SHIVA AND SHAKTHI :

Consciousness and Energy

Amongst the attributes of the Chakras we meet  two important symbols: Shiva and Shakti.

SHIVA symbolizes consciousness, the masculine principle.
SHAKTI symbolizes the feminine principle, the activating power and energy.

Whenever a power becomes active, and wherever energy exists, Shakti is working. Other terms for these primal principles are PURUSHA and PRAKRITI; Purusha is consciousness and Prakriti is nature.

Lord Shiva is generally portrayed holding a trident, which represents the trinity of Īshwara, Purusha and Prakriti .

Īshwara is the omnipresent, eternal, formless divine principle; Purusha is the Ātmā and Prakriti is the manifestation, nature. An electric light can be used to explain their relationship. The electric current, which is the source of the light, is Īshwara; the light is Purusha, and the object that is illuminated is Prakriti.

SHAKTI (or Prakriti) means energy, power, movement, change, nature. It is the maternal principle – the provider, abundance. In the human as well as in the animal kingdom the mother offers nourishment, warmth and security. There is no greater love than the love of a mother. The mother carries and nourishes the child in her own body. When it is born she provides it with mother’s milk and raises it at the sacrifice of her own self until it becomes self-reliant.

SHIVA (or Purusha), on the other hand, is pure consciousness – the unchanging, unlimited and unswayable observer. Purusha has no desires whatsoever; these are inherent only in Prakriti. Purusha is the empty, clear screen onto which Prakriti projects her colourful film.

Shiva and Shakti are manifestations of the all-in-one divine consciousness - different sides of the same coin. In many pictures these two primal powers are each depicted as being one half of the same image; one side female and one side male. The left side is the Divine Mother, Pārvatī, the “feminine” energy, and the right side represents Shiva, the “masculine” consciousness.

Through the splitting of the primordial principle at the advent of creation the duality within our lives came into being, together with a strong force that is constantly striving to re-unite with the other part.

Only when Shiva and Shakti combine can action, movement and creation arise. Until energy is impregnated with consciousness it is ignorant, disordered, aimless and “blind”. Energy alone can produce nothing; consciousness bestows upon it content, form and direction. Conversely, consciousness without energy is dormant power, sleeping energy, and on its own is unable to be the cause of anything. Just as Prakriti without Purusha is unable to act, and vice versa, Purusha without Prakriti is also incapable of creating anything.

The meaning of Shiva and Shakti is occasionally misunderstood when Shiva and Shakti are looked upon as “man” and “woman” and their union is regarded as a sexual relationship. Sexuality is something completely natural, and misunderstanding arises only when sexuality and spirituality are mixed.

Sexuality is the union of man and woman
Spirituality is the union of the human and the divine consciousness.
Shiva and Shakti exist within each of us as the masculine and feminine principles. This has an effect on the physical level – it is the cause of sexual attraction. Within man there exists a tendency towards the feminine qualities, and within woman a tendency towards the masculine. Through this the masculine consciousness is attracted by the feminine and vice versa. If both are in balance there is no sexual attraction. But if a tendency for the masculine predominates in man, or the feminine in woman, this results in a preference for a homosexual partner.

Shiva resides in the Sahasrāra Chakra and Shakti in the Mūlādhāra Chakra. When Prakriti and Purusha unite in the Sahasrāra Chakra, knowledge, knower and the object of knowledge become one. Once we have experienced this no desires remain within us because we realise unequivocally that everything we have ever yearned for is carried within us. In this state of absolute consciousness there are no polarities and therefore no more sorrows; there is only everlasting joy, unconditional love, unlimited compassion and total understanding for all living beings.

For as long as consciousness is connected to the physical body it is unable to remain constantly in the Sahasrāra Chakra and so returns to the residence of the Ātmā in the Heart Centre (Anāhata Chakra). A realised person always thinks, feels and acts from the heart. Embedded in eternal love and eternal happiness, that person is always conscious of the immortal Ātmā, the ocean of bliss, and their consciousness is forever connected to the divine consciousness.

