Monday, April 28, 2008
Shiva, Paravati, Sacred Connection
For me, stories of Shiva and Paravati (Parvathi) are irresitstable. These are the names of ancient Indian gods and goddesses, words which have been repeated many millions of times by worshippers who have, in effect, packed them with energy and sacred power. I like to say or hear these names, for they can evoke the sweet energies within.
The picture above is of the Meenakshi Temple in Tamil Nadu (southern India), which is dedicated to Shiva and Paravati. (Image found on Wikipedia)
I was looking up another reference a short while ago and came upon this delightful tale
Malayadwaja Pandya, a king of Madurai , was childless for a long time. He performed a number of yagnas (sacrifices made before a sacred fire) because he wanted an heir to his throne. On one occasion, a three-year-old girl came out of the fire and Malayadwaja adopted her. But the girl had three breasts and this worried Malayadwaja. However, a divine voice assured him that the third breast would disappear as soon as she met her consort. The girl grew into a brave and beautiful princess. she won many battles, but eventually lost her heart to Lord Shiva, when she met him on the battle-field in Kailas. As soon as she saw him, her third breast disappeared and she recognized her divine consort, for the princess was none other than Shiva's wife, Parvathi. After ruling over the Pandya kingdom for a while, they settled in the Madurai temple as Meenakshi and Sundareswarar.
Those who make pilgrimages to this and others of the sacred temples of India often can feel the sacred vibrations of the grounds. Westerners, accustomed to a more "intellectual approach," often fail to grasp the nature of the experience which is offered. They get distracted by such details as the architecture, the history of the construction, the composition of the structure and the like and miss the key experience, which is to commune with the "spirit of the place."
Other sites also may wecome you with sacred vibrations. Power spots such as the sacred wells or burial sites of Ireland allow you to feel the earth energies flowing upward (Tara is an outstanding example of this.) The vortexes of Sedona are said to do the same. And I remember once going to a spiritual retreat on a location in Colorado which for years had been occupied by a Christian order. When I remarked to a resident that I could feel the special energies of the place, she answered that this was land that had been "prayed over many times."
In restoring our sacred connection to earth, it is critical that we open and allow ourselves to "feel" the connection, not merely think it.
