What is the logic behind worshipping “shiv god”.
and can briefly explain the history behind praying to “shiv god”.
take care
I am not a scholar, but here is what I know:
Hinduism's view of Creation is that there is one Absolute, Infinite, Omnipotent God. Then, on the next rung is a trinity of three 'gods' - Bramha, Vishnu and Mahesh (Shiv is another name for Mahesh).
According to the Hindu belief, Bramha is the "Creator" of the Universe, Vishnu is the "Sustainer", and Shiv is the "Destroyer".
It is believed that there are "Cosmic Cycles" of Creation. At the beginning of a cycle, it is Bramha who creates the Universe. During the time when the Universe is meant to exist, it and all living beings in it are sustained by Vishnu. And at the end of the Cosmic Cycle, the Universe is destroyed (dissolved) by Shiv. After that, another cycle begins and a new Universe is created, and so on ...
Apart from the role of Shiv as the destroyer, he is also considered to be the "Ultimate Yogi". Yoga means "to connect [to God]", and yogis are those who strive to connect to God. Shiv is considered to have mastered Yoga, and so he is considered to be the "Guru" of all yogis.
And finally, women also worship Shiv to seek blessings for fertility. The reason for this is again in Yoga. One of the central concepts in Yoga is that of control of one's "Life Force" (also called Pran). It is said that to be able to commune with God, one has to completely still one's mind. But, this is not possible unless one can control one's breath and life force. Shiv, as the "Perfect Yogi", is said to have completely mastered the mysteries of the life force. Since the life force is intimately linked to life itself and to reproduction, Shiv's blessing is sought for bearing children.
I hope this helped.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Rohit: *
Hinduism's view of Creation is that there is one Absolute, Infinite, Omnipotent God. Then, on the next rung is a trinity of three 'gods' - Bramha, Vishnu and Mahesh (Shiv is another name for Mahesh).
[/QUOTE]
interesting....
so the hindus too believe in trinity....
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by armughal: *
interesting....
so the hindus too believe in trinity....
[/QUOTE]
Actually it is the one supreme force, and then the manifestations in the trinity...
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Rohit: *
I am not a scholar, but here is what I know:
Hinduism's view of Creation is that there is one Absolute, Infinite, Omnipotent God. Then, on the next rung is a trinity of three 'gods' - Bramha, Vishnu and Mahesh (Shiv is another name for Mahesh).
According to the Hindu belief, Bramha is the "Creator" of the Universe, Vishnu is the "Sustainer", and Shiv is the "Destroyer".
It is believed that there are "Cosmic Cycles" of Creation. At the beginning of a cycle, it is Bramha who creates the Universe. During the time when the Universe is meant to exist, it and all living beings in it are sustained by Vishnu. And at the end of the Cosmic Cycle, the Universe is destroyed (dissolved) by Shiv. After that, another cycle begins and a new Universe is created, and so on ...
Apart from the role of Shiv as the destroyer, he is also considered to be the "Ultimate Yogi". Yoga means "to connect [to God]", and yogis are those who strive to connect to God. Shiv is considered to have mastered Yoga, and so he is considered to be the "Guru" of all yogis.
And finally, women also worship Shiv to seek blessings for fertility. The reason for this is again in Yoga. One of the central concepts in Yoga is that of control of one's "Life Force" (also called Pran). It is said that to be able to commune with God, one has to completely still one's mind. But, this is not possible unless one can control one's breath and life force. Shiv, as the "Perfect Yogi", is said to have completely mastered the mysteries of the life force. Since the life force is intimately linked to life itself and to reproduction, Shiv's blessing is sought for bearing children.
I hope this helped.
[/QUOTE]
Thank you, thank you for the information. Are there any changes that
were made by British in Worship of Shiv.
take care
I don't know. I don't think they could have, even if they wanted to.
You too take care.
