Shiva Tattvam-Shiva’s Concept -Theory For Next Gen-Prana Kishore







What is Shiva Tattvam?



A single Sanskrit-word can have many meanings.Sanskrit words cannot be truly translated into English as there are no English words for many Sanskrit words.



“Tattvam” or “Tattva” means, “Theory” or Concept



It also means, “Existence”, as in “Vishnu-Tattwa” or “Jiva-Tattva”.



“Tattvamasi” is found in upanishads is a combination of three words,



namely, “Tat”, “Tvam” and “Asi”.



“Tat” :- That;



“Tvam” :- You;



“Asi” :- Are;



So, “Tattvamasi” means, “You are That”. Here, “That” refers to God. Since God exists in every one of us, it is said, “You are That” or “You are God”. Factually, however, we are not God, but only part of God as we unite finally with God



How many Tattvas are there?- 36 Tattvas of Shiva



The Samkhya school of Hinduism made the concept of tattvas their central philosophy while detailing the process of creation. There are 36 tattvas and dered as Shiva tattva is the highest. Beyond Siva tattva is the Atattva, which is not counted among the 36.



Atattva – ParaShiva or formless absolute Brahman who is beyond all the tattvas, symbolized by sivalinga, experienced in the state of samadhi



The names of the 36 tattvas and their descriptions are as below.



1- 5 are Iswara-tattvas. They belong to the pure worlds.

6-10 are Shakti-tattvas.

11-16 are recognized as atma-tattvas .

17 – 36 are prakriti-tattvas. Through them Prakriti manifests gross bodies, organs, senses, sense-objects and other things of gross material.

Lets discuss 36 tattvas in a saparate blog



Lord Shiva is a formless eternal and mysterious being with many aspects and dimensions. He is both transcendental and immanent, who cannot be quantified and qualified objectively with our limited awareness. He is beyond our mind and senses, but within the reach of our experience and awakening.



How To Worship Lord Siva



In the Sivapurana it has been told that once Sanatkumara was traveling in an aircraft and happened to see sage Parasara, practicing austerities



(tapas ) on the banks of the river Saraswathi. Sanatkumara stopped by and asked the latter the reason for being at such a lonely place. Sage Parasara replied that having done his ordained duties as a teacher and helped lots of students to gain knowledge, he decided to practice austerities for his own salvation. Sanatkumara then revealed to him the knowledge he received earlier from Nandikeswara and suggested him to practice mananam, sravanam and kirtanam instead of austerities as effective means of attaining the grace of Lord Siva and achieve liberation. These three means are explained below.



Mananam: Uttering the Siva mantras or prayers, contemplating or meditating upon the grandeur and significance of Siva or the sacred texts of Saivism and performing similar mental activities.



Sravanam: Listening from others, or in a gathering of Siva’s devotees, about Lord Siva, the concepts of Saivism, the books on Saivism, the life and activities of Nayanars or other devotees of Siva.



Kirtanam: Singing the glory of Lord Siva either alone or in the company of other devotees. When it is done in groups it is called bhajan. Devotional singing helps the mind become stabilized in God.







The Worship of Sivalinga



According to the Sivapurana, in the age of Kali (kaliyuga) ,worship of Siva in the form of Sivalinga is the best means of liberation. Woship of Sivalinga can be done either at home or in a Siva temple or a sacred place such as the banks of a sacred river. The linga has to be worshipped by the traditional means (sadupachara) of



dhyana, (meditate on Shiva)



avahana,(Invite him to your home)



asana,(request him to sit)



padya,(Giving water to wash his Feet)



arghya,(Giving water to wach his hands)



achamaniya,(Give him water Ganga)



abhisheka, ( Pouring water,milk on the linga)



vastra,(adoring him with cloth,dress)



bhasma,( applying Vibhudhi)



gandha,(Applying Sandalwood)



akshata, (sprinkling Rice )



pushpa,(praying with flowers)



bilva,( Offer Bilva tree Leaves so dear to Shiva)



dhupa,(lightening the agarbathi)



dipa,(lightening the lamp)



naivedya, ( offering prasad,food to him)



tambula,(offering betel leaf,nut,)



mahanirajana,Praying Shiva’s another name Maha Niranjana



mantrapushpa,(Repeate mantra and offer him)



namaskara (Pray folding both your hands)in Namaste position



prardhana.(Make your requests to Shiva for his blessings to grant your wishes)



