Maha Siva Rathri : Reflections on the
Nandhi Flag
by Justice C.V. Wigneswaran
Hinduism is revealed through symbolism. Most abstruse
spiritual truths are portrayed in visual delights both for
appreciation of beauty as well as for deep penetrative
spiritual investigation. Let us examine the example of Shiva.
God Almighty or the all-pervading omnipresent, omniscient,
omnipotent Godhead is referred to by Tamil Hindus as
Shivam. Shivam in Tamil means auspiciousness, final
salvation and also God existing as Sivan, one of the Hindu
Trinity.
There is a difference between Shivam and Sivan in Tamil.
The Advaitic all pervading Para Brahman is Shivam. A
lesser god in the category of Brahma and Vishnu is Sivan.
Shiva in his Para or transcendental aspect is inactive in
creation. His energy or activating force called Shakthi is
relegated to His "consorts", the productive "Female" powers
that make possible the infinite unfoldments in the Cosmos.
Thus, Shiva remains as a figure of the Grand Ascetic,
eternally enthroned in the towering mountain world, where
the powerful, mighty Ganges in her descent from heaven
passes through his matted locks.
Shiva is passive, meditative and owns nothing but his
Shakthi or Power or energy gushes out from him to be
active, outward and all encompassing.
The characteristics of the present Yuga and said to be that
hurting by thought, word and deed would be the order of the
day, greed and covetousness rampant, questioning the
elders and those in authority common, in gratitude a trait
and second nature, people would be prone to newer and
newer diseases and so on. Such characteristics have been
recorded centuries ago. We see them today around us.
The standing on one foot in the present Yuga is significant.
The Nandhi Flag, it would be noticed, does not portray a bull
standing on all its feet.
It portrays a recumbent bull with only one foot slightly raised,
while the other three feet are bent and reclined. It portrays
the Dharmic (or more correctly the Adarmic) level of
consciousness of the present Yuga.
If the bull reclines fully with all its feet bent, that would signify
that the end of the Yuga (pralaya) is at sight. Therefore, the
Nandhi Flag is teaching us certain spiritual truths. What are
they?
(i) Almighty, the Everpresent and All-Knowing Shiva is
beyond Time. But when he needs to enter into Time
dimension, which is the dimension we human beings are
used to, he uses Dharma Devadha or Time as his vehicle.
Unable to portray Time pictorially, the other meaning of
Brish or Dharma, (from which came the word Rishabha and
Idapam) was used. That was a White Bull. Hence, Nandhi
the Bull came to be identified as Shiva's vehicle.
(ii) Nandhi stands for the Time-encompassed World and its
inherent qualities (Dharma). To transcend Time should be
the goal of every spiritual seeker. Seeking permission from
Nandhi to see God signifies this.
(iii) When Nandhi is placed at a temple between the Seeker
and the Sanctum Sanctorum which houses either the
Shivalinga or the idol of Shiva, what is sought to be informed
to the Seeker is that transcending Time brings the Seeker
face to face with the Reality.
If Nandhi or Time moves aside, you come face to face with
the almighty Shiva. When we say Nandhi is blocking the
vision of Shiva it also means our Time consciousness and
worldly characteristics block our vision of the Reality.
The Nandhi Flag encapsulates the essence of Hindu Saiva
thought. It portrays (i) Reality (ii) Its Vehicle which is equally
Holy as Reality (iii) As well as the world in which we live
today and (iv) The moral and ethical norms which condition
and causate our thoughts and actions.
As Hindus we are reminded of ourselves, the moral fibre of
our existence at the present moment of Time, the need to
transcend the limitations of Time in order to reach the Holy
Feet of the Divine, the need to be patient awaiting the grace
of the Almighty, all portrayed by the reclining Nandhi.
The Nandhi Flag is an apt representation of the Hindus who
are passive yet perceptive, hale yet humble and deep,
devote and detached.
May the holy Nandhi bless us all! [DailyNews]
Justice C. V.
Wigneswaran
who retired
recently as
Supreme Court
Judge is in
every sense of
the term a
Himalayan
personality,
lofty, serene
and unshakable.
[Contd.]
