SHIVA

Chapter 1: The Creation of the World, a Lesson Well Worth Learning

Namaste My Dear dram, I am Dr. Nilima Chitgopekar and as promised, here is the first chapter of the Shiva Secrets Program. Whenever you are ready you can also choose to try my latest course that explains how you can use Shivas teachings to enhance your daily lives. You can access the course here. In the meanwhile I do sincerely hope you enjoy my free email course. In the first chapter, I begin with a story about how the world came into existence.

The Story of Creation

In the beginning neither time nor space existed. All that existed was Brahma (the Creator as per Hindu Mythology) in a golden lotus, waiting for it to bloom. Soon, the lotus bloomed in which Brahma was resting. Brahma rose from the Lotus and created the fathers of all creatures; called the Prajapatis. The Prajaptis were Kings who were responsible for managing the ways of the world and ensured there was order. Brahma was anxious and confused about how the world he had created will further evolve? While Brahma was still pondering, in front of him a cosmic image appeared called Ardhnarnari (a manifestation of Shiva), and told Brahma that his creation was only half complete and he needs to create the other half as well for the world to further evolve. Prajapatis were fathers, but there were no mothers on the planet till this point. Brahma understood the message and started creating the other equally important part of our humanity, i.e. mothers called Ushas as per the ancient scriptures. When Brahma finished the beautiful creation of mothers, the Prajapatis looked at the Ushas in surprise. Suddenly from Brahmas heart, emerged a dark and good looking young man. Everyone was amazed at this new creation and asked, Who are you? and the young man promptly replied: I am Kama. This was the birth of Kama, the lord of desire, who like a cupid then started shooting arrows igniting love in all men.

The Meaning
In the above story we see that there is a hidden message that Shiva wishes to communicate. Unlike, any other mythological figure, Shiva appears first as Ardhnarnari,

personifying himself as half man and half woman and promptly communicates to Brahma that there is no meaning of men in this world without women and vice versa. He instructs Brahma saying You created only one half of the world, and you must create the other half for the world to multiply. We can draw the same analogy to our world and lives. Shiva teaches us through this story that our world is complete and evolution occurs only in partnership with others. This refers most prominently to our better halves, but also to our near and dear ones. Shiva also teaches us about desire, or Kama, an integral part of creation. Controlling ones Kama is amongst one of the toughest things for any man to do and hence plays such an integral part in deciding how are lives turn out to be. This leads us to the question, why was desire created; wouldnt it be better if there was no desire? The creators here communicate to us that it is our desires that makes our lives progressive, it is our desire that we want to live a comfortable lifes, be loving towards others and be loved in return. To enjoy the lords creation we must have a desire to enjoy it. Hence the creation of Kama was one of the first creations. However balance is an essential element and we must learn to control our Kama to be in line with our resources.

Story Continued
When Kamas arrow struck Brahma, he became desirous of the Ushas. And before he could get a hold of them, the Ushas fled in the form of a cow. Brahma followed them by becoming a Bull. The Ushas started changing their form, creating new creatures like dolphins, hares, mosquitoes, tigresses and birds. In the course of Brahma chasing the Ushas being a victim of his desires, all animals and birds were created. Seeing this chase, the Prajapatis grew worried as they were still responsible for the multiplication of Mankind, but they didnt know what to do. No one could dare stop Brahma, their own creator. They screamed for help. This is when Shiva appeared in the form of Rudra. Rudra fired an arrow at Brahma and stunned him hard enough that Brahma returned to his senses and regained control over his desires and hence Shiva saved the Ushas. All Prajapatis were amazed and inquisitively asked Who are you? Rudra replied I am Shiva.

Brahma acknowledged Shiva as being responsible for helping him return to his senses. He made Shiva the master of all the above-mentioned creatures that were created during Brahmas chase of Usha; he was thus named Pashupati, meaning lord of the creatures, and the one who controls our passions.

The Meaning
Even though Shiva is the one who propagated Kamas birth, he was also the one who curbed the same in Brahma. Here Shiva teaches us that as much it is important for us as human beings to have desires, it is also important that we are mindful in the times when we are driven by sheer desire without being backed by justifiable thought. By shooting at Brahma he indicates that no one is spared from their desires, but at the same time, everyone needs to bear the consequences if they are unable to control their desires, when the situation demands.

