There are countless Shiva stories in the Puranas. In one story, Shiva burns Kama (the God of love) with the fire of his third eye. In another, Shiva saves Rishi Markandeya by destroying Kala (time implying death). What is the meaning behind these stories?
Kama means desire. In contemporary terms, it means sexual desire, but the original meaning is just desire. Taking the more contemporary meaning, it causes birth. Taking the original meaning of just desire, Hinduism teaches us that we have chosen to come to the material world because we have unfulfilled material desires. Multi-layered in meaning, desire causes birth.
Kala means time. It is also known as the great destroyer and one that destroys all. All that is born has to die. It is only a matter of time.
How do you, who has a body, permanently escape the material world without returning? You have to escape the cycle of birth and death (Samsaara).
Shiva is symbolically shown as the one who destroys both desire (implying birth) and time (implying death), who can redeem you from the material life.
Another interesting aspect of Shiva is that he is known as the destroyer (in the Trinity behind creator, preserver & destroyer). What is destroyed? Shiva is represented as the Sahasraara Chakra in your body, at the top of the head where the soul (Jivaatma) resides. After strenuous efforts in deep meditation, when the Kundalini is awakened and risen through the Chakras, when the Kundalini reaches the Sahasraara Chakra, material life as we know it is over. All material desires are overcome, and the physical body is dead, with no requirement to return to the material world. Shiva is the destroyer of your material desires and material body.
Reference:
Upanyasam by Sri Muralidhara Swamigal
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