Why Does Shiva Sit In The Smashana Or Cremation Ground?

By Author: Noble Sparrows
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The cremation ground can be quite a negative experience for people. However, if you look at the intricate details of the surroundings, it can inculcate a sense of purity in you as well. You will come to see quite a few things about the place that you did not know. This is mainly because the Hindu religion is thousands of years old, and with it, the rituals also.

If you look closely, you might have seen the statue of Shiva in the Lodhi cremation ground. While most people think it is just for decoration or paying respect to their God, there is a deeper reason why all cremation grounds have a sculpture of Shiva sitting.

The Reason Behind The Statue

This reason dates back to a story mentioned in Hindu mythology. There was a time when both Parvati and Shiva had a heated argument in Kailasa. However, by the end of the argument, Parvati was really upset, and in rage, she asked Shiva to leave Kailasa since it was her house. That precise moment was when Shiva left ...
... her house but did not know where he was supposed to go.

His options were Vainkunta and Sarthyaloka, both of which he could not go to since those were God Vishnu's and God Brahma's place, respectively. This is when he started thinking and got so engrossed in his own thoughts that he forgot his surroundings. During this time, Narada came across an almost meditative Shiva and asked him what had happened.

Shiva then explained the whole situation to him and asked him if Narada had a way out. To this, Narada suggested that Shiva try the graveyard since no one lives there and no one will disturb him. Shiva soon realised that this was a great idea, so he went there, applied ash all over his body and started meditating. This was when he came to be known as Smashana Vaasi (resident of the graveyard).

The Meaning Of The Statue

In Hindu Mythology, Shiva is referred to as the destroyer. However, his sitting statue in a cremation ground near me does not mean he is there to destroy you. Instead, he is waiting for the body to be destroyed. The central meaning behind this is that until the materialistic body gets destroyed, people around do not understand what death is.

You might have noticed that many family members cry over the body, hug it trying to bring it back to life. However, once the body is set on fire, their instinct of self-preservation tells them nothing else can be done now. This is the main reason why there is a statue of a meditating shiva in every crematorium.

You will find such statues in almost every crematorium; however, the one situated in the green park cremation ground is one of the best ones. It really has a soothing effect on the people and can help bring peace to your then disturbed mind.