RUDRANAAM SHANKARAS CA ASMI

By: Swami Geeta Mateshwari.

Lord Sri Krishna in verse 23 of chapter 10 nature. The Shivaling is the symbol of a while detailing a few of His Vibhootis to source of light. On this day, this light Arjuna tells that: “of the , I am appeared as ordained by Lord . The Shankara.” There are eleven Rudras:- beginning and the end of this light could 1. Aja not be ascertained by Lord or Lord 2. Ekpada Brahma. It was then that Lord Shiva or 3. Ahirbudhna Mahadeva appeared before them and told 4. Pinaki them that He had brought forth this light. It 5. Aparajita shall be known and worshipped as 6. Triambak Shivalinga. This day shall be known as 7. Nisha Maha Shivaratri. 8. Shambhu or Shankara 9. Haran “That devotee who with devotion will 10. Ishwara observe fast on this day and worship Me 11. Kapi four times, he will be able to obtain the merits of performing worship for the Of the eleven Rudras, the one known as whole year and in the end, come directly to Shankara is the Lord Himself. Shankara my loka. Nobody will dare to stop him.” means that who provides welfare and The festival of Maha Shivaratri is peace. performed ever since.

In the heart of Lord Shankara resides Lord Lord Shankara is known by various other Vishnu and in the heart of Lord Vishnu names. A few of them are Bholenath, resides Lord Shankara. The person who Mahadeva, Deva of Devas, Shambhu, speaks ill of either Lord Shankara or Lord Bholebaba, Jatadhari, Gangadhari, Shiva, Vishnu resides in hell till the time there is Trishuladhaari, Damruwala, etc. Each and the existence of the sun and the moon. A every name of His can be explained in a devout wife has the right to praise her beautiful way. husband but she does not have the right to abuse another woman’s husband. In the The trefoil leaf of bilva tree is very dear to same manner, you have the right to praise Lord Shiva. Goddess Lakshmi resides in the glory of your beloved Lord but you this leaf. Lord Shiva is adorned by three certainly cannot speak ill regarding any horizontal lines on the forehead and also other deity. There may be many names and the trefoil bilva leaf is loved by the Lord. forms of the Lord. Yet there can be only The root cause of creation can be one Supreme Lord. It is like our bodies are understood in the forms of the three Lords: all different but the soul is one. Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Mahesha. They may be thought to be of The holy festival of Maha Shivaratri is three Gunas, three functions, three ages, celebrated in the month of Phalgun, on the three situations and three bodies. The fourteenth day of the dark moon. The trefoil bilva leaf, in any form even glory of performing worship to Lord powdered, if offered to Lord Shiva, then Shankara on this day is of the highest He is very pleased. If a four leaved bilva leaf is offered, it is even better; offering In the durbar of Lord Shiva, many five leaved or six leaved one multiplies the opposing forces are there but in full unity. effect much more. One is able to get the The lion and bull are opposite of each fulfilment of one’s desires by offering this other. The snake and the mouse are leaf on Lord Shiva. opposites. The snake and the peacock are also opposites. Yet there is no cause for Rudraksh, the holy bead is the form of the friction. Hence Lord Shiva is telling us Lord Shiva Himself. Rudraksha is a that there may be different types of combination of and Aksha. Rudra individual constituting a family even then, means Lord Shiva. Aksha means, eyes. It they should all live together with love. so happened that once Lord Shiva was They should not oppose one another. Lord sitting in meditation. Suddenly when he Krishna has also said in the Gita opened His eyes, teardrops fell from His “Sarvabhoota hitey rathah”. eyes. Trees cropped up from the places where these teardrops had fallen. Lord The Jiva is liberated upon reciting and Shankara than transplanted them to realising Shiva. different places. The Rudrakshas are of varied types from one faced to many Worship of Lord Shiva is particularly faceted ones. The person who wears the beneficial during the month of Shravan, Rudraksha assumes the personality of just after Guru Purnima. A person who Lord Shiva. worships Lord Shiva for one month continuously from the 3rd day of Chaitre The spirits run away at the sight of the month, then he will realise his desire. An Rudraksha. Poverty is also banished and unmarried girl wishing for a suitable the person is free from diseases. husband can do this puja and it is very effective. The same puja was done by Lord Shiva travels on His bull called Goddess Parvati as directed by Narad Nandi. Nandi represents . He is Muni. One has to offer jal (water), milk celibacy personified. His horns are and bilva leaf for the whole month. Food symbols of forgiveness. His ears represent should be taken only once during the equanimity. Belief in God is represented in whole day. his eyes. Faith is his mind and intellect. Lord Shankar is called Bhole Nath, that is Mother Parvati rides on the Lion. Lion a very simple Lord. He is very easily represents power. Mother Parvati Herself satisfied with the shraddha offered by the is supremely powerful and therefore, has devotee. Those who are dedicated to Lord chosen the lion as her mode of travel. Krishna can also worship Lord Shankara because Lord Krishna has said that among Lord Ganapati’s vehicle is the mouse. the Rudras, I am Shankara

The vehicle of Lord is the – “Rudranam Shankaras cha asmi.” peacock.