Ardhanarishvara, The Half Female Lord

Sacred and profane are subject to human interpretation. But one thing is for sure, there's no such thing as pure masculine or pure feminine. Just as gods accepted sexuality and love in all forms while embracing the union of male and female energies, humans could make an effort to do the same. The Ardhanarishvara form shows that when it comes to sexual orientation, homosexuality cannot be termed abnormal.

The Ardhanarishvara avatar- a union of Shiva and Shakti; Image Source: Vedicfeed

Legend has it that Rishi Bhringi had vowed to worship only one god. Thus he offered prayers to Lord Shiva and failed to circumambulate and prostrate before Goddess Parvati. Seeing this, Parvati lashed out and cursed Bhringi to turn into all bones. Determined to perform his penance, Bhringi assumed the form of a beetle and continued with his offering. Parvati acknowledged his devotion to Lord Shiva and later restored him to his original self.

Shiva, who was angry with Parvati for punishing Bhringi, too, forgave her when he saw his consort bless the sage. To make up with her husband, Parvati's requested that Shiva merged with her; thus, the Ardhanarishvara form sprang to life.

In another incident, according to the Matsya Purana, Brahma was so pleased with Parvati's penance that he blessed her with a golden complexion. The ethereal goddess became indescribably beautiful and attractive to Shiva and the two merged which ultimately formed the Ardhanarishvara avatar.

However, the Kalika Purana tells another tale wherein Parvati suspected Shiva of infidelity and naturally became furious. Although their discord was settled quickly once Parvati realised she was mistaken. But she did express her desire to eternally be a part of Shiva's body. Lord Shiva accepted his wife's request, and their union gave life to the Ardhanarishvara.

There are many tales, and each has a different scenario. But as observed, the one thing that's common in the narratives is the union of Shiva and Parvati (Shakti) that gives rise to the Ardhanarishvara.

The form where Shiva and Parvati emerge as one is known as the Ardhanarishvara. As the name suggests, Ardhanarishvara means the Lord who is half female. The half-male and half-female figure is most revered in Asia and parts of South East Asia.

Matted locks, masculine chest, wide waist, and ornaments that would adorn Shiva represent the male half of the body. The female half is represented by Parvati and has a narrow waist, well-developed bosom, and a bindu (round red dot) to match Shiva's third eye. The anatomical features are well-defined and prominently carved to show the difference between the male and the female half.

The representation of the Ardhanrishvara was first found in the material evidence from the Kushan dynasty. In addition to the depiction of the Ardhanarishvara in Puranic and Agamic texts, evidence of many androgynous figurines was also found in Greek records.

The Ardhanarishvara also represents the deity who can control their senses. It is a synthesis of masculine and feminine energy, giving legitimacy to the fact that in this world, the balance of both spirits is intrinsic to human life.

Humans aren't unisexual creatures, and each of us embodies the male and female attributes. Despite being opposites, the union of Shiva and Shakti shows that this unity dictates the rhythm of life. Without Shakti, Shiva is lifeless. And though Shakti holds the power of life, she too, is incomplete without Shiva.

Similarly, humans embody the attributes of Shiva and Shakti- and that is what makes us whole. From a psychological point of view, most of us try to emulate the toughness associated with males but forget that in order to thrive, we need to exercise the nurture and care that comes naturally to females.

It becomes imperative to acknowledge the Shiva and Shakti that reside in all of us despite our physical anatomies. We must embrace both these energies contentedly and respect them in the amounts they're

present.

The Indian subcontinent has a rich history that pre-dates many civilizations. It is the land where mythology paints a picture of all kinds of beings and all forms of love that we see today. When gods don't discriminate between love, sexual orientation, and gender and readily accept the union of the two energies (male and female), why do humans hesitate to accept anything and anyone that doesn't fit the conventional image? Let's take pride and celebrate the existence of gender fluidity and diversity in our society.