When Shiva Became Maheshwar ?

A mysterious region surrounded by forests where endless sal and cedar trees stood as if waiting for some secret moment since ages. The morning mist floated in the air, dew drops glittered on the leaves, and in the distance, on a high peak, stood a small ashram, in front of which the sunrise appeared as if golden fire was being born from the lap of the mountains themselves. One birth took place in the same ashram. A birth that even calmed nature for a moment. Neither the sound of birds nor the rustle of wind, just a wonderful silence as if the world itself is saying that something extraordinary has happened. When Acharya Vashishthanand picked up the newborn, his gaze automatically turned towards the sky. He said this child is not normal. There is no question in his eyes. The entire universe is hidden. Years passed but Dirghdarsha never remained like an ordinary disciple. While other children learned to shoot bows, he would search the sky for some unseen signal. While other disciples performed the Agnihotra ritual, he saw a different world in the flames of fire. As if a door to another world was opening within the flame. One day the Guru asked. How long will you keep looking at the sky with your mouth open? Study of long-sighted scriptures is also necessary. Dirghdarsha said in a polite tone, Gurudev, whatever is written in the scriptures must have been written after someone saw and felt it. My mind repeatedly asks, is there anything beyond what those who wrote this saw? The Guru smiled. You will not find satisfaction quickly. When a seeker sets out to find the most basic, the path is not straight. As the visionary grew bigger, the questions within him also grew bigger. One day a yagya was going on in the ashram. The sound of Vedic mantras was filling the sky around the fire pit. All the disciples were offering sacrifices in sequence. The Acharya was speaking. This sacrifice is to the protector of the universe. This sacrifice is to the destroyer of the universe. The visionary suddenly stopped. The wooden spoon filled with ghee stopped in his hand. The question flashed like lightning in his mind as to why all this was being done. Is he the master of only this one universe or is there something beyond that? The yagya ended. All the disciples got busy with their work. But the visionary remained sitting in a corner. As if a storm is brewing inside. The Guru came to him. You seem a bit distracted today. The visionary said, Gurudev, if you permit, I would like to ask a question which is perhaps out of bounds. The Guru said, do not be afraid of the question, just keep your intentions pure. We have heard that in every universe there is a creator, a protector and a destroyer. But how many universes are there? If there are innumerable, are there different Trimurtis for each universe? And if this is so then who is above all of them, Gurudev? There is a single source which witnesses the rise and fall of all these universes or every universe is like an independent island. The Guru remained silent for a few moments. Before him stood a young mind that was not satisfied with merely accepting the scriptures. He wanted to get to the source. Farsighted, the entity you are talking about is called by some as Maharishi Maheshwar. He who is above all, who is the ruler not only of this universe but of infinite creations. But this knowledge is not obtained through words alone. You will have to break yourself for this. All limits must be surrendered. The visionary’s eyes sparkled. So can I experience that Maheshwar in person? The Guru took a deep breath. The value of direct experience is not just curiosity, the whole life is foresight. Just think, today your mind, your body, your identity, everything can be at stake. The visionary said without hesitation that if one is sure to find the truth then life is of little value. Gurudev Guru finally gave tacit consent. From here his journey to Maheshwar started. Time passed by. One day the Acharya called everyone. Today is Amavasya. Tonight the visionary will sit on a meditation after which he will either be completely transformed or we will find him the same the next morning. A place near the river Giri was purified at night. There was a cushion, a deer skin and an ancient rosary for foresight which the Guru had received from his Guru. The Guru said, this rosary is not ordinary. The penance of sages of many generations is embedded in it. But it can only provide a base. You will have to decide the path yourself. Dirghdarsha bowed at the feet of the Guru and sat down for meditation. In the first hour he became so engrossed in chanting mantras that the mantras became the rhythm of his breathing. By the second half, the body weight and knee pain all started to disappear. As if the attention was drawing him in. In the afternoon the layers of the mind opened up. Old memories surfaced