Thursday, December 14, 2006 at 2:02am
Why the 'many' Gods of Hinduism
Followers of monotheistic faiths are often horrified that India has a "million and one gods" and want to save us from this ignorance. The ignorance is theirs — Hinduism acknowledges Divine Oneness in the concept of "Brahman," and yes, it has countless divinities, some more popular or important than others, that are all aspects of this Oneness.
Adding to the confusion, not only are there many Hindu gods and goddesses, but each one has many forms.
In my limited and very personal understanding, Lord Shiva of the Hindu tradition symbolizes for me one of the most powerfully meaningful learnings of interconnectedness and oneness. I traveled through South India, spending time at five very special temples dedicated to him.
Among Shiva's many forms are: Mrityunjaya, conqueror of death; Dakshinamurti, the south-facing embodiment of knowledge; Kameshvara, lord of desire; and Bhutesha, lord of the elements. As lord of the elements, in the Bhasmajabala Upanishad, Shiva says: "I ... am the earth, I am the waters, I am fire, I am air, I am time, I am the cardinal points."
In South India, around a considerable area across three states, there are five temples in which Shiva is worshiped in the form of the lingam (the word means not only "phallic symbol" but also "sign" or "mark" in Sanskrit) of each of the Five Elements. These temples are important places of pilgrimage for Shaivite worshipers.
A pilgrimage site is referred to in Sanskrit as a tirtha, which means a ford or a place of crossing over. This refers to crossing from one level of consciousness to another. One writer has aptly called such a place "an opening where heaven issues forth on earth."
The "crossing over" places of the Pancha Bhuta (Five Elements) Lingam are Ekambareshvara temple of Kanchipuram, which enshrines the prithvi (earth) lingam; Jambukeshvara at Tirruvanaikava, which houses the apas (water) lingam: the jyothir (fire) lingam at Arunachaleshvara temple at Tiruvannamalai; the Kalahastinathar temple at Kalahasti, which has the vayu (air) lingam, and the Nataraja temple at Chidambaram, which represents the akasha (ether; the void) lingam.
Apart from these specific temples, general temple architecture has the five elements embodied in its geometry, both in the ground plan as well as in the shapes of the actual built-up structure. In Hindu and Buddhist temples, the square is the symbol for the earth element; the circle is that of water. The triangle stands for fire, while air is represented by a crescent. Ether, the fifth element, is designated by the dot, or bindu.
The human body, too, is considered made up of these same five elements. According to a sacred text, the Shariraka Upanishad, the body "is a compound of prithvi and other mahabhutas ... (in the body) that which is hard is (of the essence of) earth; that which is liquid is (of the essence of) water; that which is hot is (of the essence of) fire; that which moves about is (of the essence of ) air; that which is perforated is (of the essence of) ether."
The Yogatattva Upanishad presents a mystical physiology in which five sections of the body correspond to the five elements. From the foot to the knee is considered the region of the earth, the knee to the anus is governed by the water element. The corresponding region for fire is till the heart, and between the heart and the eyebrows is the area of air, while from here to the top of the head is the region of ether.
In the Tantric system, the five elements have their association with five of the chakras in the subtle body. The chakras can be considered "psychic centers of energy" of the "subtle body," and their locations can be understood in the visible body as points along the spinal column. The Muladhara chakra in the pelvic area is connected with earth, Svadhisthana at the lowest point of the spine with water, Manipura near the navel region is connected with the element fire, Anahata in the heart area is related to air, and the throat chakra, Vishudda, with ether.
Each element corresponds to a specific sound, or mantra, and a specific geometric pattern, yantra; and so also to a stage of meditation. By adhering strictly to the prescribed meditation — and so making a pilgrimage of the "sacred places" of the body — the yogi gains mastery over his body and over each corresponding element.
The understood process of pilgrimage, then, whether of the "sites" of the body or those of the five temples, would mean a deep understanding of being one with the cosmos.
The pilgrimage I write of teaches us these correspondences: that Shiva in manifestation is perceived in the five senses and the five elements, as he dwells in each of them; that woman/man, who is also made up of these five elements, is part of the Divine, of the universe and all that is in it.
So, when a pilgrim makes a five-fold visit to these temples, not simply as a tourist but as one who cares to know the inner meaning of the outward performance of the ritual, she or he understands that this is an affirmation of a deep connection she/he has with the Divine, as well as with all of the created universe.
We come to the place of understanding that we are all, as physicist Danah Zohar has so beautifully put it, "stuff of the same substance."