Shakti is the motherly love of God that surrounds us with warmth, caring and protection.
Shiva is the paternal love of God that gives us consciousness, clarity and knowledge.
I wish for you the blessing of the Divine Mother who lives within you as energy and vitality, and the blessing of the Divine Father who resides within you as consciousness and knowledge. May they always take care of you, protect you and guide you, and in their infinite love lead you to the cosmic consciousness.

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नम्रत्वेनोन्नमन्तः परगुणकथनैः स्वान्गुणान्ख्यापयन्तः

स्वार्थान्सम्पादयन्तो विततपृथुतरारम्भयत्नाः परार्थे।

क्षान्त्यैवाक्षेपरुक्षाक्षरमुखरमुखान्दुर्जनान्दूषयन्तः

सन्तः साश्चर्यचर्या जगति बहुमताः कस्य नाभ्यर्चनीयाः॥ 

नीतिशतकम् 

नम्रत्व humility, humbleness तृतीयैकवचनान्त:(न)

→ नम्रत्वेन 

उन्नम् to rise, to ascend, to go up कर्तरि वर्तमानकालवाचक धातुसाधित विशेषणम्

→ उन्नमत् 

प्रथमाबहुवचनान्त:(पु)

→ उन्नमन्तः 

पर other 

गुण good quality 

कथन narration, relation, description 

परगुणकथन description of other's good qualities तृतीयाबहुवचनान्त:(न)

→ परगुणकथनैः

स्व self द्वितीयाबहुवचनान्त:(पु)

→ स्वान् 

गुण good quality द्वितीयाबहुवचनान्त:(पु)

→ गुणान् 

ख्या to declare, to relate, to tell कर्तरि वर्तमानकालवाचक धातुसाधित विशेषणम्

→ ख्यापयत्‌ 

प्रथमाबहुवचनान्त:(पु)

→ ख्यापयन्तः 

स्व self 

अर्थ objective 

स्वार्थ own objective द्वितीयाबहुवचनान्त:(पु)

→ स्वार्थान् 

सम्पद् to turn out well, to succeed, to prosper, to be accomplished, to be fulfilled कर्तरि वर्तमानकालवाचक धातुसाधित विशेषणम्

→ सम्पादयत् 

प्रथमाबहुवचनान्त:(पु)

→ सम्पादयन्त: 

वितत performed  

पृथुतर larger, wider, broader, greater

आरम्भ beginning 

यत्न effort, attempt 

विततपृथुतरआरम्भयत्न who has begun greater effort प्रथमाबहुवचनान्त:(पु)

→ विततपृथुतरारम्भयत्नाः

पर other 

अर्थ objective 

परार्थ other's objective सप्तम्येकवचनान्त:(पु)

→ परार्थे 

क्षान्ति endurance, forebearance तृतीयैकवचनान्त:(स्त्री)

→ क्षान्त्या 

एव only 

आक्षेप censure, blame, abuse, reproach, defiant censure 

रूक्ष rough, harsh

अक्षर word 

मुख mouth 

आक्षेपरूक्षाक्षरमुख who speaks rough, censuring words द्वितीयाबहुवचनान्त:(पु)

→ आक्षेपरूक्षाक्षरमुखान्  

दुर्जन evil, wicked द्वितीयाबहुवचनान्त:(पु)

→ दुर्जनान् 

दुष् to cause to perish, to hurt, to destroy कर्तरि वर्तमानकालवाचक धातुसाधित प्रयोजक विशेषणम् 

→ दूषयत् 

प्रथमाबहुवचनान्त:(पु)

→ दूषयन्तः 

सत् good, noble प्रथमाबहुवचनान्त:(पु)

→ सन्त: 

आश्चर्य extraordinary, astonishing

चर्य practice, conduct 

आश्चर्यचर्य 

प्रथमाबहुवचनान्त:(पु)

→ आश्चर्यचर्याः 

जगत् world सप्तम्येकवचनान्त:(न)

→ जगति 

बहुमत highly esteemed or prized, valued, respected प्रथमाबहुवचनान्त:(पु)

→ बहुमताः  

किम् who षष्ठ्येकवचनान्त:(पु)

