Shiva appreciation thread

[Viraja]

Well, not exactly!

Although it is titled 'Appreciation thread', it is basically a query thread.

I have long since thought of Sri Shiva as a true giver, someone who gives beyond himself. Facts from puranas such as Sri Shiva drinking poison (Alaahala) from the churning of the milky ocean and such prove this.

Now, I want to do some serious Shiva sadhana, along with my regular Sri Krishna sadhana. Lord Shiva plays a vital role in Gaudiya Vaishnavism as Bholenath (although he is not regarded on par with Sri Krishna in this sect).

But I feel for Sri Shiva almost equally as for Lord Sri Krishna.

Now I want to know from his staunch devotees how soon does the deity respond? What are your feelings on that? He is slow............. or quick?

I want to serve his 'adiyavar' (followers) by inviting them and serving them meals. I have been watching the story of 63 Nayanmars in Youtube and majority of them hail the role of these Shaivite saints in serving the followers and followers to followers of Shiva. (Adiyavarkku adiyavan).

But living in the West, I have no means to invite any such followers. May be in India, I can invite some people serving the Lord at his temple. Here other than the priest, there is no one. And I am not sure the priest will agree.

From tomorrow morning, I am planning to do abhishekam to Sri Shiva each day. I also have a request to him, a very big, enormous one, which I plan to ask him via Somavara Vratham for 12 years (if he wills, that is).

So, there goes my content, not so much content in my intent for this thread, other than asking for 'your appreciation', via may be your experience with the deity, and importantly, how soon he responds.

Thank you!

 

[JustGeorge]

Well, not exactly!

Although it is titled 'Appreciation thread', it is basically a query thread.

I have long since thought of Sri Shiva as a true giver, someone who gives beyond himself. Facts from puranas such as Sri Shiva drinking poison (Alaahala) from the churning of the milky ocean and such prove this.

Now, I want to do some serious Shiva sadhana, along with my regular Sri Krishna sadhana. Lord Shiva plays a vital role in Gaudiya Vaishnavism as Bholenath (although he is not regarded on par with Sri Krishna in this sect).

But I feel for Sri Shiva almost equally as for Lord Sri Krishna.

Now I want to know from his staunch devotees how soon does the deity respond? What are your feelings on that? He is slow............. or quick?

I want to serve his 'adiyavar' (followers) by inviting them and serving them meals. I have been watching the story of 63 Nayanmars in Youtube and majority of them hail the role of these Shaivite saints in serving the followers and followers to followers of Shiva. (Adiyavarkku adiyavan).

But living in the West, I have no means to invite any such followers. May be in India, I can invite some people serving the Lord at his temple. Here other than the priest, there is no one. And I am not sure the priest will agree.

From tomorrow morning, I am planning to do abhishekam to Sri Shiva each day. I also have a request to him, a very big, enormous one, which I plan to ask him via Somavara Vratham for 12 years (if he wills, that is).

So, there goes my content, not so much content in my intent for this thread, other than asking for 'your appreciation', via may be your experience with the deity, and importantly, how soon he responds.

Thank you!

What do you mean by 'responds'?

 

[Viraja]

What do you mean by 'responds'?

As I said, I have a very, very big thing to ask of him.

I tried asking the same thing to several saints recently. I did real tapas (although for only 1 week) by sleeping on the floor without pillow, eating OMAD, taking bath in cold water twice a day, etc, etc.

My wish is not fulfilled.

I want to know what pleases Shiva and how soon he can give me what I seek. (I am justified in my asking).

 

[Nyingjé Tso]

Hai,

Doing abhisekam every day is already a great show of practice and devotion. Offering bel leaves (if you have access to some) while reiciting the 108 names is also a daily practice commonly seen.

In my experience, Shiva was always kind of quick, but only when the time and circumstances were right. He never asks his devotees for incredible shows of austerities or rich offerings: if the best you can give is a leaf, then offer that leaf with sincerity and love and he will accept it as if you offered all possible precious substances.

The best sadhana is the one you can offer with sincerity and love in your heart. Being a Shiva devotee is more about developing and sharing this closeness with him and learn to dance on his rythm and flow.

