Shiva A statue in Bangalore depicting Shiva meditating Devanagari: शिव Abode: Mount Kailāsa[1] Mantra: Aum Namah Sivaya Weapon: Trident (Trishul) Consort: Parvati or Sati or Shakti or Durga Mount: Nandi (bull)

Shiva (IAST: Shiva, also spelled Shiva; Hindi, Shiv , Bengali, Shib, Telugu: శివుడు ) is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. Often called "the Destroyer", Shiva is one of the Trimurti, along with Brahma the Creator and Vishnu the Preserver. Within Shaivism he is viewed as the supreme deity, where as in other branches of Hinduism such as the Smarta tradition he is worshipped as one of five manifestations of the divine. Followers of Hinduism who focus their worship upon Shiva are called Shaivites or Shaivas (Sanskrit Śaiva).^[2] His role as the primary deity of Shaivism is reflected in his epithets Mahādeva ("great god"; mahā = great + deva = god),^[3][4] Maheśvara ("great lord"; mahā = great + īśvara = lord),^[5][6] and Parameśvara ("Supreme Lord").^[7] Shaivism, along with Vaiṣṇava traditions that focus on Vishnu, and Śākta traditions that focus on the goddess (Devī) are three of the most influential denominations in Hinduism.^[8] // Siva, Shiva, and similar may refer to: Shiva or Åšiva, Hindu God Shaivism, religion devoted to Shiva Shivā, another name of Parvati, Shivs consort Shiva (Judaism), Jewish ritual of mourning Å iva or Å iwa, Slavic goddess Shiva (strain), strain of Cannabis sativa subsp. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (768x1024, 106 KB) Summary This image has been (or is hereby) released into the public domain by its creator, Deepak gupta. ... For other uses, see Bangalore (disambiguation). ... Mount Kailash (officially: Kangrinboqê; Tibetan: Gang Rinpoche, གངས་རིན་པོཅཧེ་; Wylie: Gangs Rin-po-che; ZWPY: Kangrinboqê; Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Hindi कैलाश पर्वत, Kailāśā Parvata) is a peak in the Gangdisê mountains, the source of some of the longest rivers in Asia—the Indus River, the Sutlej River, a tributary of the Ganges... Aum Namah Åšivāya (IAST transliteration, refer to Sanskrit for pronunciation, Devanagari: ॐ नमः शिवाय) is among the foremost Vedic mantras. ... Trishul or trishul refers to: A trishul is a type of traditional trident in some parts of India, seen as part of traditional religion, but which can also be used as a lethal weapon. ... For the Harry Potter character, see Parvati Patil. ... Sati may refer to any of the following: The Hindu Goddess Sati, daughter of Daksha and wife of Shiva A social practise in some parts of India in past centuries, often spelt Suttee The Buddhist Sati; see mindfulness. ... Lakshmi is a common aspect of Shakti Shakti meaning force, power or energy is the Hindu concept or personification of Gods female aspect, sometimes referred to as The Divine Mother. Shakti represents the active, dynamic principles of feminine power. ... In Hinduism, Durga (Sanskrit: ) is a form of Devi, the supreme goddess. ... An idol of Nandi in a Chennai temple The largest idol of Nandi is at the Dodda Ganeshana Gudi, Bangalore. ... IAST, or International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration is the academic standard for writing the Sanskrit language with the Latin alphabet and very similar to National Library at Calcutta romanization standard being used with many Indic scripts. ... Telugu may refer to: Telugu language Telugu literature Telugu people Telugu script Telugu films Look up Telugu in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is about the term Deity in the context of mysticism and theology. ... hinduism also involves the exchange of male pun. ... This article is about the Hindu gods. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Vishnu (IAST , Devanagari ), (honorific: Sri Vishnu) also known as Narayana is the Supreme Being (i. ... This article is about the religion Shaivism. ... Smarta is a Hindu follower of Smartism. ... Parameshwara, also transliterated from Sanskrit in various other ways, literally means the Supreme God. ... Vishnu (IAST , Devanagari ), (honorific: Sri Vishnu) also known as Narayana is the Supreme Being (i. ... It has been suggested that Shri Vidya be merged into this article or section. ...