Thank you for reading the first part of the 9 part series of The Shiva Secrets Program. I would love to hear from you which facets of Shivas life you would like to hear about and also about what you think of the Shiva Secrets Program. Om Namah Shivaya Nilima

Chapter 2: Life and DEATH?

Namaste dram, Welcome to the second chapter of the Shivas Secret Series. In this chapter I will share with you the second part of the story that we discussed in the first chapter.

The Balancing Act

After Brahma was taught a lesson by Rudra (Shiva), Brahma went back to the process of creation, this time along with the Ushas (a feminine form represented as Goddess Saraswati), as Brahma understood the importance of perspective from the better female half.

With Saraswatis wisdom and Brahmas creativity, they together created every creature that wanders this planet. They created gods and demons, ghosts and goblins, but soon Brahma realized that there is some unrest between the beasts. Saraswati was quick to realize that all this happened purely due to the fact that the beasts were hungry and nothing else. Brahma suggested that they could feed on each other. This left the weaker beasts scared, and they had nowhere to go, but their Lord Shiva. Shiva told them, There will be something for you too and Shiva started meditating. Soon herbs, plants and trees started to appear everywhere. The weaker animals finally also found some food and started feeding on the plants.

The Meaning
Here, Shiva emphasizes his own inclination to help the weak. It is for the weak animals that he
created the plants and trees. Shiva guides us through these teachings that the path to awakening the Shiva within you is by assisting the weak. What makes one powerful is not taking advantage of the underprivileged, but sharing your privileges with them.

Life and Death

The creations of Brahma seemed to have reached a balance when Shiva organized ample food for the weaker beings. Soon Brahma realized that he had created the concept of birth, ensured living beings had food, and even empowered both genders to be able to reproduce, which lead to an imbalance. (The imbalance was caused, as an excessive amount of living beings started to inhabit the earth which lead to a strain on the earths resources, and a reduced quality of life for all) Goddess Saraswati thus suggested to Brahma You have created life, but you must have an end to it, you have to create death. Brahma acknowledged this flaw and hence created Mrityu (The God of Death). Brahma instructed Mrityu as follows, Mrityu, go and balance the world. Take away life from these beings as and when you think prudent. Mrityu stood confused, But why should I do that? Brahma tried to explain his thoughts to Mrityu, Without death there will be no meaning to life. Mrityu still confused, started wandering about Brahmas creations. Mrityu was devastated; and could not understand why she was appointed for a task which bought most people excessive pain. Shiva sensed Mrityus Dilemma, and realized that she needs enlightenment.

Shiva approached Mrityu and said: Mrityu, I am Shiva and I am here to tell you something that will change your perspective. You are just a medium that all beings will use to transform from one form of life form to another. There is no end Mrityu, death is a mere medium to end our current journey and help us start a new one.

The Meaning
Very interestingly, in this part of the story, Shiva shares with us how death is an integral part of our lives. He suggests that we should accept death as it is, and we shouldnt mourn over it, as death is a mere path for a greater journey that we all are meant to pursue.

I hope you found the second chapter as interesting as the first one. We at the Shiva Experience love to spread the vibrant messages that Shivas teachings have to offer us. Shivas secrets are so enlightening yet entertaining that we often share them with our friends and family over dinner. Why not share Shivas stories with your friends and help them learn from this great deity as well? Please let us know if youd like us to send any of your friends and relatives an invitation to join our mailing list, by writing to us with their email addresses.

Chapter 3: The World that is

Namaste dram, Welcome to the third chapter of the Shiva Secrets Program. In this chapter we will discuss Brahma and his pride and how Shiva ensured that he remained grounded like a god inevitably should. We shall also discuss other perspectives about how these two creators look at the world.

Brahmas Fifth Head

Shiva was examining Brahmas creation one day and realized that all he could see and hear were sounds of plight, frustration, anger, hate and sadness. Shiva was disheartened, he grew full of pain himself and wept.

