Tomorrow is Maha Siva Rathri : Reflections on the Nandhi Flag
 

Justice C.V. WIGNESWARAN

RELIGION: Hinduism is revealed through symbolism. Most abstruse spiritual truths are portrayed in visual delights both for appreciation of beauty as well as for deep penetrative spiritual investigation. Let us examine the example of Shiva.

God Almighty or the all-pervading omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent Godhead is referred to by Tamil Hindus as Shivam. Shivam in Tamil means auspiciousness, final salvation and also God existing as Sivan, one of the Hindu Trinity.

There is a difference between Shivam and Sivan in Tamil. The Advaitic all pervading Para Brahman is Shivam. A lesser god in the category of Brahma and Vishnu is Sivan.

Shiva in his Para or transcendental aspect is inactive in creation. His energy or activating force called Shakthi is relegated to His "consorts", the productive "Female" powers that make possible the infinite unfoldments in the Cosmos.

Thus, Shiva remains as a figure of the Grand Ascetic, eternally enthroned in the towering mountain world, where the powerful, mighty Ganges in her descent from heaven passes through his matted locks.

Shiva is passive, meditative and owns nothing but his Shakthi or Power or energy gushes out from him to be active, outward and all encompassing.

The characteristics of the present Yuga and said to be that hurting by thought, word and deed would be the order of the day, greed and covetousness rampant, questioning the elders and those in authority common, in gratitude a trait and second nature, people would be prone to newer and newer diseases and so on. Such characteristics have been recorded centuries ago. We see them today around us.

The standing on one foot in the present Yuga is significant. The Nandhi Flag, it would be noticed, does not portray a bull standing on all its feet.

It portrays a recumbent bull with only one foot slightly raised, while the other three feet are bent and reclined. It portrays the Dharmic (or more correctly the Adarmic) level of consciousness of the present Yuga.

If the bull reclines fully with all its feet bent, that would signify that the end of the Yuga (pralaya) is at sight. Therefore, the Nandhi Flag is teaching us certain spiritual truths. What are they?

(i) Almighty, the Everpresent and All-Knowing Shiva is beyond Time. But when he needs to enter into Time dimension, which is the dimension we human beings are used to, he uses Dharma Devadha or Time as his vehicle.

Unable to portray Time pictorially, the other meaning of Brish or Dharma, (from which came the word Rishabha and Idapam) was used. That was a White Bull. Hence, Nandhi the Bull came to be identified as Shiva's vehicle.

(ii) Nandhi stands for the Time-encompassed World and its inherent qualities (Dharma). To transcend Time should be the goal of every spiritual seeker. Seeking permission from Nandhi to see God signifies this.

(iii) When Nandhi is placed at a temple between the Seeker and the Sanctum Sanctorum which houses either the Shivalinga or the idol of Shiva, what is sought to be informed to the Seeker is that transcending Time brings the Seeker face to face with the Reality.

If Nandhi or Time moves aside, you come face to face with the almighty Shiva. When we say Nandhi is blocking the vision of Shiva it also means our Time consciousness and worldly characteristics block our vision of the Reality.

The Nandhi Flag encapsulates the essence of Hindu Saiva thought. It portrays (i) Reality (ii) Its Vehicle which is equally Holy as Reality (iii) As well as the world in which we live today and (iv) The moral and ethical norms which condition and causate our thoughts and actions.

As Hindus we are reminded of ourselves, the moral fibre of our existence at the present moment of Time, the need to transcend the limitations of Time in order to reach the Holy Feet of the Divine, the need to be patient awaiting the grace of the Almighty, all portrayed by the reclining Nandhi.

The Nandhi Flag is an apt representation of the Hindus who are passive yet perceptive, hale yet humble and deep, devote and detached.

May the holy Nandhi bless us all!