Tipster Suresh V. points us to this post on Instapundit. Within the post, an ill-informed commenter compares Lord Shiva’s destructive tendencies to those of whack-jobs like Mao, Stalin, and Pol Pot. Before we could set the record straight by posting a critique on this site, an Instapundit reader named Srikanth Bellalacheruvu did so in a rather unusual manner:
Shiva is not simply a “destroyer”, and if he was, Indians wouldn’t worship him. They have several million Gods to choose from – it’s a free market out there.
Shiva is, to be accurate, the “Renewer”. Shiva destroys a world when it is beyond all hope of reform, in order to allow creative energies to build a better world. His anger is that of a righteousness, not that of hatred.
And Vishnu is not a “creator”. To be accurate, he “maintains order” in world that already exists.
If we were to use business terminology, Shiva’s rage would be “gales of creative destruction” and Vishnu would be a brilliant CEO adding to shareholder value.
If this analogy holds then that means Vinod is going to Heaven and I’m going to Hell.
Very topical considering the fact that TOI carried an article ,the day before, equating Mahadev to a maha-dude..and Bachi Karkaria stated that “In our new consumerist avatar,Ganesha is invoked to bless the triumphal entry of the Indian elephant carrying the world in its howdah. We’ve shed our hypocrisy. Who other then to iconside than the patron saint of iconoclasts? Lord Shiva“.Indeed!
” that means Vinod is going to Heaven and I’m going to Hell.”
Don’t worry about it – Heaven and Hell are not really that prominent in Hinduism. They are imports of those desert religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. For Hindu folk, it’s continuous rebirth until we play our cards right and reach nirvana.
All this talk about Siva when last night was Maha Sivaratri. [Don’t tell my mom but I was at a bar with friends. Something tells me Siva’s down with that.]
My blog underpinned this notion of “creative destruction” yesterday: “How powerful and cleansing is the notion of destruction to create anew. The only human reality is that nothing lasts forever; change is constant and Hindus acknowledge that truth in the worship of Siva.”
As for Siva being a libertarian: Considering the libby credo that determinism is false, wouldn’t Siva be better described as a benevolent dictator – chill until pissed off?
I’m more atuned to Shiva’s kid (well, Parvati’s, anyway). Ganesha is definitely down with drinking beer.
maitri:
Shiva’s actually cool with that(the c2h5oh)…that’s what the whole ‘som ras’ deal is about…or was that ‘bhang’?
As long as shiva drinks and smokes and dances in full abandon, he is the good lord of the hippies. praise the lord
Wouldn’t he be the good lord of mood stabilizers for his bipolar disorder?
Come to think of it, I believe Siva did partake of the Soma Rasa in his yogi incarnation, to help him open his third eye or some such.
Perhaps, the vault that contains the Editor’s Cuts of Amar Chitra Katha may offer more insight.
Hey, I’m famous !
-S
Also: where did instapundit get the idea that Vishnu was the creator ? I was told that Brahma was the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer (well, now maybe “Renewer”).
Of course, all the tons of Vaishnavite texts calling Vishnu the creator may have something to do with it 🙂
Actually, depending on which version of the universe that was ‘created’ the various gods take on positions of ‘creator’, etc. Hinduism actually subscribes to the view of multi-verses, where this particular universe is but one of many alternate realities. To be accurate, shiva is not a person, but rather a personification of the supreme consciousness that is the substratum of all that exists. His third eye represents the jnana-chakshush, or that awareness by which the entire universe comes within the realm of that which is ‘knowable’ and is also the means by which the concept of a ‘universe’ is dispelled through proper outlook. Unfortunately, the majority of hindu’s practicing or not practicing today mistakenly think that it is a primitive sort of religion and that it is not in line with reality. They do not realize that most of the misunderstandings arise because people with half-knowledge interpret the texts and make a mockery of what is in fact highly logical and brilliant. The tendency for people to take things literally is a road block in their understanding of the truth that is being expounded through analogy. The more you learn about the real basis of hindu philosophy, the more you will ‘get it’ and realize what is actually meant. People have to realize that hinduism is not just a philosophy, but it challenges you to directly perceive the truth via proper understanding. Indian kids these days unfortunately run the other way because they just don’t realize how cool or unique their religion is, and part of that is because misguided parental units themselves don’t understand their religion properly. Truly it is deplorable.
YA TRUE SHIVA IS BENEVOLENT AND THE MOST CANDID LORD, AS PEOPLE DISCRIBE HIM AS BHOOLA NATH LOTS OF PEOPLE ROUND THE COUNTRY PERFORM FASTS AND POOJA TO PLEASE HIM.
PERSONALLY SPEAKING I M AN ABSOLUTE FAN OF SHIVA AS HE IS XTREMELY KIND AND INNOCENT GIVES HIS DEVOTEES ALL THAT THEY WANT. PRAISE TO THE LORD OF HAPPINESS AND JOY. LORD SHIVA GIVES HIS DEVOTEES BETTER THAN WHAT THEY THINK OFFFFF THIS IS MY PERSONAL XPERIENCE. I CAN SAYYYYYYYYYYY I LUV HIM A LOT AND HE IS THE LUV OF MY LIFE MY SOUL WHOLE OF MY LIFE IS DEDICATED TO HIM/ TRUST HIM AND CCCCCCCCCCC THE MIRACLES OM NAMAH SHIVAY
Uh, SARIKA DATTA, Shiva is the destroyer. Chew on that for a bit. No happiness, no joy. The man/being/force/all-consuming entity is not one to be trifled with. Your gossip girl “xoxos” would probably inspire him enough to disdainfully send a lazy flame your way. I doubt he approves of gushy e-posts. He’s way too supremely occupied to think abotu your “wishes”. It took Ravana like a thousand years of gruelling tapas, give or take, before Shiva noticed he existed. So if you want him to be your lovah boy, I suggest you get on it, it’s gonna be a while. 🙂 Out of the Hindu pantheon, Shiva’s undoubtedly me favourite, not least because of the dance of destruction, the fact that he is the ultimate outlaw, and his gaggle of demons. Shiva chills with the dark forces. Enough said. He’s above it all, the repository of rage and all things rough and fiery.
On a more serious note, I miss the pre-Brahmanical Hinduism, when it was cool for a God to be oh-so-not-benevolent. When rage and the torrent of your semen (yep, read up on this) were hallmarks enough to render you worthy of worship. You didn’t have to be chubby-cheeked or smiling to merit a temple. Your phallus was enough. The elementary nature of it is far more attractive than the filtered sugar-sweet linear course present-day Hinduism seems to be taking. Fat chubby gods with fat chubby wives. Give the man some muscle and wipe off his smile. He’s meditating, and when he’s disturbed he will destroy the universe. Contentment isn’t what he’s after.
Creative destruction – to evolve we have to let go of the old. Lord Shiva is renewal, Lord Shiva is evolution, from the most primal the foundation is set, and gets complex, we always have to look back to see what was the very core, as we weave something more intricate and more divine.
We have to destroy our old house to make way for a palace. Just the same, we do have to move on, and realize that there is indeed something beyond what we see now. This journey is supposed to be educational for us.
Lord Shiva is auspicious, and just, but does not care about being hated, primarily because what matters is not if his efforts are appreciated, but that the results are proper and just.
Om Namah Shivaya