and then subsided and vanished. By the fourth hour his stillness had become such that anyone looking at him would say, he is sitting as if he is lifeless. At that very moment the wind stopped. The sound of the river died down and the birds of the forest suddenly fell silent on their branches. Then came the moment when long-sightedness lost all sounds. He was in the body but was not aware of the body. He opened his eyes but what he saw was not Earth. As if he was standing in a place where nothing had been created yet. The void is irritating at first because the mind is used to something or the other. There must be something like sound, form or smell but there was nothing here. The visionary focused on his inner heartbeat. Where have I come? A voice arose from within him. Is this death or is there something beyond it? Then a slight wave arose in that void. Like the movement of a heavy breath, then an echo. Is not that what you wanted to know? The visionary was shocked. This voice was echoing not through his ears but directly in his consciousness. You read in the scriptures on earth that there is a trinity in every universe. You were also told that there is some power over them too. Today you stand on the horizon of that very power. Farsighted. So are you even higher than Brahma? Above the protector, above the destroyer. The answer came, when there was no creation, no sustenance, no destruction, even then I am what I was. When the Trinity is busy with their duties. Even then, I am the one who sits quietly and witnesses their actions. Some call me Maheshwar. But understand the form more than the name. For the first time, the seer experienced both fear and joy within himself simultaneously. A tiny point of light emerged in that void which, as it expanded, transformed into a divine shape. Dirgha Darsha saw time flowing in his matted hair. The peace of Satyayuga, the struggle of Treta, the play of Dwapar and the confusion of Kaliyuga all flow together. A crown of countless constellations shone on his head. His vision was so deep that infinite worlds were reflected in it. A necklace of stars on the chest, every star, a world, a story, every hair on the body, an entire universe. The visionary looked into a hair and saw a different world. Strange creatures, different times. the other contained light creatures, who communicated without words. In the third, there were worlds made of sound energy, countless universes in countless such follicles. Then Maheshwar said, the vastness which you call the universe is as natural to me as it is to you, all your cells are naturally located within me. This is just a philosophy. There are still infinite mysteries left. Long-sighted was standing stunned in front of Maheshwar. Seeing countless universes hidden in countless hair follicles, Maheshwar said, you have seen beauty. Now look at their problems also. As his vision changed, he saw bright light in some universes, moderate light in some and increasing darkness in some. In a dark universe stood a mighty demon. Creatures fell at his feet in fear, greed, and fascination, with black light burning in their wounds. The gods had stopped him many times. But he escaped every time. Asura was saying this while laughing. I have found a secret that will allow me to penetrate the walls of other worlds. Limits are nothing to me anymore. He had obtained the boon by appeasing the gods of time. To touch the doors of other worlds if the unrighteousness there gives him space. This was the disaster. He was entering other worlds carrying the unrighteousness of his world. Wherever greed, violence or ego existed, it would enter like black smoke and disturb the balance. The seer saw another universe where there was an assembly of gods. The protector god said that the sins of some other world are now entering our world. The creator said we cannot cancel his blessing. The destroyer said, I will burn the sins. But its root grows again in some other world. The visionary understood. This crisis is beyond the control of any one god or any one universe. The invisible thread of unrighteousness had now bound many worlds. A question arose in the mind of the visionary. In such a huge crisis, wouldn’t the Shiva form of every creation be trying? The scene changed and he saw that every universe had its protector Rudra active. Somewhere Mahakal showering fire, somewhere a calm Neel Yogi, somewhere a dancer performing Tandava, somewhere a formless, bright form. But if the roots of unrighteousness were cut in one world, they would grow in another. Then all the Shiva forms started looking in the same direction towards their origin. One by one all the Shiva elements rose as light and merged into one point. That point became Mahajyoti and from it appeared Maheshwar avatar, the source from which all Shiva forms emerged. The visionary understood. All Shiva forms are waves and the ocean is