Shiva’s hypostases that we will explore during the camp

SHIVA JALANDHARARI – Shiva in the pose of destroyer of exaggerated selfish starts and amplified pride

It is the pose in which SHIVA subjects the being who has already attained a great inner power to appropriate spiritual trials whose purpose is to test her detachment from exaggerated egoistic drives and in terms of amplified pride.
“Coloured in red, moving nobly and menacingly, holding in his hands the shaft, the antelope and the bow, at the same time making with the fourth hand the secret gesture (MUDRA) of the divine protection with the three eyes full of brilliance among which the third, AJNA CHAKRA, is then particularly bright. He, SHIVA-JALANDHARARI, is in this pose the prompt destroyer of the exacerbated selfish starts and the immense pride of the demon JALANDHARA”.

SHIVA CHANDESH ANUGRAHA – Shiva in the pose of offering his Divine Grace to his devoted worshipers

It is one of the most well-known auspicious poses of SHIVA. In this pose, SHIVA blesses CHANDESHA, his fervent worshipper, by granting him his divine grace (ANUGRAHA). CHANDESHA is the leader of the worshipers of SHIVA and he is the one who keeps all that is useful to SHIVA, after SHIVA has given his consent. CHANDESHA is always around SHIVA, being situated on His left. In India, in the rituals performed in the temples dedicated to SHIVA, the last offerings are always offered to CHANDESHA, as a symbol of maintaining the continuity of SHIVA’s worship.

SHIVA NILAKANTHA – Shiva, in the pose of a perfect alchemist who takes in his gigantic being the terrible poison of the sins of the world to sublimate it into nectar

It is the mysterious posture of SHIVA with the blue neck, also called VISHAPAHARANIA – the one who takes in his gigantic being the terrible venom of the sins of the world, to then sublimate it into nectar. The foundation of this divine manifestation of the perfect alchemist is the myth about the cosmic action that the mysterious forces of light, the gods (the DEVAs) accomplished together with the hidden forces of darkness, the demons (the ASURAs); to their surprise, just as they were decanting the milk of the primordial ocean (SAMUDRA MATHANA) to thereby obtain the mysterious essential nectar (AMRITA), a terrible deadly poison (HALAHALA) sprang up from the depths, threatening all existing worlds with imminent destruction. But to save the entire Creation, SHIVA sacrificed himself without hesitation and drank all the poison on the spot. PARVATI, the mother of the Universe and his divine lover, was then afraid that the terrible drink might destroy his gigantic body that eternally encompasses the seen and unseen worlds. So she rushed towards her beloved and pressed him tightly to the neck, so as to stop the fatal poison and prevent it from passing any further. The killing drink was indeed strained before SHIVA swallowed it, but his throat therefore immediately turned blue (NILAKANTHA). Through his courageous action, the existing worlds were then saved.

SHIVA BHAIRAVA – Shiva, transcendent and ineffable, who manifests in the mysterious night of divine revelation, Shivaratri

It is a fundamental and at the same time a formidable pose of Shiva, a pose that personifies the divine transcendent reality. But because what is transcendent and in general limitlessness, eternity, infinity, the mystery beyond appearances, beyond the known scares the common human being and primarily the ego (ahamkara in Sanskrit), Bhairava is most often represented in a terrible or even terrifying form. But what is frightening for the exacerbated and hoarding ego is pure and ecstatic divine liberating grace for the soul thirsty for God.

That is why Bhairava is in reality the most formidable antidote against all the fears, limitations, illusions and conditionings we still face.

SHIVA MATANGARI – Shiva in the pose of triumphant over hostile, evil forces

Or in other words, Shiva in the pose of triumphant over hostile, evil forces. Shiva Matangari is the pose associated with the all-powerful divine action of Shiva which seeks to defeat the hostile, evil influences of a demonic being who has taken the form of an elephant. This pose of Shiva is also known in India as Gajahamurti, Gajasura Samharamurti or Gajasamharamurti. In the Hindu tradition, the elephant is the symbol of great strength. Its existence is associated with memory, wisdom, strength, age and all endowments that are born or acquired, which allow the human being to achieve mastery and skill in a certain direction. In general, in India, the elephant is a symbol of great material and spiritual wealth at the same time. In certain ancient Hindu writings, the presence of the elephant symbolizes the enormous capacity of the individual consciousness to store rich life experience.

But the elephant is also the symbol associated with the selfish action of possessing or accomplishing something that is not allowed or that is illegal. The elephant is, by its nature, an aggressive and massive animal and that is why it is also associated with the lack of sensitivity to beneficial, subtle, superior influences, because it is the animal that has the thickest skin.