It can be difficult to do the feeding in the West yes, but you can equally be involved in your local soup kitchen or food drive and consider deep in your heart that you offer this food to Shiva himself. He resides in the heart of his bhaktas as much as in the heart of the homeless man next door. You can also always arrange offering to one of his temples in India, I think some websites allow you to do that remotely and get prasad sent to you.

Also if anyone here can help with your request or if you need advice about something, don't hesitate at all.

 

[Viraja]

Thank you! That was a wonderful reply.

 

[sayak83]

As I said, I have a very, very big thing to ask of him.

I tried asking the same thing to several saints recently. I did real tapas (although for only 1 week) by sleeping on the floor without pillow, eating OMAD, taking bath in cold water twice a day, etc, etc.

My wish is not fulfilled.

I want to know what pleases Shiva and how soon he can give me what I seek. (I am justified in my asking).

Tomorrow I will ask Him on your behalf.
Cheers.

 

[Viraja]

Today I listened to the story of one of the 63 Nayanmars - "MeiporuL Nayanar".

The South Indian born Shaivite saint was actually a king of great caliber. He was greatly loved by his men. He was a truly great devotee of Lord Shiva. Such an extent was his devotion that he had laid down a rule in his kingdom that whosoever, even by disguise, came to see him dressed like an 'adiyavar' (meaning, Shiva devotee) should be let in to see him without any checking whatsoever. Even if it happened to be in the middle of the night and the king was asleep!

The king was also undefeatable in wars. One of his main opponents waged war against him numerous times and was defeated each and every single time by MeiporuL nayanar.

It was time for his opponent to give up! But just not yet.

"What are MeiporuL nayanar's weaknesses?" thought the opponent. "If he has any weakness, I can easily subdue or kill him by that means" thought the crooked opponent.

The opponent thought of many ways and checked MeiporuL's history. MeiporuL was impeccable in his moral character and there was not even a single weakness about him!

Finally the opponent heard of the 'adiyavar' rule laid down by MeiporuL, the successful king.

So the opponent hatched out a plan. He, dressed like a true Shiva devotee, went to see MeiporuL.

Because of the Shiva-devotee king's rule, nobody checked the opponent in MeiporuL's palace. The opponent was let in,, into the innermost chambers of MeiporuL.

There the opponent met with the king. The king asked him what he can do for him. The opponent showed him some palm-leaf scriptures and told him that if the king could sit down before him, close his eyes and meditate, he would reveal its contents to him, which were supposed to be heard by the devoted king in total secrecy, without being surrounded even by his closest guards, ministers or even his queen!

Thus the king kneed before the opponent in disguise like an adiyavar and closed his eyes in meditation.

It was just the ripe moment. The opponent drew out his sword and landed it right into MeiporuL's heart! So forceful was his murder attempt that MeiporuL immediately succumbed to the attack and fell down in a pool of blood.

Immediately MeiporuL's ministers rushed in. But they could not see anything to be done now, the damage was too great!

But the devoted king MeiporuL told his ministers not to punish the opponent but to guard him safely to the end of the kingdom and see that he was safely off.

"Whosoever comes to me, even in disguise as a Shiva devotee, I shall always render him my utmost service, even if it means my own life" said MeiporuL before giving up his life.

Then Lord Sri Shiva appeared to him in a vision and Shiva raised his right hand in blessing and granted him Shivaloka residence, to be with him forever and forever.

Such is the true Shiva devotion of MeiporuL.

* * *

I just thought this tale was so touching. In real life, if we are advanced devotees, we frown on others who are newbies to devotion and refuse to help them out. Where is MeiporuL and where are we?

(Taken from my Facebook page, where I am writing about 63 Nayanmars as a series).

 

[Aupmanyav]

What is the name of your facebook page?
It is the same as what Mahabali and Karna did. Vishnu and Indra came to them in disguise and took all that they had, but the two righteous souls did not hesitate to give them what they wanted, their own lives.

 

[Aupmanyav]

I want to know what pleases Shiva and how soon he can give me what I seek. (I am justified in my asking).

