Page 1 - February-2025

Lord Siva’s Vibhüti

SWAMI CHINMAYANANDA

indus apply three lines of ash (vibhüti) on their foreheads daily.
HWhy?
Lord Siva, who wears ashes,
symbolizes one in constant
contemplation and meditation.
He is beyond the world of
BMI, PFT, and OET – beyond
1
the fleeting joys and sorrows
of life. He has withdrawn His
consciousness and is identifying
as the highest in Himself.
His Glory!
In the high peaks of the Himalayas, Siva represents man in the
seat of contemplation. He embodies the perfect meditator.
His adornments are not material possessions like watches, chains,
or fancy clothes. Instead, His glory lies in having burned away
all the väsanäs.

These väsanäs are of three kinds – sättvika, räjasika, and tämasika –
good, bad, and indifferent. Since He has burnt them away, the three
marks are made of ashes. That is the beauty and glory of the Man
of Perfection. He’s neither good nor bad; His actions do not
create any new väsanäs. He has burnt them all up in the jïäna agni
– the fire of knowledge.
Three Eyes

Siva’s third eye symbolizes this idea. The Man of Perfection has
two fleshy eyes to see what you and I are seeing. He sees the world,

1 Mind, Body, Intellect; Perceiver, Feeler, Thinker; Objects, Emotions, and Thoughts

Tapovan Prasad 10 February 2025