7 Secrets of Shiva

The 7 Secrets #3

by Devdutt Pattanaik

Smeared with ash, draped in animal hide, he sits atop the snow-capped mountain, skull in hand, withdrawn, with dogs for company, destroying the world with his indifference. He is God who the Goddess shall awaken. His name is Shiva. Locked in his stories, symbols and rituals are the secrets of our ancestors. This book attempts to unlock seven.

Genres: Mythology, Nonfiction, Religion, Spirituality, Philosophy, Hinduism, India

234 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik (born December 11, 1970) is an Indian physician turned leadership consultant, mythologist and author whose works focus largely on the areas of myth, mythology, and also management. He has written a number of books related to Hindu mythology, including Myth = Mithya: A Handbook of Hindu Mythology, a novel, The Pregnant King, and Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata (2010).
He is the Chief Belief Officer of Future Group, one of India’s largest retailers, bringing the wisdom of Indian mythology into Indian business, especifically in human resource management. He also writes a column for the newspaper MID DAY.
He has also written a novel based on a tale from the Mahabharata titled 'The Pregnant King' published by Penguin Books India

Reviews

[Anish Kohli · Rating 2 out of 5]

“If the formless can be given a form then I am he. I am God, I am Shiva”

I picked this book up indirectly bcz of a lady who rec'd me Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik. Before diving right into that book, I thought it a good idea to re-sample the author’s writing through this short-ish book bcz stories about Shiva generally tend to interest me and I remember my first run in with Mr. Devdutt, in the form of The Pregnant King, was horrible! I loathed the writing and storytelling. Understandably, I was not so sure about picking up more of his books. And I knew I made a mistake when during the first few pages I read something as awesome as this:

“Humans are the only creatures for whom reproduction is a choice. A male hermit represents the rejection of that choice; he cannot be forced to make a woman pregnant. Women can be hermits and also refuse to bear children, but they cannot represent the idea of disengagement because the female body can be forced to bear a child.”
I posted this as an update as well and I still don’t understand it and this phrase, or the essence of what it implies, is used again towards the end of the book, only in a much more senseless manner.

“[..]only human couples can choose whether to have children or not. In case of all other animals, procreation is fettered by natural rhythms, not free will. Even amongst humans, the male of the species has greater choice. The female of the human species can be forced to conceive a child but the human male cannot be forced to make a woman pregnant. Even if aroused, he need not spill the seed in the womb. Thus he can take pleasure but not father a child.”

Needless to say that it makes me scratch my head and go all like Dean, only less cute!


This book is a prime example of what I mean when I say that your real life achievements have NO SWAY over whether or not you can write. This author does a show on TV, Devlok with Devdutt, which I follow. Mr. Devdutt, beyond the shadow of a doubt, holds vast knowledge of the Hindu Mythology. He understands what they can mean or rather what they should mean. He is a definite authority on these things. But when he writes, as an author, he is worthless. What he writes is not only senseless most of the time, it can come across as grotesque and contorted out of shape. He has zero storytelling skills and he can’t keep a reader in his grip.

But all that may have not been applicable on this particular book. Since this book is written as a means to explain the myths, it needed that neutral tone of voice, neither in favor nor against. A flat and matter of fact tone. Which is the only way he can write, it should have worked in his favor. And yet, this book is a mess. You ask why? Let’s start with the title. So this book is supposed to be about understanding the myths around Shiva. For those of you who may not know, Shiva is the most powerful Gods in the Hindu Pantheon. He is also an eternal Enigma. There are a million myths and stories about him and he is a God that is hard to understand in some ways. And yet, he is revered by all the other Gods. It was supposed to be about him. But its not, really. And this book should be titled 7 secrets of Bhrama or 7 Secrets of Hindu Mythology or anything else. Let me tell you why. Initially I thought that the author was trying to explain what Shiva is by contrasting him against Bhrama. But as the book progresses, you see that he's gone on a tangent and he is explaining things that are wrong with Bhrama rather than the things about Shiva. Out of the total seven chapters, 2 chapters are dedicated to Ganesha and Kartikeya (both Shiva's sons, admittedly but they are about them, not Shiva). There is hardly any Shiva in this book! There are only a few stories related to Shiva and how they should be seen, which to be honest and no offence to anyone, are pretty out there and easy to learn from if one wants to learn. There are no great insights into the legend of Shiva.

