Meaning and elaboration
Meaning: Salutations To The one who has a top-knot or a crest, like a peacock.
Elaboration
The name Shikhine is derived from the Sanskrit word Shikhi or Shikha.
The Top-Knot (Shikha) In traditional Hindu practice, a Shikha is a tuft of hair on the crown of the head, often left unshorn after Mundan (tonsure) for spiritual and ritual reasons. It symbolizes knowledge, spiritual attainment, and connection to the divine. For yogis, the Shikha can represent the subtle energy center at the crown chakra (Sahasrara), where divine energy enters and kundalini ascends. By addressing Shiva as Shikhine, it signifies his supreme spiritual realization and his embodiment of all yogic powers and knowledge.
The Crest Shikhi also refers to a crest, like that of a bird, especially a peacock. The peacock is a significant bird in Hinduism, often associated with beauty, immortality, and various deities (e.g., Kartikeya, the son of Shiva, rides a peacock). The resplendent and vibrant crest of a peacock can symbolize the radiant and glorious aspect of Shiva, who, despite his ascetic nature, is also the source of all beauty and aesthetic splendor in the cosmos. It implies his dazzling, captivating, and majestic presence.
The Fire God (Agni) Another profound meaning of Shikhi is "fire," specifically referring to Agni, the Vedic god of fire. Agni is often depicted with flames as his "crest" or "hair." As Shiva is deeply connected to fire in various forms—from the fire of asceticism (tapas) that consumes ignorance, to the funeral pyre, to the cosmic fire of dissolution (pralaya)—being called Shikhine links him to the primordial energy of Agni. This suggests his power as the purifier, the illuminator, and the transformative force that brings about both creation and destruction. It aligns with his manifestation as Kalabhairava, the fierce aspect embodying the ultimate transformative power of time and destruction, akin to a cosmic inferno.
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