Who is Shiva?

I am shivering terribly as the river water is too cold for a fragile person like me. The temperature dips as the sun sets. My meditation is getting tougher every second as the cold seems irresistible. The water is reaching my chest and fear is trying to shatter my will power. 'No! I cannot stop my prayers! No physical force can be a hindrance in my devotion!'. My eyes are fixed at the distant mountain peak and I begin my prayers. I close my eyes.

I am breathing within you

You are breathing within me

The universe looks within

And I touch your feet oh Shiva

You are dancing with your damroo

And I wish to be the ground

As your feets rhythm touches the ground

This lifeless heart beats

Shiva Shiva Shiva 

Allow me to understand you once

So that I enlighten myself about life's mortality

And become immortal

I open my eyes to find myself on the mountain top where my eyes were fixed on earlier. There is something peculiar about my hair, it is tied into a bun and from it I feel a stream of water originates and goes down my back. The same water takes the form of a river and flows down the mountain. I see a human figure in the same river on the ground level. His face is unclear. Who is he I wonder. I try to hold in my hands some water originating from my hair. In it I see the reflection of my face. The next moment as I look for the man in the river, I no more see him down. I am perplexed to see him standing before me. His face just like mine. My hands are still holding the small amount of water, he comes near me and allows his forehead to rest in my palms.

How do I make you understand that you yourself are the devotee and you yourself are the god you seek. A quest from impure to the pure. A journey which begins from you and ends in you. Jai Shiva Shakti.