To top it all off, this book confuses more than it clarifies bcz the author provides a philosophical take on many things. Talks about attaining balance and harmony through behaving like humans, by having relationships and by engaging in the world, while he simultaneously emphasizes that the true way to harmony is to withdraw from the world. The true way to peace and knowledge and enlightenment is to be like Shiva, to be a hermit, to disengage from the world and the material things.

“Thus no one in nature is a mere victim. Without realizing it every victim is a victimizer, and there is no escape from this cycle of life.”

Followed by:

“Humans need not be predator or prey, victim or victimiser.”

They say, even the most foolish of them all has something to teach, if you but pay attention. Then how can someone as learned as Mr. Devdutt Pattanaik not do so? Indeed I found a few things, one quote especially that was like voice to my innermost thoughts, something I couldn’t put to words. Something that I want to tell some select few.

“What use is imagination, if it simply ignores and invalidates the other?”

I think this can be said for a lot of things, not just imagination. You may be good at something in particular that could lift you above other but if you use it to put others down, to invalidate them, to hurt them or make them question their being, I think you insult your own gift. Apart from this, there are a few more things that he does right and in places there is that feel good factor which is the only reason for this 2 star rating bcz I didn’t hate the book itself. I just loath the writing and the voice of the author.

The whole point of this book, in my opinion, is to provide a topic of debate (inner) or philosophical banter. To give a person something to ponder on. In which case, I have a few doubts.


For me, the real question to all the explanations in this book is this:
If we all lead a life that does not need material gains, if we all stop taking wives/husbands, if we all stop fathering/mothering children, if we all give up our families, in effect, if we all become a hermit like Shiva, seeking the infinite, wont the world come to a standstill? Won’t we fall apart as a society?
And the more important question from the perspective of Hindu mythology is:
If we all choose the Shiva way of life, to become hermits and to transcend, won’t we, in effect, make Vishnu obsolete as a God? The one who is supposed to be the preserver, the one who is supposed to make sure that the grand plan plays itself out! If we are all Shiva, then who shall be Vishnu and who shall be Bhrama, for nothing can exist in balance without something or someone to counter it. Wise are called wise for the fools exist and the light is cherished bcz the night is dark and full of terrors (just couldn’t resist guys, just couldn’t and I’m not even sorry)!

No. From where I sit, this book has zilch to offer. It’s got nothing to reveal about Shiva and it’s got no stories to tell or any myths to debunk. It even fails to provide a valid point of discussion. And it makes statements in a very crass and weird way.

What this book does offer, is a very good reminder to me about why I hate this author in particular! And if all that wasn't enough, I realized that this book marked as a Fantasy read!

[Kalpana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, if you go by the title, u will be disappointed. But if u read without any exceptation, it's definitley a good read. A strange thing happened when I read this one. My 3 year old was asking abt this book and I told a story from this one. She kept silent for sometime and started crying. When I asked, she said she loves Shiva and wanted to see him. I have told her a lot of stories about gods but she never reacted this way. I wonder what makes a 3 yr old cry....is it because Shiva is the Purusha for he connects with the atman/soul? My confused mind is more confused now...

[Hema · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr Devdutt Pattanaik the author of this book, is a mythologist by passion. He has written many books discussing the Hindu religion in great detail. So, this book comes no less. You sure will be amazed by the extend of insight, the author has provided. This book discusses Shiva, one of the three main gods of Hindu religion in great detail. The author has chosen a few avatars to detail about the God's nature, his consorts and his children. He also strikes differences between Shiva and Vishnu in places appropriate. It is rather good that he does not choose to pick on any God but just comes around saying that each of them works their own ways uniquely.

Lingeshwara: The basic form of Shiva worshipped everywhere is this Linga form. He details about the creation of this linga form. The author describes a story about Shiva emerging from a infinite beam of fire, burning without any fuel. It is thus a representation that god is formless, limitless and is omnipresent. The term "Aham Brahmasmi" is also explained, pushing the mankind from finite to infinite, from mortality to moksha or immortality

Bhairava: There are two kinds of fear for the mankind, the predator and the prey. The fear of such things makes us Pashu or with animal instinct. Shiva becomes Pashupathi who destroys this fear and leads us towards Moksha. It is said that Brahma also fears Prakriti or nature and attempts to tame her. This fear sprouts as a fifth head for Brahma and an enraged Shiva (because of Brahma's ignorance) slays his head. Thus he becomes the Kapalika. The child form seen with the dogs at his feet is the Bhairava who removes such fear.

