying inconsolably. On being asked the reason for crying the child said it did not have a name, at which, Brahma named him Rudra - which also means the one who howls. However Brahma had to give him seven more names - for the seven more times that the child cried, giving Shiva his eight forms: Rudra, Sharva, Bhava, Ugra, Bhima, Pashupati, Ishana, and Mahadeva.
The Shiva Purana then goes on to describe how each of these names is associated with an element - the earth, water, fire, wind, sky, a yogi called Kshetragya, the sun, and the moon respectively. The female part of the child born from Brahma’s forehead is believed to be Parvati -Shiva’s eternal consort.
SHIVA-SHAKTI MERGED IN ONE after an extraordinary confluence of tandav, music, and karmic dance is known as ARDHENARESHVARA EISHVARA. ShivaShakti is the basis of life, pranna, KARMA, dharma, artha, kaama, moksha. Shiva-Shakti is the essence of understanding imperfect human life.
June 1st, 2008 17:48
WHAT JOTIKAR PATTNI WRITES MAKES AN INSPIRTING AND WONDERFUL PEACE OF WISDOM TO READ, REREAD, AND TRANSMIT ALL OVER THE WORLD TO FRIENDS AND FOES ALIKE, HINDUS, MUSLIMS OR CHRISTIANS, WHOEVER HAS THE MIND TO GRASP THE ETERNAL MESSAGE OF HINDU SANATANA DHARMA, THE EXISTENCE OF WHICH, LEAVE ALONE THE VEDAS AND PURANAS, BUT THE LIFE REFLECTS FROM BEYOND THE TIME OF MOHENJODARO AND HARAPPA, WHERE THE CREATIVE SPIRIT OF THE COSOMOS IS EXPRESSED AS PASHUPATI, A DWELLER AMONG THE NATURAL AND ANIMAL KINGDOM SHOWN AROUND HIM AS PASHUS, PLANTS (PRIKRITI) AND OTHER SYMBOLS OF CREATION. SHIVA DOES NOT NEED A PROOF OF HISTORY OR MYTH. HE IS THE COSMOS, PREMORDIAL BREATH. BHARAT REVERBERATES WITH HIS SPIRIT WITH HIS PRESENCE FELT OVER THE HILLTOPS, IN THE VALLEYS, RIVERS AND DESERTS. IF ONE HAS EYES TO SEE YOU WILL SEE HIM, FEEL HIM DISSOLVE IN HIM! namah shivaya.
OM
June 4th, 2008 20:42
This is regarding the above letter by A.Moron. Your statement that Shiva etc have nothing to do with Hindu religion is erroneous & misleading. The trinity consisting of Brahma(different from Brahman), Vishnu & Shiva has existed as long as Sanathana Dharma or Hinduism has existed.
The Vedas & Upanishads lay emphasis on Brahman or supreme soul, absolute being, supreme consciousness, or supreme intelligence as the origin & source of all creation & the universe as we see it (Hence Hindus believe only in ONE God & not millions of Gods). Brahman(It) is beyond all names, forms, gunas etc. There are three aspects to (It), Sristhi, Sthithi & Samhar or creation, sustenance, dissolution and everything in nature undergoes these three states except for our Atma which is part of Paramatma or supreme soul. The names attached to these three aspects are Brahma(different from Brahman), Vishnu & Shiva. Shiva aspect is part of dissolution of creation(The ashes are symbolic of the same).
So to say that Shiva was not part of Hinduism is wrong.
Vishveshvaraya Mahadevaya Tryambakaya
Tripurantakaya Trikagni\-Kalaya Kalagnirudraya
Nilakanthaya Mrutyu.Njayaya Sarveshvaraya
Sadashivaya Shrimanmahadevaya
June 4th, 2008 20:45
I forgot to add that some other names of Shiva are:
Vishveshvara, Mahadeva, Tryambaka,
Tripurantaka, Trikagni-Kala, Kalagnirudra,
Nilakantha, Mrutyumjaya, Sarveshvara,
Sadashiva, Shrimanmahadeva etc.
July 9th, 2008 08:37
A.Moron, does anyone notice that it’s obviously a troll?
Moron means stupid in colloquial English, so I think this guy just enjoys going around stirring troubles in forums such as this one.