People worship Lord Shiva in many forms and that is why there are many names for Lord Shiv as well. People call him “Mahadev”, people call him “Bholenath” and similarly people call him “Neelkanth”. The general meaning of the word Neelkanth is blue throat. Let’s learn more about why and how Lord Shiv got named as Nilkanth.
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Why is Lord Shiva Called Neelkanth?
This name is related to the event of Samudra Manthan where Gods and Demons decided to churn the ocean of milk “ksheer sagar” together to obtain Amrit which will help them in living forever.
As the ocean was churned many things emerged from the bottom of the ocean but first of all a very deadly poison emerged called Halahal. This poison was so fatal that it could destroy all the life on the Earth.
Fearing for the safety of the world, the gods approached Lord Shiv for help. Lord Shiv, known for his compassion, took the poison and drank it but to prevent the spreading of the poison into the entire body Lord Shiv decided to keep and store the poison in his throat. Because of the fatal effect of this poison Lord Shiv’s throat turned blue and since then all the Gods started calling him “Nilkanth”
What Does Nilkanth Symbolize?
The story of Nilkanth is not just about mythology; it also teaches us some important life lessons.
- Selflessness and Sacrifice: Lord Shiva drank the poison to save the world showing his compassion and selfless nature.
- Inner Strength: Even though the poison was deadly Shiva contained it within himself. This shows the importance of inner strength and calmness in handling life’s difficulties.
- Control over Negative Forces: The poison represents negativity like anger, greed, and jealousy. Lord Shiva’s ability to hold the poison without letting it harm him shows us how to manage negativity without letting it consume us.
The Spiritual Meaning of Nilkanth
The poison can also be seen as a symbol of the challenges and struggles in life. Shiva’s action of containing the poison teaches us that we cannot avoid challenges, but we can control how they affect us.
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