ASCETIC DEVOTEE

1                                                             ASCETIC DEVOTEE

 

One head is not enough!

 Shiv remained in meditation for several yugas. Moved by his unflinching devotion, Lord Srikrishn appeared before him as an adolescent, wrapped in golden yellow silken shawl, scintillating with the best of precious gem studded golden ornaments and a  flute resting on his rosy lips. The Lord looked so enticing and so charming that his devotee Shiv went on helplessly gloating at his cherubic countenance, his esurient eyes shedding ceaselessly streams of tears of joy. So ineffable was the speech of lord of sound that his tongue turned inert, leaving him rooted to his seat. However, his mind wondered,- ‘How fortunate is Lord Brahma, who having four heads can see my epitome of charmers Lord Shrikrishn with his eight eyes!’ As soon as this wish flashed across his mind, his gracious Lord lost no time and devotee Shiv found himself endowed with five heads, each equipped with three eyes. Finding his wish fulfilled instantly, the innocent devotee was now all the way delighted as he could see his favourite Lord with all of his fifteen large and all seeing eyes.

 So thence on, he chose to remain with three eyes permanently. Lord Shiv is unique that he is no way a choosy person. Rather, he throws his arms open for all categories of devotees without bar. From demons to humans; siddhas to chandaals all worship him for their own reasons and in their own styles. He sees his satvik devotees with satvik eye; rajasik devotees with rajasik eye and tamasik devotees with tamasik eyes to protect them all. To destroy evil, he opens his third eye that lolls out flames matching heat of millions of suns, put together. Being an incarnation of dispassion and spiritual wisdom, he is ever steeped in Supreme Self and is ever generous to all the beings. His single aim is to ensure welfare of all, irrespective of their levels and status of purity, intellect, wealth, devotion etc. He is for all and loves all, sees all with his enlightened eyes. Shiv implies welfare and Lord Shiv is incarnation of this virtue alone.