What is the significance of Lord Shiva as Mahakaal?
In common parlance, whoever is beyond time and death is called Mahakaal…. Because even Kaal fears Lord Shiva, he is called Mahakaal.
Shiva:-
Shiva (Sanskrit: Śiva, meaning “The Auspicious One”, also known as Mahadeva (“Great God”), is one of the three major deities of Hinduism. Shiva is distinct from Vishnu and Brahma yet one with them. He is Anant, one who is neither found born nor found dead. He is the Greatest of the Gods within Shaivism, one of the three most influential denominations in contemporary Hinduism. He is one of the five primary forms of God in the Smarta Tradition, and “the Destroyer” or “the Transformer”.
At the highest level, Shiva is regarded as limitless, transcendent, unchanging and formless. Shiva also has many benevolent and fearsome forms. In benevolent aspects, he is depicted as an omniscient Yogi who lives an ascetic life on Mount Kailash, as well as a householder with wife Parvati and his two children, Ganesha and Kartikeya, and in fierce aspects, he is often depicted slaying demons. Shiva is also regarded as the patron god of yoga and arts.
The main iconographical attributes of Shiva are the third eye on his forehead, the snake Vasuki around his neck, the adorning crescent moon, the holy river Ganga flowing from his matted hair, the trishula as his weapon and the damaru as his musical instrument. Shiva is usually worshiped in the aniconic form of Lingam. The worship of Shiva is a pan-Hindu tradition, practiced widely across all over the world.
Mahakala – “Great Time”, Which Ultimately Destroys All Things.
According to Hinduism, Mahakal refers to lord Shiva as he is the destroyer of all elements. There is nothing beyond him, no element no dimensions not even time (kaal). That is why he is maha (greater) kaal (time). Kaal is the time of death so it can also be reference as bringer of the greatest time of death, death of all that is. The Tandava he performed when his wife Mata Sati jumped into the fire as she could not bear the disrespect of her husband by Raja Daksh (he was the father of Sati ) during a havan. This was the moment when Shiva was about to destroy the world. Thus he is known as “Mahakal”. Rather than just bad elements he is the destroyer of enemies.
