I have been in Somnath. This has been something that I’ve been wanting to see, because Somnath temple has been an iconic place.
There is a legend that, after the satanic verses event happened in Arabia, they moved two of those divine entities, that they believed in, tow of the goddesses, to Somnath. It is because of this that Ghazni came all the way from Afghanistan to destroy this temple. And, it’s for this reason that again and again, it is said over 17 times, it was destroyed – but rebuilt in 1950, because of the determination of Sardar Patel, Rajendra Prasad (who was the President of the nation at that time). They built a magnificent temple. At the edge of the ocean, it is like the beginning of the land, and the temple is a fantastic place.
Somnath – This is intoxication or inebriation of Shiva
And, this is Somnath. This is intoxication or inebriation of Shiva. For the many things that we do in our lives – if you want to take more and more and do, if your activity has to cross your personal limits, then you need a certain sense of intoxication. Intoxication does not mean you drinking a glass of wine every evening, or getting sloshed out every weekend, it’s not about that.
It is just that, every moment of your life, there must be a sense of intoxication. Otherwise there is not enough lubrication in your life for you to be active beyond personal likes and dislikes. If one has to really function efficiently in this world, beyond one’s personal likes and dislikes, beyond one’s personal ambitions and needs, but simply in the world, doing everything that one can do in their life – then, you need a certain level of inebriation.
And, this is what Somnath means. He is in that state of intoxication, where limitlessly he can involved himself in this world.
So, Somnath temple is something worth visiting for everybody. This is very significant, culturally and historically, for India. And, above all, in the Yogic sciences, there is a Somasutra – which talks about how to get intoxicated. Intoxication, not because of consumption of external substances, but because you manage your chemistry so well that you are always blissed out.
