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The First Yogi: Part 3 (updated)
Original Post - 21/03/2017
The previous blog explained how Parvati, wishing to illuminate the universe, asked her husband Shiva to explain to her how man could end his suffering. Shiva in response manifested the existence of the tantras by explaining to her 112 different yoga techniques. By mastery of just one of these techniques, one can reach a state of Bhairava. Shiva finishes by pointing out to Parvati that the ultimate truth (a state of supreme bliss/ultimate freedom/Bhairava) is beyond intellect and must be experienced to be known and understood.
After listening intensely to all 112 techniques, Parvati said;
"O great god, I am fully satisfied. Today, I have understood with certainty the quintessence of the Tantra and all the heart of Shakti"
Having said the above, Parvati was steeped in delight as all her doubts were resolved, but she wanted to experience Bhairava for herself. Parvati wished to breach the boundaries of existence and go beyond the physical creation. She wanted to experience the reality that Shiva himself was constantly immersed in. So she asked Shiva if she too could realise this higher dimension of life. Shiva smiled in response and reminded her that she is Adi Shakti the great goddess, all she needs to do to experience Bhairava, was to sit on his lap. Parvati then embraced Shiva "limb-to-limb". Both their physical bodies merged. Shiva accommodated his beloved in his own body and what was experienced was a perpetual state of ecstasy. It is believed culturally that the moment Parvati embraced Shiva, she became one with him. Just as there is no difference between fire and its power of burning, there was no difference now between Shiva and his spiritual energy Parvati.
The Mythology of Ardhanarishvara
Another myth offers a parallel perspective on the union of Shiva and Parvati. In this tale, Ganga—a river goddess devoted to Shiva—visited him to offer her prayers. Parvati, seated on Shiva's lap, grew jealous of Ganga's affection. Her emotions flared, and she sought to break free from Shiva’s embrace. To soothe Parvati and demonstrate his eternal love, Shiva held her even closer. He united with her completely, their forms merging into one being known as Ardhanarishvara—a divine representation of the masculine and feminine as a singular, harmonious whole.
In this state, their bodies slowly disappeared, leaving behind the eternal truth of their union: consciousness and energy, love and creation, cannot be separated. Together, they represent the ultimate balance of existence.
Sharing the Tantras with Humanity
Once Parvati was fully satisfied with the knowledge Shiva had imparted, she implored him to share this wisdom with the world. Her compassion for humanity’s endless cycles of suffering moved her to action. She envisioned a time when men and women would be free from ignorance and the limitations of idol worship. At her urging, Shiva’s teachings—the tantras—were passed down to the holy men of that era. These sages traveled the world, spreading this transformative knowledge to anyone willing to learn.
Yet, as the ages passed, misuse and misunderstanding of the tantras grew rampant. Humanity’s ignorance deepened, and the sages, disillusioned by the corruption of these sacred teachings, withdrew into seclusion. They referred to this time as an "age of ignorance" and resolved to hide their wisdom, ensuring it would not be further degraded.
Shiva’s Last Gift
Despite this, Shiva’s compassion for humanity endured. Desiring to rekindle the light of wisdom in the world, he decided to share the essence of the Vijnanbhairava Tantra once more. Being too wild and untamed to play the role of a conventional teacher, Shiva chose the sage Durvasa as his vessel for this knowledge. It is said that, after imparting the teachings of the tantras to Durvasa, Shiva disappeared into the ether, leaving behind only the teachings and his enduring presence in the hearts of those who sought the truth.
Durvasa made it his life’s mission to preserve and disseminate the teachings of the Vijnanbhairava Tantra. He passed this wisdom to his disciples, who in turn shared it with their own students. Over the centuries, the teachings survived, carried forward by an unbroken lineage of devoted practitioners.
The Legacy of Tantra Today
What remains of these teachings is a jewel of the Śhaiva tradition: the Vijnanbhairava Tantra. Though brief in length, this text is profound in depth, offering insights and techniques that are as relevant today as they were in ancient times. It is a testament to the enduring power of the teachings of Shiva and Parvati, a reminder that the ultimate truth is not confined to books or dogmas but resides in direct experience.
The story of Shiva and Parvati is more than mythology. It is a timeless allegory for the human journey toward self-realization, the union of consciousness and energy, and the transcendence of the physical into the infinite. Their tale continues to inspire, offering a path to freedom for those willing to embrace it.
The sage Durvasa
SUMMARY -
There are countless interpretations of the story of Shiva and Parvati. For a long time, I understood their tale as just that—a mythological story. Later, I discovered the Vigyan Bhairav Tantra, a poetic and profound text that is said to recount a conversation between Shiva and Parvati, a dialogue that metaphorically gave birth to the practice of yoga.
The Vigyan Bhairav Tantra itself is the work of an author—an interpreter, a poet—who could never have known whether this conversation actually occurred. The text was likely composed hundreds or even thousands of years after the time Shiva and Parvati are believed, in legend, to have lived (approximately 12,000–15,000 years ago). This raises an intriguing question:
Did Shiva and Parvati Truly Exist?
Were Shiva and Parvati real people to whom we owe the concept of self-realization? Did their conversation actually take place? It’s difficult to say. Yet, their existence resonates with me, and I lean toward believing in them—not as deities in a traditional sense, but as archetypes or figures who symbolize profound truths.
What makes Shiva’s existence compelling is that it is non-threatening. He does not demand belief in himself or adherence to any fixed dogma. It is humanity that has elevated Shiva to the status of a god. In the Vigyan Bhairav Tantra and related teachings, Shiva simply asks for a willingness to surrender—not to him, but to something greater than oneself. He invites us to realize what lies beyond the five senses. Because no religion or rigid belief system was established by Shiva, his existence—or lack thereof—ultimately does not matter.
This distinguishes Shiva from many religious founders whose credibility hinges on their historical existence. Without such proof, the doctrines of many religions risk losing their authority. In contrast, Shiva’s teachings transcend his existence. They remain valid regardless of whether he was a historical figure or a mythological construct.
The Universal Relevance of Shiva and Parvati
Many people find my fascination with the story of Shiva and Parvati perplexing, particularly because I do not revere them as a god and goddess. To me, their story represents something universal—perhaps even the key to understanding what lies beyond ordinary human experience. They embody love, but not love as we usually define it. Their relationship transcends the ordinary and transforms into something far greater: they become love itself.
This, I believe, is why their story is accessible to anyone, regardless of religion. They represent a pathway to something greater—something beyond names, labels, and dogmas. Their story is a doorway to the infinite, a stairwell to the divine, or perhaps even to God itself.
Shiva and Parvati go beyond religion. Shiva doesn’t ask for belief in anything. Instead, he invites us to experience reality as it is—beyond right and wrong, beyond books and videos, beyond the constraints of human understanding. To sit in stillness, to close one’s eyes, and to open oneself to learning directly from experience—that is what Shiva teaches.
The Essence of Shiva’s Message
True education, as Shiva embodies, is simply the willingness to learn. To learn not just from external sources but from the depth of your own being. It is about surrendering to the possibility that there is something more—something greater than ourselves, greater than what we can perceive with our limited senses.
When we allow ourselves to experience what Shiva and Parvati represent, we may realize that religion, as constructed by humans, is merely a framework for understanding the infinite. The truth of what we call God, or ultimate reality, lies far beyond these human limitations. It lies in love, in surrender, and in the direct experience of the vastness of existence.
Shiva doesn’t seek worship; he asks for openness. He doesn’t demand obedience; he invites exploration. To me, this is the beauty of his story and the essence of his teachings: a call to move beyond belief and step into direct experience.
Zahir Akram - Eternal Seeker
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