Lord Shiva is called ‘The Devo ke Dev-Mahadev’ due to many reasons. The tranquil-looking lord can turn into a destroyer, and can also be a Bhola Nath. He has multiple shades to his personality and is one god who can truly teach us the wisdom to live life. Take a look at some lessons we can learn from him.
Keep Your Ego in Check
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Do you know why Shiva is always pictured with a trident? Not only is it a powerful weapon he uses to fight demons, but symbolically Lord Shiva carries his Trishul (trident) to keep his ego in check.
The ego is the cause of much bitterness and obstacles; it has ruined many relationships, ideas, and dreams. Shiva never let his emotions get the better of him. Similarly, he did not tolerate anyone’s ego either.
Realize Impermanence
Shiva is the embodiment of impermanence. No one understands it better than him. We human beings have a tendency to hoard things – possessions, people, relationships, and, of course, feelings. But everything has a shelf-life and nothing will last forever. We need to learn to move on and be ready to face whatever comes our way.
Self-Control
By mistake, Shiva lashed out and killed his son, thinking he was an intruder. Struck with horror and regret, he had to use an elephant head to place on the body. This was the origin of Ganesh. From that moment forward, Shiva exercised self-control in everything because he knew how it could ruin his life. Self-control keeps one focused, aligned, and determined.
Respect Your Spouse
Parvati was always by Lord Shiva’s side. In fact, Lord Shiva is known as Ardhanarishwar (half man and half woman), and therefore, Parvati was an essential part of him. This is why in the stories he always treated her with respect. She was his Shakti and Shiva can never be apart from strength. Our spouse- wives or husbands, partners in life, are part of us and we need to treat them with absolute respect and love.
‘Stuff’ doesn’t Make You Happy
Shiva dressed in animal skin and had virtually nothing to his name. Yet, he reined the universe. Just because you have little doesn’t mean you can’t live a powerful and productive life. Being attached to wealth or assets only leads to being tied down – physically, mentally, and emotionally. More important is creating a life that brings out your inner happiness.
Never Tolerate Evil
Lord Shiva never tolerated injustice. Injustice to him was evil, and he was the destroyer of all things evil. Standing up to injustice is a moral and spiritual duty; a courageous one to be sure, but still a duty.
Anger is never the Answer
Shiva’s cool-headedness is integral to the well-being of the universe, as he represents the destructive aspect. Too little, and the old linger, and progress isn’t made; too much and the universe is reduced to nothing. When fighting life’s battles, anger is never the answer. It only leads to extreme actions, which achieve nothing. Being cool and calm will help you get a new perspective and win over your battles.
Obsession Leads to Bad Decisions
Obsessive desires lead to nothing but bad decisions. This is because obsession magnifies the desire to the point where we’re willing to do anything for it; we sacrifice reason to achieve our ends.
Lord Shiva never obsessed over anything. He was free from all desires. This gave him the ability to make decisions from a place of wisdom.
Dance!
Shiva was known for his powerful dance. Used to create or destroy, it’s looked upon as the ultimate expression of his true nature. Just like Shiva, expressing your own true nature should be one of your top priorities. Never doubt that you have the capability to shock, inspire, and awe those around you with your own dance!