Shankara: This is the most interesting part where Shiva turns from the hermit to a house holder. It is with the help of Sakthi that Shiva opens his eyes and looks at mankind with mercy. The lonely, celibate, blissful hermit, insensitive God becomes caring and patient towards humans. The marriage of Shiva and Shakthi is explained in great details. Shakthi through her never tiring efforts makes Shankara indulge in Prakriti (nature) and Sanskriti (Culture and Society) of humans. It is described that Yoni, the pot dripping water on linga, is Sakthi who helps Shiva to reflect on humans.

Bholenath: This part discusses Shiva to be ignorant or rather innocent about the society and culture. It describes him to be pure and blissful like a child that he never discriminates between good and bad. It is due to this fact that he never discriminates between a Asura and Deva and grants all the boons. It is also due to this fact that he never follows with the basic rules of the society, such as eating, need for a house, children, et al. We often hear about Aghoris and their uncouth practises. It is due to this reason that they too hate to discriminate in the eyes of the society

Ganesha / Muruga: The two sons of Shiva who help him to empathise and embrase the humankind. The births of these gods are discussed thoroughly. Ganesha who is more attached to Shakti is the god of prosperity and Muruga is the war lord who wards away all fear of predator. In other words they help mankind from the fear of prey and predator, thus paving the path to attain moksha

Nataraja: There are teacher forms of Shiva, one is the Dakshinamurthy who sits under the Banyan tree and preaches the rishis and scholars. The other is the Nataraja, who through his dance forms evokes thought and demands attention. The final pose of the Shiva tandav is the wisdom of the Vedas.

The 7 secrets of Shiva is a book with so much information that even after this exhaustive review I feel that I could have included more. A special note goes to the photos of Shiva. It is astonishing to see so many photos that substantiate his writting. The book definitely has a lot of Tension between the genders going, without which the author could not have given such indepth details. A few stories which I had heard already and a lot of them which were so refreshingly new got me look at the Shaiva cult with a new meaning. It is not a end to end light read, but something to, relate to and think about our Hindu religion.

[Sumit Singla · Rating 1 out of 5]

Coming from someone as exalted as Dr. Patnaik, this is a massive letdown. I had expected some kind of commentary on one of the most mysterious gods in the Hindu pantheon.

However, this short book is nothing more than a collection of folk tales about Shiva, interspersed with fairly amateurish pseudo-psychological bits. I'm a firm atheist and so, I treat mythology, religions, and religious symbolism with mild amusement and disdain. However, I do think that some hardcore religious zealots may be offended by the phallic interpretations of the 'linga' even though the author does take pains to point out that the erect penis stands for spiritual alertness and not lust. (I don't buy that explanation at all!)

Overall, it does seem to me not just in Hindu mythology, that the gods people are supposed to revere and look up to are hardly great role models. They have all the human vices and failings, and sometimes even do stuff that a law-abiding, morally upright citizen wouldn't. So why believe in them at all? (This part isn't covered by the author, but is more of a musing from me.)

There was very little in this book for me, except I had a good laugh going through a couple of other reviews when I spotted that there are people who have classified this book as 'non-fiction'. *still laughing*

I'd say avoid this and get yourselves a book of mythological tales instead.

[Sagar · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is good with the collection of tales and explaining the curious names of Shiva along with his representations in Hinduism :)

However, the title of the book seems to be mostly unconnected to the details inside it. The First two of the seven chapters has the repetition of statements but settled in later chapters.

This book is not as good as "Jaya", which I have read before this.

[Sumeetha Manikandan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seven Secrets of Shiva is a non-fiction work that endeavors to explain Shiva, the Lord of Kailash through the labyrinth of myths, stories and cultural perception.

