Shivaratri in Varanasi
February 21, 2007
There was a conversation that I had once with a priest when I asked why the abishekam ritual always consisted of pouring milk over the deity. There were a number of explanations. first of all, the cow is a very central image in the vedic tradition. It is symbolically wealth, food, a representaive of Mother, and so the offering of milk to the divine is a complelling symbol on many different levels.
In addition, for Shiva the explanation was that since Shiva is the destroyer, he is always hot and the milk is cooling. Whether that is literally true or not, it is a nice way to bring the divine closer in the sense that we are caring for him.
In the process of adding the yagya series in Varanasi, I have been fascinated by the difference in the rituals compared to Tamil Nadu where we have been active for many years. in the photo above you can see that the Shiva lingam (under the coiled mala of white jasmine flowers) is low to the ground, and that the surrounding area is made from a white marble. In the south they tend elevate the lingam and the stone that is used more often than not, is a dark granite.
Note also that the lingam sits under a snake, which is a recurring theme in the vedic tradition.
Another difference is that in Varanasi, milk is show here being offered with the shringi…the horn shaped vessel.