He went to Brahma. By now Brahma already had five heads, four to look around and see the daily functioning of the world and the fifth to hold his pride. Shiva went to Brahma and said: Brahma, what have you done, what have you created, all I see is sadness and hate in this world. Brahma, who was filled with pride, ignored what Shiva had to express. He continued to do as he pleased. This filled Shiva with rage and anger. He took the form of Bhairava, and ripped of Brahmas fifth head, the one which held his pride. (Bhairava is another name for Shiva which originated from this story, and literally means "frightful") Brahma now aware and fearful of Shiva hurriedly began to explain, Dear lord, I have not filled the world with sadness, I have merely created it. The world that I created is neither filled with sadness nor with happiness; it is neither beautiful nor ugly, the world JUST IS. What anyone may think of it is just their perception. Shiva argued, But you created the mind, which creates these perceptions. Brahma replied to that, The mind can be deluded by perceptions or can be enlightened by truth. But how one makes this choice is often the difference between the successful and the not so successful?

The Meaning
There are two very strong messages that Shiva shares here. First, pride must be ended in all circumstances. Pride makes us think and look beyond subjects that matter and deludes further our perception of the world, i.e. pride in itself becomes a concern for us, and we forget to think about the more important aspects of life like relationships, friendships, our dharma, happiness etc and all that takes over our minds is pride, which actually does not matter. Pride makes people careless and complacent for which they usually have to pay heavily later. The second lesson that Shiva gives us is that everything that we see is based on a perception that we have of the world. None of which may be true. Hence, what we see is merely one possible scenario which may or may not be true.

Chapter 4: Yoga
Namaste dram, Welcome to the fourth chapter of the Shiva Secrets Series.

I would like to remind you that you can try The Shiva Experience Program for only $97 here>>. Meanwhile I hope you are enjoying my free course as I share with you how Shiva discovered Yoga.

The Discovery of Yoga

As we read in the previous chapter, Brahma had left Shiva with an important question to ponder upon: The mind can be deluded by perceptions or can be enlightened by truth? And the choice that one makes between delusion and the truth is a key determinant of how their lives shape up This questions aroused Shivas curiosity to search for his own answers. Shiva found he himself was deluded and unable to see the truth. He himself saw tremendous sorrow and grief in the world, which were naturally just perceptions created by his mind. He wondered, How can I control my mind? How can I see the truth? After dwelling on these questions for several years, Shiva finally arrived at his answer. The answer Shiva found was Yoga. With Yoga Shiva could train his mind to stay focused and be able to see the truth. He could exercise his body so as to effectively utilize his energy and remain calm in all circumstances. Hence Shiva is known as Maha Yogi or the Ultimate Yogi. When Shiva shared the secret of Yoga with his disciples, he shared a plethora of information. Some of the key messages he gave were: We exist beyond our bodies. We are all made of Purusha and Prakriti. Purusha is stable, it does not take any form, Purusha is the self, which pervades the universe. Purusha is the Spirit, the pure egoless consciousness that exists beyond our senses and mind. Prakriti is your body and mind, and the suffering that you experience is due to your Prakriti. We take birth again and again only because of our karma or our actions. Our actions create reactions which we must experience, if not in this lifetime then the next one. Yoga helps you bridge the connection between you and your Purusha.

The Meaning
As the message that Shiva communicates with us in this story is very strong, I wish to spend more time to help you ponder on the same. We were faced with an interesting question in the last chapter The mind can be deluded by perceptions or can be enlightened by truth. But how should one make that choice? Now Shiva in this story offers an explanation on how we should go about our search of the truth.

Shiva explains that we exist beyond our bodies (as Purusha), and we can experience it through practicing Yoga, as it allows us to experience our Purusha. He also shows how Karma plays an important part in our rebirth and recreation. Shiva enlightens us that currently we all are deluded by our perceptions, and the world that we see is a mere perception (which also implies that the world shall change as soon as our perception changes). Shiva also says that we must be aware of our actions. And we should be ready for the reactions that may occur as a result of our actions.

I shall leave you with these three learnings today. They are all substantial learnings in their essence, they teach us some very important things about ourselves and the world around us. We shall ponder on these factors more as the chapters progress. Om Namah Shivaya Nilima

Chapter 5 - Shivas Renunciation

Dear dram, I am certain you are enjoying our series where we share with you various learnings from
Shivas life and the secrets we can derive from them. We hope we have been able to bring Shiva to play a greater role in transforming your life.

Today we will talk about yet another great aspect from Shivas life. In this part we will share with you how Shiva renounced the world, and Sati came to life.

