(Ardhanarishvara)

In this age of science and technology, students should try to understand the inner meaning of the concept of Ardhanarishvara (the combination of the male and female principles in Ishvara).

No scientist has attempted to explain this concept. Consider the similarity between the ancient sages concept of Ardhanarishvara and the ideas of modern science regarding the atom. There are many such ancient concepts which have contemporary validity Every object is composed of atoms and in every atom (Anu in Sanskrit) there is a proton and an electron. The electron is described in Sanskrit as the Vibhaga (the left half) of the atom and the proton is described as the Dhanabhaga (the right half) of the atom. The Vibhaga represents the female principle and the Dhanabhaga the male principle. The coming together of these two constitutes the material base of each object. This process of coming together is represented in the concept of Ardhanarishvara--the coming together of the female and male aspects.

Ardhanarishvara means half-feminine and half-masculine. The electron represents the feminine aspect. The proton represents the male aspect. The atom is formed when they come together. Every object in the universe is made up of atoms. Hence, the ancients regarded the entire cosmos as an embodiment of the Ardhanarishvara principle. (SSS Vol.24, pp. 204-205)

Every man is a symbol of ‘Ardhanarishvara’. The body is inert. The Atma is Consciousness. The body is Prakriti (Nature). The Atma is Ishvara. The combination of Prakriti and. Paramatma constitutes humanness. Therefore, you should regard yourself as a symbol of ‘ Ardhanarishvara ‘ (The Divine Couple in one body). (SSS Vol.30)

 Sat means God. You should have the company of God or proximity to God. cit is awareness. The combination of sat and cit gives ananda (Divine bliss). sat is sugar and cit is water. If you mix them, the names of sugar and water go away and you get syrup. sat is Atma and cit is body (deha) and both combine to make up the person. sat is Shivam cit is Parvati; so the combination is Ardhanarishvara (half male and half female). Every one of us is Ardhanarishvara. (SEKH, p. 38)

Once Goddess Lakshmi came to Parvati and wondered;

‘Oh Gowri! You are very young and Sambasiva is old;

He has matted locks and wears a tiger skin;

He rides matted locks and is constantly on the move;

He is adorned with snakes;

How did you court Him?

Don’t you know all this?

He has no house of His own and sleeps in the burial ground. (Telugu song)

Parvati was deeply disturbed by these remarks and approached Lord Shiva and enquired, ‘You do not have house of your own. You do not belong to a particular case or lineage. Further, you are ‘ Ardhanarishvara’ (androgynous). How then you call yourself God?’ Lord Shiva replied that God is beyond names, caste, and lineage. He then turned to Lakshmi and enquired, ‘Oh Mother Lakshmi! Are you aware of your own husband’s antecedents? He is constantly on the move to protect His devotees and has no time for food or sleep. If at all He settles down to take food, at that moment some devotee like Draupadi prays, ‘Oh! Lord Krishna! I am in great trouble. Please save me.’ Immediately, He rushes to rescue her, leaving His food. Thus, He is constantly on the move to protect His devotes like Prahlada. How then, did you court such a Lord who has no time even for food and rest?

Shiva clarified that God has no name and form; He is changeless; He has neither birth nor death; neither beginning nor end; He is eternal and Atma-Swarupa. He also emphasised that it is man’s illusion to ascribe a name and form to God. The formless God manifests with a particular form and name as per the wishes of the devotees, to fulfil their aspirations. God is formless and attributeless. It is the devotees who attribute some names, forms and attributes to God and feel satisfied. All the names and forms are anitya and asathya (evanescent and false), The only eternal and true form of God is Atma. (SSS Vol.42, pp. 57-59)