In the spirit of storytelling, I find myself aligning with Shiva's wisdom by facing south. After a thirty-year chapter in Kathmandu, Nepal, I embarked on a new adventure, heading south to South Australia, mirroring Shiva's own journey. It's a serene place for imparting knowledge without distractions, yet it's also steeped in the symbolism of death and rebirth.
(Picture downloaded from google)
In the southern hemisphere, at what is now the revered Mukti Gupteshwor Mandir in Minto, Sydney, the 13th JYOTIRLINGHAM found its sacred consecration.
At the heart of Shiva's teachings is the Dakshinamoorthy form, where he plays the role of Guru to the Saptarishis.
Dakshinamoorthy derives its name from the south-facing posture of Lord Shiva, seated beneath the sheltering banyan tree. Here, he imparts his wisdom not through words but in profound silence.
This form of Shiva embodies a gentle demeanor while gazing southward, a direction often associated with the afterlife. Shiva's message is clear: embrace the inevitability of death, for the eternal soul transcends it. Let go of material attachments and dedicate your life to the divine.
The verse "Mauna Vyaakhyaa Prakatith Para Brahma Tattvam Yuvaanam" speaks to the awakening of supreme knowledge through silence, directed towards the youthful seeker.
As Shiva meditates under the banyan tree, its dangling roots and branches symbolize worldly attachments that one must outgrow.
The story of the 13th Jyothirlinga, Mukti-Gupteshwar-Mahadev, as detailed in the Mahabharata, traces back to the Pandavas' exile. Their journey led them to a serene ashram in Nepal, where the 13th Jyothirlinga had rested for 7,000 years.
A fateful encounter between Pandava Arjun and Lord Shiva, disguised as a hunter, led to the linga's creation and a divine revelation. Shiva tested Arjuna's resolve and promised to be with all who worshiped that Linga.
The 13 Jyothirlingas signify the culmination of a creation cycle, making the consecration of the 13th in the southern hemisphere, in Australia, a symbolic necessity.
Australia's unique positioning, referred to as the "mouth of the snake," aligns with the protective symbolism of Lord Shiva. The first Jyothirlinga rests in the Somanath temple, and an arrow outside this temple points unerringly to the south pole.
In 1999, the late Majesty Maharajadhiraja Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, King of Nepal, gifted the 13th Jyothirlinga to Australia. Accompanying this sacred icon were 7996 hymns composed by the Chief Priest of the King of Nepal.
On February 14, 1999, a celestial alignment as described in the Ramayana marked the consecration of the 13th Jyothirlinga, guided by the spiritual wisdom of the Jagadguru.
The icon now resides within the hallowed walls of the prayer chamber in Sydney's Minto neighborhood, a testament to a spiritual journey that turned south and reached celestial heights.
🌹Om Namaha Shivaya 🌹
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