Shiva is one of the five primary forms of the Divine in Smartism, a denomination of Hinduism that puts particular emphasis on five deities, the other four being Vishnu, Devi, Ganesha, and Surya.^[9] Another way of thinking about the divinities in Hinduism identifies Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva as each representing one of the three primary aspects of the divine in Hinduism, known collectively as the Trimurti. In the Trimurti system, Brahma is the creator, Vishnu is the maintainer or preserver, and Shiva is the destroyer or transformer.^[10] Smartism[1], (or Smarta Sampradaya, Smarta Tradition, as termed in Sanskrit), is a denomination of the Hindu religion. ... hinduism also involves the exchange of male pun. ... Vishnu (IAST , Devanagari ), (honorific: Sri Vishnu) also known as Narayana is the Supreme Being (i. ... It has been suggested that Shri Vidya be merged into this article or section. ... For other uses, see Ganesha (disambiguation). ... In Hinduism, Surya (Devanagari: सूर्य, sūrya) is the chief solar deity,one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wife Aditi[1] ,in Nordics Tyr he is said to be the son of Dyaus Pitar. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the Hindu gods. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Vishnu (IAST , Devanagari ), (honorific: Sri Vishnu) also known as Narayana is the Supreme Being (i. ...

Shiva is usually represented by the Shiva linga. In images, he is generally represented as immersed in deep meditation. It has been suggested that Shiva lingham stones be merged into this article or section. ...

Etymology

The Sanskrit word śiva (Devanagari शिव) is an adjective meaning kind, friendly, gracious, or auspicious.^[11][12] As a proper name it means "The Auspicious One", used as a euphemistic name for Rudra.^[13] In simple English transliteration it is written either as Shiva or Siva. Pronunciation is written in the International Phoentic Alphabet as IPA: [ɕivə]. The adjective śiva meaning "auspicious" is used as an attributive epithet not particularly of Rudra, but of several other Vedic deities.^[14] In the Rig Veda, Indra uses this word to describe himself several times. (2:20:3, 6:45:17, 8:93:3) Rigveda manuscript in Devanagari (early 19th century) DevanāgarÄ« (देवनागरी — in English pronounced ) (ISCII – IS13194:1991) [1] is an abugida alphabet used to write several Indian languages, including Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, Kashmiri, Sindhi, Bihari, Bhili, Konkani, Bhojpuri and Nepali from Nepal. ... Rudra (Sanskrit: रुद्रः) (Howler) is a Rigvedic God of the storm, the hunt, death, Nature and the Wind. ... The Rig Veda ऋग्वेद (Sanskrit ṛc praise + veda knowledge) is the earliest of the four Hindu religious scriptures known as the Vedas. ... For other uses, see Indra (disambiguation). ...

The Sanskrit word śaiva means "relating to the god Shiva", and this term is the Sanskrit name both for one of the principal sects of Hinduism, and for a member of one of those sects.^[15] It is used as an adjective to characterize certain beliefs and practices, such as Shaivism.^[16] This article is about the religion Shaivism. ...

The name Shiva is also said to have derived from the Dravidian word “Siva” meaning “to be red”. It is the equivalent of Rudra, “the red” RigVeda.^[17]

Historical development

For the early history see Rudra

The worship of Shiva is a pan-Hindu tradition, practiced widely across all of India.^[18][19] Modern historians believe that the figure of Shiva as we know him today was built-up over time, with the ideas of many regional cults being amalgamated into a single figure.^[20] How the persona of Shiva converged as a composite deity is not well-documented.^[21] Axel Michaels explains the composite nature of Shaivism as follows: Rudra (Sanskrit: रुद्रः) (Howler) is a Rigvedic God of the storm, the hunt, death, Nature and the Wind. ...

Like Vişņu, Śiva is also a high god, who gives his name to a collection of theistic trends and sects: Śaivism. Like Vaişņavism, the term also implies a unity which cannot be clearly found either in religious practice or in philosophical and esoteric doctrine. Furthermore, practice and doctrine must be kept separate.^[22]

An example of assimilation took place in Maharashtra, where a regional deity named Khandoba is a patron deity of farming and herding castes.^[23] The foremost center of worship of Khandoba in Maharashtra is in Jejuri.^[24] Khandoba has been assimilated both as a name for Karttikya^[25] and also as a form of Shiva himself^[26] in which case he is worshipped in the form of a lingam.^[27][28] Shakti M. Gupta clarifies the possible confusion between these two identifications by explaining that one of Karttikeya's functions is as the patron deity of thieves, and it is in this capacity that the tribe called Ramoshis, who are thieves by profession, worship Khandoba.^[29] Khandoba's varied associations also include an indentification with Surya.^[30] The derivation of the name Khandoba has been variously interpreted, and M. S. Mate says that the most commonly-held belief is that it was a distorted form of Skanda, but also notes alternate theories.^[31] , Maharashtra (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र , IPA  , translation: Great Nation) is Indias third largest state in area and second largest in population after Uttar Pradesh. ... Khandoba and Mhalsa killing demons Mani-Malla - Lithograph c. ... Farming, ploughing rice paddy, in Indonesia Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and other desired products by cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals (livestock). ... A man herding goats in Tunisia Herding is the act of bringing individual animals together into a group, maintaining the group and moving the group from place to place—or any combination of those. ... Caste systems are traditional, hereditary systems of social classification, that evolved due to the enormous diversity in India (where all three primary races met, not by forced slavery but by immigration). ... Jejuri is a city and a municipal council in Pune district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. ... It has been suggested that Shiva lingham stones be merged into this article or section. ...

