I had told you about Shiva’s place in Kundalini Shastra. In a man’s heart, He always enlightens like the light of a lamp. Because of which the knowledge of right-wrong, discretion remains awakened, which goes on forbidding us, don’t do this, this is wrong, this is unrighteous. This is wrong, this is deceitfulness, this is is greed, this is pride, this is jealousy, this is Adharm, this is below the dignity of a man, this is not worthwhile. But the independence that a man has, is used by him very badly and he disregards Shiva.
Shiva drinks the poison of the whole world. Whatever amount of poison is settled in our heart, aversion towards others, evil etc., very impure thoughts, our heart becomes poisonous, when Shiva awakens within us, He drinks that poison. Shiva’s food, His drink is poison, whatever intoxicating things are there, the intoxicants etc., all that is injurious to consciousness is consumed (prashaan) by Shiva. He consumes all the poison of this type, of the world, inside His own being.
(An extract from talk of H H Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi 1977-02-16 Mahashivratri, Delhi, India)