Lord Śiva. The water flowing from his locks is a depiction of the River Ganga considered to be a goddess in Hinduism. In the Puranas, when Ganga descended from the heavens, the Earth could not bear her flow so Lord Śiva agreed to bear it. Lord Śiva's skin turned bluish as he drank the Halahala poison that came out of the Samudra manthan.

Shiva (Sanskrit: शिव or श्रीशिव (when used to distinguish lordly status), and written Śiva in the official IAST transliteration, pronounced as "shιvə") is a form of Ishvara or God in the later Vedic scriptures of Hinduism. Adi Sankara interprets the name Śiva to mean "One who purifies everyone by the utterance of His name" or the Pure One. That is, Śiva is unaffected by the three gunas (characteristics) of Prakrti (matter): Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. In some sects, and widely in the West, Śiva is commonly known as "the destroyer", though this title can be misleading as Shiva appears in a multitude of roles. Additionally, Śiva can also mean, "the Auspicious One." He is often depicted as the husband of Uma or Parvati. In the process of manifestation, Lord Shiva is the primeval consciousness and creates the other members of the trimurti. He is symbolized by the wisdom of the Serpent. He has many other names, for example Shankara and Mahadev. Image File history File links Created by me. ... The Brahmic family is a family of abugidas used in South Asia, Tibet and Southeast Asia. ... Lord Siva This is most probably a work by an Indian artist drawn before 90 years, and no one claims copyrights. ... Lord Siva This is most probably a work by an Indian artist drawn before 90 years, and no one claims copyrights. ... The Ganges River (Ganga in Indian languages; Ganges is the Latin form) (Devanagari गंगा) is a major river in northern India and Bangladesh. ... Poison from the sea when Suras (Gods) and Asuras (Demons) churned the sea in order to get the bounties. ... The skull and crossbones symbol traditionally used to label a poisonous substance. ... // Overview In Hinduism, Samudra manthan or The churning of the ocean of milk is one of the most famous episodes in the Puranas and is celebrated in a major way every twelve years in the festival known as Kumbha Mela. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम्) is a classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... 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. ... Ishvara (ईश्वर in devanagari script, pronunciation Ä«:shvÉ™rÉ™), also variously transliterated (romanized) as Īshvara, Īshwara, Īshwar, Īśvara, etc. ... God is the term used to denote the Supreme Being believed by many people, and especially followers of monotheistic religions, to be the creator, ruler and/or the sum total of, existence. ... Basic beliefs What can be said to be common to all Hindus is the belief in Dharma (duties and obligations), Samsara (Reincarnation/rebirth), Karma (actions, leading to a cause and effect relationship), and Moksha (salvation) of every soul through a variety of paths, such as Bhakti (devotion), Karma (action) and... Sri Adi Sankara Adi Shankaracharya or Adi Shankara (the first Shankara in his lineage), reverentially called Bhagavatpada Acharya (the teacher at the feet of Lord), Shankara (approximately 509- 477 BC (though some claim 788-820 CE)) was the most famous Advaita philosopher who had a profound influence on the growth... The Sanskrit word guna (guṇa) has the basic meaning of string or a single thread or strand of a cord or twine. In more abstract uses, it may mean a subdivision, species, kind, and generally quality. In Classical literature In Classical literature (e. ... Prakrti or Prakriti (from Sanskrit language) is, according to samkhya philosophy, the basic matter of which the universe consists. ... The Sanskrit word guna (guṇa) has the basic meaning of string or a single thread or strand of a cord or twine. In more abstract uses, it may mean a subdivision, species, kind, and generally quality. In Classical literature In Classical literature (e. ... The Sanskrit word guna (guṇa) has the basic meaning of string or a single thread or strand of a cord or twine. In more abstract uses, it may mean a subdivision, species, kind, and generally quality. In Classical literature In Classical literature (e. ... The Sanskrit word guna (guṇa) has the basic meaning of string or a single thread or strand of a cord or twine. In more abstract uses, it may mean a subdivision, species, kind, and generally quality. In Classical literature In Classical literature (e. ... This 14th century statue depicts Shiva (on the left) and Uma (on the right}. It is housed in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. In Hinduism, Uma is the goddess of beauty and sunlight. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... In Hinduism, the Trimurti (also called the Hindu trinity) are three aspects of God in His forms as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. ...