The Pashupati seal

An Indus Valley seal with the seated figure termed pashupati

A seal discovered during excavation of the Mohenjo-daro archaeological site in the Indus Valley has drawn attention as a possible representation of a "proto-Shiva" figure.^[32] This "Pashupati" (Lord of Animals,or Lord of Beings Sanskrit paśupati)^[33] seal shows a seated figure, possibly ithyphallic, surrounded by animals.^[34] Sir John Marshall and others have claimed that this figure is a prototype of Shiva, and have described the figure as having three faces, seated in a "yoga posture" with the knees out and feet joined. Image File history File links This work is copyrighted. ... Image File history File links This work is copyrighted. ... Mohenjo-daro (literally, mound of the dead), like Harappa, was a city of the Indus Valley civilization. ... Excavated ruins of Mohenjo-daro. ... Pashupati(Sanskrit: lord of animals) is a god associated with animals and nature. ...

This claim has not fared well with some modern academics. Gavin Flood characterizes these views as "speculative", saying that while it is not clear from the seal that the figure has three faces, is seated in a yoga posture, or even that the shape is intended to represent a human figure, it is nevertheless possible that there are echoes of Shaiva iconographic themes, such as half-moon shapes resembling the horns of a bull.^[35][36] Historian John Keay is more specifically dismissive, saying:

...there is little evidence for the currency of this myth. Rudra, a Vedic deity later identified with Shiva, is indeed referred to as pasupati because of his association with cattle; but asceticism and meditation were not Rudra's specialties, nor is he usually credited with an empathy for animals other than kine. More plausibly, it has been suggested that the Harappan figure's heavily horned headgear bespeaks a bull cult, to which numerous other representations of bulls lend substance.^[37]

Rudra

Main article: Rudra

Shiva as we know him today shares many features with the Vedic god Rudra^[38] and both Shiva and Rudra are viewed as the same personality in a number of Hindu traditions. Rudra, the god of the roaring storm, is usually portrayed in accordance with the element he represents as a fierce, destructive deity. Rudra (Sanskrit: रुद्रः) (Howler) is a Rigvedic God of the storm, the hunt, death, Nature and the Wind. ... Rudra (Sanskrit: रुद्रः) (Howler) is a Rigvedic God of the storm, the hunt, death, Nature and the Wind. ... For other uses, see Storm (disambiguation). ...

The oldest surviving text of Hinduism is the Rig Veda, which is dated to between 1700–1100 BCE based on linguistic and philological evidence.^[39] A god named Rudra is mentioned in the Rig Veda. The name Rudra is still used as a name for Shiva. In RV 2.33 he is described as the "Father of the Maruts", a group of storm gods.^[40] Rig veda is the oldest text in the world. ... For the journal, see Linguistics (journal). ... Philology, etymologically, is the love of words. It is most accurately defined as an affinity toward the learning of the backgrounds as well as the current usages of spoken or written methods of human communication. The commonality of studied languages is more important than their origin or age (that is... Rudra (Sanskrit: रुद्रः) (Howler) is a Rigvedic God of the storm, the hunt, death, Nature and the Wind. ...

The identification of Shiva with the older god Rudra is not universally accepted, as Axel Michaels explains:

To what extent Śiva's origins are in fact to be sought in Rudra is extremely unclear. The tendency to consider Śiva an ancient god is based on this identification, even though the facts that justify such a far-reaching assumption are meager.^[41]

Rudra is called "The Archer" (Sanskrit: Śarva)^[42] and the arrow is an essential attribute of Rudra.^[43] This name appears in the Shiva Sahasranama, and R. K. Sharma notes that it is used as a name of Shiva often in later languages.^[44] The word is derived from the Sanskrit root śarv- which means "to injure" or "to kill"^[45] and Sharma uses that general sense in his interpretive translation of the name Śarva as "One who can kill the forces of darkness".^[46] The names Dhanvin ("Bowman")^[47] and Bāṇahasta ("Archer", literally "Armed with arrows in his hands")^[48][49] also refer to archery.

