Panchavaktra (Five-Headed Shiva) Poem by EU STRESS

Brushing aside thick, rustling foliage,
I shuffled through critical ordeals,
Amidst obscurities in a black forest,
Following a ray,
And discovered
In a dilapidated temple -
A five-headed idol of Shiva in meditation,
Cast in milk-white marble -
Radiating a brilliant white glow.

{Vision inspired by The Sacred Chants of Shiva by Craig Pruess.}
*********************************************************************************
[The significance of the symbolism in the vision was later clarified:

Shiva has five major forms and five major energies. Aghora- Shiva in cremation grounds, most often associated with death and mourning. Ishana- The form of Shiva symbolizing that which is invisible yet omnipresent. Tatpurasha- Signifies the power of meditation. Vamadeva- Represents Shiva's immortality and is also known as eternal Shiva. This form also signifies the repetitiveness of the cycle between destruction and preservation. Saddyojat or Braddharudra- Represents Shiva’s destructive, wrathful side and is the form Shiva takes when people do not follow Karma. These five forms are all depicted in the five-headed form of Shiva known as Panchavaktra.]