I’m here to talk about that smallest speck of Para Brahman, that glimpse of Shiva, that you may have felt in the sacred hours during your sadhana.
The Shiva Tatva
In the scriptures, Shiva Tatva is described as the purest, most fundamental aspect of existence. It’s not just about Shiv ji as a God but about the cosmic essence that represents consciousness, transformation, and the infinite potential of life itself. Let’s dive into the different scriptures that talk about Shiv Tatva!
Vedas and Upanishads
In texts like the Vedas, Upanishads and Shiva Sutras, Shiva is seen as the unchanging, formless awareness that pervades everything. He is the silent observer, the stillness behind all movement, the canvas on which the life unfolds.
– Shivam Shantam Advaitam (MandukyaUpanishad): Shiva is peace, non-dual, and beyond all distinctions.
– Rudram Chamakam (Yajur Veda): A powerful hymn praising Rudra (Shiva) as the cosmic force.
– Shvetashvatara Upanishad: Describes Shiva as Parabrahman (the ultimate reality). Verses like “स नो बन्धुर जनिता स विधाता” (He is the creator, sustainer, and liberator) {literal translation: He is our friend, our mother, our creator} explores Shiva’s divine nature.
Agamas and Tantras
– Shiva Agamas: these scriptures provide detailed teachings on the philosophy, rituals, and spiritual practices related to Shiva.
– Vijnana Bhairava Tantra: it is a text on non-dual Shaivism that explains 112 meditation techniques to experience Shiva consciousness.
Shiva Sutras (Kashmir Shaivism)
– In Kashmir Shaivism, Shiva is the supreme reality (Paramashiva), where everything arises and dissolves.
– The Shiva Sutras (of Sage Vasugupta) outlines the nature of ultimate reality and how individual consciousness can merge with universal consciousness (Shiva Tatva). E.g., Chaitanyam Atma: Consciousness is the Self.
Puranas
– Shiva Purana: Explores the cosmic role of Shiva, his divine attributes, and his acts of creation, destruction, and grace.
– Linga Purana: Discusses Shiva as the cosmic pillar of light, symbolizing the infinite nature of the divine.
Adi Shankaracharya’s Works
– Nirvana Shatakam: A six-verse poem where Shankaracharya identifies himself with Shiva consciousness, proclaiming:
“Chidananda Rupa Shivoham Shivoham”: “I am of the nature of consciousness and bliss; I am Shiva.”
The Five Acts of Shiva (Panchakritya)
Shiva’s tatva is also explained through His five cosmic functions:
1. Srishti (Creation)
2. Sthiti (Preservation)
3. Samhara (Destruction)
4. Tirobhava (Concealment/Illusion)
5. Anugraha (Grace/Liberation)
This shows Shiva as the eternal cycle of life, not just a destroyer but a regenerator, helping souls evolve through these cycles.
Shiva as the Destroyer of Ego
In the Puranas and Tantras, Shiva’s destruction isn’t about annihilation but the dissolution of the false self (ego) that binds us to suffering. His state of meditation shows detachment and mastery over the mind.
– The third eye symbolizes inner vision and the power to burn illusions.
– Nataraja’s dance shows the rhythm of life and how destruction clears the way for creation.
Shiva Tatva in You
The Shiva Tatva in you is the stillness you feel when you pause, close your eyes, and just breathe. It’s that quiet voice inside you that whispers, “You are more than your pain. You are infinite.”
When life feels overwhelming, when your body aches, or when your heart feels heavy… Shiva Tatva is the space within you that remains untouched. It’s the part of you that watches the struggle but isn’t consumed by it. It’s like an ancient mountain standing tall, no matter how fierce the storm.
Think about those moments when you’ve let go of something that no longer served you, a belief, a fear, maybe even a grudge. That release, that feeling of freedom, is Shiva dancing within you. Destruction, yes, but only to make space for something new, something lighter!
When you sit in silence, even for a moment, and feel your breath move in and out, you are touching that divine essence. The same essence that pulsates through the cosmos, beats in your chest. Shiva isn’t outside of you, Shiva is you.
Every time you rise after falling, every time you choose love over bitterness, every time you find beauty in the simple things, you’re living from that sacred place.
Maybe your body feels tired some days, maybe your knees hurt, and walking feels like carrying a weight. But Shiva Tatva reminds you that you are not your body. You are the consciousness experiencing it. The unbreakable part of you that no injury or age can touch.
Lastly as mentioned in the Vedas:
“एको हि रुद्रो न द्वितीयाय तस्थुर्य इमांल्लोकानीशत ईशनीभिः। प्रत्यङ्जनांस्तिष्ठति सञ्चुकोचान्तकाले संसृज्य विश्वा भुवनानि गोपाः ।।”
“Eko hi rudro na dvitiya tasthurya imal lokān īśata īśanībhiḥ | Pratyaṅjanāṃs tiṣṭhati sañcukocāntakāle saṃsṛjya viśvā bhuvanāni Gopāḥ”
“Verily, there is only one Rudra, no second exists for Him; He, by His own power, pervades all these worlds; He, the very essence of all, remains as the protector, creating and sustaining all the universes at the time of cosmic contraction.”
This means everything, you, me, the world, and even space itself, is an expression of Shiva. And realizing this unity… is the awakening of Shiva Tatva.
So, when you close your eyes tonight, try whispering to yourself:
“I am Shiva. I am infinite. I am whole.”
Because you are! And you always have been! See you next time.
Yours,
Brahmamayee.
