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Maha Shivratri 2017: How Adiyogi Lord Shiva taught mankind yoga

The tale of how Shiva passed on the knowledge of yoga to mankind.

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Lord Shiva is different things for different people and turns up in myriad avatars.  For many Hindus (and non-believers), he is the supreme being, one who creates, protects and destroys. He is sometimes depicted as a warrior, slaying demons. At the highest form, he is considered omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent, the absolute Brahman (reality) and the primal Atman (soul) of the universe.

In CERN, Switzerland stands a 2-metre long Shiva performing the tandava (dance) which is seen as a metaphor of the dance of subatomic matter, the basis of all existence and of all natural phenomena.

As physicist Fritjof Capra further explained in The Tao of Physics: “The Dance of Shiva symbolises the basis of all existence. At the same time, Shiva reminds us that the manifold forms in the world are not fundamental, but illusory and ever-changing. Modern physics has shown that the rhythm of creation and destruction is not only manifest in the turn of the seasons and in the birth and death of all living creatures, but is also the very essence of inorganic matter."

Yet, in a more benevolent and less fiery avatar he is Adiyogi or the first yogi, the originator of yoga, and this was the version being celebrated when PM Modi unveiled his 112-foot statue in Coimbatore. For his part, PM Modi has tried to spread the use of yoga across the world, emphasising that it’s more than an exercise form and got UN to declare June 21 International Yoga Day.

The myth of Adiyogi  

According to yogic lore, over 15,000 years ago, Lord Shiva attained enlightenment and started performing an intense dance upon the Himalayas going from moving widely to sitting utterly still. Bystanders were astounded by the sight, unable to contemplate what Shiva was experiencing who remained oblivious to other people’s presence.

While everyone left after watching him oscillate between periods of intense activity to perfect stillness, seven men remained behind. They begged Shiva to teach them, who laughed away their desire, claiming it took millions of years of practice. However, the seven persevered with sadhana (dedicated practice) for 84 years which made Shiva believe that they were worthy.

When the next full moon rose, he transformed himself into the Adi Guru on a day that’s now celebrated as Guru Purnima and taught these seven people the various intricacies of yogic science. Yoga he explained was beyond just bending or holding one’s breath but the entire understanding of the mechanics of the human system – physical and psychological.

The seven of them came to be known as the Saptarishis, each a celebrated sage, who would create their own form of yoga. Legend has it that they went their own way across the world to teach millions the ways of yoga. And that is the tale of how Lord Shiva taught mankind the yogic sciences.

   

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