Renunciation and Satis birth

After sharing the power of Yoga with the world, Shiva decided that he must renounce the world itself. He started travelling around the planet in a tiger strip; he wandered in cremation grounds, with his body smeared in ash. Seeing this, Brahma grew worried and went to Vishnu to discuss what they may do to bring Shiva back to the real world. Brahma expressed Shiva is an idol for many to worship, he is the god of gods, if he renounces the world, everyone shall do the same, and there will be no one who would enjoy being a part of this process of creation. We will have a greater imbalance in our world.

Vishnu replied The only way for Shiva to come back to life is to get him married; his wife will be the only one who would be able to bring him back to the real world. But who shall marry him? questioned Brahma. Who else, but our mother goddess herself; she has already taken birth in King Dakshas house. She will soon bring Shiva back to real world. Vishnu replied. Sati had already taken birth in Dakshas Palace. Daksha was the Prajapati or the one who was responsible for keeping the world in order. Daksha hated Shiva for his guts and unique way of living life. As he would not follow the rules as defined by the other gods because he had already renounced the world. Shiva would neither love nor hate Daksha, he would be indifferent to him. Sati, in her intense love for Shiva, wandered and prayed to Shiva, wanting an opportunity to meet him. Shiva could feel the intensity of love that Sati had for him, and hence after resisting for several years finally met her. Sati and Shiva had a long conversation on how Shiva had renounced the world and has no intention of returning. He clarified that he didnt want to have a lineage and that anyone with him would only be an observer of theworld and never be a part of it. Sati happily agreed to all Shivas concerns and Shiva accepted her as his wife.

The Meaning
Interestingly in this chapter you will notice that how Shiva renounced worldly desires and behaviors and even besides him having made these choices. Sati Accepted Shiva the way he is, with his unique lifestyle and practices. This communicates how it is extremely important to ACCEPT your better half, the way they naturally are. An important aspect of relationships is the conflict that occurs because of different personalities (which we will discuss in detail in future chapters) but it is still important to be able to accept your loved ones as they are, and find goodness in their natural personalities themselves. As they say in a popular Hindi saying which we shall translate for you here. If someone loves me, they should love me just the way I am. If someone wants to bestow their love on me only depending on whether I change myself to become who they want me to be, then that isnt love that is a deal or a transaction.

Chapter 6 Illusions we live in

Dear dram,

This chapter shall bring you to an unconventional truth that Shiva shares with us through the story of his marriage with Parvati. This chapter and a more elaborate description of instances in other chapters are also available in the Complete Shiva Experience Program which you can enjoy through a Payment Plan Available Here >> i.e. we allow you to pay in two equal monthly installments of $48.5 each only.

Parvatis Persistence and Shiva Obeys for the Sake of Love

Sati took rebirth as Parvati and as the daughter of the mountains. She was a devotee of Shiva, and she decided that she would marry no one, but the one and only Shiva. She thinks of Shiva single mindedly, she did not care if there were creatures around her, even Shiva himself tried to test her by changing his appearance as a young man. But all in vain, all Parvati wanted was to marry and be with Shiva.

After a while, Shiva admired Parvatis persistence and decided to marry her.

When Shiva in his original and honest appearance, reached the Palace, Himavan (Parvatis father) refused to open the doors as he perceived them to be demons. This was because Shiva was the lord of beasts and also lived a minimalistic life himself.

Parvati thought of Shiva and communicated her message to him, My lord for me, show them what they want to see, not who you really are. Shiva heard her prayers, and came dressed as the most handsome man anyone had ever seen. His Ganas were dressed as beautiful men and women.

Himavan was confused, he had just seen a party of demons and now they were transformed into beautiful people. He looked to Vishnu (the Preserver as per Hindu Mythology) for his advice; and Vishnu responded saying: The auspicious moment may pass if we wait to too long in our search for answers.

The Meaning

The unconventional truth that I mentioned in the beginning of the chapter, which you might have drawn from the story, is that Shiva praises and communicates with us that there are times when we should change and present things in a different light for our loved ones. And that is acceptable if done for this particular purpose alone.

It is great to love, it is great to honor your love and it is even better to be able to do things for the ones you choose to make the centre of your life. Like Shiva changes his attire and look for Parvati as she expects him to do the same to please her father. Look at the beauty of it, as a goddess she requests the almighty to change his form and be someone who would please her father and Shiva actually understands and fulfills her request. Beautiful, isnt it.

