These ten days of Brahmotsavam, each day Shiva liberates. Shiva gives enlightenment to one one person. The whole ten-day festival is all about giving enlightenment to different people. On the first day, Adigaranandi Nandi receives enlightenment.
The next day, Indra and Devathas receive enlightenment. That is why on the first day of the festival, Shiva will come on the Nandi vahana, Adigara Nandi, and on the second day, on Indra vimana. When Indra gets liberated, he offers his vimana, flight, to Mahadeva. So he comes around the second day in procession of Indra Vimana.
On the third day, Patanjali naga vahana, Patanjali gets enlightened, so Shiva comes in naga vahana.
These ten days of Brahmotsavam, each day Shiva liberates gives enlightenment to one one person. The whole ten-day festival is all about giving enlightenment to different people. On the first day, Adigaranandi Nandi receives enlightenment.
The next day, Indra and Devathas receive enlightenment. That is why on the festival’s first day, Shiva will come on the Nandi vahana, Adigara Nandi, and on the second day, Indra vimana. When Indra gets liberated, he offers his vimana, flight, to Mahadeva. So he comes around the second day in procession of Indra Vimana. On the third day, Patanjali naga vahana, Patanjali gets enlightened, so Shiva comes in naga vahana.
On the fourth day of Kamadhenu and Kalpavriksha, both get enlightened. Vashishta offers both of them. Vashishta, saptha rishis, get enlightened. So after their enlightenment, Vashishta offers Kamadhenu and Kalpataru to Shiva. So, on the fourth day, he comes to Kamadhenu and Kalpatharu.
On the fifth day, all the Shivacharyas, the people who touch his body and worship Thirumeni, whoever touches the deity, are liberated. He comes in the Rishabha on the Nandi and frees all the Shivacharyas.
On his sixth day, he goes around in the chariot, silver chariot, and the top two lokas: the Gandharva and Yaksha loka. Gandharva Loka and Yaksha loka are described as silver-colored lokas, which are moon-based. Deva Loka and Vaikunta are sun-based, solar, and golden in color. He goes around all the moon-based lokas in a silver chariot and liberates them.
On the seventh day, he comes in a wooden chariot and liberates the whole Bhoo loka; wood belongs to Bhoo loka, the human consciousness. He comes in the wooden chariot and liberates whoever has his Darshan.
On the eighth day, he comes as a Bhikshadana and liberates all the rishis, and on the ninth day, he comes for rakshasas. He liberates Ravana.
On the ninth day, Shiva will come in the vahana of Ravana, Kailasha vahana. Ravana will lift the Kailasha; that is the vahana he will come. He liberates all the demons; even the demons are enlightened and liberated through Shiva bhakti.
It is not the solution. If you think you know the solution, you can’t do it; it is not a solution”. Understand. In the same way, as long as you perceive a problem, it is a problem inside. Everything you think stops you, whether your physiology, mind, life…I have seen people come in and tell me, “I always wanted to be loving, but the moment I see that fellow, I just burst, mess up the whole thing, and only then do I even remember I wanted to be very loving.” “I want to wake up and do yoga and build the body, but the….only after morning 10 o’clock I even understand the world exists”. “I really do not want to drink, but I don’t know what happens, the moment it is weekend, Friday evening. I already discovered myself – I am in the Bar, and I don’t know what happens from the workplace to the Bar; how I reach it, I don’t know. I suddenly wake up with a bottle and cigarette. Only then do I realize I am alive”. Whatever may be the pattern, please understand they are dead. They do not have life. They get life only when your Will supports it.
The tenth day is the day Devi becomes part of Shiva, Ardhanareeshwara. Today is the day he liberates the whole cosmos. Devi is representative of the entire cosmos: the universe. He blesses the whole universe. It’s a compelling truth. Whatever has expanded from him, he takes them all back and gives them the feeling you are my part; reuniting, reunion. So, all the lamps have become different; this is the Prakriti Devi. By evening, they all come back and become one with the Purusha. That is what the Devi becoming Ardhanareeshwara; the prakruthi becoming purusha is the celebration.
