The Shiva Purana, one of the major texts of the eighteen Puranas is considered to be the holy scriptures of the Hindus. The Shiva Purana was completely ascribed to the Hindu God Shiva or Maheshwar. The Shiva Purana is the compilation of the instructions provided by Lord Shiva on Dharma sitting in the posture of linga (phallus). This Purana concerns about the twenty-eight forms of lord Shiva and contains 11,000 verses depicting the deeds of the Hindu god Shiva. The common belief runs that if the book is given as a gift to a Brahmin with tiladhenu on the full-moon day in the month of Phalguna (March), the donor will attain Shivasayujya.
The chief subjects with which the Shiva Purana deals with are the glory of Lord Nrismhadeva, Janardhana, the story of Ambarisha; the glories of Gayatri etc.
The Shiva Purana essentially depicts the appearance of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is reckoned as one among the Tridevas (trinity). The Shiva Purana depicts the eternal truth that Brahma is the creator, Lord Vishnu is the preserver and Lord Shiva is the destroyer. According to the Shiva Purana, the Lord Shiva is also considered as the lord of Shakti or power.
The omnipresence of Lord Shiva is illustrated by a shlok in the Shiva Purana. The Shlok runs like this:
Vamange chavibhati bhudharasutadevayagamastake
Bhale bala vidhurgale cha garalam yasyorasivyalamta
Soayamam bhuti vibhushanah sura
Varamsarvadhiyah sarvada,
Sharvah savagaiah shivam shashinimah
Shri shankarh shatumam
The meaning of the above shlok is also enumerated, while the original text was translated by the eminent scholars. It means that Lord Shiva who has on his left side mother Parvati, who has the Ganges and the moon on his forehead, who has poison in the throat and cobras on the chest, such an omnipresence greater than the gods, Lord Shiva may protect the entire mortal world.
However this scriptural form of the Shiva Purana can be considered with a scientific view. A thorough scientific outlook to the scriptural form of the Shiva Purana would led the common individual to understand what god wants to preach for the well being of the mortal worlds.
At the first step of the scientific consideration, the scholars have tried to endeavor the mystery that why Jagdamba Parvati is on the Left of Shiva. The lord of Shakti. After a methodical contemplation of the contemporary religious scriptures, the scholars have provided a satisfactory illustration of this mystery. According to Shiva Purana, Jagdamba Parvati is the form of power. Lord Shiva always keeps her on his left side because he himself remains in a state of tapasya (meditation). The left part of a male is always assumed inauspicious and the source of all trouble, on the other hand Parvati being the form of power is considered always auspicious. Hence, in order to destroy all inauspiciousness and obstacles, Lord Shiva keeps Parvati on his left side. Besides, Lord Shiva is himself a form of inauspiciousness as is illustrated by the shlok in the Shiva Purana. The Shlok runs like this:
Amangalyam sheelam tavabhavatu
Namaivamakhilam
Tathapi Smartrinama varada paramam mangamas
The meaning of the shlok as is defined by the scholars is that it is famous in the whole world that Lord Shiva is inauspicious, but a giver of all kinds of auspiciousness for those who remember him. This virtue is because of Parvati`s presence with him.
The implication of the presence of Goddess Parvati with Shiva is again defined in a shloka: "Naryastu yatra pujyante ramante Tatra Devatah". This means that is where the womenfolk are worshipped the gods stay there. Lord Shiva preaches the same to his devotees, that if they respect women, all the inauspiciousness, all hurdles would be removed automatically. The scientific perspective to the presence of Parvati illustrates that the womenfolk are the sole authority of power. To show them the proper respect is considered as offering worship to the God.
The second aspect is the presence of Mother Ganga on the head of lord Shiva. A scientific outlook is also approached to this aspect. The Ganges, the most sacred river in India, represents coolness, holiness and serenity. Lord Shiva holds her on his head, thus preaching to devotees that if they bear coolness, holiness and serenity in their head that would balance the mental equilibrium of the individual, thereby bringing peace. To achieve a complete state of equilibrium an individual should give up anger, envy and disturbances that haunt their minds, they will achieve all kinds of perfection and successes.
The New Moon on the forehead of Lord Shiva can be considered with a scientific perspective. The moon represents a shining but cool, celestial body. Lord Shiva wears it on his forehead, thus preaching a peaceful mind and far-sightedness. The moon on forehead indicates that if a decision is taken with a cool, peaceful mind and with far-sightedness; all the tasks will be completed successfully, resulting in the increase of one`s honour and prosperity.
The poison carrying in the throat also has an important scientific implication. When the gods and demons united churned the sea, it was the poison that came out first. Seeing the lethal poison, both the gods and the demons got nervous, they approached Lord Shiva and prayed him to hold it. Lord Shiva (Ashutosh) agreed to their prayers and swallowed the deadly poison. That poison, however, did not reach his stomach; instead it stuck in the throat, turning it blue.