Shiva is the ultimate reality who is the nature of Bliss itself and all complete in Himself. He is beyond description, beyond all manifestation, beyond limitation of form, time and space. He is eternal, infinite, all pervading, all knowing and all powerful.

As this web site, [1], states, Lord Shiva is the God of all and is worshipped by all, from devas such as Brahma, Indra, by asuras like Bana, Ravana, by humans like Adi Shankara, Nayanars, by creatures such as Jayatu, an eagle, Vali, a monkey, and the list goes on and on. Furthermore, the site states that a variety of people of different backgrounds and qualities worship the Lord shiva, with many temples having histories of even cranes, bees, elephants, (see Kalahasti), spiders, snakes, worshipping the Lord and getting blessed and concludes by stating that the Lord as the Supreme blesses anyone who worships in sincere devotion as there is no discrimination on who the seeker is. Major deities, rishis, planets, worshipped Shiva and also established Shivalingas in various places in India. Brahma (written Brahmā in IAST transliteration) (Devanagari ब्रह्मा, pronounced as brÉ™hmα:) is the Hindu creator god, and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. ... This article contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... Ravana, Indian Demon King of Lanka In Hindu mythology, Ravana (Devanagari: रावण, sometimes transliterated Raavana and as Ravan) is the principal antagonist of the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. ... Adi Shankara (Åšaá¹…kara, Shri Shankaracharya, Adhi Shankaracharya, Ä€di Åšaá¹…karācārya; the first Shankara in his lineage), reverentially called Bhagavatpada Acharya (the teacher at the feet of Lord) (very approximately 788–820 C.E., but see below) was the most famous advaita philosopher, who had a profound influence... The Nayanars were the sincere and ardent devotees of Lord Siva. ... There are several Valis: Vali (Hindu mythology) Vali (Norse mythology) (two Valis here: one a son of Odin, the other a son of Loki) Vali in Turkish means governor This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Kalahasti temple is a famous Siva temple, and is said to be the site where Kannappa, one of the 63 Saivite Nayanars, was ready to offer his last remaining eye to cover blood flowing from the Siva linga before the Lord stopped him and granted mukti. ... In Hinduism, the Rishis are sages and/or seers who heard the hymns of the Devas; and then wrote them down as Vedic scriptures. ...

1. Lord Ganesh at Pillayar patti (100kms from Madurai, India)

2. The four Vedas worshipped Shiva at Thirumaraikaadu (i.e., Vedaaranyam near Tanjore)

3. Lord Skanda at Thiruchendur (200 km from Madurai, India)

4. Lord Rama (avatar of Vishnu) in Rameswaram (India)

5. Lord Vishnu at Kancheepuram (Kacheeswarar Temple)

6. Lord Parasuramar (avatar of Vishnu) at Sreesailam, Karnataka and also at Chennai (Lord Parasurama at Lingeshwara Temple, Iyanavaram )

7. Goddess Lakshmi (wife of Vishnu) at Tirupachethi (50 km from Madurai).

8. Lord Sun at Srivilliputhur (Vaidhyanathaar Temple 100 km from Madurai)

9. Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu at Tiruannamalai (250 km from Chennai)

10. Lord Raagu and Lord Kethu at Kaalahasthi (50 km from Tirupathi, AP, India)

11. Lord Indra at Madurai (Soma Sundareeswar Temple)

12. The Rishi Agastya at Papanasam (100 km from Tirunelveli, TN, India) In Hinduism, Agastya is a legendary sage or rishi. ...

13. Goddess Parvati at Kancheepuram (Ekambeeswarar Temple, 60 km from Chennai, India)

14. Lord Shani at Thirnallar (near Kaaraikal, Pondicherry)

15. Lord Moon at Thingalur (near Tanjore)

16. Lord Shiva and Sani at Thirvidaimaruthoor (near Kumbakonam)

17. Lord Brahma at Kumbakoonam (Kumbeeswarar, near Tanjore)

Introduction

The Meenakshi temple in Madurai, India is one of the most famous temples dedicated to Lord Siva.

