Seven secrets of Shiva

by Devdutt Pattanaik

To domesticate a bull, he has to be castrated. The absence of gonads deprives the animal of male hormones that make him aggressive. He then becomes the gentle bullock, a beast of burden, who can serve society by pulling ploughs and carts. A bullock may be domesticated, but he is unable to father children. To father children, one needs to keep the bull intact. An intact bull is wild and aggressive. It will copulate with cows so that they can give birth to the calf and provide milk. An intact bull cannot be tamed. It must be allowed to roam free for the sake of human prosperity. Nandi the bull represents Shiva’s autonomy and capability. Though Parvati sits beside Shiva, he cannot be fully domesticated. His power comes from his being wild. Through Parvati, Shiva engages with the world but never quite assimilates with it.