Chapter 7 - The perfect student and message to the world

Dear dram,

A beautiful part of Shivas personality becomes evident as we go through the next chapter. Parvati also plays a very important part in this chapter. Amazing stories of Shiva and Parvati are also a part of The Shiva Experience Program that can be accessed here >>

A great teacher and a great student

Once Parvati was in Shivas life, one of her objectives was to bring Shiva closer to the world, as she understood that years of meditation and Yoga would have given Shiva a phenomenal perspective and understanding of what is reality.

She became a devoted student, she would ask Shiva questions about the cosmos, and every answer would spark even more questions. While Shiva would answer these, great truths would be revealed to the world. Truths, that Shiva had discovered during his thousands of years of meditation.

Sitting on Kailasha (Kailasha is the mountain where Shiva lived and practiced Yoga and Meditation), Shiva explained Parvati the secrets of the cosmos, he answered every question that Parvati would have.

While answering these questions, Shiva started coming closer to worldly matters, he grew curious himself as he would study and find answers for Parvati. Now Shiva always had Parvati by his side.

He announced to the world, revealing a truth, He who escapes from joy and sorrow, instead of living and dealing with them, is a fool and he shall forever fail to see the truth. And he who is only a part of pleasures and pains of life, is also a fool, he shall also never discover the truth. The truth lies in balance, in harmony, between body, mind and soul. It is the balance between individual and society.

With this message he also announced, There shall be no worship, or Yagna, without a Mans wife being right by his side.

The Meaning

While revealing the truth to the world, Shiva makes an important point where he communicates that the truth is not in renouncing the world, it is not in extreme meditation, it is in the balance of things that you find the truth of life. This means that we must always enjoy the sorrows and pleasures of life while balancing them with the meditation and discovery of the self.

Chapter 8 - Life, a game of dice?

Dear dram,

This chapter is one of my favorites, So much so that I have talked about it in my Shiva Experience course in great detail. It is an interesting episode that shares the complexity of Shiva and Parvatis relationship, leaves us with a lot of food for thought and at the same time helps us to release some of life's stress. Go ahead and experience the complete chapter in The Shiva Experience Here >> or continue reading below

A game of dice

For their entertainment Shiva and Parvati often played the game of dice. To make the game more interesting Shiva suggested that the winner of the game have the right to ask for something from the loser. Parvati agreed to the wager, and Shiva unfortunately lost the game. Maybe we should actually explain how Shiva lost his loin cloth in this process.

Shiva was disappointed, till Vishnu appeared and asked him to play another game and said he will ensure that he would win. With Vishnu's support Shiva indeed won. Parvati grew curious about his sudden success. She accused Shiva of cheating.

At this moment, Vishnu appeared and shared that it was he indeed who was defining which way the dice moved. He also revealed a cosmic secret, In this game neither had Parvati lost nor had Shiva won, the game was a mere illusion and our quarrels are nothing but a mere delusion.

After this realization Shiva and Parvati understood that so is life, like a game of dice. Which way it will flip is sometimes beyond their control. All one can do is continue playing the game and giving it your best. And in case the dice rolls the other way round, all you have to do is to pick up the dice and roll again! (Dice is a metaphor used for events that shape our life.) Look for a more detailed explanation below.

The Meaning

A short, but an extremely important lesson for life is hidden in this story, which is also the reason why I love this chapter. There are several other messages we can draw from this, however I will focus on one of them here, Shiva and Parvati accept that life can unfold beyond your control at times, but what they also share is, you can always play another game, and in fact playing again is always your best available alternative!

This means that you may have had failures in the past, but that is surely not the end of life. That was just one game you played and even if you lost, what you must do is sit up and roll the dice again, meaning get back up and get started, life has a lot more to offer.

The Shiva Experience has a whole 30 minute lesson which revolves around this story; all I could offer in this lesson was one small nugget. I hope you will take some time out and read about all The Shiva Experience has to offer - You can find out more here >>

Om Namah Shivaya The Shiva Experience Team

Chapter 9 The Strongest in The Cosmos (Important Lesson)

Dear dram,

This is the last chapter of this series. But it is definitely not the last lesson that Shiva has in store for us. I urge you give The Shiva Experience a look and try it for an amazing Payment Plan Here >> (Pay in two Equal Monthly Installments of $48.5 each)

Indras Pride and a lesson well taught

Brahmas sons Indra (the king of gods), Agni (the god of fire) and Vayu (the god of air) were very proud of their powers. They once shared with Brahma how they could destroy anything they wanted.