Shiva is referred to as 'the good one' or the 'auspicious one'. Shiva - Rudra is considered to be the destroyer of evil and sorrow. Shiva - Shankara is the doer of good. Shiva is 'tri netra' or three eyed, and is 'neela kantha' - blue necked (having consumed poison to save the world from destruction). Shiva - Nataraja is the Divine Cosmic Dancer. Shiva - Ardhanareeswara is both man and woman. Download high resolution version (535x756, 107 KB) Source Nataraja-Shiva From fr: File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (535x756, 107 KB) Source Nataraja-Shiva From fr: File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Meenakshi temple A different view of the Meenakshi temple The Meenakshi temple is a Hindu temple in the Tamil Nadu city of Madurai. ... Madurai (மதுரை in Tamil) is situated on the banks of Vaigai River in Tamil Nadu, a southern Indian state. ...

He is both static and dynamic and is both creator and destroyer. He is the oldest and the youngest, he is the eternal youth as well as the infant. He is the source of fertility in all living beings. He has gentle as well as fierce forms. Shiva is the greatest of renouncers as well as the ideal lover. He destroyes evil and protects good. He bestows prosperity on worshipers although he is austere. He is omnipresent and resides in everyone as pure consciousness.

Shiva is inseparable from Shakti - Parvati the daughter of Himavaan - Haimavati. There is no Shiva without Shakti and no Shakti without Shiva, the two are one - or the absolute state of being - consciousness and bliss.

The five mantras that constitute Shiva's body are Sadyojaata, Vaamadeva, Aghora, Tatpurusha and Eesaana. Eesaana is Shiva not visible to the human eye, Sadyojaata is Shiva realized in his basic reality (as in the element earth, in the sense of smell, in the power of procreation and in the mind). The Vishnudharmottara Purana of the 6th century CE assigns a face and an element to each of the above mantras. (Sadyojaata - earth, Vaamadeva - water, Aghora - fire, Tatpurusha - air and Eesaana - space).

The names of the deified faces with their elements are Mahadeva (earth), Bhairava (fire), Nandi (air), Uma (water) and Sadasiva (space).

In some views Śiva is the third form of God as one of the Trimurti (popularly called the "Hindu trinity"). In the Trimurti, Śiva is the destroyer, while Brahma and Vishnu are creator and preserver, respectively. However, even though he represents destruction, he is viewed as a positive force (The Destroyer of Evil), since creation follows destruction. Other views contend that Śiva produces Vishnu who produces Brahma and thus creation begins, within which the cycle of the Trimurti exists. Śiva also assumes many other roles, including the Lord of Ascetics (Mahadeva), the Lord of Boons (Rudra), and also the Universal Divinity (Mahesvara). Worshippers of Śiva are called Śaivites who consider Śiva as representing the Ultimate Reality (see Ishta-Deva for fuller discussion). In Hinduism, the Trimurti (also called the Hindu trinity) are three aspects of God in His forms as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. ... Brahma (written Brahmā in IAST transliteration) (Devanagari ब्रह्मा, pronounced as brÉ™hmα:) is the Hindu creator god, and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. ... For other uses of the name Vishnu, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ... ... Saivite: of Saivism; belonging to Saivism, the Hindu denomination that worships God Siva as the Supreme God. ... Ishta-Deva, or Ishta Devata is a term from Hinduism that means chosen Deity or revered aspect of God by a devotee and is a widely held concept in Smartism. ...

A statue of Lord Shiva near Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi

In shiva temples, Navarha (9 plantes), Ganesh, Skantha, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Vishnu, Brahma, Ashtathig balar, Durga, Bairava, and all the other hidu gods will have the place, denoting the entire gods are uniquely said to Lord Shiva, so that only he is in shapeless (i.e. in linga form) there are five different avatars of shiva: Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1944x2592, 271 KB) Description: Statue of Lord Shiva Source: photo taken by User:Deepak Date: 26th December 2006 Permission: User:Deepak released it on 27th December 2005 under CC-BY-SA-2. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1944x2592, 271 KB) Description: Statue of Lord Shiva Source: photo taken by User:Deepak Date: 26th December 2006 Permission: User:Deepak released it on 27th December 2005 under CC-BY-SA-2. ... Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, located in the city of Delhi, India is one of Indias main domestic and international gateways. ... This article deals with the metropolis of Delhi. ...

