The soul is the consciousness or the knowing principle in man.  The mind belongs to the category of matter. Shiva is the soul and Parvati is the mind. The consciousness is the Reality, the unchanging, unmoving, all pervading soul.

Mind being matter is changeable and unreal.

We perceive objects through the organs of sense perception. The soul enables the organs to perceive the objects. The soul exists in all living beings as consciousness. It is the light of the soul that makes the sense-organs and the mind appear alive and luminous.

Shiva is the unchanging consciousness – Nirguna or without form or shape. This unchanging consciousness-Shiva – becomes saguna or with form, when Maya Shakti, which is Shiva’s illusive power appears as mind and matter. This phenomenon is known as Ardhanarishwar.

Shiva’s Maya-Shakti is known by various names such as Uma, Parvati, Kali, Durga etc. This Maya-Shakti or power inheres in Shiva just as the burning power inheres in fire, sweetness in sugar, whiteness in milk and meaning in the words.

Shiva stands for the Absolute, the unchanging, static background, of which Kali, the Shakti (power) is the dynamic expression. We call this Shakti or power Mother or Goddess. Goddess Kali combines in herself creative dynamism, destructive terror and redemptive grace.

God’s power that is enveloped by Tamo-guna-pradhana is Lord Shiva.

Shiva’s trishul or trident (the three pointed javelin like weapon) represents the three gunas –Sattwa,Rajas and Tamas. The Trishul is the emblem of sovereignity. Lord Shiva wields the world through these three gunas, which is the composition of Maya-Shakti or mind and matter. In other words, if one were able to analyse the composition of Maya-Shakti, it will be found to be made of the combination of the three Gunas (Sattwa-Rajas-Tamas).

Shiva is Trilochana, the three- eyed one, in the centre of whose forehead is the third eye, the eye of wisdom (gnana-chakshu). The burning power of the wisdom of the third eye destroys desires for worldly objects. Sensual desire and lust is represented by Kamadev, the god of love (Eros or Cupid). When a person reaches a state of perfect renunciation- he is said to have burnt all his desires. Shiva’s third eye burnt to ashes Kamadev- the god of love. The eye of wisdom leads to transcendental vision of the Supreme Reality.

We recite regularly the following Maha Mrityunjay Mantra from the Sukla Yajurveda Samhita III. 60.

Om Trayambakam Yajaamahe
Suganghim Pushtivardhanam,

Urvaarukmiva Bandhanaan
Mrityor Mokshiya Mamritaat

[The meaning of the Mantra is as follows:]

I worship thee, O sweet Lord of transcendental vision (the three -eyed one or Lord Siva). O giver of prosperity to all, may I be free from the bonds of death, even as a melon (or cucumber) is severed from its bondage or attachment to the creeper.

The word Shiva signifies the auspicious. The good Lord Siva roots out sin and terror, and is the bestower of earthly happiness, promoter of good and auspiciousness. Shiva is also called Samkara which means doer of good.

Shiva takes one beyond the three bodies (Tripura), gross, subtle and causal that envelope the Jiva or the embodied soul. He is hence the Hara or the remover of all evil and the ideal of renunciation. Therefore we hail ‘Hara hara Mahadeva.’

In the Rigveda (x, 121, 4) it is written: Yasya ime himavanto mahitva. That the snow capped Himalayas appear as if they are meditating (dhyayativa), and they are the concrete symbol of the glory of the Supreme. Hence it is no wonder that most of its attributes are transferred to Shiva. Kailash (mountain) in the Himalayas is the abode of Lord Shiva.

The snowy Himalayas are white and Shiva’s body is also white – Gauranga (gauri = light complexioned). Karpura gaura = camphor hued white. Shiva’s body is smeared with bhasma or ashes to indicate renunciation, whiteness and purity.

Amazing! Lord Shiva is present in the Kailash Mountain. The most sacred symbol in Hinduism AUM imprinted with snow and ice on the face of the mountain by nature.

Snow falls each winter and resides on the mountain top in the shape of Om.