Comments on Saivism and Shaktism.

[Guest guest]

Well, the funny thing about Shiva is that He is a

paradox. It is a fact that the closer to the Divine

one gets, the more paradoxical things become, as if to

emphasize the fact that the Divine really is ALL

things, and is the reconciler of all opposites. In

fact, it is practically an indication you are on the

right track. Shiva is both ascetic and erotic, dirty

and clean, terrifying and beautiful, pure and profane,

handsome and ugly, repellent and attractive,

transcendent and immanent, moving and nonmoving, so on

and so on. That is the privilege of being God. Shakti,

the Mother, gives form to these paradoxes, thus

enabling us, as Her children, to perceive our "Father"

and attempt to encompass Him with out finite minds. Of

course, we shall never succeed, but making the attempt

to do so forces us to push our own boundaries further

and further, and so we "evolve". Limitation is not of

God, it is our own projection, so we are free to

expand our limits at any time, provided we have not

built our limitations out of "stone".

Lilith M.

"Only a mother can show a child the face of its

father"

Vimalananda

--- Blackie_the_rascal

<nmadasamy wrote:

>

> Namaste,

>

> I was reading your article on the differences

> between Shaivism and

> Shaktism, and I noticed that you said that Shaivites

> define Siva as

> being the unmanifest or transcendent. It is known

> that in many parts

> of India a part of Saivite practice involves smoking

> Bhang or

> Cannibis for meditation or to attain an altered

> state.

>

> Also in Hindu 'mythology', Siva is mentioned as

> having matted locks

> and smoking Hash. There are also references to Him

> in sexual union

> with Sakti, so how could it be that the only view of

> Siva to the

> Saivites is that He is wholly transcendent and

> unmanifest when so

> many things point to Him being manifest and

> ''earthly'' as well?

>

> I am inclined to think that He is both manifest and

> unmanifest

> because in Hindu lore and practice He is associated

> with wild

> places, ecstasy, sexuality etc. as well as

> transcendence and non-

> manifestation.

>

> In Hindu literature, Siva and Sakti are often

> associated with similar

> things I.e. spiritual ecstasy, wild places,

> outcastes, altered

> states, and cremation grounds (in Vamacharya Tantric

> practice.) So

> therefore I think it is unfair to state that Siva is

> only the

> transcendent and unmanifest.

>

> Thanks,

> JTurner204BC

>

>

>

>

>