1. Bhairava
2. Natarajar
3. Dhakshinamoorthy
4. Somaskantha
5. Pitkchadanar

In most of the South indian temples , we can see all the five suprems in shiva temple. all the five characteristics in a single face is said to be sadashiva

Śiva is not limited to the personal characteristics as he is given in many images and can transcend all attributes. Hence, Śiva is often worshipped in an abstract manner, as God without form, in the form of linga. This view is similar in some ways to the view of God in Semitic religions such as Islam or Judaism, which hold that God has no personal characteristics. Hindus, on the other hand, believe that God can transcend all personal characteristics yet can also have personal characteristics for the grace of the embodied human devotee. Personal characteristics are a way for the devotee to focus on God. Śiva is also described as Anaadi (without beginning/birth) and Ananta (without end/death). Linga worship (Estate of Cynthia and Harlen Welsh) Lingam or Linga is the Sanskrit word for mark. ... Islām is described as a dÄ«n, meaning way of life and/or guidance. Six articles of belief There are six basic beliefs shared by all Muslims: 1. ... // Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. ...

According to the Bhagavata Purana, Lord Śiva manifested in his multiple forms from the forehead of Lord Brahma. When Lord Brahma asked his sons, the Four Kumaras, to go forth and create progeny in the universe, they refused. This angered Lord Brahma and in his anger a child appeared from his forehead, which split into two - a male part and a female part. The male half started crying inconsolable and as a result, Brahma named him Rudra. The child cried seven more times and each time Brahma gave him a separate name. The eight names thus given to the child were Rudra, Sharva, Bhava, Ugra, Bhima, Pashupati, Ishana, and Mahadeva. Each of these eight names are said to be associated with specific elements of the cosmos, namely the earth, water, fire, wind, sky, a yogi called Kshetragya, the sun, and the moon respectively. This male child became Lord Śiva, who was asked to go forth and create progeny, but when Lord Brahma observed the power, as they shared the qualities of Lord Śiva, he asked him to observe austerities instead of creating progeny. A slightly different version is told in the Shiva Purana: in the Śiva Purana, Śiva promises Brahma that an aspect of his, Rudra, will be born and this aspect is identical to Him. The Bhagavata Purana (sometimes rendered as Bhagavatha Purana), also known as the Srimad Bhagavatam, written c. ... Brahma (written Brahmā in IAST transliteration) (Devanagari ब्रह्मा, pronounced as brÉ™hmα:) is the Hindu creator god, and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. ... Brahma (written Brahmā in IAST transliteration) (Devanagari ब्रह्मा, pronounced as brÉ™hmα:) is the Hindu creator god, and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... // Yoga practice and intention Modern yoga practice often includes traditional elements inherited from Hinduism, such as moral and ethical principles, postures designed to keep the body fit, spiritual philosophy, instruction by a guru, chanting of mantras (sacred syllables), quieting the breath, and stilling the mind through meditation. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

The tale about Lord Śiva being born and immediately splitting into two halves of male and female indicates the origin of the Ardhanarishvara - the union of substance and energy, the Being and his Shakti (force). The iconic three heads represent Shiva as Aghori, Ardhanarishvara (half male-half female God) and Mahayogi (great Yogi). ... This article is in need of attention. ...

Śiva is the supreme God of Śaivism, one of the three main branches of Hinduism today (the others being Vaishnavism and Shaktism). His abode is called Kailasa. His holy mount (Skt: Vahana) is Nandi, the Bull. His attendant is named Bhadra. Śiva is usually represented by the Śiva linga (or lingam), usually depicted as a clay mound with three horizontal stripes on it, or visualised as a flaming pillar. In anthropomorphised images, he is generally represented as immersed in deep meditation on Mount Kailash (reputed to be the same as the Mount Kailash in the south of Tibet, near Manasarovar Lake) in the Himalaya, his traditional abode. God is the term used to denote the Supreme Being believed by many people, and especially followers of monotheistic religions, to be the creator, ruler and/or the sum total of, existence. ... Åšaivism, also transliterated Shaivism and Saivism, is a branch of Hinduism that worships Siva as the Supreme God. ... Vaishnavism is one of the principal divisions of Hinduism. ... Shaktism is a denomination of Hinduism that worships Shakti, or Devi -- the Hindu name for the Great Mother -- in all of her forms whilst not rejecting the importance of masculine and neuter divinity. ... Mount Kailash (also Mount Kailas, Kailasa or Kangrinbogê Feng 30. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम्) is a classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... An idol of Nandi in a Chennai temple Nandi is the white bull which Shiva rides, and the leader of the Ganas. ... In Hinduism, Bhadra is a goddess of the hunt and one of Shivas servants. ... Linga worship (Estate of Cynthia and Harlen Welsh) Lingam or Linga (Sanskrit: Gender as in purusha-linga : Phallus) by some etymologists, is used as a symbol for the worship of the Hindu God Shiva. ... Mount Kailash (also Mount Kailas, Kailasa or Kangrinbogê Feng 30. ... Tibet (older spelling Thibet; Tibetan: བོད་, Bod, pronounced pö in Lhasa dialect; Chinese: 西藏, pinyin: XÄ«zàng or 藏区 ZàngqÅ« [the two names are used with different connotations; see Names section below]) is a region in Central Asia and the home of the Tibetan people. ... Mansarovar is the highest fresh water lake in the world, located 30 km southeast of Mount Kailash in Tibet. ... The Himalaya is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. ...

