Śiva, the Poison, and the Neutralization of Ego

*Based on the class "Stories from the Vedic Tradition — Shiva," with Jonas Masetti*

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There's a story in the Śiva Purāṇa that got to me in a way I didn't expect. And look, I'm learning not to underestimate these narratives — they look like distant myths, but once you understand what they're saying, it's as if they're talking about your life.

The Śiva Purāṇa is a massive work of the Vedic tradition. To put it in perspective, the Odyssey has 12,000 verses. The Śiva Purāṇa once had 100,000 — and even in its condensed form, it has 24,000. Twice the Odyssey. And each Purāṇa tells the story of creation from the perspective of a specific deity.

The beginning of everything

The narrative starts like this: in the beginning, everything was in an unmanifest, undifferentiated state. Neither hot nor cold, with no end and no beginning — like deep sleep. Then waters appeared everywhere, and from them emerged Viṣṇu, immense, who lay upon the waters and slept. From his navel grew a giant, radiant lotus. And on one of the petals of that lotus, Brahmā appeared.

The first thing Brahmā does? Ask: "Where am I? Who am I? What is my role here?" — exactly the existential questions many of us ask when the process of self-knowledge begins.

And what does Brahmā decide to do? Go out exploring the lotus in search of answers. Which is what we do too — read a book on Kabbalah, watch a Vedānta lecture on YouTube, do yoga, go on a mindfulness retreat. And Brahmā explores for 100 years. Doesn't find the answers. Comes back another 100 years the same way. Doesn't find them either. But the journey isn't wasted — it all blesses the path.

The infinite līṅga

When Brahmā finally rests and receives the instruction to do tapas (disciplined spiritual practice), he studies for 12 years. And here's a beautiful detail: 12 years is the time the tradition prescribes for the deep study of any subject — the same cycle as Jupiter (Bṛhaspati) passing t