[Shivani Devi]

Namaste.

It has been quite a while since I last visited this thread.

My reply comes on the back of another thread in the EVP forum and concerns the nature of the Devatas.

To the average Hindu, the word "Deva" means "God"... but that is a gross misrepresentation.

In Sanskrit and quite literally, the word "Devas" mean "the shining ones" and also, "the playful ones"...So, they are "the shining, playful ones" which denotes that the Devas are more closely associated with "angelic beings" who are energetic and full of Light, but who also have a rather child-like, naive quality about them which makes them rather endearing.

Now, Lord Shiva is also known as Mahadeva, which means the greatest of all the shining, playful ones...and Lord Shiva's temperament is also like that...but at the same time, He can get very angry, sad, wise and impart sacred knowledge...there are many faces that Lord Shiva has.

To those who love Him, He is like a puppy...this is why He is called Bholenath.
To those who fear Him, He is the very wrathful destroyer of worlds.

There is a difference between the being/entity known as Shiva...and the state of Shiva-consciousness...even though, one is pretty much indistinguishable from the other, once you progress beyond the conceptual level.

Just as our bodies and minds do not really represent who we are, but it is just a necessary "front" for the truth of existence to one who objectively observes, the gross form of Shiva also exists to represent that state of transcendent awareness.

....and I really must disagree with Sadguru who says that Shiva means "that which is not" when I learned that the word "Shiva" means "auspicious".

Aum Namah Shivaya