→ कस्य 

न not 

अभि-अर्च् (अभ्यर्च्) to honour, to praise कर्मणि वर्तमानकालवाचक धातुसाधित विशेषणम्

→ अभ्यर्चनीय 

प्रथमाबहुवचनान्त:(पु)

→ अभ्यर्चनीयाः 

आपल्या विनयशीलतेने महान बनलेले, दुसऱ्यांच्या चांगल्या गुणांना दाद देण्याच्या स्वभावातून स्वत:च्या गुणांची जगाला ओळख करून देणारे, परोपकार करून स्वत:चा परमार्थ साध्य करणारे, आपल्या क्षमाशीलतेने निंदक दुष्टांना वश करणारे व असामान्य वर्तन असलेले सज्जन कोणाला आदरणीय नसतात?

Who would not respect those noble people with extraordinary conduct who ascend themselves through their humility, display their own virtues by appreciating the virtues of others, achieve their own supreme goal by benevolence and subdue the censuring wicked people by their endurance.

जिन्होंने अपनी विनम्रता से खुद को महान बनाया, दूसरों के अच्छे गुणों को सराहने के स्वभाव से अपने गुणों की दुनिया को पहचान दी, परोपकार द्वारा अपना परमार्थ प्राप्त किया, अपनी क्षमाशीलता से निंदा करनेवाले नीच लोगों को वश किया ऐसे असामान्य व्यवहार रखनेवाले सज्जन किसको आदरणीय नहीं होते हैं?

ऋणशेषोऽग्निशेषश्च व्याधिशेषस्तथैव च ।
पुनश्च वर्धते यस्मात्तस्माच्छेषं न कारयेत् ॥

चाणक्यनीति

ऋण loan
शेष balance, remainder, rest, residue
ऋणशेष outstanding debt प्रथमैकवचनान्त:(पु)
→ ऋणशेष:

अग्नि fire
शेष balance, remainder, rest, residue
अग्निशेष unexinguished portion of fire प्रथमैकवचनान्त:(पु)
→ अग्निशेष:

च and

व्याधि illness
शेष balance, remainder, rest, residue
व्याधिशेष illness not cured totally प्रथमैकवचनान्त:(पु)
→ व्याधिशेष:

तथैव in the same manner

च and

पुनश्च again

वृध् to grow प्रथम पुरुष वर्तमानकालवाचक एकवचनम्
→ वर्धते

यस्मात् if, because

तस्मात् therefore

शेष balance, remainder द्वितीयैकवचनान्त:(पु)
→ शेषम्

न not

कृ to do प्रथम पुरुष विध्यर्थ प्रयोजक एकवचनम्
→ कारयेत्

जर एखादे कर्ज, आग किंवा आजार अगदी कमी प्रमाणात जरी शिल्लक राहिले तर ते परत वाढतच जातात. म्हणून या तीन्हीकडे दुर्लक्ष न करता त्यांना पूर्णपणे संपवलं पाहिजे.

If a debt, a fire or an illness continues to exist even to a small extent, it will grow again and again, therefore let them be terminated totally without negligence.

यदि कोई कर्जा, आग या रोग अल्प मात्रा में भी बचता हैं तो वह फिर से बढ़ता हैं। इसलिए इन तीनों को नजरअंदाज न करते हुए इन्हे सम्पूर्ण रूप से समाप्त कर देना चाहिए।

