Sawan Month 2022:
The Shravan month is the fifth month in the Hindu calendar. Known as Sawan month in the colloquial language, it is considered to be the auspicious month. Lord Shiva is worshipped during this month and devotees all over the country maintain fast on the Mondays of this month. Sawan Month has started from July 14th, but today i.e July 18th is the first Monday of Sawan month.
Monday is the day dedicated to Lord Shiva and many devotees fast on Mondays which is considered to be highly auspicious. According to Hindu scriptures, it is believed that keeping fasts on Mondays by unmarried women will help them to get desired better partners. Also it is believed that devotees fast on Sawan Mondays to be blessed by Lord Shiva with good health, happiness and prosperity.
Lord Shiva:
Lord Shiva perhaps is the most powerful Hindu deities. Known by many names- Mahadeva, Mahayogi, Pashupati, Natarajaa, Bhairava, Vishwanath, Bhava, Bhole Nath. Shiva means ‘Shakti’ or power, Lord Shiva is one the three deities of Hindu Trinity, along with Brahma and Vishnu. The Great God Mahadeva is regarded as limitless, transcendent, unchanging, formless, one with no beginning and no ending. He is the destroyer and also the transformer.
Symbolic meanings of Lord Shiva’s adornments:
It is humanly impossible to explain Lord Shiva, but yet let’s try to understand the symbolic meanings of Lord Shiva’s adornments;
Moon: Lord Shiva is also known as Soma or Somasundara. The crescent moon indicates that He has control over the mind perfectly. It also symbolizes time and Lord Shiva wearing the moon on his head depicts that he has full control of time and beyond the measure of time and eternal.
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River Ganga: The Ganga River is flowing from Lord Shiva’s divine head. The meaning of Ganga is knowledge. Therefore, the ultimate knowledge is flowing from Lord Shiva.
Third Eye: Shiva’s third eye signifies the destruction of the world of Maya. It is as eye of wisdom, which provides us with a different perception of life, through which one can perceive which is beyond physical.
Trishula: The Trishula represents Lord Shiva’s three aspects of ‘creator, preserver and destroyer’. According to Sadhguru, they can also be called Ida, Pingala and Sushumna or ‘man, woman or divine’.
The Rudraksha Necklace: According to vedic scriptures, the Rudraksha necklace with 108 beads were formed from Lord Shiva’s own tears. It symbolizes positive energies that protect anyone from evil and negative energy and influences. It is worn by many Saints, Yogis, Sages and Mystics as it is also a symbol of mendicant life and meditation.
Snake: The Snake (Vasuki) symbolically represents passion and desires. According to Sadhguru, by wearing the snake around the neck, it is conveyed that Shiva’s energies have reached its zenith. They also represent dormant energy known as Kundalini Shakti that resides within him.
Nandi: The Nandi is the vehicle of Shiva, and it symbolizes both power and ignorance. When you are righteous and truthful, the infinite, innocent consciousness is always with you. According to Sadhguru, Nandi is symbolism of eternal waiting. One who has to ability to simply sit and wait is naturally meditative. Nandi is not anticipating or expecting anything but is waiting with full alertness.
Tiger Skin: Lord Shiva wears a tiger skin which symbolizes the victory of the divine force over animal instincts.
