71 - Discourses on Tantra Volume One

Chapter 18 An Introduction to Shiva (Discourse 1)(2)

In the days of Shiva, the Aryans started entering India from the northwest. Many of them had already arrived, many were on the way, and many were still making preparations to come. The Vedic language of the Aryans who had already arrived in India had exerted a widespread influence on the spoken dialects of the indigenous population of India, such as the Kash, the Scythians, the Euchi, the South Kuśán, etc. Obviously, Sanskrit, the common language of the indigenous people of the then India, was not outside the orbit of influence of the Vedic language; but that influence was not unilateral; that is, the Vedic language was also influenced by the Sanskrit language. Tantra had its origin in India, and Shiva gave a systematic form to it. Of course, Tantra in its Káshmiirii and Gaod́iiya Schools did exist before Shiva, but in a scattered and crude form. So naturally one has to admit that Shiva was born and brought up in an environment of Tantra, although it was not classical Tantra.

Shiva was well acquainted with the Vedic language and the Vedic religion. Both in the Vedas and in the Tantric treatises, we come across references to Shiva, but not in very ancient texts, because it was not possible to put works in writing in very ancient times, due to the lack of knowledge of the alphabet. [Thus much material was lost.] The Tantric texts used to advise people, “You should do this, you should do that, you should hear and learn these lessons from your masters,” and so on; because in those days it was not possible to write books, as scripts had not yet been invented. The Vedas would also advise people in the same way – to hear and learn things from the masters. That is why the Vedas are called shruti in Sanskrit. Shruti means “ear”; so that which is learned by hearing is called shruti.

The period of Shiva was a most turbulent period in India. On the one hand there were the Aryans, the outsiders, and on the other hand there were the indigenous people, with their Tantra-oriented culture and religion. Into this conflict-ridden environment, Shiva was born.

Now, what is the derivative meaning of shiva? From the extant texts on Tantra and Veda and from all other written and unwritten sources, we get three meanings of the term shiva. The first and most important meaning of shiva is “welfare”.

Anádyanantamakhilasya madhye
Vishvasya sraśt́aramanekarúpam;
Vishvasyaekaḿ pariveśt́araḿ
Jiṋátvá Shivaḿ shántimatyantameti.

[Knowing that Shiva, who has neither beginning nor end, who is
the creator of this vast universe –
That multi-formed single entity who encompasses the whole
universe – one attains eternal peace.]

Here shiva means “welfare”. Shivamastu means the same as Kalyáńamastu [“May you be blessed”]. Kalyáńasundaram is the representation of Shiva embodying the true spirit of blessedness.

People say that He has been serving people, doing good to them, with five faces. He is described as having five faces: two on the left – Vámadeva and Kálágni; two on the right – Dakśińeshvara and Iishána; and one in the middle – Kalyáńasundaram, the Supreme Controller which controls all the individual’s desires for action.

Dakśińeshvara, the extreme right face of Shiva, is so called because He is showering dakśińá [compassion] upon the created beings. That is the special role allotted to Dakśińeshvara. Iishána – the face next to the right – is responsible for controlling all the jiivas, individual beings, with meticulous care. And Kalyáńasundaram, the face in the centre, plays the role of controlling all the faces.

Now the question is, why is Kalyáńasundaram assigned such a role? His only purpose is to promote the greatest welfare of all living beings; He has no other purpose.

In addition, Shiva has two faces on the left: Vámadeva on the extreme left, and Kálágni next to the left. Vámadeva is terrible – rudra, rudrátirudra, rudro’pirudrah – “one who teaches others by making them shed tears”. But the underlying purpose is to teach people, not to harm them. The other face, Kálágni, also subjects people to excruciating torture, but there also, the main purpose is to teach them, to promote their welfare. Now here also, the two roles of Vámadeva and Kálágni are controlled by the central face, Kalyáńasundaram. He is sundaram, beautiful, because He promotes kalyáńa [welfare]: hence, “Kalyáńasundaram”. He is terrible, but at the same time superbly calm and tranquil. Yet behind His apparent dreadfulness and tranquillity lies the kalyáńasundaram bháva [mental flow]. He is both severe and tender. He is tender, so naturally people love Him. Although He is severe, people still adore Him, because underlying His apparent severity, there is tenderness. Thus the role of Shiva is predominantly the role of a promoter of welfare. So the first meaning of the term shiva is “welfare”.