Thus, holding the poison in the neck, Lord Shiva preaches that one should not contain poison in his belly. This can also be implied in other way that one should not even wish ill for the others, leave apart doing ill. Speaking harsh words is, however, another thing, but one should not cultivate feelings of-envy and enmity for others.
The snake on the chest implied grave significance, according to the Shiva Purana. Snakes being poisonous creatures, people always scared of snakes. In scriptures and in practical life, the snake is termed as Kaala, which represents death. But Lord Shiva bears snakes on his chest. Bearing snake on the chest implies that Lord Shiva preaches to people that if they do not engage their mind and intellect in the worship of god, death is always facing them. If you keep your mind and intellect busy in prayers and worship, even death can do no harm to you. Instead, it would become a means to adorn you. The reason of having a snake around his chest is implied in the Shiva Purana is vishasyaa vishamaushdhama. The Sanskrit phrase articulates that the best antidote for poison is poison itself. Hence, to terminate the effect of poison, Lord Shiva has worn poisonous snakes around his shoulders.
The Ox as the Vehicle of Lord Shiva implied religious significance. Scriptures assume the ox as an incarnation of Dharmraj. As is mentioned in Parikshita Kaliyugaprasanga, in kali Yuga, dharma will be killed, which will increase the sin in the mortal world. The dharma or the religion is represented by the form of Ox. The sacred scripture written by Sage Manu runs like this: "Vrisho hibhagawana dharmastasyayahkurut alum Vrishanam tarn vidurde vastasmaddhama na lopayeta". It implies that an ox is a different incarnation of the Dharma god; the killing of an ox would be considered as a sin and the individual performing this would be considered as a sinner. Hence, one must not cause the assassination or elimination of Dharma from the God created universe. Riding the ox, Lord Shiva preaches to the people that "Dharmo rakshati rakshitah". The illustration of the phrase is defined in the Shiva Purana. It signifies that the protected religion protects the follower. Hence everyone should follow the path of religion which will lead the individual to have the eternal knowledge or wisdom.
The Shiva Purana contains a detailed description of the Shiva Parivara. Shiva Parivara is a conglomerate of strange things, which is opposite to each other. The conflicting things exist side by side in the Shiva Parivara Lord in spite of their inevitable enmity in the mortal world. Hence the Shiva Parivara constitutes a special significance, which is enumerated in the Shiva Purana. Shiva has the ox as his vehicle and the snake as a garland. On the contrary Parvati, who is the form of Shakti (power), has the lion as her vehicle. Lion is a natural enemy of the ox. Kartikeya`s vehicle is a peacock, which is an enemy of the snake that adorns Lord Shiva`s chest. Ganesh has the mouse as his vehicle. The mouse is a natural prey of the snake
But amidst these strange diversities, Lord Shiva remains submerged in his sadhana with full concentration. The significance of these strange diversities is that the creatures dwelling in the cosmos created by Brahma are different from each other. Hence, it is natural that their intellect and thoughts would be different as well. Thus, the sole idea is that if unity is maintained in a combined family despite multitude of diversities and controversies, the family would never face any wrath on the purpose of {sadhana) and the means (sadhana) to achieve it. The Shiva Parivara according to the Shiva Purana maintained unity in the diversity. The unity is marked in the purpose of sadhana.
Moreover, the Shiva Purana also implies that even the ferocious animal can give up their violence in an environment where sadhana and penance are preformed. Thus the violence and jealousy for the fellow beings can be eliminated with the performance of strong penance. The peaceful existence in the diversity of the mortal world can be achieved only by the observation of the strong reparation and sadhana.
Apart from Shiva Purana many sages also give beautiful examples of the above mentioned unity in diversity. Those sages and hermits used to live and penance in huts made in the jungles. The existence of the human beings with the fierce wild animals implies that with the effect of their penance, it was said that even violent animals abandoned their natural instinct of violence and all of them roamed freely without fear.
The appearance of Kala Bhairava is a significant aspect with which the Shiva Purana deals. The words bhai means formidable and Rava means sound, which appropriately depict Kala Bhairava. Thus, Kala Bhairava literally connotes the individual, one who produces sound as formidable and frightening as Kala or death. Kala Bhairava is a gana or agent of Lord Shiva and the guard on his gates. One of the befitting virtues of a guard is that he is a very light sleeper and an ideal example of faithfulness for his lord. The form of Kala Bhairava is introduced in the Shiva Purana in order to teach people that they must learn to faithfully discharge their duty for their lord i.e. the God himself and do the allotted task sincerely, so that no task of the lord is marred.
The Shiva Purana is venerated as the religious texts with enough scientific implications. The description of lord Shiva along with his surroundings is intended to provide a teaching to the agonized mortal existence in the Kali Yug. The Shiva Purana through its verses directs the ways of hard penance to be performed, which would lead the individual to get rid of his inescapable sufferings.