Why is Shiva dressed like an uncouth tramp? Why does he smear ashes from the cemetery, on his body and dress with a tiger skin? Why did he arm Ravana and Basmasura with boons that finally led to trouble? Who is this God who acts like a hermit devoid of family, commitments and emotion and yet has a huge following of ganas, wives and sons?

One will find all the answers for these questions in this book. With impeccable research, Devdutt Patnaik steers us through Sati’s marriage to Shiva, the impact of her death on him and his resultant withdrawal from the world.

I liked the way, the author explains the role of Parvathi in Shiva’s world. It is she who facilitates Shiva’s engagement back in the world. It is she who teaches esoteric nuances of sex and love to him. And author’s assertion that Shiva was innocent to the world’s prejudices and cultural perception makes a lot of sense.

Click here to read the complete review

[Ajith Ashokkumar (LordOfBooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

As born in a traditional Hindu family, I quite often experience with some of the religious rituals, after noticing scriptures and art forms I was curious enough to know what all this is about.  By seeing god/goddess idols I was enthusiastic about the meaning of these marvelous paintings and idols.  In the book ‘7 secrets of Shiva’ the author Devdutt clearly explains about the significance of each and everything related to the worship of Shiva, Ganapathy, Sakthi and Murugan and the meaning of each and every rituals, the meaning of the scriptures, idols, the meaning of different names of Shiva, Sakthi, Ganapathy and Muruga.

For all the spiritual enthusiasts this book would be a treasure.  To read, to re-read and to spread the knowledge to our future generations who will feel doubtful by seeing the cultural significance of the rituals.  

[Shivam Chaturvedi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Go bask in the glory of the Lord

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O69QL...

[Sujata Sahni]

What seperates humans from animals is imagination. The cerebrum helps humans understand the notions of reality beyond the senses.

From fear comes all corruption. Fear transforms living creatures into the predator or the prey. The fear of scarcity haunts the predator and the fear of predation haunts the prey and without realising, every victim is also a victimiser and there is no escape from this cycle of life.

Without empathy, there is no evolution. Wisdom is meaningless unless it enables the liberation of those trapped in fear.

Culture is a human delusion. Culture distracts man from outgrowing the beast and discovering humanity. Though the means are different, the role of Dharma and Vairagya are the same. They seek to transform Praja-Pati, he who commands over human society, into Pashu-pati, he who outgrows the animal within.

Food alone does not satify hunger. Hindus believe that there are three bodies, the mental, the physical and the subconscious memories which could be full of fears and resulting prejudices which also create hunger. It is this subconscious memory that outlives death. To overcome these fears and prejudices to clean the sub conscious, one has to outgrow them in the physical body.

Face fear to outgrow it. The stories of Shiva's two sons Ganesha, a symbol of prosperity and Murugan the warrior son help to depict the victory of good over evil.

Destruction is Deconstruction. Contruction means a perception of the world shaped by a measuring scale that depends on cultural norms and personal prejudices. This changes every time there is a change in cultural norms or prejudices. Thus the perception can be de-constructed and re-constructed. One often uses the word illusion that typically states that logic can help decipher the truth free of all bias. The word construction however admits that all understanding is rooted in bias.

[Astha Vyas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before starting the review, I would like to confess; I always wanted to read Devdutt because he wrote about mythology (that, I absolutely love to uncover) but always found something else to read. I must say, we all have that list of movies, books or places to visit; that we never complete but here I finally read his book. 

I, for the first time listened to Devdutt in "Unlikely Pairings Episode 1: Biswa Kalyan Rath and Devdutt Pattanaik" on the YouTube channel - Books on Toast (Confession time again: I love Books on Toast, but watched this particular episode coz I simply love the comic style of Biswa). His (Devdutt's) genius mastery on Hindu Mythology, blew me away and I made my mind to read his books. 

Recently, got a chance to get a free copy of '7 Secrets of Shiva' through Amazon Prime's monthly offer and I knew, I had to grab it. Somehow, everything fell into place; I had been wanting to read Devdutt and on top of that my curiosity towards Shiva is unparalleled.

"Bhairava rides the dog to remind us of our animal instincts and our amplified fears that have constructed the notion of property. Like dogs we cling to ‘me’ and ‘mine’ and are wary of what is ‘not mine’. We call this love, but it is in fact attachment as they give us identity and meaning."