Identification with Vedic Deities

Shiva's rise to a major position in the pantheon was facilitated by his identification with a host of Vedic deities, including Agni, Indra, Prajāpati, Vāyu, and others.^[50] Chinese (Wu Xing) Japanese (Godai) Earth (地) | Water (æ°´) | Fire (火) | Air / Wind (風) | Void / Sky / Heaven (空) Hinduism (Tattva) and Buddhism (MahābhÅ«ta) Vayu / Pavan — Air / Wind Agni / Tejas — Fire Akasha — Aether Prithvi / Bhumi — Earth Ap / Jala — Water Bön New Zealand Agni is a Hindu and Vedic deity. ... For other uses, see Indra (disambiguation). ... In Hinduism, Prajapati is Lord of Creatures, thought to be depicted on ancient Harappan seals, sitting in yogic posture, with an erection and what appear to be bison horns. ... Chinese Wood (木) | Fire (火) Earth (土) | Metal (金) | Water (æ°´) Japanese Earth (地) | Water (æ°´) | Fire (火) | Air / Wind (風) | Void / Sky / Heaven (空) Hinduism and Buddhism Vayu / Pavan — Air / Wind Agni / Tejas — Fire Akasha — Aether Prithvi / Bhumi — Earth Ap / Jala — Water In Hinduism, Vayu (Sanskrit वायु (properly transliterated as Vāyu), also known as Vāta वात, Pavana पवन, or Pr...

Agni

Rudra and Agni have a close relationship.^[51][52] The identification between Agni and Rudra in the Vedic literature was an important factor in the process of Rudra's gradual development into the later character as Rudra-Shiva.^[53] The identification of Agni with Rudra is explicitly noted in the Nirukta, an important early text on etymology, which says "Agni is called Rudra also".^[54] The interconnections between the two deities are complex, and according to Stella Kramrisch: Nirukta is Vedic glossary of difficult words. ...

The fire myth of Rudra-Śiva plays on the whole gamut of fire, valuing all its potentialities and phases, from conflagration to illumination.^[55]

In the Śatarudrīa, some epithets of Rudra such as Sasipañjara ("Of golden red hue as of flame") and Tivaṣīmati ("Flaming bright") suggest a fusing of the two deities.^[56] Agni is said to be a bull^[57] and Lord Shiva possesses a bull as his vehicle, Nandi. The horns of Agni, who is sometimes characterized as a bull, are mentioned.^[58][59] In medieval sculpture both Agni and the form of Shiva known as Bhairava have flaming hair as a special feature.^[60] The Shri Rudram Chamakam (Sanskrit श्रि रुद्रम् चमकम्) is a Vedic stotra dedicated to Rudra (an early epithet for the Hindu god Shiva). ... An idol of Nandi in a Chennai temple The largest idol of Nandi is at the Dodda Ganeshana Gudi, Bangalore. ...

Indra

The Indologist, Koenraad Elst proposes that Shiva of Puranic Hinduism is a continuation of the Vedic Indra.^{[citation needed]} He gives several reasons for his hypothesis. Both Shiva and Indra are known for having a thirst for Soma. Both are associated with mountains, rivers, male fertility, fierceness, fearlessness, warfare, transgression of established mores, the Aum sound, the Supreme Self. In the Rig Veda the term śiva is used to refer to Indra. (2.20.3,^[61] 6.45.17,^[62][63] and 8.93.3.^[64] Koenraad Elst is a Belgian orientalist, writer and researcher[1]. He has authored fifteen books on topics related to Hinduism, Indian history, and Indian politics. ... For other uses, see Indra (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Vedic plant and ritual. ... “Om” redirects here. ...

Indra, like Shiva, is likened to a bull.^[65][66]

In the Rig Veda, Rudra is the father of the Maruts, but he is never associated with their warlike exploits as is Indra.^[67] In Hinduism the Maruts, also known as the Marutgana and the Rudras, are storm deities and sons of Rudra and Diti and attendants of Indra. ...

Indra himself is called shiva several times (Rg-Veda 2:20:3, 6:45:17, 8:93:3).

Attributes of Shiva

Shiva Bearing the Descent of the Ganges River as Parvati and Bhagiratha, and the bull Nandi look, folio from a Hindi manuscript by the saint Narayan, circa 1740

• Third Eye: Shiva is often depicted with a third eye with which he burned Desire (Kāma) to ashes.^[68] There has been controversy regarding the original meaning of Shiva's name Tryambakam (Sanskrit: त्र्यम्बकम्), which occurs in many scriptural sources.^[69] In classical Sanskrit the word ambaka denotes "an eye", and in the Mahabharata Shiva is depicted as three-eyed, so this name is sometimes translated as "Having Three Eyes".^[70] However, in Vedic Sanskrit the word ambā or ambikā means "mother", and this early meaning of the word is the basis for the translation "Having Three Mothers" that was used by Max Müller and Arthur Macdonell.^[71][72] Since no story is known in which Shiva had three mothers, E. Washburn Hopkins suggested that the name refers not to three mothers, but to three Mother-goddesses who are collectively called the Ambikās.^[73] Other related translations have been "having three wives or sisters", or based on the idea that the name actually refers to the oblations given to Rudra, which according to some traditions were shared with the goddess Ambikā.^[74]

