Dancing in Trance: Anbe Shiva

I have always been fascinated by Shiva. His many forms, his varied personality, and the deep philosophical insights have always drawn me in his presence. My first understanding of the concept of Shiva was from the quote “Neti, Neti” as in not this, not this (as in the Brahman). It teaches us that we should not attach ourselves to any particular idea or belief about Shiva. He is beyond all our limited understanding. We should strive to experience him directly, through meditation and other spiritual practices. This is also found in Bhagavat Gita.

I have random thoughts about & off-of & inspired from him. I am putting in words, some of these in the same chaotic fashion (although all are entangled lovingly in some sense in my experiential mind, hard to put in words though) in which they have been flying in my brain lately.

Starting with the ultimate sense of joy, passion & enlightenment as I have known it, the pure sensory pleasure of dancing, the ballet, the jog, the sway, the acceleration choreographed in any way & style to a strong of notes that we call as dancing. Shiva is the embodiment of the divine dance of life. He is the rhythm of the universe, and he is the source of all creativity and transformation.

He being the ultimate rockstar who taught us the pure joy of rhythmic movement. And one of the interesting forms of Shiva, immersed in his cosmic dance as Moksha Natraj called the Thalai Keel Tandav is a transitional dance pose which is represented in an upside-down position (depicted below). In this eternal cosmic dance of existence, I find myself entwined with the essence of Shiva, the eternal consciousness that pervades the universe.

Then we come to absolute standstill, and thoughts emerge. Mine. I question. He does not answer. That answers a lot, for the journey to spirituality is a solo one.

First ques, I introspect on the concept of "Ritam" Vs "Satyam."

Ritam: In the depths of my contemplation, I realize that Ritam signifies the cosmic order and the law of nature (and not just the one on this earth alone but that which governs the observable universe, maybe beyond). It is the divine rhythm that orchestrates the dance of creation and destruction harmoniously.

Satyam: This represents the ultimate & unconditional truth, the timeless reality that transcends the cycles of birth and death and that which lies beyond the realm of appearances.

Consider a flowing river. The existence of the river is Satyam, flow is Ritam. One cannot exist in concept without the other as individuals.

“Satyam Ritam Brihat” is also the master trinity concept from Vedas on which Dharma emerged later. But now, once again revisiting the embrace of Shiva's cosmic dance, I perceive the harmony of Ritam and the eternal truth of Satyam intertwining seamlessly. Shiva is the embodiment of both, as the dancer who creates and sustains the universe, and he is the witness to the ultimate truth.

Second ques, from here I find myself slowly traverse the labyrinth of philosophical musings to find the distinction between "Mithya" and "Maaya."

Mithya: This denotes the illusory nature of the material world, the transient and impermanent manifestations that captivate our senses. This false reality that we perceive with our senses.

Maaya: On the contrary to Mithya, Maaya is the divine veil (perhaps the mandatory one created by the Adishakti as a prerequisite to being born), the cosmic illusion that conceals the ultimate reality from our limited perceptions. It is also the power of Shiva to create the world out of nothing.

In the meditative gaze upon Shiva's form, I witness the dance of Maaya transforming Mithya into a mere mirage, inviting me to seek the timeless truth beyond the fleeting appearances. Shiva is the master of both who will create the illusion of the world, witness to the ultimate truth that the world is an illusion and then destroy it ultimately. A beautiful play indeed.

This is the superficial, clueless & almost idiotic depth of my spiritual journey, which is why the call (for bhairava) of "mumuksha" resounds within my being. The yearning for liberation, the desire to break free from the cycle of birth and death, guides me towards the realization of the Self. As I chant the sacred mantra "Om Namah Shivaya," I surrender myself to the divine presence of Shiva, seeking liberation from the illusions that bind me. In my almost ironical obsession to understand Shiva (because one cannot understand energy & it has to be experienced with all sense of wonderment in absolute surrender), I encounter the wondrous forms that represent both the singular, partial, and dual aspects of the divine.

In Shiva's singular form (by the way which is Advaita or अद्वैत and not Ekatva or एकात्व as these are not the same concepts, although sometimes erroneously used interchangeably), I witness the cosmic stillness, the pure consciousness that lies beyond all dualities.

Shiva in singular form represents the ultimate reality, the oneness that underlies all diversity. In the dual forms (Dvaita or द्वैत) of Ardhanarishvara and Nataraja, I find the inseparable union of Shiva+Shakti as it represents the male and female principles, the complementary forces that create and sustain the universe.

Lastly, Vishishtadvaita (partial forms which is mostly also a concept used to represent & pray Shiva in forms in South India) is qualified monism, where God alone exists, but it admits plurality of souls. It is to represent the many manifestations of the divine in the world. He is both the Vairagi as well as the Homebody and a family person. This being a more simplified explanation for people to find realistic closeness, understanding & embody his essence & blessings in their world.

Nevertheless, Shiva – My Shiva, Anbe Shiva ! In his embrace, my soul reverberates as I dance in trance when I am meditative in his chants.

अहं ब्रह्मास्मि ! ॐ नमः शिवाया ! शिवोऽहम् !

(Aham Bramhasmi, Om Namaha Shivaya, Shivohum)

May you also surrender your control, your ego, your illusions/delusions & experience this pure joy of dancing with Shiva.

 I leave you with this quote on Shiva tattva :

शिवतत्त्वं विदित्वाऽसौ शिवो भूयाद्भवेन्नृपः।

शिवमिच्छेद्विषज्जीवः शिवस्याऽस्ति पराभवः॥

Literal Translation: "One who knows the essence of Shiva becomes Shiva himself. A being who desires to be Shiva but despises others is doomed."

Practical Meaning: Understanding & embodying the qualities of Shiva, such as compassion, love, and detachment, can lead to spiritual transformation. On the other hand, those who seek to be like Shiva but lack compassion towards others will suffer in ignorance.

Need I Say anything now ? Once more … Anbe Shiva !

Disclaimer : All images used in this blog have been sourced from the internet