So, here are the 7 reasons, why you must read '7 Secrets of Shiva':

1) It brings Shiva into a totally new light which is refreshing and true to its core.

2) This book explores all the versions of stories of Shiva and try to find a point of convergence.

3) It's not only just 'Gyan' (knowledge); it gives you a perspective on Shiva and other gods.

4) The author hasn't shied away from the relatively so called Taboo side of Shiva and his bhakts.

5) It not only is about Shiva, it is about every God or Demi God that comes in the ambit of Shiva.

6) It is divided in 7 chapters that specifically deal with an in and out of a particular topic like Lingeshwara, Bhairava, Ganesha etc.

7) It's indigenous and I say it with pride. We have a bipolar situation where either the Mythology is seen from the perspective of people, not native to India or people who are native but preach too much. This book is an insight of the vast Hindu Mythological universe which is a perfect blend.

So, here it is. I am done with it. Finally. How much I loved this book? Too much. I'll certainly go and buy his other books to feel the rush (the rush when I read a good book and on top of it, if it has mythology in it; hallelujah).

"Shiva mocks Brahma’s delusion by always appearing in a state of intoxication. He is always shown drinking or smoking narcotic hemp. In intoxication, one refuses to accept reality and assumes oneself to be the master of the world. When the reference point is aham, not atma, when the world is only Brahmanda not Prakriti, one is as deluded as one who is intoxicated."

P.S. I love Dogs ;)

Book Information

Pages: 234

Language: English

Genre: Mythology

My Rating: 4.5/5

[Pooja Kashyap · Rating 2 out of 5]

7 Secrets of Shiva by Devdutt Pattanaik is a mythological book. I thought the book might talk about the physics behind formation of Shiva, I mean the symbolism behind the Hindu god. Rather, the book talks about the legends spun around Shiva and family giving pictorial representations of various art, painting, and sculptures across India. I was not really looking for this in the book.

I did read the book, it is a quick read. It talks about Lingeshwara, or the Shiva Ling. The reasons or the story behind the names Bhairava, Shankara, Bholenath and Nataraja. The last two chapters talks about his two sons, Ganesha, and Murugan.

The author gave a passing reference to topics like immortality and soul. However, not much was said about the three states of Shiva: Nirgun, Saguna & Nirgun-Sagun. The book is good for readers who enjoy reading stories and legends and names behind Shiva.

[Spandana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short read....

[Idea Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

I immensely enjoyed ‘The Pregnant King‘ and ‘Jaya‘. A lot of things draw me to Dr.Pattanaik’s writings. I have a dispassionate relationship with religion, customs and the concept of God & gods. Most writing on religion reads like a priest’s preaching. I want to read about faith, belief & customs from an objective perspective and not from inside a “You must revere this or DIE!” mindset. All that I’ve read of Dr.Pattanaik’s writing so far, has matched that need. It has been refreshing to read his thoughts and even old stories, expressed without a fundamentalist ‘This is a God so we don’t question anything he/she does.’ attitude. I’m afraid 7 Secrets Of Shiva did not do the same. It was as dry and preachy as the aforementioned religious treatises that I’ve taken much care to avoid.

Secondly, the other books I mentioned (Jaya & The Pregnant King) contained a fair degree of the author’s own analysis of beliefs. His articles often carry forward an idea from mythology and apply it to realities of our modern times. But 7 Secrets of Shiva seems to be no more than a collation of several floating stories about Shiva, with no sign of the author’s objective intellect showing.

Most notably, every Pattanaik work I’ve read so far has been beautifully illustrated by his own simple, distinctive sketches. I couldn’t find a single one in 7 Secrets of Shiva. Instead the book contains plenty of black and white photographs & paintings. The starkness of this is only compounded by a large font size, the kind you usually see in children’s books. Where is the quality I’ve come to expect from a Pattanaik book?

I get the feeling that I’m not the intended audience for this book. Perhaps it is a book for those completely unfamiliar with Hindu mythology and want a ready primer on the Shiva myth. Even so, I would rather recommend a simple Amar Chitra Katha over the dry, heavy tome that is 7 Secrets of Shiva. For the first time in my reading life, Dr.Devdutt Pattanaik disappoints.