Are you? Or perhaps the Lord is testing your patience. He wants more tapas, just one week is not enough.
I will check with him on your behalf. I have a lunch date with him today along with his favorite drink. I am not joking.
How come some devotees of Shiva are so far removed from him?

 

[mangalavara]

I have long since thought of Sri Shiva as a true giver, someone who gives beyond himself.

According to Śiva Purāṇa, he is full and thus does not need anything, so he blesses and blesses the universe and all its beings.

The closer you get to him by devotion, the fuller you become, and you will see every being as a being to bless.

Now I want to know from his staunch devotees how soon does the deity respond? What are your feelings on that? He is slow............. or quick?

When it comes to how soon he responds, I haven’t read anything about it in Śiva Purāṇa yet. In my experience, he is not at all slow to bestow a blessing, spiritual or material.

 

[JustGeorge]

Shiva bestowed his blessings upon my husband without him asking.

He walked into a Hindu temple for a Rudrabishikam years ago because it was where his wife wanted to go on her birthday. He had no interest personally.

He walked out, completely moved. "I walked in and realized I was meant to worship Shiva." They have been great friends since. What's a better blessing than that?

 

[mangalavara]

Shiva bestowed his blessings upon my husband without him asking.

That certainly sounds like Śiva.

He walked into a Hindu temple for a Rudrabishikam years ago because it was where his wife wanted to go on her birthday. He had no interest personally.

That is a good place to go on a birthday.

He walked out, completely moved. "I walked in and realized I was meant to worship Shiva." They have been great friends since. What's a better blessing than that?

What a wonderful story! I can think of no better blessing than to be Śaiva or/and Śākta.

 

[Vinayaka]

Well, not exactly!

Although it is titled 'Appreciation thread', it is basically a query thread.

I have long since thought of Sri Shiva as a true giver, someone who gives beyond himself. Facts from puranas such as Sri Shiva drinking poison (Alaahala) from the churning of the milky ocean and such prove this.

Now, I want to do some serious Shiva sadhana, along with my regular Sri Krishna sadhana. Lord Shiva plays a vital role in Gaudiya Vaishnavism as Bholenath (although he is not regarded on par with Sri Krishna in this sect).

But I feel for Sri Shiva almost equally as for Lord Sri Krishna.

Now I want to know from his staunch devotees how soon does the deity respond? What are your feelings on that? He is slow............. or quick?

I want to serve his 'adiyavar' (followers) by inviting them and serving them meals. I have been watching the story of 63 Nayanmars in Youtube and majority of them hail the role of these Shaivite saints in serving the followers and followers to followers of Shiva. (Adiyavarkku adiyavan).

But living in the West, I have no means to invite any such followers. May be in India, I can invite some people serving the Lord at his temple. Here other than the priest, there is no one. And I am not sure the priest will agree.

From tomorrow morning, I am planning to do abhishekam to Sri Shiva each day. I also have a request to him, a very big, enormous one, which I plan to ask him via Somavara Vratham for 12 years (if he wills, that is).

So, there goes my content, not so much content in my intent for this thread, other than asking for 'your appreciation', via may be your experience with the deity, and importantly, how soon he responds.

Thank you!

I can't help you much, because my view of Siva differs substantially from yours. I'm glad to hear you're reading of the Nayanars though. For me, Siva is everything. There is nothing I could ask Him for as he has already given me all I need, and much much more. He has given my my Guru(s), my religion, the kids, a spouse, a job, contentment, insight, and also Murugan and Ganesha, to whom I direct specific prayers to.

Sorry to be of no help. (Twelve years is a long time, a lifetime is better.)

 

[Viraja]

I can't help you much, because my view of Siva differs substantially from yours. I'm glad to hear you're reading of the Nayanars though. For me, Siva is everything. There is nothing I could ask Him for as he has already given me all I need, and much much more. He has given my my Guru(s), my religion, the kids, a spouse, a job, contentment, insight, and also Murugan and Ganesha, to whom I direct specific prayers to.

Sorry to be of no help. (Twelve years is a long time, a lifetime is better.)

Great!