Maheshwar. Now the war was not going on in one world but in many universes simultaneously. Wherever unrighteousness was spread, the forms of Maheshwar appeared there. Sometimes huge, sometimes as tiny as a particle, sometimes dancing, sometimes silent and sometimes with fierce vision, the unrighteous element would change the creation and run away every time. The greed within humans tries to hide in anger. But now in front of him was not a limited god but Maheshwar himself. Maheshwar resolved that wherever it was spread, it would be destroyed simultaneously and at that very moment light burst out in countless universes, somewhere like thunder, somewhere like a silent flame, somewhere Adharma was destroyed in the war, somewhere it was freed after being forgiven, somewhere it turned into ashes with a single glance. Ultimately all its roots were uprooted and the creations trembled and became calm. It was as if someone had untied a huge knot and then a natural peace had returned to everyone. The war is over. Everyone returned to their people. But the visionary was still standing in front of Maheshwar. Lord with a question, who am I among such vast universes? Where do I fit in? What am I in front of you? Just a spectator or something else? Maheshwar looked at him and said, you were called here to ask this question. Maheshwar said you are neither the body nor the thoughts nor the emotions. You are the witness power that sees all this. As if I am the spectator of countless creations. Similarly, you can be a witness to the thoughts and feelings arising within you. When you cut off the evil tendencies within you. That is destruction. When you awaken good intentions, that is creation. When you nurture it through conduct, that is nurturing. Creation, sustenance and destruction all three are present within you. And the silent witness of all this is your inner Maheshwar. The visionary’s eyes filled with tears. He understood for the first time. He is not only a spectator of Maheshwar but is also a part of the same consciousness. Maheshwar’s voice was still echoing within Dirghadrsha. You are not separate from the ocean. I have just kept the illusion of being a drop. Dirghdarsha folded his hands and asked, Lord, is this truth only for me or for the creatures of the future also? Will it ever happen that ordinary humans will also get a glimpse of this infinity? Maheshwar said, eras change but truth does not change. In the ages to come, men will tear through the skies on chariots made of iron and fire. They will try to look beyond their world. Sometimes they will measure the depth of the sky by installing instruments on high peaks. Someday we will bring back pictures from spacecraft sent far into the dark void. They will count. How many stars, how many galaxies, how many fog lines, how much dust, how much emptiness. Then one day some researchers will say, it is possible that our world is not alone. There may be many other universes where time is different and rules are different. They will call it by new names. We will discuss multi-creation, many worlds, write articles and deliberate on this. Some of them will just be stuck on counting. How far have you reached, what have you seen, how far have you measured. But there will be some people who will have questions like yours. If there are countless universes then who holds the reins of all of them? Is everyone moving on their own? Or is there one consciousness that pervades both the outside and the inside? This story of yours will act as a seed for them. Sometimes in the form of a scripture, sometimes in the form of a sage’s teachings, sometimes becoming the unheard voice of a devotee’s heart, Dirghadrsha asked in surprise, will they also know you by the name of Maheshwar, Maheshwar smiled, names keep changing but the one to whom the name is given does not change, somewhere they will call me God, somewhere void, somewhere truth, somewhere on the feeling that I am the only one, whoever goes within himself and recognizes that witness, no matter which language he speaks, or which world he belongs to, he will reach my feet. Gradually the scene of nothingness began to fade. The gigantic form of Maheshwar started becoming blurred. As if a wave of the ocean is again merging into its deep home. The visionary looked into his eyes for the last time. He felt as if countless universes had smiled for a single moment. Then everything became silent. There was a jolt as if someone had grabbed a rope from a deep well and pulled him up. He opened his eyes. He was at the riverbank again. It was still night. The darkness of the new moon was still there. But there was no such darkness within him. The lamps of the ashram were flickering at a distance. A faint rustling of forest leaves was heard here and there. Long Dasha took a deep breath. This breath was not ordinary. It was as if the air of countless universes was filled