[Indah Jamtani · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very enlightening book. Born and raised as a Hindu, being brought up going to “education of human value” classes, I wished any or all of my teachers had shared these secrets. The household O was raised in was pretty liberal.. my Grandfather spoke of Hinduism in India, Java and Bali and spiritualism, My father spoke of spiritualism and basic Human behavior and encouraged us to read and understand our and other cultures. My mother bought me a pictured Bible to help me with my Christianity classes (I went to a Christian school). And I went to a “Sri Satya Sai Baba” school in Delhi for my middle school where we read the Mahabharat and Ramayan as part of Hindi and Sanskrit curriculum and had an “education of human value” classes instead of “hinduism” classes.
As such, I was never raised with a “must be a Hindu” attitude or that other religions are not as superior. Instead i was raised with all good values of all the religions i was raised in and I grew up more of a Spiritualist rather than sticking with one sets of religious rules.
However, it has always saddened me that my Christian friends knew the Bible inside and out and all the stories and teachings, and my Muslim friends could recite the whole Quran, while i only knew the stories from the Mahabharata and Ramayana but never really learning and understanding the lessons it brings.
As I started my journey to knowing the religion I was born into, I realize that Hinduism isn’t a set a rules, but more of a guide for the way of life. And this book highlights my thoughts as the Author tells stories of Shiva and relatable knowledge behind it.
I would recommend everyone who is interested in Hinduism, be it as a mythology or organized religion, to read this series. And for parents, seniors, teachers of Hindu related classes to read, understand and share these secrets to their young ones (well perhaps young adults)

[Jason Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devdutt Pattanaik is one of the most polarizing figures in India. He is loved and hated by many Hindus because of his interpretations of certain texts through the lens of mythology. But, personally, I feel he is misunderstood and judged harshly just based on his behavior on Twitter. For myself, I have learned a lot from Devdutt and have enjoyed his books and lectures. He is considered the Joseph Campbell of our times in regards to mythology, and rightly so. He is a genius when it comes to mythology. His understanding of the myths that define India are second to none. And this particular book, 7 Secrets of Shiva, is one of the best books on Shiva and mythology I have read. He explores the symbols and culture surrounding Shiva, for example, the famous Shiva-linga. Devdutt's explanation of the stories, symbols and rituals about Shiva are amazing. They reveal a deeper reality and meaning within the Shaiva tradition. We might be familiar with the story of Shiva and Parvarti's marriage, but we might take the story at face value and not understand the deeper meaning of the story and this is where Devdutt comes in to enlightening our view. This book makes the explicit patterns that are implicit in the stories, symbols and rituals of Shiva cognizant. Mythology is often confused with falsity which is a misunderstanding in India due to Western beliefs. But in truth, mythology is a deeper reality that underlies all of the great traditions and has much more significance than taking the stories literally. Devdutt Pattanaik is leading the way in bringing the depth of mythology back to the forefront of human consciousness. The 7 Secrets of Shiva is the evidence of that. Highly recommended.

[Satyajit Lele · Rating 1 out of 5]

I will tell you the secret, there isn't any. I mean I don't know what writer thought when he decided to write this book. It's nothing but series of illogical mythological stories behind different names of Shiva. There's no flow to the stories, sometimes haphazard, many times repetitive. Not worth spending even a penny or a minute, give it a pass

[Prem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever thought what does 3 horizontal lines in Shiva's forehead denotes ? What does linga symbolically inform us ? What is the meaning of vinayaka ? and so many such questions araise and this book answers
such questions. Author researched so many information. Good to read.

[Karishma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insight of the God of Gods... Shiva! Jai ho Bholenath!

[Avenger · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the book title suggests, the book revolves around the Hindu God Shiva. This book gives a deep insight into Lord Shiva.
The book contains information such as Why Shiva is worshiped as a Linga and not as statue, How Shiv-linga manifested into a worshiping idol, Why Shiva bedecks himself with serpent, ash and animal hide, why Brahma is not worshipped, why Gauri married hermit Shiva and turned him into household Shankara, how Shiva reaches out for the benefit of people through Ganesha and Kartikeya,
What approach we need to have towards prakriti, how we can attain moksha once we outgrow fear, what Nataraja pose signifies,information about his various incarnations such as Bhairava, veerbhadra, datta, Khnadoba etc and much more !!!