Brahma, who had already been taught a lesson, got a blade of grass and asked his sons, If you are that powerful, why dont you destroy this? Agni tried to burn it, but failed, Vayu tried to blow it away and failed and Indra tried to beat it with his weapon, called Vajra, but failed.

What does this mean asked the gods. Brahma said, how could you boast of your powers when you couldnt even hurt a small creation of the almighty Shiva. Agni and

Vayu understood, but Indra, the King of Gods was still very proud of himself. He went to Kailash, and found Shiva.

He said: Shiva, How dare you challenge me, I am the king of the gods. Shiva stood silent, Indra, intimidated, raised his Vajra to kill Shiva - Shiva grew angry and opened his third eye. Brahma knew what was about to happen, he immediately appeared on the scene and asked Shiva not to kill Indra as it would create an imbalance in the cosmos.

Shiva directed the power of his third eye to the ocean, and said: Soon Indra will meet his match who shall teach him a lesson.

From Shivas third eye, Jalandhara took birth. Jalandhara was a powerful de mon. He was so powerful that even Indra wouldnt dare fight him.

He went to Brahma and asked How could I defeat Jalandhara? Brahma said: You cant; only Shiva can. But would he help someone who insulted him asked Indra. Brahma explained He is Shiva and forgives easily, if he realizes someone has learned the lesson they were meant to.

Jalandhara declared I am the greatest warrior in the world. Indra said: You are not, Shiva is.

Jalandhara headed to Kailasha to fight Shiva. He asked Shiva to fight him. Shiva said: If you can hold this rock on your head, I shall fight you.

Jalandhara laughed and picked up the rock on his head. The rock started growing exponentially, and grew big enough to break Jalandharas back. Shiva said: I carry the moon on my forehead and you couldnt even bear a small rock on your head. What made you believe that you are the strongest in this cosmos?

The Meaning

There are two messages that Shiva communicates with us through this story. Firstly, that pride is unnecessary and there shall always be someone more powerful than you. Secondly, you almost always have to be forgiving and shouldnt keep grudges against people. It isnt healthy for you or for your relationship with others. We must learn to forgive and forget.

Shiva repeatedly communicates through several of his stories that the biggest enemy that someone faces in their own lives is pride. We must understand and stay humble as we progress, that shall lead us to a greater future.

There is a very powerful mantra that I want to share with you here: Chidananda Rupa Shivoham Shivoham It means: I am indeed that eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness. It means that once you surrender yourself to YOUR OWN SELF you shall achieve Shiva, you shall reach the state of knowing, bliss, love and consciousness. Powerful. Isnt it. Allow me to guide you through one of the most powerful exercises that will help you achieve Empowerment. I want you to close your eyes. Repeat the mantra Chidananda Rupa Shivoham Shivoham while you are chanting the mantra, I want you to become conscious of a glowing light slowly intensifying inside of you. This light is a representation of you gaining power on your thoughts, actions, reactions.

While this light grows, you will command yourself and your emotions to be governed by your desire. While this light grows, you will experience yourself and your heart. This light is a representation of your soul rising and letting you release from any boundaries, or self imposed restrictions on yourself. Chidananda Rupa Shivoham Shivoham As we chant this mantra you will experience going deeper and deeper in your mind, and feel like you are touching your soul. Are you there yet. Are you feeling it. Do this one one final time, and you shall feel a greater sense of being liberated. This time I want you to chant this mantra 50 times.. even better, dont count it. Let yourself sink into the mantra. Feel the Shiva in You. Chidananda Rupa Shivoham Shivoham. You are Shiva, Consciousness, You are Love, You are Knowing, You are Bliss. You are

I hope this exercise did help you begin to achieve empowerment in your life. As you know you can always get more of it at The Shiva Experience. This was the last lesson of the free lesson series. However I would be still sending you emails about the program and more lessons as I write them. Stay tuned. It will be great if you could share with me what you felt about the lessons at nilima (at) theshivaexperience.com. Om Namah Shivaya,