The Form and Description of Shiva As Per Hindu Scriptures
In Shaiva Tantra, meditation on the form of the manifest Lord is a very important ritual. It involves visualization of the form which crystallizes to reality with the recitation of a dhyana shloka.
The dhyana shloka describes the form in detail.
Sadashiva Murti Dhyanam ( Used for avahana ):
इन्दुनिभ पञ्चमुख हस्तदशयुक्तं
शूलमृगटङ्कमसि वज्रमभयम्स्यात्।
पाशवरदाङ्कुश मणिज्वलनवामे
श्वेतकमलासन सदाशिव स्वरूपम्॥
indunibha pañcamukha hastadaśayuktaṃ
śūlamṛgaṭaṅkamasi vajramabhayamsyāt।
pāśavaradāṅkuśa maṇijvalanavāme
śvetakamalāsana sadāśiva svarūpam॥
Word to word meaning and breakdown:
indu = moon nibha = resembling Pañcamukha = 5 face hasta = hands dasha = 10 yuktam = together shuula = trident Mṛga = deer Ṭaṅka = axe
asi = sword or dagger vajra = thunderbolt a-bhayam = without-fear syaat = possession
paasha = noose
varadaa = gesture of granting boons aṅkuśa = goad Maṇi = gem jvalana = shining / flaming vaame = on the left shveta = white kamala = lotus aasanam = seat sadaashiva = sadaashiva svaruupam = embodiment
Meaning and commentary:
The one with a complexion like the moon (indicating illumination or luminosity) and with five faces, equipped with ten hands.
These hands hold symbolic items like a trident, an antelope, a goad, a sword, a thunderbolt, a noose, and a radiant jewel, with one hand showing a protective gesture and another granting boons.
Seated on a white lotus, thus is the form of Sadashiva.
Why does He sit on a white lotus? Answer in my previous article here
This is another dhyana shloka which is recited and utilised during the praNa pratishTha of a linga. The form of Sadashiva is visualized as per this shloka.
niShkalaHa = niHi ( without ) + kala ( aspect ) = without any attributes
shivaHa = Shiva
Meaning and commentary:
Through Shakti, the entirety of the cosmos is realized as the very form of the attributeless, formless Shiva.
In Shaiva Tantra, Sadashiva is verily seen formless, beyond attributes. We condense Him to a form as a facilitation to our worship and rituals.
kṣityādikuṭilāprānta mantrasimhāsana sthitam
kṣityādi = kShiti ( earth ) + aadi ( beginning )
kuṭilā = kuTila shakti is the highest energy point in the panchasana which is occupied by the deity
praanta = end
mantra = mantra
simha-asana = the lion throne
sthitam = establised
Meaning and commentary:
In the tantric scriptures, we have a very important verse which goes as ' śaktyādi śaktyantam āsanam' .. meaning, ' the āsana begins with śakti ( energy ) and ends with energy.
ādhara śaktyādi kuṭilā śaktyantam, meaning, the energy begins as ādhara śakti and ends as kuṭilā śakti ( on which the deity is made to literally sit ).
This is the concept of Panchasana ( a five dimensional throne which we create for the deity to sit ).
In Shaiva Tantra, the panchasana is constructed with mantras and visualization and Sadashiva is made to sit at the summit of this asana ( seat ).
Image: A model of Panchasana which is used in Shaiva rituals
śuddhasphaṭika saṅkāśaṃ dvātrimśallakṣaṇānvitam
shuddha = pure
sphaTika = crystal
saṅkāśaṃ = resembling
dvaatrimshat = 32
lakShaNaanvitam = lakShaNa ( features ) + anvitam ( endowed with )
Meaning and commentary:
Sadashiva is white in colour and shines like a pure crystal. In the Indian tradition, there are 32 ideal qualities for a perfect male. Sadashiva possesses all these 32 features.
In Minsara Kanna song from Padayappa, you can hear the female lead describing the stated qualities for a perfect male she finds in the protagonist.
dṛk = in reference to jñāna shakti ( power of wisdom )
kriyaa = power of action ( kriyaa shakti )
ichchhaa = will power ( ichchhaa shakti )
vishaala = vast
akSham = eyes
jñāna = wisdom
chandra = moon
kalaanvitam / kalaadharam = kala ( art ) + anvitam ( endowed with ).
Kalaadharam is often used to denote Lord Shiva who bears Mother Ganga on His head.
Meaning and commentary:
He sits in padmaasana ( lotus posture ). He has 5 faces and a corresponding mouth for each face. He has three eyes. The three eyes are the embodiments of the power of wisdom, power of action and power of will. Such are the vast and large eyes of Sadashiva. The moon which adorns His head is the very form of wisdom ( jñāna ). He bears Mother Ganga on His head.
