Shiva - The Supreme Divine Master
    
by Gregorian Bivolaru

Shiva, the power of dissolution that brings multiplicity to primordial unity, presides the different paths that liberate the individual soul (jivatma) from the conditionings of the incarnated existence and re-unifies it with the original Source, Paramatman.

He is considered the teacher of the four disciplines that lead to the union with the Ultimate Reality:

metaphysical knowledge (jnana), the science of language, music and Yoga, or the experimental method. Shiva, the Divine Guru, is known as Dakshinamurti, “The one facing South”, as the myth says that he was facing South when he revealed these teachings to the rishis, the ancient wise-men.

Consequently, Shiva is “the chosen divinity” (ishtadevata) of the yogis. Yoga – dakshinamurti presents him exposing the science of yoga, sitting in a yoga posture (often svastikasana), or with one leg supported by a meditation belt (yoga-patta). He is himself the archetype of the yogi (Mahayogi), represented by a nude ascetic, “dressed in space” (digambara), with the body covered with ashes, with braided hair (jatamandala), and practicing severe austerities, immobile and centred within Himself.
In the same time, this Ineffable is the source from where comes every existence, the power that sustains every existence and the end in which every existence is resorbed (janmadyasya vatah); this means that he posses the three functions of creation, preservation and dissolution of the phenomenal world.

In the following, we will present you a few meaningful Indian stories that reveal the master-disciple relationship between Shiva and His devoted worshippers and the way in which Shiva, as the Absolute, takes any form or shape in order to guide His true devotees towards the supreme communion with Him.

Published by Natha.net