Who is Shiva?

Once the gods went wandering to the Heaven and they asked the Rudra, "Who are you?"

Rudra replied, "I am the One! I am in the past, present and the future. There is nothing that is without me. I am the secret of secrets. The one who is present in all directions, it's me. I am the continuity and discontinuity. I am the manifestation. I am the non-manifestation. I am the core of every existence. I am that existence which exists without the core."

Rudra continued further,"I am the East, West, North and South. I am the upside and downside. All directions, all that is feminine, Gayatri, Savitri, are me. Variety of different meters namely; Trishtubh, Jagati, Anushtubh, which are used to sing the Vedas are me. All different types of fire, Garhapatya, Dakshinaagni, Aahavaniya is me. I am the truth!"

(Image courtsy: Ajith Kumar Photography)

"All four Vedas namely; Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samveda, Atharvaveda are me. All that is respectable is me. All that is superior is me. Water, light, secretive, forest, perishable, non-perishable, sacred, auspicious, fierce, focal, covering, pointed these all is me. I am the flame! " said Shiva.

Shiva said to the gods that you should know that I mingle with all. Know further that the one who knows me knows all gods. Not only that, he knows all four Vedas with the subsections. 

Shiva says, "With my light I please the brahma with the brahman, cow with the cow, brahman with the brahman, life with the life, truth with the truth and the dharma with the dharma." Which means that Shiva is the metadata of the data representated by all these. For example the force behing the truth experienced by one is Shiva!

After listening this elaborate, comprehensive description of his own nature, given by Shiva, gods were so pleased that in chorus they started praising Shiva!!!

(Description of Shiva as appears in the Shiva Atharvashirsha)

Shiva Arharvashirsha sung by Yogi ArwindClick here to listen the Shiva Atharvashirsha sung by Yogi ArwindClick here to listen to the Shiva Atharvashirsha sung by Yogi Arwind