Image: Sadashiva with 5 faces
dhavalēśānavadanaṃ pītatatpuruṣānanam
dhavala = white
iishaanaa = The face of Lord Shiva who has the role of liberation
piitaa = yellow
tatpuruShaanam = of tatpuruSha, the face of Lord Shiva who has the role of obscuration
Meaning and commentary:
Sadashiva runs the cosmos through his five-fold action:
(1) creation ( Sadyojata )
(2) preservation ( Vamadeva )
(3) dissolution ( Aghora )
(4) obscuration ( TatpuruSha )
(5) liberation ( Ishana )
The Ishana face ( the facet of Sadashiva involved in the role of liberation) is white in colour. The tatpuruSha face is yellow in colour.
kṛṣṇāghora mukhopetaṃ raktābhoktara vaktrakam
kṛṣṇa = black
aghora = The face of Sadashiva involved in dissolution
mukha = face
upetam = possessing
raktaabha = having reddish appearance
uttara = north
vaktrakam = face
Meaning and commentary:
The Aghora face is black in colour. The Vamadeva face is red in colour.
suśvetapaścimāsyaikaṃ sadyojātaṃ sumūrtikam
sushveta = su ( excellent ) + shveta ( white )
pashcima = western
asya = this
aikam = ekam = one
sadyojaatam = The face of Sadashiva involved in creation
sumuurtikam = su ( excellent ) + muurtikam ( form )
Meaning and commentary:
The face of Sadyojata who is involved in creation is auspiciously white in colour.
nāgopavītinaṃ śāntaṃ jaṭākhaṇḍendu maṇḍitam
naaga = serpent
upaviitinam = someone wearing the upaviita ( the sacred thread )
shaantam = peaceful
jaTa = matted hair
khaNDa = portion ( a crescent )
indu = moon
maNDitam = adorned
Meaning and commentary :
He wears the serpent as His sacred thread. In Shaiva tradition, the serpent is Vasuki. His form is peaceful and calm, unaffected by anything. His state is beyond anger, happiness, joy, sorrow etc. He has a portion of the moon ( crescent ) adorning His matted hair.
śaktyāsīśūlakhaṭvāṅga vara vyāghra karāmbujaṃ
shakti = a lance
aasii = sword
shuula = trident
khaṭvāṅga = a type of staff
vara = boon-bestowing
vyaaghra = tiger
kara = hand
ambuja = ambu ( water ) + ja ( jananam + born out of ) = lotus
Meaning and commentary:
Sadashiva with 10 arms holds the shakti aayudha, the sword, the trident, the boon bestowing gesture and the staff. He is dressed up with tiger skin and sits on a lotus.
dakṣiṇairatha vāmasthaiḥ ḍamaruṃ bījapūrakam
dakṣiṇaiḥ= with the right side
vāmasthaiḥ = with the left side
ḍamaruṃ = a small two headed drum
biijapuurakam = filled with seeds
Meaning and commentary:
The stated elements are held in the right-sided arms. On His left-sided arms, He holds a ḍamaru, a pomegranate ( filled with seeds )...
nāgākṣa sūtra nīlābja bibhrāna pañcabhikaraiḥ
naaga = serpent
akSha = eyes pertaining to rudraakSha )
suutra = thread
niila = blue
abja = lotus
bibhraaNa = holding
pañcabhikaraiḥ = five hands
Meaning and commentary:
.. a serpent, a rudraakSha maala and a blue lotus. Like this, He holds these five things on His five hands ( of His left side ).
divyagandhānu liptāṅgaṃ divyapuṣpairalaṅkṛtam
divya = divine
gandhaa = smell
anulipta = smeared
aṅgaṃ = body
puShpaiHi = flower
alaṅkṛtam = decorated
Meaning and commentary:
He is anointed with divine fragrances over His body and decorated with divine flowers.
hāra kaṅkaṇa keyūraiḥ mudritābhir alaṅkṛtam
haara = necklace
kaṅkaṇa = bracelet
keyuura = armlet
mudritaabhiHi = with rings
alaṅkṛtam = decorated with
Meaning and commentary:
He is adorned with necklace, bracelets, armlets and rings.
saṃcintya mūrterupari śaktimātra vijṛmbhanam
saṃcintya = reflecting upon
muurterupari = above the image
shaktimaatra = only energy
vijṛmbhanam = expanding
Meaning and commentary:
Sadashiva's form constitute 38 kala mantras which are derived from the 5 faces. These 38 mantras make up His form. One shall reflect upon Sadashiva who is atop this expanding, pure energy who is Parashakti.
Sadashiva's body is a body which constitutes mantras. It is called a 'vidya deha'. His body is made up of these 38 kala mantras which are all derived from 5 mantras which describe the 5 faces of Sadashiva. These 5 mantras appear in the Taittiriiya AraNyakam of the Yajur Veda.
Video: My student and I reciting the Yajur Veda portion from which the kala mantras are derived.
liṅgākāropamardena bhāvane liṅgatāṃ tyajet
linga = Shiva linga
aakaara = form
upamardena = by destroying
bhaavane = in the heart
liṅgatāṃ = the state of linga
tyajet = should abandon
Meaning and commentary:
When meditating upon Sadashiva on the Linga, the form of the Linga should disappear from our vision and only the form of Sadashiva ( as described so far ) should persist ( The linga that we want to consecrate must be replaced with the image of Sadashiva alone, in our heart and vision ).
The last two verses serve as an instruction to the Shivacharya who is consecrating and performing pratisHTha to a Linga. Visualization is an important aspect of tantra. A good acharya is one who can manifest a reality with his bhaava, visualization and mantra.
As per Shaiva tantra, a qualified Shivacharya has control over weather and nature with his mantra-siddhi alone.
The dhyana shloka describing Sadashiva is recited and finally the visualization puts this form into the place of the Linga, literally, thus establishing Sadashiva as a living deity in the temple or altar.
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