Shashishekhara — 108 Names of Shiva

Shashishekhara is one of the most poetic and visually evocative names of Shiva, meaning 'The one who has the moon (Shashi) at his crest (Shekhara).' The moon in Indian thought represents the mind (Chandra ma manaso jatah). Shiva wearing the moon signifies his absolute mastery over the mind and its fluctuating emotions. While the moon waxes and wanes, Shiva remains the eternal witness, unaffected by these changes. Furthermore, the moon is the vessel of 'Soma' or 'Amrita,' the nectar of immortality. In the practice of Laya Yoga, the moon is located at the 'Bindu' point at the back of the head, from which the nectar of bliss drips down to rejuvenate the body. By contemplating Shashishekhara, the seeker aspires to reach that state of coolness and mental stability. Scripturally, Shiva took the moon upon his head to save it from the curse of decay, showing his role as the savior of those who seek refuge in him. This epithet also points to the integration of opposites: Shiva, associated with the fierce heat of asceticism and the fire of destruction, carries the cooling moon, symbolizing a perfect balance of 'Agni' and 'Soma.' To meditate on Shashishekhara is to visualize a silver crescent moon atop the matted locks of the Lord, radiating a soft, white light that calms the frantic thoughts of the devotee, bringing about a state of 'Manonmana'—the state where the mind dissolves into the light of pure consciousness.