• Blue Throat: The epithet Nīlakaṇtha (Sanskrit नीलकण्ठ; nīla = blue, kaṇtha = throat)^[75][76] refers to a story in which Shiva drank the poison churned up from the world ocean.^[77][78] (see: Halāhala)

• Crescent Moon: Shiva bears on his head the crescent of the moon.^[79] The epithet Chandraśekhara (Sanskrit: चन्द्रशेखर "Having the moon as his crest" - chandra = Moon, śekhara = crest, crown)^[80][81][82] refers to this feature. The placement of the moon on his head as a standard iconographic feature dates to the period when Rudra rose to prominence and became the major deity Rudra-Shiva.^[83] The origin of this linkage may be due to the identification of the moon with Soma, and there is a hymn in the Rig Veda where Soma and Rudra are jointly emplored, and in later literature Soma and Rudra came to be identified with one another, as were Soma and the Moon.^[84]

• Matted Hair: Shiva's distinctive hair style is noted in the epithets Jaṭin, "The One with matted hair"^[85] and Kapardin, "Endowed with matted hair"^[86] or "wearing his hair wound in a braid in a shell-like (kaparda) fashion".^[87] A kaparda is a cowrie shell, or a braid of hair in the form of a shell, or more generally hair that is shaggy or curly.^[88]

• Sacred Ganga: The Ganga rivers flows from the matted hair of Shiva. The epithet Gaṅgādhara ("Bearer of the river Gaṅgā") refers to this feature.^[89][90] The Ganga (Ganges), one of the major rivers of the country, is said to have made her abode in Shiva's hair.^[91]

• Ashes: Shiva smears his body with ashes (bhasma).^[92] Some forms of Shiva, such as Bhairava, are associated with a very old Indian tradition of cremation-ground asceticism that was practiced by some groups who were outside the fold of brahmanic orthodoxy.^[93] These practices associated with cremation grounds are also mentioned in the Pali canon of Theravada Buddhism.^[94] One epithet for Shiva is "Inhabitant of the cremation ground" (Sanskrit: śmaśānavāsin, also spelled Shmashanavasin) referring to this connection.^[95]

• Tiger skin: He is often shown seated upon a tiger skin.^[96]

• Serpents: Shiva is often shown garlanded with a snake.^[97]

• Trident: (Sanskrit: Trishula) Shiva's particular weapon is the trident.^[98]

• Drum: A small drum shaped like an hourglass is known as a "damaru" (Sanskrit: ḍamaru).^[99][100] This is one of the attributes of Shiva in his famous dancing representation^[101] known as Nataraja. A specific hand gesture (mudra) called ḍamaru-hasta (Sanskrit for "ḍamaru-hand") is used to hold the drum.^[102] This drum is particularly used as an emblem by members of the Kāpālika sect.^[103]

• Nandī, also known as Nandin, is the name of the bull that serves as Shiva's mount (Sanskrit: vāhana).^[104][105] Shiva's association with cattle is reflected in his name Paśupati or Pashupati (Sanskrit पशुपति), translated by Sharma as "Lord of cattle"^[106] and by Kramrisch as "Lord of Animals", who notes that it is particularly used as an epithet of Rudra.^[107]

• Gaṇa : In Hinduism, the Gaṇas (Devanagari: गण) are attendants of Shiva and live in Kailasa. Ganesha was chosen as their leader by Shiva, hence Ganesha's title gaṇa-īśa or gaṇa-pati, "lord of the gaṇas".^[108]

• Mount Kailāsa in the Himalayas is his traditional abode.^[109] In Hindu mythology, Mount Kailāsa is conceived as resembling a linga, representing the center of the universe.^[110]

• Varanasi (Benares) is considered as the city specially-loved by Shiva, and is one of the holiest places of pilgrimage in India.^[111]