The Significance of Sivalinga



As the highest reality Siva is both Saguna (with form and qualities) and Nirguna (without form and qualities). The Siva linga is a rendering of Siva in his formless or nirguna aspect. Saguna Siva is known by his five aspects known as panchanana aspect and there are temples in India where we can see a Sivalinga having five faces representing these five aspects. According to the followers of Saivism, Nirguan Siva is the highest reality, the absolute principle, the formless unknown Self of all and the one indivisible Supreme Reality. Sivalinga represents this aspect of Siva and therefore its worship is considered to be the highest form of worship we can perform.











Why Perform Abhisheka To Shiva?



Perform Abhishekam with water and milk to shiva lingam to solve any and all problems and for (chaladhanam) to keep your body,mind,calm in peace.







Abhishekam can be done with water, milk, ghee, curd, pasupu, etc



Spatika Lingam



Sphatikam (Quartz) is the mineral in the Earth’s continental crust, after feldspar. Sphatikam is made up of a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon–oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tetrahedra, giving an overall formula SiO2. In short it comprise one part silicon and two parts oxygen. Quartz belongs to the trigonal crystal system. The ideal crystal shape is a six-sided prism terminating with six-sided pyramids at each end. Sphatikam is the semi-precious gemstone. There are many different varieties of sphatikam. High quality quartz crystals are single-crystal silica with optical or electronic properties that make them suitable for hardstone carvings. The Hindu temples in South India use this semi-precious mineral for making Shiva Lingams. Sphatikam beads are made from translucent rose quartz are cut and polished as beads. Each bead is about ten millimeters in diameter. It is good conductor of heat. Hence people wear sphatikam jewelry (mala) to keep their body cool. Some other people claim that these beads have healing properties.







In Hindu Shiva temples, Saiva Agamas allow to worship Lord Shiva in the form of Sphatika Lingam. Sphatika Lingam is representing the icon of Lord Nataraja. The Sphatika Lingams are protected in the sanctum sanctorum of Lord Shiva. Hindu priests offer Milk, Water, or Vhibuti consecrations to the Sphatika Lingam. They also chant 108 times Shiva Panchakshari Mantra. It is believed that Sphatika Lingam removes all curses and negative karma and will enhance ones confidence and power.



What Size Linga should one buy?



People who pray at home must always buy linga of height less then your forefinger when folded into fists. This is your strength as a human being to buy for doing pujas at home.If you buy any idol more than this size you can keep it as decorative item at home.If you buy any idol more than this size you need to keep it in a temple and do pujas like in a temple.







How do you know Spatika Linga is Pure ?



Spatika linga when you pour pasupu it turns yellow,with kumkum it turns red,



Shiva’s Miracle in Kalahasti ?



Priests do abhishekam to siva linga at Kalahasti temple and immerse the linga in water.Once the water covers the linga,the sky becomes dark and it will start raining.People do this for rain in Kalahasti which is other wise a hot place.



Siva Linga at Kalahasti (AP) India







Concept of Time



Time eats everything.

When time keeps moving Our bodies start deteriorating, as we age with time







Time we lost can never be gained.

Get up before sunrise and start your daily chores.Watch the sun for 1minute.

You will gain positive energy from sun. Great people are early risers



Never sleep before or at sunset

When you get up take bath/shower and then start work

When sun sets shiva takes away your time



Humans have 3 kinds of Fear



Man fears of time

1-Will I lose what I have ?

2-What I wish will it happen or not ?

3-Will I live or not ?

Naku Unnadi pothundhi yemo ?

Nenu anu kunadhi Jaragade Yemo ?

Nenu undanu Yemo ? ( In Telugu )

Events in our life have meanings.



When we get fever we always think “why did I fall sick ? “What did I eat?



“Where did I eat ?



When we get hurt it means we have hurt some one in our previous birth



and its one way to go through suffering (papam) Karma.What goes around comes around. There is no escape



Pray Shiva to pardon you so that You will be careful in this birth



Why do we go to temple and express our problems?





