Shiva, lord of all the celebrations and festivals, lord of all the rituals, who receives the first ‘aahuthi’ in all rituals, Mahadeva, the principles Mahadeva represents…. Please understand, if your lifestyle is vegetarian, even one or two days by mistake some non-veg has entered into the body, you can’t be called as ‘non-vegetarian’. The principle for which you stand is vegetarian, then you are vegetarian only. That is just a mishap. Just because one accident happened in your life and you died, you can’t say you never lived! Like that, the principle for which the person stands, if you study, the principles which Mahadeva represents, which Mahadeva is the solidified expression, those are the Hindu fabric, the principles of that Hindu society, in a way, the universal society. ‘Thyaaga’, he is sacrificing for people who don’t even know or recognize his sacrifice is needed for them. When you work for people who don’t even recognize your work for them, that is ‘Thyaaga’. The power he represents, the possibility he represents! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

All the great truths Mahadeva represents, that is the basis of social fabric; even though he himself is portrayed or looks like anti-social, he is not anti-social. Above social! You cannot frame him at all. He is a Paramahamsa, all the time sitting in Samadhi. But you can’t call him a ‘Sannyasi’. He has Matha Parvathi, and one Ganesha, Subrahmanya. In some of the Shaiva traditions, even Kaalabhairava and Veerabhadra were shown as sons! And then there is always people who are there to create controversies – ‘How can you have Ayyappa with Vishnu?’ All types of controversies! People who create controversies are not something new; they exist as old as Mahadeva! You can’t call him (Mahadeva) as ‘Grihastha’ (householder), because he is Thyaagaraja. The beautiful ‘griha’, the golden city Vishwakarma (architect of the Gods) built for Mahadeva, literally he (Vishwakarma) poured himself and made that city. It is like you work so much and you put your best and make a beautiful house, suddenly, the priest who came and did the house-warming ceremony (griha pravesha) for you asks you, ‘Give me this house!’, what will happen? You will kick him out! But, Mahadeva just gave that house, gave that city! That is Lankapuri (Sri Lanka).

One day, in Kailasa, there was a discussion, and suddenly Devi asked, ‘It is too cold here. Come on, let’s build a beautiful golden city for all of us and our bhootha ganaas (Mahadeva’s goblins)!’

Mahadeva laughed, ‘ehh, you fellows won’t be able to maintain. Come on, listen! Why are you guys getting jealous of Indra (King of the Devas) and his Amaravathi, the beautiful city? Don’t get jealous. It looks beautiful, yes, great, everything is okay. But it is highly maintained! High maintenance! You will lose this inner-space of freedom. It is high maintenance!’

But, somehow, one group convinced Devi. Devi got convinced and she said, ‘No, no, why not we try?’

Mahadeva said, ‘Alright! You guys do what you want. You never listen to me.’

And they immediately called Vishwakarma. The moment Devi gives order, ‘Come on!’, Vishwakarma puts all his powers and makes such beautiful city. And the house-warming happened. All the Vedic pundits, rishis, gana, muni, deva, siddha, even raakshasaa (demons), everyone was called. And even Indra was jealous: ‘What is this? Mahadeva built bigger city than mine; more beautiful! Now no one will want to come to Indraloka. Everyone will want to only come to Kailasa. Kailasa is no more the old, unreachable, difficult place. It has become a Seven Star or Nine Star hotel.’

Then, on the house-warming ceremony day comes Ravana in the form of a Brahmin. He is a Brahmin by birth. And he asks, ‘Can you give whatever I want?’

Mahadeva says, ‘Come on! Whatever you want I will give! What is there?’

He is sitting after all under the Kalpavriksha! See Shivabodha is the Kalpavriksha, means, such an extraordinary joy, and that overflowing fulfilment! That is Kalpavriksha.

I tell you, whenever you are joyful, you will always be a good person! See, whenever you are joyful, you will be a good person; you will be giving and forgiving. Whenever you are frustrated, you will be getting and forgetting, understand? The ‘Shivabodha’! ‘Shivabodha’ means, ‘intoxication of being Shiva’. ‘Shivajnanabodha’ means, ‘intoxication of the wisdom of Shiva’. Shivabodha, intoxication of being Shiva; that is Kalpataru!

And he (Mahadeva) tells Ravana, ‘Ask what you want.’

He (Ravana) says, ‘I want this golden city.’

Mahadeva did not even think twice. He didn’t even look at Devi. He just said, ‘Thathaasthu’! Gave it away! All these bhoothas are back to their old Kailasa. Their Seven Star hotel lifestyle is ended!

Thyaagaraja, who just gives, gives, gives! But never out of powerlessness. The same Ravana tried to take away Kailasa to Lanka. He (Mahadeva) just pressed the feet, one toe, Ravana was crushed under Kailasa! When he (Ravana) begged, Mahadeva gave even the golden city. But when he tried to show the power, Mahadeva just pressed and finished him off!

All the great principles Mahadeva represents are the basic social fabric of Sanatana Hindu Dharma. He is the complete embodiment of Dharma-Artha-Kama-Moksha. He is the big possibility. See, when you are relating and working with the cream, making the leaders, sometime with the ground you will get little disconnected. The ground-level people may feel you are not appealing to them. It is like, when you are teaching the PhD students, naturally the First Standard, Second standard students will not be able to relate with you. They will not be able to relate with you. That is why Mahadeva appeals more to the higher level seekers. Vishnu appeals to mass, but Mahadeva appeals to higher level seekers. That is the beauty of Mahadeva!