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 439 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (469 × 640 pixel, file size: 122 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Shiva Bearing the Descent of the Ganges River as Parvati and Bhagiratha look, folio from a Hindi manuscript by the saint Narayan, circa 1740 Painting; Watercolor... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 439 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (469 × 640 pixel, file size: 122 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Shiva Bearing the Descent of the Ganges River as Parvati and Bhagiratha look, folio from a Hindi manuscript by the saint Narayan, circa 1740 Painting; Watercolor... 17th century representation of the third eye connection to the higher worlds by alchemist Robert Fludd. ... Max Müller as a young man Friedrich Max Müller (December 6, 1823 – October 28, 1900), more commonly known as Max Müller, was a German philologist and Orientalist, one of the founders of Indian studies, who virtually created the discipline of comparative religion. ... Arthur Anthony Macdonell (1854 - 1930), 7th of Lochgarry, was a noted Sanskrit scholar. ... Poison from the sea when Suras (Gods) and Asuras (Demons) churned the sea in order to get the bounties. ... This article is about the Hindu moon deity. ... This article is about the Vedic plant and ritual. ... “Ganga” redirects here. ... Gangadhara Gangadhara refers to a form of the Hindu god Shiva, in His aspect as the one who tamed the river Goddess Ganga, so that She would flow from His locks to the Earth. ... In Hinduism, the river Ganga (Sanskrit and Hindi गंगा Gaá¹…gā) or Ganges River (as called by westerners) is considered sacred. ... For other uses, see Tiger (disambiguation). ... A Trishula Trisula redirects here. ... Bronze Chola Statue of Nataraja Nataraja (literally, The King of Dance) is the dancing posture of Lord Åšiva, the aspect of God as the Destroyer in Hinduism. ... A mudrā (Sanskrit, मुद्रा, literally seal) is a symbolic gesture usually made with the hand or fingers. ... An idol of Nandi in a Chennai temple The largest idol of Nandi is at the Dodda Ganeshana Gudi, Bangalore. ... The worship of the Sacred Bull throughout the ancient world is most familiar in the episode of the idol of the Golden Calf made by Aaron and worshipped by the Hebrews in the wilderness of Sinai (Exodus). ... In Indian mythology, the vahana is the object or vehicle that serves a divinity. ... Pashupati(Sanskrit: lord of animals) is a god associated with animals and nature. ... In Hinduism, Ganas are attendants of Shiva and live in Kailasa. ... hinduism also involves the exchange of male pun. ... Rigveda manuscript in Devanagari (early 19th century) DevanāgarÄ« (देवनागरी — in English pronounced ) (ISCII – IS13194:1991) [1] is an abugida alphabet used to write several Indian languages, including Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, Kashmiri, Sindhi, Bihari, Bhili, Konkani, Bhojpuri and Nepali from Nepal. ... Kailasa (also called Kailash) is believed to be the home of Lord Shiva by Hindus, and is a pilgrimage site. ... For other uses, see Ganesha (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Ganesha (disambiguation). ... Mount Kailash (officially: Kangrinboqê; Tibetan: Gang Rinpoche, གངས་རིན་པོཅཧེ་; Wylie: Gangs Rin-po-che; ZWPY: Kangrinboqê; Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Hindi कैलाश पर्वत, Kailāśā Parvata) is a peak in the Gangdisê mountains, the source of some of the longest rivers in Asia—the Indus River, the Sutlej River, a tributary of the Ganges... For the movie Himalaya, see Himalaya (film). ... , Varanasi (Sanskrit: वाराणसी VārāṇasÄ«, IPA:  ), also known as Benares (Hindi: , Urdu: , IPA: ), or Kashi (Hindi: ), is a famous Hindu holy city situated on the banks of the river Ganges (Ganga) in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. ...

Forms and depictions

According to Gavin Flood, "Śiva is a god of ambiguity and paradox", whose attributes include opposing themes.^[112] The ambivalent nature of this deity is apparent in some of his names and the stories told about him.

Destroyer versus benefactor

In the Yajurveda two contrary sets of attributes for both malignant or terriffic (Sanskrit: rudra) and benign or auspicious (Sanskrit: śiva) forms can be found, leading Chakravarti to conclude that "all the basic elements which created the complex Rudra-Śiva cult of later ages are to be found here."^[113] In the Mahabharata, Shiva is depicted as "the standard of invincibility, might, and terror", as well as a figure of honor, delight, and brilliance.^[114] The duality of Shiva's fearful and auspicious attributes appears in contrasted names. The Yajurveda (Sanskrit , a tatpurusha compound of sacrifice + knowledge) is one of the four Hindu Vedas. ...

