OM TRIYAMBAKAM: The THIRD EYE of LORD SHIVA

The Lord Shiva is called as Triyambaka or Trinetra for having the third eye. Shiva’s third eye has always fascinated people. It stands there dramatically on his forehead ready to release a missile of fire and destroy the world. Many people assume that is why Shiva is called the `destroyer’. Whenever the sins, immoralities and devil powers overtake the good and truth then Lord Shiva opens the third eye for destroying everything in the universe and builds a new universe.

Shiva's third eye is located on his forehead and most of the times remain closed. However, when Shiva opens his third eye, it destroys everything that it sees. As an example, in Shiva Purana, there is a story where Shiva burns Kama Dev to ash by opening his third eye.

Once, Lord Shiva was sitting fully engaged in meditation. Goddess Parvati, his consort came there and playfully covered both his eyes with her hands. Immediately, the entire universe plunged into darkness. Chaos prevailed everywhere. Even the Gods of heaven were afraid. With his divine power, Siva created a third eye in the center of his forehead. Fire emerged from his third eye and he restored light in the universe. 

While his right eye symbolizes the sun, the left signifies the moon. The third eye depicts fire. In contrast to his two eyes that represent his activities in the physical world, the third eye views beyond. He controls the physical universe with His sensory eyes. It is said that Shiva’s third eye allows him to see beyond the apparent, something that the other two eyes cannot perceive.

It is also recognised as a powerful emblem in Shiva, protecting the good from evil. According to legend, when the third eye opens, all darkness and ignorance are annihilated. So, in some ways, the third eye denotes the eradication of the wicked.

According to spiritual beliefs, we all can activate our third eye and therefore achieve enlightenment. The third eye is also known as Gyananakashu.

As a result, contrary to popular opinion, the third eye does not alone represent Shiva’s rage and destructive force. In reality, it points the route to wisdom, knowledge, greater awareness, and enlightenment.

We all have only 2 eyes and what does Shiva's third eye indicate?

Actually, we humans too have three eyes, but the third eye is not opened for us because of our ignorance and being in the materialistic world.

Shiva is the Adi Yogi, so Shiva is always in deep meditation and thus His third eye or Ajna Chakra is activated.

Shiva's third eye indicates

·         His Cosmic energy / knowledge.

·         His immense Yogic energy.

·         Shiva is Trikala darshi (who knows past, present and future).

·         Shiva as Soma Surya Agni Lochan, which means Shiva's three eyes represent Soma (moon), surya (Sun) and Lord Agni.

·         Shiva opens His third eye only to destroy evil.

 

We worship Shiva to acquire the rare state of bliss which is above all the happiness created by this material world.

परः पुमानीश्वरः स शिव शम्भुरनीश्वरः ।
शीर्षे मन्दाकिनीधारी भालचन्द्रस्त्रिलोचनः ।।
पञ्चवक्त्र प्रसन्नात्मा दशबाहुस्त्रिशुलधृक् ।
कर्पुरगौरः सुसितो भस्मोद्धुलितोविग्रहः ।।

 

The above verse best describes Lord Shiva’s identity. It says: Param Purusha Shiva also known as Ishwar having no Lord over him, who holds Mandakini on his head. He has three eyes and crescent moon on his forehead. He is five faced, a pleasant soul, holder of a trident, having complexion as white as camphor, keeps on applying white ashes over his body. Such is the description of Lord Shiva. The third eye is treated as any another divine characteristic of Lord Shiva.

 

The third eye and pineal gland connection

 

The name “third eye” comes from the pineal gland’s primary function of ‘letting in light and darkness’, just as our two eyes do. This gland is the melatonin-secreting neuroendocrine organ containing light-sensitive cells that control the circadian rhythm.

 

So why would anyone want to awaken or open their third eye? The importance of the third eye is seen in the principles of Buddhist Dharmic traditions of law and order. The third eye chakra is an energy center within the body on the forehead in the center of the brows. It is presumed that we would want all of the chakras in our bodies to be aligned and properly energized.

 

Once our third eye chakra is opened, we can gain wisdom, intuition, deeper self-reflection, higher self-confidence, and logic, just to name a few. Anyone would love to have those traits, but you now may be wondering: how does one open the third eye? A common practice is to do yoga and meditate. The technique of meditation is a trance dance that allows one to have a better connection with oneself.

Your third eye might also be blocked, which prevents you from opening it. A blockage can cause poor memory, anxiety, and can impair physical, emotional, and mental health.

In conclusion, when we refer to the “third eye”, we are symbolically talking about seeing something that the two sensory eyes cannot see. It is to see something that is within your interior self. The two eyes that humans possess are controlled by senses which are not reliable. The third eye represents all pervading – Gyaana (knowledge) and Dhyana (Consciousness or Concentration) that one aspires to achieve.

ॐ त्र्य॑म्बकं यजामहे सु॒गन्धिं॑ पुष्टि॒वर्ध॑नम् ।
उ॒र्वा॒रु॒कमि॑व॒ बन्ध॑नान् मृ॒त्योर्मुक्षीय॒ मा ऽमृता॑त् ।