One of the most beautiful names of Lord Shiva is Nagendra-haraya – the one who wears a garland of snakes or one whose ornament is a snake.

This intriguing name should be clearly understood to appreciate the greatness, love and compassion of the Lord. All those things that are feared, rejected and condemned by people are not only accepted by Him but adorn His body and enhance His beauty. Snakes are feared and shunned, as also the ashes of a dead body are considered inauspicious. However,1234

the ever-benevolent Bhagavan not only accepts them all but even adorns His body with them!

In the very beginning of Ramcharitmanas, Goswami Tulsidas points out that Lord Shiva, as the Adi-Guru, is the very embodiment of knowledge. Even though the crescent moon is crooked in shape, it becomes an object of worship when associated with the Lord.

Moreover, Bhagavan does not dwell on our sins. This has been stated by Shri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. Irrespective of how good or bad we may be, He is of the nature of forgiveness and love. Anyone who takes shelter at His feet is neither condemned nor judged. Bhagavan is ever ready to lift and make even the most sinful and ‘poisonous’, malevolent person – adored and worshipped. Therefore, along with Lord Shiva, we worship the snake. Similarly, the vanara, a monkey, became worthy of worship when associated with Shri Rama. If the compassionate Lord can make even insentient objects and animals worthy of veneration, what would He not do for us human beings – and that too His devotees? Will He condemn them even if they have faults?

The snake also represents the ego. Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda explained this comparison beautifully: the ego, with its selfishness, is full of toxins and poison and from it emerge – hatred, jealousy, fear and anxiety. It is always frightened and ever-ready to attack either in offense or defense. Just like the snake which strikes out and bites, the ego spits out its poison on the world in the form of angry or foul words. Lord Shiva is one who has tamed this ego, this poisonous snake, and, therefore, has supports a coiled serpent around His neck. By becoming a docile creature, the much-reviled reptile becomes an ornament of the Lord – and becomes hence worthy of worship.

Further, the realized Master or Guru is Shiva alone. He is one who has tamed his ego, who is no longer identified with the body, mind and intellect equipment. True, when we transact in the world, we have to work with a sense of identity. When we play the various roles of student, teacher, sevaka and so on, we have to act with that sense of identity an identification. But these are to be seen as just identities, as characters in a play written by us! It is when the sense of identity turns into arrogance, vanity or what we call in common language ego, it poisons us and the world around us.

On the other hand, a realized Master is a blessing to the world. In him, the sense of identity is under his mastery. For such an individual, his ego is his ornament. The world is protected from all evil by such a Master, avatar or Ishwara; even saved from going to naraka, hell. Naraka is considered to be a dark, underground world. Even on this Earth, when we say underworld, it implies all kinds of dark and sinister things. Snakes also live in dark places, holes and burrows. Therefore, even in hell, you we will see crawling snakes and scorpions!

Lord Shiva takes away the fear of naraka or hell. He is the one who removes us from hell – the hell created by our ego! The one who has tamed the ego is adulated as Nagendra-haraya. Our salutations, prostrations, adorations and surrender to Lord Shiva!

Swamiji, Head of Chinmaya Mission Worldwide will discourse on Hanuman Chalisa at Chinmaya Mission, 89, Lodhi Road (20 to 26 February, 6.30 to 8 pm).