The name Rudra (Sanskrit रुद्र) reflects his fearsome aspects. According to traditional etymologies, the Sanskrit name Rudra is derived from the root rud- which means "to cry, howl."^[115] Stella Kramrisch notes a different etymology connected with the adjectival form raudra, which means wild, of rudra nature, and translates the name Rudra as "the Wild One" or "the Fierce God".^[116] R. K. Sharma follows this alternate etymology and translates the name as "Terrible".^[117] Hara (Sanskrit हर) is an important name that occurs three times in the Anushasanaparvan version of the Shiva sahasranama, where it is translated in different ways each time it occurs, following a commentorial tradition of not repeating an interpretation. Sharma translates the three as "One who captivates", "One who consolidates", and "One who destroys."^[118] Kramrisch translates it as "The Ravisher".^[119] Another of Shiva's fearsome forms is as Kāla (Sanskrit: काल), "Time", and as Mahākāla (Sanskrit: महाकाल), "Great Time", which ultimately destroys all things.^{[120][121][122]} Bhairava (Sanskrit: भैरव), "Terrible" or "Frightful"^[123] is a fierce form associated with annihilation.^[124] Rudra (Sanskrit: रुद्रः) (Howler) is a Rigvedic God of the storm, the hunt, death, Nature and the Wind. ... Bhairava (भैरव) is a name of the fearsome aspect of the god Shiva. ...

In contrast, the name Śaṇkara (Sanskrit शङ्कर), "Beneficent"^[125] or "Conferring Happiness"^[126] reflects his benign form. This name was adopted by the great Vedanta philosopher Śaṇkara (c. 788-820 CE), who is also known as Shankaracharya.^[127][128] The name Śambhu (Sanskrit: शम्भु), "Causing Happiness", also reflects this benign aspect.^[129][130] Adi Shankara (Malayalam: ആദി ശങ്കരന്‍, DevanāgarÄ«: , , IPA: ); c. ...

Ascetic versus householder

An illustration of the family of Shiva, consisting of Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha and Skanda (Kartikeya)

He is depicted as both an ascetic yogin and as a householder, roles which are mutually exclusive in Hindu society.^[131] When depicted as a yogin he may be shown sitting and meditating.^[132] His epithet Mahāyogin (The Great Yogi: Mahā = great, Yogin = one who practices Yoga) refers to his association with yoga.^[133] While Vedic religion was conceived mainly in terms of sacrifice, it was during the Epic period that concepts of tapas, yoga, and asceticism, became more important, and the depiction of Shiva as an ascetic sitting in philosophical isolation reflects these later concepts.^[134] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 474 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (600 × 758 pixel, file size: 239 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Shiva and Parvati with Their Children Ganesha and Karttikeya (Skanda) ca. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 474 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (600 × 758 pixel, file size: 239 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Shiva and Parvati with Their Children Ganesha and Karttikeya (Skanda) ca. ... For the Harry Potter character, see Parvati Patil. ... For other uses, see Ganesha (disambiguation). ... Murugan (also Murugan) (Tamil: ) is a popular Hindu deity amongst Tamil Hindus. ... A sculpture of a Hindu yogi in the Birla Mandir, Delhi A yogi (Sanskrit feminine: yogini) is a term for a male who practices various forms of the path of Yoga, maintaining a steadfast mind, the process of transcending the lower self. ... For other uses, see Yoga (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Yoga (disambiguation). ... This article discusses the historical religious practices in the Vedic time period; see Dharmic religions for details of contemporary religious practices. ... The ancient Sanskrit epics, the Ramayana and Mahabharata, laid the cornerstone for much of Hindu religion. ... It has been suggested that Tapasya be merged into this article or section. ... For other uses, see Yoga (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

As a family man and householder he has a wife, Parvati (also known as Umā), and two sons, Ganesha and Skanda. His epithet Umāpati ("The husband of Umā") refers to this idea, and Sharma notes that two other variants of this name that mean the same thing, Umākānta and Umādhava, also appear in the sahasranama.^[135] Umā in epic literature is known by many names, including Pārvatī.^[136][137] She is identifed with Devi, the Divine Mother, and with Shakti (divine energy). For the Harry Potter character, see Parvati Patil. ... For other uses, see Ganesha (disambiguation). ... Skanda is a name of a deity that is popular amongst practicing Hindus and Buddhists Skanda is a Hindu deity also known as Kartikeya and Murugan. ... For the Harry Potter character, see Parvati Patil. ... It has been suggested that Shri Vidya be merged into this article or section. ... Lakshmi is a common aspect of Shakti Shakti meaning force, power or energy is the Hindu concept or personification of Gods female aspect, sometimes referred to as The Divine Mother. Shakti represents the active, dynamic principles of feminine power. ...

Shiva and Parvati are the parents of Karthikeya and Ganesha. Karttikeya is popular in South India (especially in Tamil Nadu as TamilGod) by the names Subrahmanya and Murugan, and in North India he is more popular by the name Skanda, Kumara, or Karttikeya.^[138] In Hinduism, Kartikeya (also Murugan, Subrahmanya, Skanda, Kumaran, Swaminanda) is a deity born out of a magical spark created by Shiva. ... For other uses, see Ganesha (disambiguation). ... Tamil Nadu (தமிழ் நாடு, Land of the Tamils) is a state at the southern tip of India. ... Languages Tamil Religions Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism Related ethnic groups Dravidian people Brahui people Kannadigas Malayalis Tamils Telugus Tuluvas Gonds The Tamil people are a multi-ethnic group from the Indian subcontinent with a recorded history going back more than two millennia. ... Murugan (also Murugan) (Tamil: ) is a popular Hindu deity amongst Tamil Hindus. ...