Consorts, and the Burning of Kamadeva

Śiva's consort is Devi, God's energy or God as the Divine Mother who comes in many different forms, one of whom is Kali, the goddess of death. Parvati, a more pacific form of Devi is also popular. Śiva also married Sati, another form of Devi and daughter of Daksha, who forbade the marriage. Sati disobeyed her father. Daksha once held a Yajna (ritual sacrifice) to Vishnu, but did not invite Śiva. In disgust, Sati burned herself through yogic meditation (or, in another version, in the same fire Daksha used in his sacrifice). When Śiva's attendants reported the matter, Shiva tore off a lock of his hair and lashed it against the ground. The stalk split in two, one half transforming into the terrifying gana Virabhadra, while the other caused Mahakali to manifest on the scene. The pair immediately led Śiva's army of ganas to Daksha's yajna and destroyed it. Daksha was decapitated by Virabhadra, but was later given the head of a goat to humble him, once the rishis and Brahma had pleaded with Śiva for lenience. Sati was later reborn in the house of Himavat (Himalaya mountain-range personified) and performed great penance (Skt: Tapasya) to win over Śiva's attention. Her penance brought Kamadeva and his consort Rati to the scene, whereupon they attempted to interrupt Shiva's meditation with Kamadeva's arrow of passion. It caused Śiva to break his Samadhi, but he was so infuriated by Kamadeva's assault that he burned the deva of passion to ashes on the spot with his glare. It was only after Rati's pleading that Śiva agreed to reincarnate Kamadeva. Commonly known as Devi (goddess), Vaishnodevi (देवी, DevÄ« in Hindi and Sanskrit) is the Divine Mother of Hinduism. ... A common scene depicting Kali standing over Shiva Although her presentation in the West is usually as simply dark and violent, Kali is a goddess with a long and complex history in Hinduism. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... 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. ... In Hinduism, Daksha is an ancient creator god, one of the Prajapatis, the Rishis and the Adityas, and a son of Aditi and Brahma. ... In Hinduism, Yajna or Yagya यज्ञं (Sanskrit yajñá worship, prayer, praise; offering, oblation, sacrifice) is a Vedic ritual of sacrifice performed to please the Devas, or sometimes to the Supreme Spirit Brahman. ... For other uses of the name Vishnu, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ... In Hinduism, Ganas are attendants of Shiva and live in Kailasa. ... In Hinduism, Virabhadra is a monster created by Shiva who eventually blinded Bhaga. ... Mahakali is one of the fourteen zones of Nepal. ... Tapasya is a principle of austerity or willingness to bear suffering in Hinduism and related religions such as Buddhism and Jainism. ... In Hinduism, Kamadeva (Kama - carnal pleasure, deva - god), also known just as Kama(The love) and Ananga (the bodyless), is the god of love and a son of Lakshmi. ... In Hinduism, Rati is the goddess of passion and lust, and a daughter of Daksha. ... Samadhi is a term used in Hindu and Buddhist yogic meditation. ... Deva, a Hindu deity Deva is also a term for heavenly beings in traditional Buddhist cosmology. ...

Parvati would try again without Kamadeva's aid to win over Shiva, and this time, through her devotion and the persuasion of other rishis, yogis, and devas, he eventually accepted her.

