What is Ardhanarishvara?
Ardhanarishvara is an androgynous deity composed of Shiva and his consort Shakthi, representing the synthesis of masculine and feminine energies. The Ardhanari form also illustrates how the female principle of God, Shakti, is inseparable from the male principle of God, Shiva. Ardhanari in iconography is depicted as half-male and half-female, split down the middle. The best sculptural depictions of Shiva as Ardhanari are to be seen in the sensuous Chola dynasty bronzes and the sculptures at Ellora and Elephanta.
`Ardhanarishvara` is a combination of three words `Ardha`, `Nari` and `Ishwara` means `half`, `woman` and `lord` respectively, which when combined means the lord whose half is woman. It is believed that the God is Shiva and the woman part is his consort Parvati or Shakti. The Ardhanarishvara represents a constructive and generative power.
God is beyond the concept of any sex. So God can be male, female, and even neuter too. So god existing in this intrinsic condition is referred as Ardhanarishvara.
This fusion of Shiva and Shakthi representing the male and female halves transcends the distinction between and limitation of male and female and takes the Lord to the level of beyond-gender manifest Brahman, realization of which means liberation.
Shakthi part is golden, while Shiva part is snow-white. She is substrate and He is substance. Shiva is static; Shakthi is dynamic and creative. Shiva is Being and Shakthi is Becoming. He is One; She is many; He is Infinite and She renders the Infinite into finite; He is formless and She renders the Formless into myriad forms; but both are one. Shiva and Shakthi exist in Nirmala Turiya state (Stainless Purity).
Shiva and Shakthi are compared to gold and gold ornaments; they are same; Shiva is hypostasis and when this force fuses with Shakthi results in multitude of manifestations.
Legends
Millions of years ago, when there is no existence of anything. An unknown energy create universe and two other energies, Vishnu and Brahma. But in space and without knowledge, the energies are rotating in vaccant space. But mean while time, they learn meditation, and the energies get to know about their powers. Then after thousands years one energy get to know about that their exist other energy which is same as him. Then with power and meditation, he calls other energy and that energy is generated inside him only. They introduce theirself and 1st energy introduce himself as Vishnu and other energy as Brahma. Then they become friends and use to share their knowledge and power with each other. One day, when tey are talking to their power, Vishnu and Brahma started fighting that who is more powerful. Their fight takes on another round, then suddenly a high power energy occur between Vishnu and Brahma. The energy is so bright and powerful. Then Vishnu and Brahma ask who are you? We have never seen you here. What's your name? Where do you come from? Then suddenly energy says, "I am most powerful in all. You both are creation of mine." Then Vishnu and Brahma started laughing on him. Then Shiva challenge them, if anyone of you found my starting or ending point then he will be the superior of all. Then both the energies agree and with their power Vishnu starts travelling downward and Brahma start travelling upward. Thousand of year went. Noone found starting and ending point. Vishnu realize that this is the most powerful energy and is the eternal seed of everything. Saying this he went back to that starting point. But Brahma still travelling and he also got tiered of searching. Then he think noone sees what I saw, so he went back to the starting point and he said, "I found the starting point." Then suddenly, energy speaks, "You are lying." I saw you, you are fooling us. Don't forget the thing you are travelling is me only. I am watching both of you. Then Vishnu says, "Yes, I understand this is the only energy which is superior. Noone is more powerful than this energy. This energy is only the eternal seed of staring." The energy got impressed and said to Vishnu, "When you made sculptures of mine, they will always get succeed. No energy can destroy them." Then suddenly Brahma speaks cruelly and start abusing energy. Then suddenly energy send one of his form, named Veer Bhadra, a eight handed, fearless, Shiva devotee, and he cut 5th head of Brahma and went back in the energy. And after that, Shiva said, "You will never be worshiped by anyone". After this Brahma apologize about his mistakes and started praying energy. Then energy told Brahma, I will give you a big thing to do. So that all will remember you always. Then he asked what.? Then energy say, you will be creator of life. And Vishnu will be the preserver of this life. But, everything you will create will be destroyed some day. And in last when the time comes, I will be the destroyer of this life. Life cycle is started from me and end in me. Then Brahma and Vishnu accept this, and ask energy, what is his name? Then energy told. I am everything, and I am nothing. Then Vishnu ask energy that can you please come in the form in which we exist. Then energy say, yes. But it will be little different. Then energy is converted in a body form. The form which is created by energy is Ardhanarishvara. Then Vishnu and Brahma on their knee, pray to that energy and ask the name. Then Energy introduce himself as Shiva and Gayatri. Then Vishnu asks, my Lord why you said that you are everything and you are nothing. Then energy said. I am Shiva or you can say shava (dead body) which is nothing just a dead body and my other half is my power, my source of energy, without this energy Shiva is nothing. So in that way, Shiva is everything and Shiva is nothing. Then Brahma and Vishnu asks Shiva to stay with them as their Lord. But he said, "When the time comes, I will be with you. But till than, I will give you something, which is the source of your life". Then Shiva gave Brahma and Vishnu a vibrating sound. It sounds like OM. OM is so powerful and divine that, by just listing to this, all things starts automatically. That's why, OM is the beginning of everything. OM creates, planets stars, galaxies. Then Brahma creates life on that planets. But Brahma creates lifeless objects. Then he worship Shiva so many years. Then Shiva appears before Brahma. Then Brahma requested Shiva, please give me some idea or tell me the way, how can I put life in these objects. Then Shiva told, now this is time. I will now stay with you and my other half works as energy in these objects. So Shiva gave his another half to Brahma and then Brahma requested to Shakti that please help him to fulfill his destiny. Then Shakti as a super power generate life in lifeless objects. Then Shiva without Shakti is nothing, but a lifeless energy. Then energy went in unknown form on earth where his other half lives as Prakarti (Nature). Then Shiva spend his time in doing meditation and feeling the nature. Because nature is his other half. So till the time come, Shiva is in meditation form. And Shakti works as energy to lifeless source.
This is all about Ardhanarishvara form of Shiva.
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