Who is Aghori?
The word Ghor means dreadful, gloomy, and hideous. “A” is a prefix that negates the meaning of the letters appearing after “A” and so “Aghor” means that which is not dreadful, not gloomy and certainly not hideous. We all carry a shadow of darkness within us and this is part of Ghor. Just like a child who is frightened of the dark and will not venture into a dark passage alone. Infact many times even adults are afraid of the dark. But if you light up or illuminate the passage that was dark you are not afraid any more.
Just as those who fear the spirits, ghosts or creatures or uncertainty are bound to remain rooted to earthly fears and uncertainties and remain oblivious to the clarity of supreme consciousness. Only the Veer or Brave can be near the Shiva tatva who have defied death and liberated themselves from fear and uncertainties of life.
The one who has won over the inner beasts and ghosts are the real devotees of Shiva. These are called aghoris, avadhutas, paramhamsas, gunatitas and turiyatitas. They are the ones who have transcended beyond the body duality. This quality and form of supreme consciousness is the blessing of Shiva and can be referred to as “AGHOR”. It is the Shiva who helps Agori live in “Abhaya” which is Fearlessness. Aghori is derived from Sanskrit which can be closely described as the one who is fearless.
Aghoris are fearless followers of Shiva manifested as Bhairava, who seek liberation from the cycle of birth and death. This liberation is an awareness of one’s self with the ultimate. They firmly believe that all opposites for example like birth and death, happiness and sorrow are illusionary and the purpose of life is realization or awareness of Non duality or “Advaita” through breaking of social norms , achieving what is basically a different state of consciousness and ultimately to be able to see and perceive the false nature of all forms of conventional life and its various manifestations.
Conclusion-
Difference between Aghoris should not be confused with Shivnetras who too are devout devotees of Shiva however they do not indulge in extreme, tamasic or dark spiritual practices.
Shivnetras engage in sattvic/pure worship.
” हर हर महादेव ” 🔱🚩🕉️
