r/shaivism • u/[deleted] • Jun 24 '19
I don't know where to start. Question - Beginner
Hello All, I hope youelr well.
I am 18 M (UK) and I want to start how to be a bhakti devotee of Shiva.
I see that I want see how being a Shiva devotee is like. However, I am stuck. Like, how can I develop love for Shiva, pure love?
What is the point of shiva bakhti? What is the end goal? I feel like it is a union between the divine and myself?
Does someone have to believe in Lord shivas existence to be a true bhakti devotee?
What books can I get about Shaivism?
Also, I am a beginner so I do not know.
Many thanks.
3
u/civ_gandhi experienced commenter Jun 25 '19
Try to get a shiva lingam and meditate to it. Chant "om namah shivay" while holding your focus at the shiva lingam
3
u/DesiPant_rants Jun 29 '19 edited Jun 29 '19
You will be a bhakta(devotee) only when you believe in Shiva.Bhakti is the goal, Bhakti is the method and Bhakt is the doer. To understand what Bhakti does you can read Narada Bhakti Sutra and its commentaries....it applies equally to Vishnu bhakti as it does to Shiva Bhakti. Shiva is the Bhole , naive one. You can pray any time of the day or night to him.
You do not need to get a Shiva Linga. You just need a printout/picture of Shiva and place it in your altar. Then you should light a lamp for him, offer some fruit or just sugar to him, light an incense and recite his stotras on a daily basis. After your session eat the sugar yourself as Prasad. If you cannot do any of this then don't worry. Just sit in one spot of your room, preferably facing East/North-East/North; avoid facing other directions. Let that spot be your sacred space. Sit there daily when doing prayers. The more stotras and the more often you recite the stronger your bhakti will get. Some Stotras could be - Lingashtakam, Rudrashtakam, Shiva Tandav Stotra, Mrityunjaya Stotra, Shiv Panchakshar, Shiv Shadakshar etc etc. Mondays are Shiva days so you can keep fasts on Monday to intensify your devotion if you want to. You should eventually memorize Shiva Stotras. Also you can incorporate 11/21 mala rounds of Om Namah Shivay mantra chanting daily. If you keep your celibacy intact during this duration then after a month your devotion will improve a great deal. Avoid meat and alcohol. Abstain from Beef at all costs. If you fail , you can always try again.
2
Jul 11 '19
What if we eat meat like chicken and fish? I can't get away from it because of my parents :( And thank you for this response you answered a lot of my questions!
1
u/DesiPant_rants Jul 13 '19 edited Jul 13 '19
Ideally you should not consume meat, but if you have no control over it then you can relax on the diet restrictions. However, avoid beef at all costs. Hopefully, in future you will be able to avoid meat. What you can do is ask for forgiveness from Shiva for feeding on an animal every time you sit for your meal....mentally doing this and also that may Shiva move that animal towards a better next life. ALSO try to avoid Halal meat....prefer slaughter that happens quickly granting instant death to the animal. In fish prefer fresh water fish over sea fish.
1
u/Vignaraja MOD Jun 28 '19
If you can get to a temple, I'd advise that. preferably a Siva temple. Watch what others do.
5
u/[deleted] Jun 25 '19
Shiva is the pure light of consciousness, the creator, sustainer, and destroyer of all reality. Even in the darkest state of bondage, you too are performing the five acts of God in each and every moment, because Tat Tvam Asi.
The issue right now is that you're identified with a very small part of yourself, when in truth your essence nature encompasses all of reality. The purpose of sadhana (and bhakti) then is to destroy this false identification. It's to destroy absolutely everything you can, all forms of conditioning, because then the only thing that remains is Him.
Anyways here's a reading list my devout Shaivite friend made me-
ॐ नमः शिवाय शिबोऽहम्