Ardhanarishvara, Aadhe Naari Prabhu

Bhringi Kailas yuva tapasvi ke roop mein aaye the, Shiv ki mahaanta ki kathaon se aakrisht, aur unki bhakti sachchi thi. Kintu unhone apna darshan un aachaaryon se seekha tha jo param tattva ko keval purush roop mein bataate the, aur ve is ardh-satya ko dhvaja ki bhaanti liye the. Parvati unke jaanboojhkar kiye apmaanon ko varshon tak maun dekhti rahin, sahi kshan ki prateeksha karti huin, kyonki devi unke prati dhairyavaan hain jo dvesh se nahin agyaan se bhatakte hain.

Shiv ke bhakton mein Bhringi naamak ek rishi the, jinki bhakti prachand kintu ekpakshiya thi: ve keval Shiv ki pooja karte the aur Parvati ko nat hone se inkaar karte the, ghoshit karte hue ki prabhu ko kisi ardhaangini ki aavashyakta nahin. Parvati is asveekriti se aahat thin, kyonki ve vah shakti hain jiske bina swayam Shiv bhi kaarya nahin kar sakte, kintu rishi sunte nahin the. Jab bhi ve pooja mein Shiv ki parikrama karte, ve spashtatah akele prabhu ke chaaron or chalte, paas baithi devi ki upeksha karte hue.

Ek din Parvati ne garvit rishi ko paath padhaane ka nishchay kiya. Ve Shiv ki god mein baith gayin, unse itni ghanishthata se ek ki Bhringi unhein ghere bina prabhu ki parikrama nahin kar sakte the. Kintu Bhringi samast maap se pare hathi the. Unhone bhring, bhaunre ka sookshm roop dhara, aur Shiv aur Parvati ke beech sankeern sthaan mein udne ka prayaas kiya, taaki tab bhi akele Shiv ke chaaron or ja sakein. Parvati ne unke hath par hanste hue swayam ko apne prabhu se aur sata liya, bhaunre ka maarg bhi band karte hue.

Phir Shiv ne ek adbhut kaarya kiya. Apne bhakt ko daantne ke bajaay unhone us satya ka sammaan kiya jo rishi ki moorkhata ne prakat kiya tha: ki ve aur devi do nahin, ek hain. Unka shareer Parvati ke shareer mein vileen ho gaya, daayaan ardhabhaag Shiv raha, bhasm-lepit, jataadhaari, vyaaghr-charmadhaari, trishooladhaari, aur baayaan ardhabhaag Parvati bana, gaur aur laavanyamayi, ratnon se alankrit, kamal dhaaran kiye, resham mein lipti. Is prakaar khade hue Ardhanarishvara, aadhe naari prabhu, brahmand ke purush aur stri siddhaanton ka poorna milan.

Ardhanarishvara ka roop chintan karne vaalon ke liye arth se samriddh hai. Shiv-ardhabhaag ke peeche vrishabh Nandi khada hai aur Parvati-ardhabhaag ke peeche sinh, darshaate hue ki prabhu ke anuchar bhi unmein ek hain. Ek kaan mein tapasvi ka sarp-kundal hai aur doosre mein naari ka ratn-jatit karnaf phool. Daayaan bhaag bhasm-lepit hai aur baayaan chandan-charchit, kyonki vairaagya aur bhog, tapasya aur kripa shatru nahin balki ek hi divya pakshi ke do pankh hain.

Bhringi hataash hue, kyonki ab Parvati se prithak koi Shiv nahin tha jiski pooja ho. Kintu unka garv abhi toota nahin tha. Unhone apne bhring-roop ko sanyukt shareer mein seedhe chhedne ka prayaas kiya, taaki akele Shiv-ardhabhaag tak pahunch sakein. Phir Parvati ne, jo maata ke roop mein samast praaniyon ko maans-rakt deti hain, akritagya rishi se apna daan vaapas le liya, aur Bhringi ka shareer sookh gaya jab tak ve keval charmaasthi na reh gaye, khade hone mein bhi asamarth. Shiv ne, nirnay mein bhi dayaalu, unhein sahaara dene ke liye triteeya charan diya, aur namra hue rishi aaj bhi mandiron mein teen charnon sahit dikhaaye jaate hain, garv ki keemat ka smaran.

Antatah Bhringi samjhe. Ve Ardhanarishvara ke samaksh gire aur donon ardhabhaagon ki samaan bhakti se pooja ki, aur devi ne unhein kshama kiya. Rishi gahan arth samjhaate hain: Shiv neerav chetna hain, Purush, aur Parvati kriyaasheel shakti hain, Prakriti, aur na koi ek doosre ke bina sansaar ki srishti ya paalan kar sakta hai. Pratyek aatma, shaastra kehte hain, apne bheetar donon siddhaant dhaaran karti hai, aur jo bhakt divya ke purush aur stri donon mukhon ka sammaan karta hai vah poorna satya ki pooja karta hai. Tamil santon ne Ardhanarishvara ka vishesh prem se gaan kiya, aur yah roop mandiron mein poojit Shiv ke chaunsath paaramparik roopon mein se ek bana. Shilpkaar ise utkeern karne mein aanand lete hain, kyonki unki kala ki pareeksha hai ki ek shareer mein do poorna prakritiyaan ek saath vyakt hon. Aur pratima ke samaksh khada pratyek bhakt vahi paath seekhta hai jisne Bhringi ko namra kiya tha: ki Ishwar ki sachchi pooja poorna Ishwar ki pooja hai, aur jise divya ne sada ke liye joda hai use koi vibhaajit nahin kar sakta.

Dakshin ke mahaan mandiron mein Ardhanarishvara prabhu ke priyatam roopon mein se ek bankar khade hain, pratima dekhne vaale sabhi ko sikhaate hue ki divya samast vibhaajan se pare hai, aur shakti aur kripa sada ek hain.