04 May, 2013

Ashes (bhasma) the ultimate reality


He {Shiva} smears his body with ashes.

One of the lesser known names of Shiva is Bhashmeshwar Mahadev. I like to call him with this name.

Ashes signify the ultimate reality of this material world. Everything in this world is destined to perish; nothing is permanent; only a Mahadev can understand this fully.

Than it is up to the person how much he wants to get attached to or chase material things. A person can only take his virtues and vices with him and no material thing.



He {Shiva} lives in the cremation grounds.

The cremation grounds represent or are a symbolic meaning for a place not everyone wants to frequent.

People want to go to places where they can make money or for some entertainment.  

Staying in a cremation ground represents Indifference and disenchantment with all worldly things that is Freeing from false belief or illusions of this material world.

By the metaphor of smearing his body with ashes and staying in the cremation grounds the Mahadev sets an example of voluntarily detaching oneself from the material world and hence earned his name--The Bhashmeshwar Mahadev.

One has to detach from the material world to recognize his true potential.