Other Legends

Śiva gave Parashurama, an avatar of Vishnu, his axe. Śiva's great bow is called Pināka and thus he is also called Pinaki. Most depictions of Śiva show the three-pointed spear Trishula, another of his weapons, in the background. He is also known for having given the kshatriya Arjuna the divine weapon (Skt: Astra) Pashupata, with the stipulation of using it against someone of equal strength, for the weapon would otherwise lay waste to the mortal realm. In Hinduism, Parashurama (axe-wielding Rama) is the sixth avatar of Vishnu, and a son of Jamadagni. ... 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. ... According to the Sanskrit a Kshatriya is the caste of princes and warriors, conquerors, one of four varna. ... In Hindu mythology, Arjuna is one of the heroes of the epic Mahabharata. ... Astra can mean: AstraZeneca plc - a pharmaceutical company Astra - a pharmaceutical company (later merged into AstraZeneca) the General Motors Astra - An automobile, badged as Opel, Vauxhall, Holden and Chevrolet SES Astra - a company operating the Astra satellite system Astra - a band led by guitarist Dave Ellis Astra - a beer brand... The Pashupata is the irresistable and most destructive personal weapon of Siva discharged by the mind, eyes, words or a bow. ...

The Sons of Shiva

Śiva and Parvati are the parents of Karttikeya and Ganesha. Ganesha, the elephant-headed God of wisdom, acquired his head by offending Śiva, by refusing to allow him to enter the house while Parvati was bathing. Śiva sent his ganas to subdue Ganesha, but to no avail. As a last resort, he bade Vishnu confuse the stalwart guardian using his powers of Maya. Then, at the right moment, Śiva hurled Trishula and cut Ganesha's head from his body. Upon finding her guardian dead, Parvati was enraged and called up the many forms of Shakti to devour Shiva's ganas and wreak havoc in Swargaloka. To pacify her, Śiva brought forth an elephant's head from the forest and set it upon the boy's shoulders, reviving him. Shiva then took Ganesha as his own son and placed him in charge of his ganas. Thus, Ganesha's title is Ganapati, Lord of the Ganas. In another version, Parvati presented her child to Shani (the planet Saturn), whose gaze burned his head to ashes. Brahma bade Śiva to replace with the first head he could find, which happened to be that of an elephant. In Hinduism, Kartikeya (also Murugan, Subrahmanya, Skanda, Kumaran, Swaminanda) is a deity born out of a magical spark created by Shiva. ... Lord Ganesha In Hinduism, Ganesha (Sanskrit: गणेष or श्रीगणेष (when used to distinguish lordly status) (or lord of the hosts, also spelled as Ganesa and Ganesh, sometimes also referred to as Ganapati) is a son of Shiva and Parvati, and the husband of Bharati, Riddhi and Siddhi. ... The word Maya or maya can refer to: The Maya – a Native American people of southern Mexico and northern Central America the modern Maya people the pre-Columbian Maya civilization the Maya language Maya – a concept in Hindu/Vedic philosophy a state of misperception of reality the inherent force of... Popular image of Ganesh In Hinduism, Ganesha (Gaṇeśa, lord of the hosts, also spelled Ganesa and sometimes referred to as Ganesh in Hindi, Bengali and other Indian vernaculars) is the god of wisdom, intelligence, education and prudence. ... Adjective Saturnian Atmospheric characteristics Atmospheric pressure 140 kPa Hydrogen >93% Helium >5% Methane 0. ...

Karttikeya is a six-headed god and was conceived to kill the demon Tarakasura, who had proven invincible against other gods. Tarakasura had terrorised the devas of Swargaloka so thoroughly that they came to Śiva pleading for his help. Shiva thus assumed a form with five faces, a divine spark emanating from the third eye of each. He gave the sparks to Agni and Vayu to carry to Ganga and thereupon release. In Ganga's river, the sparks were washed downstream into a pond and found by the Karittikas, five forest maidens. The sparks transformed into children and were suckled by the Karttikas, When Śiva, Parvati, and the other celestials arrived on the scene, there was a debate of who the child belonged to. Further, Parvati, who was the most likely to care for the child, was puzzled as to how she would suckle five children. Suddenly, the child merged into a single being and Shiva blessed him with five separate names for his five sets of parents to settle the debate. The child, despite having been born from five sparks, had a sixth head, a unifying principle which brought together the five aspects of his father's power into a single being. From here, the campaign in which Karttikeya would vanquish Tarakasura and liberate Swargaloka began. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... In Hinduism, Vayu is a primary god, father of Bhima and Hanuman. ... The River Ganges (Ganga in Indian languages) is a major river in northern India. ...