Re: Shiv
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by rehman1: *
What is the logic behind worshipping Shiv God.
and can briefly explain the history behind praying to Shiv God.
take care
[/QUOTE]
I think it's (should be) "shiv god" not "God"
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Rohit: *
I am not a scholar, but here is what I know:
Hinduism's view of Creation is that there is one Absolute, Infinite, Omnipotent God. Then, on the next rung is a trinity of three 'gods' - Bramha, Vishnu and Mahesh (Shiv is another name for Mahesh).
According to the Hindu belief, Bramha is the "Creator" of the Universe, Vishnu is the "Sustainer", and Shiv is the "Destroyer".
It is believed that there are "Cosmic Cycles" of Creation. At the beginning of a cycle, it is Bramha who creates the Universe. During the time when the Universe is meant to exist, it and all living beings in it are sustained by Vishnu. And at the end of the Cosmic Cycle, the Universe is destroyed (dissolved) by Shiv. After that, another cycle begins and a new Universe is created, and so on ...
Apart from the role of Shiv as the destroyer, he is also considered to be the "Ultimate Yogi". Yoga means "to connect [to God]", and yogis are those who strive to connect to God. Shiv is considered to have mastered Yoga, and so he is considered to be the "Guru" of all yogis.
And finally, women also worship Shiv to seek blessings for fertility. The reason for this is again in Yoga. One of the central concepts in Yoga is that of control of one's "Life Force" (also called Pran). It is said that to be able to commune with God, one has to completely still one's mind. But, this is not possible unless one can control one's breath and life force. Shiv, as the "Perfect Yogi", is said to have completely mastered the mysteries of the life force. Since the life force is intimately linked to life itself and to reproduction, Shiv's blessing is sought for bearing children.
I hope this helped.
[/QUOTE]
I like the Yogi part. Well your "shiv god" is he or she in
form of Human.
take care
If your question was about the gender of Shiv in human form, it is "male". The goddess "Shakti" is considered to be his wife.
If your question was whether Shiv has a human form, then yes, in Hinduism, all gods have a human form.
^ I too have some questions :)
What happens after 'Saat janam'( dont know what it is called in english).Are they specific to humans or all animals.
What is the difference between a 'god' and 'Awtaar'.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Code_Red: *
^ I too have some questions :)
- What happens after 'Saat janam'( dont know what it is called in english).Are they specific to humans or all animals. [/QUOTE]
The "Aathwan janam" (eighth birth) :). The reason for this needs some explanation. Please bear with me:
It is belived that everything in the universe has descended from God. In the beginning, God was only an unmanifested potential, just a pure consciousness, and was self-aware ("I AM"). There was no space or time, no Creation and no attributes of Nature (i.e, small, big, light, dark, long, short, good, evil, etc.). At some moment, a desire arose in the "I AM" to explore itself. It was then that the consciousness, God, created Creation.
Think of what you would do if you wanted to explore ALL the possibilities in a rich and complex system. You would probably want to explore all "paths" through it. Some would require that you go very far from the starting position and then try to find your way "Home". Some other paths would probably explore only the areas closest to the "initial state". God is believed to have done something similar.
God probably created countless "souls" to explore all the possibilities in Creation. Some souls would start from a state near that of God, for example that of angels and archangels. Others were meant by God to go very far from God, and then find their way back.
In our world, plants have life, but are quite limited in what they can do. Animals are much more independent, but they don't have the ability to "rise" to higher levels of consciousness; only humans have this ability. According to Hinduism, all - plants, animals and humans, accumulate some wisdom (and a corresponding slightly higher level of consciousness) in every birth, and whenever we die, we start in the next life from the same level of wisdom and consciousness at which we had "stopped" in the previous birth.
But how much time does it take to fully regain "God consciousness"? According to a person whom I consider very learned, for humans this takes 1 million years of disease-free living. And given today's environment, where we are often physically, mentally or emotionally ill, it would take much longer. So, obviously, seven lives are too few. It is believed we are born many thousand times in all (those who start from the plant/animal stage will take even longer). It is said that when Gautam Buddha gained Enlightenment, he recalled all his previous 90,000 lifetimes.