WHAT IS PRANAYAMA & METHOD OF NADISHODHANA IN HATHAYOGAPRADIPIKA
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika is a classical text describing Hatha Yoga. It is said to be the oldest surviving text on Hatha Yoga. Swami Swatmarama, a disciple of Swami Goraknath, wrote the text in the 15th century CE, drawing upon previous texts and his own experiences. While the text describes asanas (postures), purifying practices (shatkarma), mudras (finger and hand positions), bandhas (locks), and pranayama (breath exercises), it also explains that the purpose of Hatha Yoga is the awakening of kundalini (subtle energy), advancement to Raja Yoga, and the experience of deep meditative absorption known as samadhi.
Earlier we had seen Chapter 1 of Hathapradipika on Asanas. Chapter 2 deals with Shatkarma i. e. cleansing processes and Pranayama i.e regulation and expansion of vital force.
When can we practice pranayama?
When one succeeds in the practice of Asanas i.e. gets oneself established in a Posture (can maintain a posture for at least 2.5 hours) and one who eats salutary and moderate food, may practice pranayama, as instructed by his guru.
Why should we practice Pranayama?
Rate of breathing being disturbed, the mind becomes disturbed and when mind is restless,the breathing rate is disturbed. There is connection between our state of mind and the breathing rate. By regulation of breathing pattern, the Yogi gets steadiness of mind.
So long as prana stays in the body, one breathes and it is called life. Death consists in the passing out of the prana. It is, therefore, necessary to regulate Prana.
What is Nadishodhana?
Nadis are the subtle channels through which the prana flows. Owing to the impurities of the nadis, Prana does not pass through the middle channel (susumna). Hence the necessity of cleansing of the nadis i.e. the subtle channels of Prana.
When the whole system of the nadis which is full of impurities, is cleaned, then the Yogi becomes able to control the Prana.
Therefore, Nadishodhana should be performed daily with satwika buddhi (intellect free from raja and tama or activity and sloth), in order to drive out the impurities of the susumna.
METHODS OF PERFORMING NADISHODHANA
Sitting in the Padmasana posture the Yogi should fill in the air through the left nostril (closing the right one); and, keeping it confined according to one's ability, it should be expelled slowly through the surya (right nostril).
Then, drawing in the air through the surya (right nostril) slowly, the belly should be filled, and after performing Kumbhaka as before, it should be expelled slowly through the chandra (left nostril).
Inhaling through the one, through the chandra (left nostril) through which it was expelled, and having restrained it there, till possible, it should be exhaled through the other, the surya (right nostril) slowly and not forcibly.
If the air be inhaled through the left nostril, it should be expelled again through the other, and filling it through the right nostril, confining it there, it should be expelled through the left nostril. By practicing in this way, through the right and the left nostrils alternately, the whole of the collection of the nadis of the yogi (practisers) becomes clean, i.e., free from impurities, after 3 months and over.
This is supposed to be performed gradually four times during day and night (i.e., morning, noon, evening and midnight), till the number of rounds for one time is 80 and for day and night together it is 320.
In modern day practical, and hectic life, we can`t expect ourselves to devote this much time and also, practicing retention of breathing (Kumbhaka) without sufficient practice of regulation of breathing pattern and tribandhas is not recommended. An ordinary person with limited objective of good health may practice up to 25 rounds without Kumbhaka, starting initially with 3 rounds and gradually increasing the number of rounds.
Also, one should not hasten to control the breathing rate or try to imitate his guide from the beginning. Just as lions, elephants and tigers are controlled gradually by the ringmaster, so the breath should be controlled by slow degrees, otherwise (i.e., by being hasty or using too much force) it damages the health of the practitioner himself. When Pranayama, etc., are performed properly, they eradicate all diseases; but an improper practice generates diseases.Hiccough, asthma, cough, pain in the head, the ears, and the eyes; these and other various kinds of diseases are generated by the disturbance of the breath.The air should be expelled with proper tact and should be filled in skillfully; and when it has been kept confined properly it brings success.
N.B.--The above caution is necessary to warn the aspirants against omitting any instruction; and in their zeal to gain success or siddhis early, to begin the practice, either by using too much force in filling in, confining and expelling the air, or by omitting any instructions, it may cause unnecessary pressure on their ears, eyes, &c., and cause pain. Every word in the instructions is full of meaning and is necessarily used in the slokas, and should be followed very carefully and with due attention. Thus there will be nothing to fear whatsoever. We are inhaling and exhaling the air throughout our lives without any sort of danger, and Pranayama being only a regular form of it, there should be no cause to fear.
EFFECTS OF NADISHODHANA
When the nadis become free from impurities, and there appear the outward signs of success, such as lean body and glowing color, then one should feel certain of success. By removing the impurities, the air can be restrained, according to one's wish and the appetite is increased, the divine sound is awakened, and the body becomes healthy.