Saturday, 1 April 2023

The Bull Facing Shiva is NOT Nandi ! Secrets From Shaiva Tantra

Image: Shiva temple in University Malaya, Malaysia

What if I told you that the bull we worship in a Shaiva temple is not Nandi as per Shaiva Tantra? Shocking? Let us see why..

Nandi

Lord Nandi is manifest in the form of Lord Śiva. We refer to adhikāra Nandi as the deity who has the form of Śiva, with Jaṭā Makuṭa (crown of matted hair), Gaṅgā, Ḍamaruka, three eyes, aṅkuśa, and mṛga ( deer )


Lord Nandi is the Pramatha Gaṇa. He holds authority in allowing or disallowing anyone from meeting Lord Śiva. This is why He has the title 'adhikāra.'

He is Śiva-svarūpa, as mentioned. Alternatively, He can also manifest as a deity with a bovine face and a humanoid body (upper limbs, trunk, and lower limbs)


Image: Adhikāra Nandi.

Vṛṣabha

The deity in the form of bull as a manifest animal form ( with hooves, hump, tail etc) is vṛṣabha.

वृषो वृषा कृतिस् त्र्यक्शो रुद्रैक गद मानसः
साक्षात् धर्म स्वरूपश्च शुद्ध स्फटिक निर्मलः

vṛṣo vṛṣā kṛtis tryakśo rudraika gada mānasaḥ
sākṣāt dharma svarūpaśca śuddha sphaṭika nirmalaḥ

The above mantra is the dhyāna śloka for Vṛṣabha. It describes Him as having three eyes. In a meditative state, His heart is always on Rudra. He is the very manifest form of Dharma. He is Dharma Devatā.

When we hold firm to Dharma, we attain Lord Śiva. This is why we approach Lord Śiva through Vṛṣabha, who is the very embodiment of Dharma.



Images above: Lord Śiva on Adhikāra Nandi, found in Borobodur, Indonesia

Vṛṣabha Pūja During Pradoam 

Image: Vṛṣabha at Riverside Meditation Sanctuary, Gombak, Malaysia

So, it is Vṛṣabha who receives the ritualistic bath during Pradoṣam and not Nandi. This is clearly described in the Śaiva Paddhati (a manual for rituals based on the Śaiva Āgamas).


सर्व विश्व रक्षा करम् धर्मम् वृषभम् प्रथमं यजेत्
sarva viśva rakṣā karam dharmam vṛṣabham prathamaṃ yajet

This verse refers to Vṛṣabha as the one who protects the entire cosmos as Dharma. During Pradoṣa, we first offer our worship to this Vṛṣabha.

Upon performing abhiṣeka, alaṅkāra, and pūjā, we then invoke and worship Lord Śiva between Vṛṣabha's horns.


Video: My student Smt. Kavita reciting the Ṛṣabha Sūkta of Ṛg Veda, which describes Vṛṣabha.


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