The concept of "saat janam" was part of a distortion introduced in the scriptures by power-hungry priests. They used hell-and-brimstone tactics to make the caste system rigid (to maintain their exclusivity), and to disempower the so-called lower castes. Basically, they inserted the following kinds of "laws" into the original reincarnation theory: "If you do [activity-to-be-barred], you will be born as a [dog/crow/pig] for the next seven lives". A side effect of this was the propagation of the notion that there are some things that last for a person's "saat janam". And this concept was picked up by Bollywood, where you most probably heard it from. :)
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Code_Red: *
2. What is the difference between a 'god' and 'Awtaar'.
[/QUOTE]
An 'avatar' is a human incarnation of a god (i.e., a god born as a human). For example, it is believed that Krishna was an incarnation of Vishnu. Here, Vishnu is the 'god', and Krishna is his 'avatar'.
^ Thank you for this detailed explanation
[QUOTE]
But how much time does it take to fully regain "God consciousness"? According to a person whom I consider very learned, for humans this takes 1 million years of disease-free living. And given today's environment, where we are often physically, mentally or emotionally ill, it would take much longer. So, obviously, seven lives are too few. It is believed we are born many thousand times in all (those who start from the plant/animal stage will take even longer). It is said that when Gautam Buddha gained Enlightenment, he recalled all his previous 90,000 lifetimes.
[/QUOTE]
How can we know if someone has gained 'God consciousness' ? and what will happen to that person after that ?
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Code_Red: *
^
How can we know if someone has gained 'God consciousness' ? and what will happen to that person after that ?
[/QUOTE]
When you talk to him, you feel good.
When see him you feel good.
When his presence is around you don’t care for
any thing.
You want to spend more time with him.
Eventually you want to be one with him.
When some one gets “God consciousness”…….. He will realize truth.
He can understand every being.
Every one wants to follow him.
Great things take place.
We must accept that this creative pulse within us is God's creative pulse itself.
Joseph Chilton Pearce
God must become an activity in our consciousness.
Joel S. Goldsmith
Do God(s) come to earth now like they used to come in form of 'Avtar' (According to Mr. Rohit's explanation) if not then why ? if yes then who was the last one ?
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Code_Red: *How can we know if someone has gained 'God consciousness' ?
[/QUOTE]
This question has been answered quite well by gpsy.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Code_Red: * and what will happen to that person after that ?
[/QUOTE]
Whatever they wish, which is, whatever God wishes.
To have God consciousness is to be totally aligned with God's Will and possessing all of God's Power. Such people can do literally anything they wish, but paradoxically, they will do only that which God wishes.
Once a person achieves God consciousness, he/she is free from all laws of Nature, and are free of all restrictions. More relevant to the human existence: they are free from all past karma, they don't have to take any more rebirths, they don't have to fall ill, they don't have to die, they can heal anybody else of any disease, they can raise the dead, etc. But since they are aware of God's Plan in any given moment, they do only those things which God desires to be done.
I hope I have answered the question you really asked. Feel free to ask again if you wish.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Code_Red: *Do God(s) come to earth now like they used to come in form of 'Avtar' (According to Mr. Rohit's explanation) if not then why? if yes then who was the last one ?
[/QUOTE]
Well, I wouldn't know this "as a matter of fact" :), but my belief is this:
Avatars, prophets, saints etc. come to Earth as per God's Plan - never a day early, and never a day late. They accomplish exactly what they were meant to accomplish, and then they depart, in exactly the way they were meant to depart in.
Restricting our discussion only to avatars of hinduism's gods (i.e., not including ordinary people who may have attained Enlightenment), there probably haven't been any widely-believed ones since Krishna (others may correct me if I am wrong). But that doesn't mean gods have "stopped" coming to earth. Maybe a visit is planned further on ... maybe just before the Judgement Day :) Actually, it is probably written somewhere in the scriptures that the tenth and final avatar of Vishnu will take place just before Apocalypse.