The sudden discussion around Shiva prompts us to remember an important point about Hindu worldviews: they differ significantly from the dualistic perspectives often seen in Greek or Hebrew thought. In Hinduism, the concept of “either/or” is replaced with “both/and.” Every deity embodies both good and bad, as Hinduism teaches that God is the source of all—creation and destruction, wounds and healing.1
In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna demonstrates this in the Vibhuti Yoga (likely chapters 11 or 12), where He shows Arjuna His cosmic form, declaring that He is everything—Arjuna among the Pandavas, the Sun among the Adityas, and even the dice in a gamble. This illustrates that, in the Hindu worldview, God is present in all aspects of life, both the positive and the negative.
This is why Shiva, often accompanied by powerful beings, is known as Bhuta-Nath. However, Bhuta does not mean “ghost” in the Hindi sense. In Sanskrit, Bhuta refers to living beings, as seen in the concept of Bhuta-yajna, one of the five great sacrifices (pancha yajnas), which refers to caring for all living creatures. Understanding Sanskrit terms in their proper context is crucial, rather than applying meanings from other languages like Hindi.
If we turn to Christian theology for comparison, some may question the role of evil, such as the presence of Satan in the Garden of Eden. How did temptation arise in a place supposedly free of it? And when Revelation speaks of the destruction of the earth to make way for a new creation, who is responsible for this destruction—God or Satan? If Satan is responsible, does that make him more powerful than God? These are mysteries that defy complete understanding.
Scriptures, whether Hindu or Christian, often pose unanswerable questions. As devotees, we don’t need to grasp every detail to live faithfully. Instead, we are called to live by the revelations we do receive. As we grow in faith, deeper understanding will come in time, as God reveals answers according to our readiness.
Shiva, as a name, is actually an adjective, meaning “auspicious,” later applied to Rudra, the “roaring one.” Similarly, Tamil poets like Vedanayagam Pillai, who converted to Christianity, used terms like Sivam (auspicious) for God. Likewise, Brahmabandab Upadhyaya used names like Govindam and Mukundam (names of Vishnu/Krishna) in Christian contexts.
However, I’m not suggesting that we incorporate Hindu deity names into Christian worship. In my personal devotion, I may sing bhajans like “Romu romu me basne wale Ram,” but for me, that Ram represents my Lord, not the Hindu deity.
In conclusion, when discussing Hindu deities, it’s important to approach the subject with proper understanding of their characteristics. Both a negative or overly liberal approach can lead to confusion rather than clarity. For those interested, my upcoming article, Scripture: Word of God, will address some of these questions indirectly.
Let’s ensure our discussions are grounded in thorough understanding rather than assumptions.
12-08-23
1 See Deuteronomy 32:39, 1 Samuel 2:6; Isaiah 45:7; Job 5:18;
Psalm 147:3 for similar thought.
In Hindu cosmology, the so called devil, ghost, demon, rakshashas, asuras etc. are not against God but part of cosmology where both good and bad/evil compliment each other. One cannot function without the others. Unless there is darkness there is no role to paly for the light. We can reach truth only with the help of untruth as Tagore says:
The amritam, the immortal bliss, has made (p.104) himself into two. Our soul is the loved one, it is his other self. We are separate; but if this separation were absolute, then there would have been absolute misery and umitigated evil in this world. Then from untruth we never could reach truth, and from sin we never could hope to attain purity of heart; then all opposites would ever remain opposites, and we could never find a medium through which our differences could ever tend to meet. Then we could have no language, no understanding, no blending of hearts, no co-operation in life. But on the contrary, we find that the separateness of objects is in a fluid state. Their individualities are ever changing, they are meeting and merging into each other, till science itself is turning into metaphysics, matter losing its boundaries, and the definition of life becoming more and more indefinite.
Yes, our individual soul has been separated from the supreme soul, but this has not been from alienation but from the fulness of love. It is for that reason that untruths, sufferings, and evils are not at a standstill; the human soul can defy them, can overcome them, nay, can altogether transform them into new power and beauty.— Rabindranath Tagore, Sadhana: The Realisation of Life, Macmillan And Co;, London, Indian edition, 1930, p. 105
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