Son of Shiva

Today we examine the concept of Son of Shiva without referring to any specific legends or stories, so as to understand the doctrine in a mystical-intuitive manner.

What is a Son of Shiva? From a monistic Shaiva triad philosophical perspective of Shiva-Shakti-Nara, we are all sons and daughters of Shiva. More aptly, He is the true and only Self, and all this (objective reality) is His experience, His self-reflective awareness. 

From the standpoint of the world (i.e., dualism), Son of Shiva is an epithet given to a great Being, who unlike us is far more realized, and lives in a higher plane of existence. Also unlike us, the Sons of Shiva are not bound by the three bonds of anava, maya and karma. They are ever free beings who are in full realization of their oneness with Shiva, that Shiva is their true Self, and yet exist in their individuality beyond the field of maya in sphere of purity (shuddha-adhva). They reside in the highest of heavens (Satyaloka, Brahmaloka, or Shivaloka), yet are immensely close to the phenomenal world from within. 

The Sons of Shiva are great yogic masters who impel upon humanity divine knowledge and show us the path unto their Father. They are great siddhas who have achieved every perfection (siddhi), great gurus who are all knowing, and great devotees who are fully in realization. They have immense powers, rule over the physical, subtle, and causal worlds, the chakras, the pranas, the mind and the elements (mahabhutas), and are Gods in their own right. The Sons of Shiva are our supreme guides on the path of nivritti. They exemplify supreme knowledge, single-pointed devotion, utmost steadfastedness, and are great benefactors of lesser-realized beings.

As such, the Sons of Shiva are closely associated with phenomenological world, with the mahabhutas, the five great elements – earth, water, air, fire and space – which are the building blocks of this world. Therefore, they are said to be born of personifications of these elements.

Some are born of the earth; sculpted of the earth in stories. 

Some are born of the wind; fathered by Vayu in stories. 

Some are born of the fire; fathered by Agni in stories.

As they rule over the life forces (pranas), they are envisioned sometimes with 5 faces representing the five pranas – prana, apana, udana, samana and vyana. 

While the sixth face represents the mind (chitta), which the pranas uphold. 

All glories to the Sons of Shiva, who can clear every obstacle, move mighty mountains, and impel great wisdom on the path to Shiva. 

Aum Namah Shivaya

आश्विन कृ. ३, संवत् २०७४