— — —
Dr. Marguerite Theophil, Ph.D., from India, works as a consultant and facilitator with organizations and individuals. A mythologist and storyteller, she is the author of "Uniting Heaven and Earth: The Transformative Power of Story." She invites the sacred into her life through travel, connection, and learning and writing about spiritual disciplines and perspectives. Her email address is {email weave@vsnl.net}weave@vsnl.net{/email}. © copyright 2006 by Marguerite Theophil
Adding to the confusion, not only are there many Hindu gods and goddesses, but each one has many forms.
In my limited and very personal understanding, Lord Shiva of the Hindu tradition symbolizes for me one of the most powerfully meaningful learnings of interconnectedness and oneness. I traveled through South India, spending time at five very special temples dedicated to him.
Among Shiva's many forms are: Mrityunjaya, conqueror of death; Dakshinamurti, the south-facing embodiment of knowledge; Kameshvara, lord of desire; and Bhutesha, lord of the elements. As lord of the elements, in the Bhasmajabala Upanishad, Shiva says: "I ... am the earth, I am the waters, I am fire, I am air, I am time, I am the cardinal points."
In South India, around a considerable area across three states, there are five temples in which Shiva is worshiped in the form of the lingam (the word means not only "phallic symbol" but also "sign" or "mark" in Sanskrit) of each of the Five Elements. These temples are important places of pilgrimage for Shaivite worshipers.
A pilgrimage site is referred to in Sanskrit as a tirtha, which means a ford or a place of crossing over. This refers to crossing from one level of consciousness to another. One writer has aptly called such a place "an opening where heaven issues forth on earth."
The "crossing over" places of the Pancha Bhuta (Five Elements) Lingam are Ekambareshvara temple of Kanchipuram, which enshrines the prithvi (earth) lingam; Jambukeshvara at Tirruvanaikava, which houses the apas (water) lingam: the jyothir (fire) lingam at Arunachaleshvara temple at Tiruvannamalai; the Kalahastinathar temple at Kalahasti, which has the vayu (air) lingam, and the Nataraja temple at Chidambaram, which represents the akasha (ether; the void) lingam.
Apart from these specific temples, general temple architecture has the five elements embodied in its geometry, both in the ground plan as well as in the shapes of the actual built-up structure. In Hindu and Buddhist temples, the square is the symbol for the earth element; the circle is that of water. The triangle stands for fire, while air is represented by a crescent. Ether, the fifth element, is designated by the dot, or bindu.
The human body, too, is considered made up of these same five elements. According to a sacred text, the Shariraka Upanishad, the body "is a compound of prithvi and other mahabhutas ... (in the body) that which is hard is (of the essence of) earth; that which is liquid is (of the essence of) water; that which is hot is (of the essence of) fire; that which moves about is (of the essence of ) air; that which is perforated is (of the essence of) ether."
The Yogatattva Upanishad presents a mystical physiology in which five sections of the body correspond to the five elements. From the foot to the knee is considered the region of the earth, the knee to the anus is governed by the water element. The corresponding region for fire is till the heart, and between the heart and the eyebrows is the area of air, while from here to the top of the head is the region of ether.
In the Tantric system, the five elements have their association with five of the chakras in the subtle body. The chakras can be considered "psychic centers of energy" of the "subtle body," and their locations can be understood in the visible body as points along the spinal column. The Muladhara chakra in the pelvic area is connected with earth, Svadhisthana at the lowest point of the spine with water, Manipura near the navel region is connected with the element fire, Anahata in the heart area is related to air, and the throat chakra, Vishudda, with ether.
Each element corresponds to a specific sound, or mantra, and a specific geometric pattern, yantra; and so also to a stage of meditation. By adhering strictly to the prescribed meditation — and so making a pilgrimage of the "sacred places" of the body — the yogi gains mastery over his body and over each corresponding element.
The understood process of pilgrimage, then, whether of the "sites" of the body or those of the five temples, would mean a deep understanding of being one with the cosmos.
The pilgrimage I write of teaches us these correspondences: that Shiva in manifestation is perceived in the five senses and the five elements, as he dwells in each of them; that woman/man, who is also made up of these five elements, is part of the Divine, of the universe and all that is in it.
So, when a pilgrim makes a five-fold visit to these temples, not simply as a tourist but as one who cares to know the inner meaning of the outward performance of the ritual, she or he understands that this is an affirmation of a deep connection she/he has with the Divine, as well as with all of the created universe.
We come to the place of understanding that we are all, as physicist Danah Zohar has so beautifully put it, "stuff of the same substance."
— — —
Dr. Marguerite Theophil, Ph.D., from India, works as a consultant and facilitator with organizations and individuals. A mythologist and storyteller, she is the author of "Uniting Heaven and Earth: The Transformative Power of Story." She invites the sacred into her life through travel, connection, and learning and writing about spiritual disciplines and perspectives. Her email address is {email weave@vsnl.net}weave@vsnl.net{/email}. © copyright 2006 by Marguerite Theophil