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Why do we whisper wishes into Nandi's ears?
Rasha Thadani's blissful moment with Nandi piqued our curiousity around the age-old, innocent tradition
Actor Rasha Thadani recently shared an Instagram photo dump, which rather sweetly began with two pictures of her whispering into the ear of, what appears to be a venerated statue of Nandi. For those unaware of the context, it is believed that if you manage to whisper a deep-seated wish into the ears of Nandi, Shiva's divine bull, consider it as good as fulfilled. We dive into the origins of the tradition, coupled with the correct way to go about it.
Who is Nandi?
Nandi literally means 'the joyful one'. Put simply, as it goes for every Hindu God and Goddess, Lord Shiva too has his own vahana, Nandi, the sacred bull, who is considered to be His most steadfast devotee. The Shiva Purana and the Saiva Agamas describe him as the guardian of Lord Shiva's divine abode, the Kailash Parvat. He is always narrated and visualised as standing watch at the celestial abode.
Hardly any Shiv Mandir is complete without a statue of Nandi, which typically sits squarely opposite the garbhagriha in a way that His gaze remains fixed on the lingam statue. In a way, this can be seen as the unmatched position Nandi occupies, right between the divine and the devotee, which also symbolically sits well into His status as the divine conduit.
The mythology
The Shiva Purana carries the story of when Gods and sages found themselves unable to reach Lord Shiva, as he was true to form, immersed in his all-consuming meditation. It was Nandi who then turned conduit. He conveyed their plea to Lord Shiva after gently drawing Him out of his tap. This is mythologically believed to be the episode which established Nandi as essentially a divine bridge, taking devotees' close-kept desires, directly to Lord Shiva.
The spiritual contingent
The very act of whispering a prayer is deliberate. But sincerity and true faith is the key. As is the case with any ritual, indulging in it from a performative sense can only take you so far in your spiritual journey. Secondly, a whisper carries a sense of intimacy. It's akin in sharing a secret to a confidant - divine in this case - with a heavy hand of quiet faith.
The ritual
The ritual could not be simpler. After offering your prayers to Lord Shiva, make your way to Nandi's statue and bow down in a way so that you're facing the lingam. Be sure to shut your eyes and whisper into Nandi's right ear. To stand before Nandi and whisper your prayer is to quite literally fall into alignment with Him and Lord Shiva.
What is that one wish you'd like to whisper into Nandi's ears?
