Mahadev
Mahadev, popularly known as Shiv, is a major Hindu god, and one aspect of Trimurti(Brahma, Vishnu & Mahesh). Mahadev is known with various names like Mahadev, Neelkanth, Vishvanath etc. In the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism, Mahadev is seen as the supreme God. Aghoris, Gorakhnathis, Jogis etc are followers of Mahadev.
Sikhs do not worship Mahadev as there god. Worshipping anything other then supreme power lord is forbidden in Sikhism. Many references are given in guru granth sahib about Mahadev. Even Guru Gobind Singh in his granth gave us the knowledge of all incarnations of Mahadev though in beggining of Bachittar natak he clearly mentioned that Mahadev was send to tell people about god but he started preaching about himself and people started treating him god. Sikhism says that Mahadev was also created by god.
Gurbani About Mahadev
- God Created Mahadev.(ਝਕਸ ਕੀ ਸਿਰਿ ਕਾਰ ਝਕ ਜਿਨਿ ਬਰਹਮਾ ਬਿਸਨ ਰਦਰ ਉਪਾਇਆ ॥ i.e Everyone must serve the One Lord, who created Brahma, Vishnu and Mahadev.)
- Mahadev was bound in Birth and Death.
- Even Mahadev Meditated on God. (ਸੰਕਰ ਬਿਸਨ ਅਵਤਾਰ ਹਰਿ ਜਸ ਮਖਿ ਭਣਾ ॥)
- Even Mahadev could not understand the Mytery of God. (ਸੰਕਰ ਕਰੋੜਿ ਤੇਤੀਸ ਧਿਆਇਓ ਨਹੀ ਜਾਨਿਓ ਹਰਿ ਮਰਮਾਮ ॥੧॥ , ਸੰਕਰਾ ਨਹੀ ਜਾਨਹਿ ਭੇਵ ॥)
- Mahadev was Egoistic. (ਬਰਹਮਾ ਬਿਸਨ ਮਹਾਦੇਉ ਤਰੈ ਗਣ ਰੋਗੀ ਵਿਚਿ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਾਰ ਕਮਾਈ ॥)
- Mahadev Worshippers Could not Find the Limit of God, they are bound to Mahadev.(ਈਸਰ ਬਰਹਮਾ ਸੇਵਦੇ ਅੰਤ ਤਿਨਹਹੀ ਨ ਲਹੀਆ ॥)
- Mahadev anger and give curses(ਪਾਂਡੇ ਤਮਰਾ ਮਹਾਦੇਉ ਧਉਲੇ ਬਲਦ ਚੜਿਆ ਆਵਤ ਦੇਖਿਆ ਥਾ ॥ ਮੋਦੀ ਕੇ ਘਰ ਖਾਣਾ ਪਾਕਾ ਵਾ ਕਾ ਲੜਕਾ ਮਾਰਿਆ ਥਾ ॥੨॥)
- Mahadev was that who left Maya and sit in Mountain to do Bhagti. ( ਸੰਕਰਿ ਛੋਡੀ ਮਾਇਆ ॥)
Gursikh Attitude toward Mahadev
Mahadev is not God. gursikh should not Worship Mahadev or his Lingams created by Human. Mahadev whom which Hindus meditate was not god. Even Guru Nanak states:
ਬਰਹਮਾ ਬਿਸਨ ਮਹੇਸ ਨ ਕੋਈ ॥
There was no Brahma, Vishnu or Mahadev.
ਅਵਰ ਨ ਦੀਸੈ ਝਕੋ ਸੋਈ ॥
No one was seen, except the One Lord.
Where Gurus told Sikhs about previous Mahadev, he told that he was not to meditate. He was a god's creation and died without knowing his mystery.
In Dasam Granth, Guru Gobind Singh states two incarnations of Mahadev for sikhs to have knowledge of it and for Shudra community who were not able to interpret Vedas as brahmins were dominationg and there was no one to teach them Sanskrit. So Guru opened the way to Shudra to know about their religion. On other side Guru Cleared, that Mahadev also died in Ego. He didn't told his followers to recite god's name but he make followers to recite his own name.
Gurus also gave new defination of Mahadev for Gursikhs:
Only Guru is Mahadev(Gur Ishar Gur Gorakh Brahma gur Parbati Mai)
About Mahadev
In the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism, Mahadev is seen as the supreme God, while in the Smarta tradition, he is one of the five primary forms of God. Mahadev is the destroyer of the world, following Brahma the creator and Vishnu the preserver, after which Brahma again creates the world and so on. Mahadev is responsible for change both in the form of death and destruction and in the positive sense of the shedding of old habits. In Satyam, Mahadevm, Sundaram or Truth, Goodness and Beauty, Mahadev also represents the most essential goodness.
Mahadev is the god of the yogis, self-controlled and celibate, while at the same time a lover of his spouse (Shakti). Mahadev's first wife was Sati and his second wife was Parvati, also known as Uma, Gauri, Durga, Kali and Shakti. His sons are Ganesha and Kartikeya. Mahadev lives on Mount Kailasa in the Himalayas.
When River Ganga incarnated on Earth, Mahadev captured her in his hair to avoid that she would flood all of Earth
Shiav worshippers are among India's most ascetic yogis, their body smeared with ashes, dressed in saffron colors and wearing a Rudraksha mala.
Sikhism on Mahadev
Sikhism instructs to worship One God only and none else. Sikhs do not worship any demi gods like Mahadev. Guru Granth Sahib tells following:
God is the creator of all. “He created air, water, fire, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahadev” (Guru Granth Sahib, 504).
“He created Brahma, Vishnu and Mahadev, who act according to His Will” (Guru Granth Sahib, 948).
“The performance of countless millions of other devotions is not even equal to one devotion to the Name of God” (Guru Granth Sahib, 1163). “Those who serve Mahadev and Brahma cannot find the limits of God” (Guru Granth Sahib, 516).
The ones who serve any other instead of God cannot attain salvation. Salvation is granted only by God. “Everyone must serve the One Lord, who created Brahma, Vishnu and Mahadev. O Nanak, the One True Lord is permanent and stable. He does not die, and He is not born” (Guru Granth Sahib, 1130).
By the order of God, Brahma obtained a body. By the order of God, Mahadev was born. By the order of God, Vishnu was born. Everything is created by God. God, who made Mahadev a yogi. God, who gave Brahma the kingdom of Vedas. God, who has shaped the entire universe. Is the one we salute. They consider that Mahadev is God. They are unaware of the Supreme Primal Lord. (Benti Chaupee Sahib).
Sikhism instructs not to perform idol worship and not to worship anyone else besides God. Guru Granth Sahib Ji is Sikhs' Holy Scripture. Sikhs bow their head in the Gurdwara to Guru Granth Sahib as a sign of respect but Sikhs do not worship the scriptures. Guru Ji is the spiritual teacher of Sikhs and shows the way to meet God. Guru Nanak instructs that idol worship will not lead one to salvation. Worshipping sculptures of stone will not help one to meet God.
Guru Nanak Dev said that for sikhs:
The Guru is Mahadev, the Guru is Vishnu and Brahma; the Guru is Paarvati and Lakhshmi. Mahadev, Brahma and the Goddess of Beauty, ever adorned, sing.
Guru Arjun Dev Sahid: The Realm of Mahadev shall also perish.
Even Bhagat Kabir said: I wasted my whole life in the city of Mahadev; Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Mahadev all know last but not least
He created air, water and fire, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahadev - the whole creation.