within him simultaneously. He slowly got up, folded his kushaasan and started walking towards the ashram. As soon as he entered the ashram, he saw Acharya Vashishthanand standing at the door. As if they have been waiting for this moment for a long time. He didn’t ask anything. Just looked into the eyes of the visionary. There was no longer the same playful curiosity in those eyes as before. There was a deep, steady peace in them now. Like the depth of an ocean. The Guru asked. Long-sighted, did you find the answer to your question? Dirghdarsha said softly, Gurudev, I got the answer but along with it I also got countless new questions which are now beyond words. But I have come to know that what we consider to be different creations, different gods, different times. They are all different waves of the same consciousness. The Guru looked at him with satisfaction. Now the biggest penance for you is not to immediately tell everyone what you saw. The greatest penance is that you learn how much to say to whom, when to say it and when to just remain silent. Not every ear is ready to hear every truth. Just as every eye cannot tolerate every light. The visionary bowed his head. Gurudev, as you deem fit, first you stabilize the witness within you, whose vision you have seen, the Maheshwar within, time started passing, the far-sighted one was no longer the same as before, he spoke less, listened more, argued less, experienced more, there was a strange glow in his eyes, neither sharp nor dull, just deep. One day the disciples of the ashram were sitting around the Guru, Acharya Vashishthanand said, today you have to listen to a story which is not just a story, it is a direction. He looked at the telescope. You will tell me today. Dirghdarsha first bowed to the Guru. Then he looked towards all the disciples. Brothers, we all have read in the scriptures that there is Trimurti in every universe. Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer. But if there is a power above all this which holds countless universes within itself, which is beyond time, which is before us and after both birth and death. Some great yogis named that power Maheshwar. Today I want to give you not just his story but an idea of his feelings. The disciples became curious. Some looked at each other as if saying, is it really there that he has been hiding from us till now? Dirgha Darsha started telling how he did meditation on the night of new moon, how time stopped, how he reached the void, how the first voice came, how the form of Virat Maheshwar appeared, how there was a universe in every hair, how an unrighteous element spread in countless universes, how all the Shiva forms merged into one and became Maheshwar, how religion was protected simultaneously in countless worlds and in the end how Maheshwar told him that the same consciousness was sitting as a witness within him also. The seer finally said, I have described what I saw as best as I could in words. But know that this story is not complete after listening to it. It has to be lived. When you feel a part of someone else’s suffering. When you move away from ego and sit in a witness state. The Maheshwar outside is the master of countless creations. The inner Maheshwar rules over your mind, intellect, consciousness and ego. The day the inner Maheshwar becomes stable. That day the Maheshwar outside does not seem unfamiliar to you. There was such silence in the ashram for a few moments as if even the air had become still to listen to this story. The story does not end here with just the long period nor with the countless creations that you have heard. The story reaches you from here. Whenever you look at the sky at night and gaze at the countless stars, do not think that you are small, insignificant, unimportant. Imagine that this entire scene is like countless lights shining on the huge body of some Maheshwar and you are a living flame of his consciousness. The Maheshwara outside is the lord of infinite universes. The inner Maheshwar is witness to each of your breaths, each of your thoughts, each of your decisions. When you honestly fight the darkness within you. You do good for someone selflessly. When you sacrifice your selfishness for the sake of truth, you are activating the Maheshwara avatar in your small universe. The story of Dirghdarsha is not a figment of some distant time, it is a mirror by looking into which you can see the infinity hidden within you and whenever this question arises in your mind who am I in all this, then slowly close your eyes and ask within yourself who is asking this question, the peace behind that question, the witness, that is your own Maheshwar and that will take you to Maheshwar, the lord of infinite universes sitting outside. If you liked this video, then like, share, comment and subscribe to the channel for such mysterious mythological stories. Till then Har Har Mahadev.