Nataraja

Bronze Chola Statue depicting Shiva dancing as Nataraja. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.

Main article: Nataraja

The depiction of Shiva as Nataraja (Tamil: நடராஜா, Sanskrit: naṭarāja, "Lord of Dance") is popular.^[139][140] The names Nartaka ("Dancer") and Nityanarta ("Eternal Dancer") appear in the Shiva Sahasranama.^[141] His association with dance and also with music is prominent in the Puranic period.^[142] In addition to the specific iconographic form known as Nataraja, various other types of dancing forms (Sanskrit: nṛtyamūrti) are found in all parts of India, with many well-defined varieties in Tamil Nadu Southern India in particular.^[143] Image File history File links Chola Bronze statue of Nataraja at the Met of New York File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Chola Bronze statue of Nataraja at the Met of New York File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... This article is about the metal alloy. ... The Chola Dynasty (Tamil: , IPA: ) was a Tamil dynasty that ruled primarily in southern India until the 13th century. ... Bronze Chola Statue of Nataraja Nataraja (literally, The King of Dance) is the dancing posture of Lord Åšiva, the aspect of God as the Destroyer in Hinduism. ... Metropolitan Museum of Art New York Elevation The Metropolitan Museum of Art, often referred to simply as the Met, is one of the worlds largest and most important art museums. ... Bronze Chola Statue of Nataraja Nataraja (literally, The King of Dance) is the dancing posture of Lord Åšiva, the aspect of God as the Destroyer in Hinduism. ... Tamil ( ; IPA ) is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamils in India and Sri Lanka, with smaller communities of speakers in many other countries. ... Purana (Sanskrit: , meaning tales of ancient times) is the name of an ancient Indian genre (or a group of related genres) of Hindu or Jain literature (as distinct from oral tradition). ... Tamil Nadu (தமிழ் நாடு, Land of the Tamils) is a state at the southern tip of India. ...

Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Main article: Dakshinamurthy

Dakṣiṇāmūrti (Sanskrit: दक्षिणामूर्ति)^[144] literally describes a form (mūrti) of Shiva facing south (dakṣiṇa). This form represents Shiva in his aspect as a teacher of yoga, music, and wisdom, and giving exposition on the shastras.^[145] This iconographic form for depicting Shiva in Indian art is mostly from Tamil Nadu.^[146] Elements of this motif can include Shiva seated upon a deer-throne and surrounded by sages who are receiving his instruction.^[147] Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... For other uses, see Yoga (disambiguation). ... Tamil Nadu (தமிழ் நாடு, Land of the Tamils) is a state at the southern tip of India. ...

Ardhanarishvara

Chola bronze from the 11th century. Shiva in the form of Ardhanarisvara

Main article: Ardhanari

An iconographic representation of Shiva called Ardhanarishvara shows him with one half of the body as male, and the other half as female.^[148] According to Ellen Goldberg, the traditional Sanskrit name for this form, (Ardhanārīśvara) is best translated as "the lord who is half woman", and not as "half-man, half-woman".^[149] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (360x753, 96 KB) Summary Chola Bronze from the eleventh century CE. siva in the form of Arthanariswara. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (360x753, 96 KB) Summary Chola Bronze from the eleventh century CE. siva in the form of Arthanariswara. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ... In Hinduism, Ardhanari or Ardhanareshvara, is an aspect of Shiva, representing masculinity and femininity. ... Ardhanarishvara (half male-half female God) Note the sculptures left is female and the right is male, depicting Shiva and his consort Shakti/Parvati. ...

Tripurāntaka

Main article: Tripura (mythology)

Shiva is often depicted in the act of destroying the triple fortresses, Tripura, of the Asuras.^[150] Shiva's name Tripurāntaka (Sanskrit: त्रिपुरान्तक), "Ender of Tripura", refers to this important story.^[151] Tripura (meaning three cities, in Sanskrit) was constructed by the great architect Mayasura. ...

Lingam

Main article: Lingam

Also see: Jyotirlinga It has been suggested that Shiva lingham stones be merged into this article or section. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Apart from antropomorphic images of Shiva, the worship of Shiva in the form of a lingam is also important.^{[152][153][154]} These are depicted in various forms. One common form is the shape of a vertical rounded column. It has been suggested that Shiva lingham stones be merged into this article or section. ...

The five mantras