Evolvement of relationship between Mahadev and Parvati is nicely depicted.

The author has given a rational approach to the Purusha- Prakriti concept which has helped making this book an intriguing one.
People who dont have much knowledge about Hindu God Shiva, then this is a must read. When we enter temple, we pray god and we take rounds, but why do we do that ? All such basic ideas have been explained. You will be enriched with knowledge if you are completely new into this field.
The author has presented beautiful paintings and pictures of god and goddess to convey his ideas.

I am looking forward to read more of Devdutt Pattanaik books.
The only complain I had regarding this book is it's cost. It's a costly one.

Anyways, 4 stars!!!!

[Aashna Bajaj]

Its a great read for a person looking for to get some insight into the Hindu mythology. It mainly talks about the Hindu ascetic god Shiva and the various forms he is worshipped in, throughout the country. He is known as the Lingeshwara and the Shankara, he is untouched and unperturbed by the worldly ways and material possessions. He marries the goddess Parvati in forms of Shakti and others, who tries to tame him into being a husband, who provides for his wife, but eventually gives in and accepts him for his innocent and powerful ways. He's the reason the world exists, he is the destroyer, but all in all, he is the one who is feared the most.

The author through this book, draws parallels between the paintings and murals produced all over India, depicting various forms and stories projected relating to shiva. All these pictorial depictions tell a tale and how they are all related and how the stories string together even though they have made and found in different parts of the country. The use of the these has been to the the advantage and further helps to understand the text better. It fulfills my need and want to know more about Lord Shiva. OM NAMAH SHIVAY!

[Sandeep · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a good read. A person who is totally unaware about God of God, Lord Shiva, and who is desperate to know about Him, will thoroughly enjoy this book. Though already I am aware of some of the facts about Lord Shiva it was interesting to learn about Hindu mythology but really I expected something more than what the author has expressed. What made much difference here is the portrayal of all the relevant photos with explanation, whenever he try to explain some facts about God.

Why we worship Shiva Linga? Who is Bhairava, shankara, Bholenath and Nataraja? what are the secrets of Ganesha and Murugan? The author also explains about sati's marriage to shiva, impact of her death on him and why he treats devas and asuras equally also how he is different from Lord Vishnu?. The author has given his answers in two versions like how south indians and north indians intepret and understand the same aspect in different version.

[Priyanka yadav · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the worst books I have read so far! Specially for someone who is not into mythology and stuff, it is the worst first book you could read about the subject. And probably the last, because this book makes you lose any interest you might have in mythology. As the author says, humans are blessed with imagination! So that's our mythology in short - imagine anything you want to and then imagine gazillion explanations to "make sense" of it...for instance the rudraksh that lord shiva wears, symbolizes celibacy! I am not an atheist, in fact I love shiva, and it is possible that these metaphors are explained in a much better way elsewhere but this book is very badly written. Thank god I finished it in two days!

[Shalin Khatri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pattanaik has been wrongly condemned for adding opinion in his writing. Critiques write that Devdutt prefers to write the analysis of the mythical story rather than focusing on the plot itself. 7 secrets of Shiva is yet another example of how Devdutt analyzes Shiva and His stories from Puranas and folklores.

I, along with many of Devdutt's admirers, have absolutely no problem if he analyzes the stories and makes them worth reading by giving them an appropriate context. Mythology can seem to be equivocal and strange if one lacks the background and morals about it. Devdutt gives his best to resurrect the deeper meaning and learning of these stories and thus he succeeds to convert religious texts into interesting and sincere tales.

[Sanjay Chaudhary]

Good to know many aspects of shiva. This is interesting summation

When two people meet, initially fear governs the relationship.This fear goes away when each one is convinced the other is no threat. This fear is amplified when one dominates the other. Shiva offers the third way, one where fear is outgrown. This happens when one empathises with the other, when there is love for the other, when one recognises the autonomy of the other and neither seeks to dominate or be dominated or dependent in any way. But to empathise with the other, we have to look at the other, not in fear, but with genuine affection and sensitivity. This is darshan, the gaze of understanding.

[Karthick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why he is called as "Destroyer"? because he killed asuras?
He gives us the strength to overcome fear and helps us to realise the heros, villian & victims in the world.
We are the Heroes,
We are the villains,
WE are the Victims.
When fear is destroyed, there is no hero, no villain, no victim!
Shiva, the Destroyer of Fear!!