Why do we go to temple and express our problems and pray for solutions

This does not mean god does not know our problems

We express to god as you cannot be without expressing your problem to him



There is nothing wrong in doing this since he is our God.

Same is true in train journey. We express our problems to strangers as we just want to share to make our hearts light.

Why do we give flowers,fruits to god ?



When we give fruits flowers to God in temple we do it not because

God does not have or wants them.We give because we cannot be

Without giving and to show our Love for God

What to do to solve all our problems ?



To solve all your problems Perform shiva linga abhishekam with water or milk or vibhudhi.

Na manasu needhi anuko

Apudu shivudu nee manasu lo untadu (telugu)

Pl tell God to Think your heart as his Heart



Then Shiva will stay in your heart





Animals and Humans have 3 things in common



(Passu means humans they have 3 things)







Rata. equivalent to Janma. Birth



Thadu equivalent to Karma. Duty



Katu. equivalent to Self Control (Katupadadum) Be within limit









Pathi. One who rides pasu (animal ) or Nandi



Pathi is Shiva



What should you do when you commit mistakes?



4 Steps to Request Shiva to Pardon you



1-One must realize his mistakes



2-Admit and accept them without blaming others

3-Mention that he will not repeat them again

4-Ask for pardon and forgiveness to Shiva or elders or anyone.



Its like the Son or daughter asking his father to pardon him









What Is Maya ?



Maya means 2 things

Namamu. What you see

Rupamu what you dont see

What you think is what you see



Father asks his son if gold is there in their Gold shop









Son says I did not see gold I see Ornaments like Bangles,Chains,rings etc





Now do you see gold or ornaments

Ornaments are made of Gold

We dont see it we see ornaments



This is Maya



Where Does Shiva Live? and in what Form ?

Shiva lives in 8 forms





1- Earth 2- Air 3- Fire 4-Water 5-Ether 6- Sky 7-Sun 8-Moon



Shiva lives almost every where is it not?



There are only 8 things





All the happiness in the world is due to Shiva



If Earth is not there how will you

Build homes

Where can you dig for oil

There will be no plants hence No fruits nor vegetables

If Air is not there where is the oxygen? How will we breathe?



If there is no fire how will we cook?



If water is not there how will we cook? How will we live? as our body needs Water



we can live without food but we cannot live without water



So also Ether is required to balance nature



Sky is required too



Sun is Shiva

Can you see sun for a long time

Can you throw water or flowers on sun

Sun is energy reason for our health



If sun is not there where is the day light?



If moon is not there where is the night time?





Respect our Earth that’s why we call Mother Earth

Don’t dig earth unnecessarily (Papam ) sin



Shiva lives in 8 forms as lingams

Earth Air Fire Water Ether Sky Sun Moon

Chidambaram Akasa (Sky ) Lingam

Kalahasti. Vayu Air) Lingam

Orissa Chandra (moon) Lingam

Nepal. Pasupathi nathLingam

( rudraksha bought from this temple

12 -Devine Jyothir Linga Shrines of Shiva



Mahadev, or Shiva the Lord incorporates in Himself, the aura and the holiness of all the twelve JyotirLingas. The grandeur of these places is unique.



The Dwadasa Jyotirlinga shrines or the 12 shrines enshrining Shiva in the form of a Jyotirlingam, have been held in reverence since time immemorial in the Indian system of beliefs. The southernmost of these is located at Rameswaram, while the northernmost is located in the snowy heights of the Himalayas at Kedarnath. These temples are closely linked with legends from the puranas and are rich in history and tradition.



Two on the sea shore, three on river banks, four in the heights of the mountains and three in villages located in meadows; the twelve Jyotirlingas are spread out like this. Every place has been described in glorious words by many detailing the surroundings etc



Somnath JyotirLing in Saurashtra (Guj)



Mallikarjun jyoptirling in Srisailam (A.P.)



Mahakaleshwar jyotirling in Ujjain (M.P.)



Omkareshwar jyotirling in Shivpuri / mAmaleswara (M.P.)



