Shiv is the doer and may be likened to a vehicle. If you remove ‘i’ from Shiv, it becomes ‘shav’ (corpse). The ‘i’ represents Shakti, which is the fuel that energises this vehicle to perform action. Shakti is the force of the physical world. Shivratri is the night of merger of Shiv and Shakti making a complete whole. Shiv and Shakti pertain to manifest creation and arise from the unmanifest.
The journey back to the unmanifest can be carved only through their complete merger which is the ultimate purpose of yoga and Sanatan Kriya.
A practical example of merger of Shiv and Shakti is the institution of marriage where the merger of male and female leads to manifestation of a new life. If there is a mismatch in this merger of male and female, or Shiv and Shakti, the marriage remains incomplete. This imbalance is evident in the progeny who will exhibit anti-social and undesirable behaviour and traits. The rishis of yesteryear explained how incompleteness sets into the child in the womb itself in the form of tri-doshas—vata, pitta and kapha—that manifest at the cellular level.
For a marriage to be complete, the merger of Shiv and Shakti has to take place at the level of every chakra. Majority of marriages today are rooted in material and sexual gratification, the connections of two lower chakras (muladhara and swadishthan) usually ending in discord and disharmony. The marriage for power, e.g. marriage between two kingdoms, is consumed at the level manipurak chakra and lasts longer. But it is again incomplete. A connection formed on the basis of love is much higher and is formed at anahad chakra. Though it’s a rarity to find in present times. Even rarer are connections of higher creativity, i.e. connections of vishuddhi chakra. Here people unite when they have risen over their selfish needs, to create institutions, charitable organisations or even awareness to help people who are in need. Then comes connection of agya chakra. Such a subtle connection is almost impossible to find in present times. Only people who have transcended the physical and emotional, who’ve surpassed the level of love and creativity at the physical level can connect at this highest and subtlest level of existence. This is the union of Shiv and Shakti, complete in every respect.
At Dhyan Ashram, the energy patterns and chakras of the two partners are matched and then their compatibility and success of future marriage is ascertained. Remember, every Shakti is finding a Shiv force; and every Shiv is finding a Shakti force. Till they find each other and merge, they will be imbalanced. The union is necessary for creation. The level of creation depends on the level of merger. For example when Rishi Vishwamitra and Gayatriji merged, a parallel universe was created. On the night of Shivratri, it is easiest to connect with the forces of Shiv and Shakti, leading to the highest merger. Once the merger is complete, nothing is impossible: be it manifestation of thought or desire, or mantra siddhi.
The writer is the spiritual head of Dhyan Foundation.
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