Lingeswara, SHankara, Bhairava, Bholenath,Nataraja - all the secrets are mind blowing!
A must read for Shiva lovers!

Har Har Mahadev!

[Jatin Mehta · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too fragmented, more confusing than enlightening

The book could have been enlightening. But, the flow is too fragmented, making it very difficult to grasp the views of the author. It would seem that random aspects of Shiva have been sprinkled haphazardly by the author without threading them together for a holistic portrayal of Shiva. This confuses rather than enlighten the reader about Shiva.

[Anirudh Kukreja · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful collection of Lord Shiv's teachings, stories and mythology/theology. One can learn alot from each story.
However, I didn't care much for the style of writing, I wish the story was a bit more linear and not so haphazard.

[Karishma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another of Pattanaik's excellent books on mythology which contains his trademark scholarship blended with a keen sense of understanding the historical and cultural significance of the gods and goddesses he's writing about, something missing from a lot of other books on the topic. He rightly spends time explaining the apparent paradox of western religions worshipping a God who is a Creator of the world while Hindus worship the destroyer, Shiva. It's clear that he's not worshipped alone or in isolation from his beloved Shakti, the Mother Goddess, the embodiment of Nature, who is his literal better half, a concept far divorced from the deeply patrilineal notion of a Father as a creator of the universe.

The book explores Shiva as a symbol, a personification and most importantly as a person with his own quirks and characteristics that make him unique and deserving of worship - a man who fuses his body with his wife's to guarantee her a share in his worship just as stubbornly as he refuses to build her a house for shelter. A man who gives in to his rage and beheads his own son, and a man with the equanimity to draw no line of discrimination between his worshippers be they kings or ghouls.

The God whose deathly righteous anger the other gods fear is also the God who teaches mankind to look beyond fear.

The book talks of his complex nature and his secrets while not really hidden from those who know their Indian mythology will thrill you enough to remind you that the Lord of Destruction is also the Lord protector of life. And it is this duality that is the real secret.

[Ameya Tarde · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book “7 Secrets of Shiva” can be summed up with the closing lines of the book:

“Shiva helps us realise that heroes, villains and victims are creations of fear. When fear is destroyed, there is no hero or villain or victim. Shiva, the destroyer, offers wisdom to outgrow fear. This is liberation. This is moksha.”

Mythology is a very interesting and at the same time a controversial genre. If narrated with utmost interest; backed with thorough study, makes for wonderful reading. I purposefully stay away from any book that is related to Lord Shiva. Amish & Devdutt Patnaik are the only exceptions. And after reading their books about Lord Shiva; I must say my love and devotion towards Lord Shiva has increased manifold.

After reading the book I must say that the stories have been recited to me as a kid by my grandparents for more than umpteen times. So these stories don’t come up as any secret to me. But I must admit that no one had told the logic behind these stories. Devdutta Patnaik clears the logic behind these stories and that to me is the Secret behind Shiva.

If you are interested to read some fascinating tales and the secret behind them then this book is for you. Do read it; you won’t be disappointed.

[Love Among the Bookshelves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shiva has no beginning and no end . He is timeless . He is the destroyer . He is the Trikaladarshi . He is the vile unhygienic mendicant Purusha before Prakriti comes into his life , when he becomes the tame householder Shankara . He performs the slow sensual Lasya dance as well the 'all hell breaks loose' Tandava .

Devdutt adresses seven such facets of Shiva's personality, more as an ideology than a God . He explains the 'concept' of Shiva using several anecdotes and metaphors and goes into the depths of biology even , to explain what Shiva means to him truly. He explores the conjectures regarding Shiva's "secrets" in his various forms like the Lingeshwara , Shankara , Bholenatha and several others . He even discusses the foreign way of looking at this scenario along with throwing light on some other people associated with him like Kali , Murugan and Ganesha.

I am definitely recommending this book to you , if you're a fan of Mythology. It is a heavy read , because there is a lot of philosophy and abstract thought as well .
My thoughts about Shiva are crystal clear after my tryst with this book . You can go ahead this one if you want to know more about Shiva!Happy Reading!