Shiva Stotra-Kanada

Shaila Girishwara – Further Reading

Shiva stotra

Shiva is the facet of the Divine representing the power of disintegration and dissolution (laya).

Both Vishnu and Shiva represent the one ultimate universal. He is ‘Vairagya’ aspect –completest no attachment, the Lord who has perfected the Cosmos by His own will does not crave for a fraction of His own creation. Shiva-auspicious-Mangala. He renders to ashes Manmatha or the six passions in man, viz., Moha, Lobha, Mada, Matsarya, Kama and Krodha.

Kailasa Rana – Lord of the Abode of Light, Purity and Bliss. Chandramouli – Adorned by the moon. We have every month a Shivaratri dedicated to worship of Shiva. The night is dominated by the moon. The moon has 16 phases. Each day it wanes, a fraction is reduced until it is annihilated on New Moon night.

The waning of the moon is the symbol for the waning of the mind; for the mind has to be controlled, reduced and finally destroyed. All Sadhana is directed towards hid end. Every day during the dark half of the month, the moon, symbolically its counterpart in man the mind, wanes and a fraction is diminished. Its power declines and finally, on the 14th night, i.e Chaturdasi there is just a wee bit left. If a little extra effort is made that day by the Sadhaka even that little bit can be wiped off and “Manonigraha” completed. The night should be spent in Japa and Dhyana of shiva Upavasa and vigil without thought of food and sleep.

Fanindra Matha – the raised hood of a cobra. Symbolism of the serpent. Serpent represents Kundlini Shakthi with its six chakras and Sahasrara (the raise hood). Subramanyam, as the serpent is worshipped in the temples. The serpent is the symbol of the vital spiritual energy that lies dormant in the nerve centres of man, waiting to be awakened and used for uplift.

Significance of bull

Shiva’s vehicle is symbol of Santana Dharma standing on the four legs of Sathya, Dharma, Shanti and prema. Shambho “Swayambhu”. None has created him Femine derivative is Shanbhavi Shiva is the Vairagya aspect. The Lord who has projected the Cosmos by His own will does not crave for a fraction of his own creation.

Significance of Damaru

Shiva is accessible through audible praise and song.

Significance of Trident

He is the Master of Past, Present and Future and takes responsibility for the same of his Bhaktas. Significance of the third eye. It is the eye of wisdom. The Lord is ‘Sarvajna’ and ’sarvassakshi’. He visualises the past, present and future.

Karunya Sindu

The Lord is ‘Karunya sindu’. The grace of the Lord is as the ocean, vast, limitless. By your Sadhana, your Japa, Dhyana and systematic cultivation of virtues, the grace is converted in to clouds and they rain on the Sadhaka as Showers of Prema, which form streams and rivers of Ananda.

The Lord is ‘Bhava Dukha Haari’

You know the Garuda bird fees on snakes. Well, once the garuda of Vishnu went to Kailash to pay his respects to Lord Shiva, who wears snakes around his neck, arms, wrists, waist and ankles. When the snakes saw the Garuda, they were unafraid, they even dared to put out their forked tongues at Garuda and challenged it to come near them. That was the extent of the courage lent to them by the association with the Lord. So when we are close to God by regular prayer and by obeying His teachings, no worry or grief or fear can harm us.

[Source : Sri Sathya Sai Balvikas Guru Handbook]