The Truth and Its Ugly Head

In the Hindu pantheon, there is a reigning deity for every aspect of existence. Among them is one whose outward appearance is strange in comparison to the others, and their peculiar image alone holds a powerful message.

Shiw Bhagwan’s - Bhagwan is how Hindus refer to God. The word has its roots in Sanskrit and literally means one who has attained all opulence - wears his hair long, matted, and half up in a bun, while the others have flowing locks under golden, bejewelled crowns. Shiw’s Bhagwan’s body is clad in animal hide and covered in ash, while the others are adorned in fine vibrant-coloured, embroidered fabrics. Shiw Bhagwan wears Rudraraksha beads and a snake, and the others are bedecked in strings of precious gems and metals.

He is not opposed to the finer things, but remains unaffected by them. The physical world is a tiny fragment of existence and Lord Shiw sees past its beguiling nature. Worldly pleasures are illusions that shroud universal truth.

Artists typically represent the Gods and Goddesses wrapped in opulence, but Shiw Bhagwan is almost always shown in meditation. Real truth and happiness is within us, and not attained through worldly pleasures.

Going within connects us to who we are, where we come from, and aligns us with our higher selves. A universal truth is that we don’t need much to be happy other than our basic needs, such as food, clothing, water, companionship, and shelter as long as we are connected to that energy where we originated.

Once you begin to see past the illusions of the physical world, there is no desire to un-see it. Relinquishing the hold society has over us is like letting out a long breath you didn't know you were holding. The truth really does set us free.

Shiw Bhagwan’s offbeat image shows that when the truth is standing in front of us, it is rarely readily accepted because it stands apart from society’s norms and narratives, which are largely based on illusions. Just as Shiw Bhagwan stands apart, the truth stands apart.

Once truth is realized, the distance between it and society becomes apparent. To go against what is established, to herald the truth, is panic-inducing and it’s simply easier to turn away. That is how truth, ancient wisdom, sacred knowledge, gets lost or buried, and this happens at the detriment of future generations. For example, look at how long it took ‘manifesting’, which is ancient knowledge, to become mainstream knowledge. It’s being ridiculed, which casts doubts in the public’s perception effectively taking away their power.

The truth may incite backlash, or invite confrontation, or even result in being ostracized. It may mean letting go of old ways and relationships.

The truth is what it is. There are no interpretations or differing viewpoints. The truth is the truth, regardless of one’s emotions or trauma.

Emotions have been abruptly ending important conversations. Emotions have placed a clamp over people’s mouths. There is a hesitation to speak against any dominant narrative for fear of hurting feelings, becoming irrelevant, or losing followers. Just because a narrative is current and mainstream doesn't mean it’s right. Strong emotions should be analyzed within and not yielded like a weapon on the world.

Shiw Bhagwan’s authenticity is a constant reminder that the truth doesn’t blend in, it seems to always stand on its own away from the majority.

Lord Shiw is ancient, the oldest in the world, and so the message hidden in his physical appearance is ancient knowledge. Throughout history, and perhaps far into the future, human society tends to leave truth behind, whatever it’s reasons. The truth will always rear its “ugly” head, and the truth-sayers will be the ones who stand apart.