Vaidyanath jyotirling in Parali (Mah)



Nageswar jyotirling in Darukavanam (mah)



Kedareswar jyotirling in Kedarnath / Himalayas (Utt)



Tryambakeswar jyotirling in Nasik (Mah)



Rameshwar jyotirling in Setubandanam / Rameshwaram (T.N.)



Bhimashankar jyotirling in Dakini (Mah)



Visweswar jyotirling in Varanasi (U.P.)



Ghrishneswar jyotirling in Devasrovar (Mah)



Somnath is the foremost of the 12 Jyotirlinga Shrines of Shiva, held in reverence throughout India and is rich in legend, traditions and history. It is located at Prabhas Patan in Saurashtra in Gujarat.





Sree Sailam – Sree Sailam near Kurnool enshrines Mallikarjuna in an ancient temple rich in architectural and sculptural wealth. Aadi Sankaracharya composed his Sivanandalahiri here.



Ujjain – Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga shrine The ancient and historic city of Ujjain or Avanti in Madhya Pradesh is home to the Jyotirlinga shrine of Mahakaleshwar.



Omkareshwar: an island in the course of the river Narmada in Madhya Pradesh is home to the Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga shrine and the Amareshwar temple.



Kedarnath – the Northernmost of the Jyotirlingas. Kedarnath, nestled in the snow clad Himalayas is an ancient shrine rich in legend and tradition. It is accessible only on foot, six months in a year.



Bhimashankar – Jyotirlinga Shrine is associated with the legend of Shiva destroying the demon Tripurasura. Bhimashankar is located in the Sahyadri hills of Maharashtra, accessed from Pune.



Varanasi – The most celebrated pilgrimage site in India The Vishwanath temple in Benares in Uttar Pradesh is the goal of the thousands of pilgrims that visit this ancient city. The Vishwanath shrine is revered as one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva.



Tryambakeshwar – The origin of the river Godavari is intimately linked with this Jyotirlinga shrine near Nasik in Maharashtra.



Vaidyanath temple at Deogarh The ancient pilgrimage town of Deogarh in the Santal Parganas area of Bihar is revered as one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Shiva.



Nageshwar near Dwarka in Gujarat is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva.



Rameswaram: This vast temple in the island of Rameswaram, in Southern Tamilnadu enshrines Ramalingeswarar, and is revered as the southernmost of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines of India.



Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Shrine is a temple located in the vicinity of the tourist town of Ellora, which has several rock cut monuments from the 1st millennium CE.



Those who chant the Dwadasa JyotirLinga Stotram or prayer will attain salvation and enlightenment and be released from this cycle of human existence with all its travails. By worshipping the Lingas, people of all castes, creeds and colour would be freed from all difficulties. By eating the holy offering made to these Lingas (Naivedyam) one would be rid of all the sins instantly.



India is the only country which has so many powerful temples and heritage with evidence that God exists.

Blessed are the ones who are lucky to visit all 12 Jyothir Lingas



Jaredu (Telugu word )tree

Never keep Jaredu tree at home,white flowers who give milk which is poisonous.



Its the same flower which is kept for Lord Ganesh

Maha Shivarathri

In pitch darkness the pillar with light (Jyothi stambham) is lit

Lingam is actually round in shape



If you sit and draw circle around You.It means you are inside linga

Draw bigger circle the city is inside Linga

Draw even bigger circle the Country is inside Linga



Draw a bigger circle entire Universe is inside linga







circle around YOU CITY/STATE COUNTRY UNIVERSE

Linga is actually round in shape

If Linga is cold all humans will be cold too.By cold we mean in good health



Powerful Mantras of Shiva are:



Om Namah Shivaya,



Mahamrityunjaya Mantra





ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् ।



उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मा मृतात् ।।



Oṁ tryambakaṁ yajāmahe sugandhiṁ puṣṭi-vardhanam ǀ



urvārukam-iva bandhanān mṛtyormukṣīya mā ∫ mṛtāt ǁ



Listen to the above “Om Shri Mahamrityunjaya” Mantra composed and sang by Prana Kishore in his album “Om Shri Rama Hanuman Raksha” at http://www.pranakishore.com and on I Tunes,Amazon worldwide

Shri Rudram Chamakam



108 Names of Shiva



we will discuss about them in my next blog