Attributes of Lord Shiva

Lord Shiva the great ascetic

The Third Eye: The third eye of Shiva on his forehead is the eye of wisdom. It is the eye that looks beyond the obvious. The third eye of Shiva also popularly associated with is untamed energy which destroys the evil doers and sins. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (568x746, 73 KB) Licensing 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 Download high resolution version (568x746, 73 KB) Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

The Cobra Necklace: Shiva is beyond the powers of death and is often the sole support in case of distress. He swallowed the poison kalketu for the wellbeing of the Universe. The deadly cobra represents that “death” aspect whom Shiva has thoroughly conquered. The cobras around his neck also represent the dormant energy, called Kundalini, the serpent power.

Matted hair (Jata): The flow of his matted hair represents him as the lord of wind or Vayu, who is the subtle form of breath present in all living beings. Thus it is Shiva which is the lifeline for all living being. He is Pashupatinath.

Crescent: Shiva bears on his head the crescent of the fifth day (panchami) moon. This is placed near the fiery third eye and this shows the power of Soma, the sacrificial offering, which is the representative of moon. It means that Shiva possesses the power of procreation along with the power of destruction. The moon is also a measure of time; thus Crescent also represent his control over time.

Sacred Ganga: Ganga, the holiest of the holy rivers, flows from the matted hair of Shiva. Shiva allowed an outlet to the great river to traverse the earth and bring purifying water to human being (Ref The origin of Ganga). The flowing water is one of the five elements which compose the whole Universe and from which earth arises. Ganga also denotes fertility one of the creative aspect of the Rudra.

The Drum: The drum in the hand of Shiva is the originator of the universal word ॐ which is the source of all the language and expression.

The Vibhuti: Vibhuti is a three line of ashes drawn on the forehead that represents the essence of our Being, which remains after all the malas (impurities of ignorance, ego and action) and vasanas (likes and dislikes, attachments to one's body, world, worldly fame, worldly enjoyments, etc.) have been burnt in the fire of knowledge. Hence vibhuti is revered as the very form of Shiva and signifies the Immortality of the soul and manifested glory of the Lord.

The Ashes: Shiva smears his body with cemetery ashes points the philosophy of the life and death and the fact that death is the ultimate reality of the life.

Tiger skin: The tiger is the vehicle of Shakti, the goddess of power and force. Shiva is beyond and above any kind of force. He is the master of Shakti. The tiger skin that he wears symbolises victory over every force. Tiger also represent lust. Thus sitting on Tiger skin, Shiva indicates that he has conquered lust.

The Elephant & Deer Skin: Shiva also wears elephant skins. Elephants represent pride. Wearing elephant skin, Shiva indicates that he has conquered pride. Similarly deer represent the jumping of minds (flickering mind). Shiva wears deer skin which indicates that he has controlled the mind perfectly.

The Trident: The three head of Shiva’s Trishul symbolizes three functions of the triad – the creation, the sustenance and the destruction. The Trident, in the hand of Shiva indicates that all the three aspects are in his control.

As a weapon the trident represents the instrument of punishment to the evil doer on all the three planes – spiritual, subtle and physical.

Another interpretation of the three headed trident is its head represent the past, the present and the future. The trident in the hand of Rudra indicates his control over the present the past and the future.

Other Forms and Legends

According to the foundation of Kaalism, Kali (pronounced Kaahli) came into existence when Śiva looked into himself. She is considered his mirror image, the divine Adi-shakti or primordial energy while he is the primordial substance. A common scene depicting Kali standing over Shiva Although her presentation in the West is usually as simply dark and violent, Kali is a goddess with a long and complex history in Hinduism. ...

In another version, she had gone out to destroy the Asuras storming Swargaloka, but became enraged and erratic. To calm her, Śiva went and lay down on the ground in front of her path. When she stepped on him, she looked down and realized that she had just stepped on Śiva. Taken aback by his actions, she bit her tongue and calmed her fury. In Hindu mythology, the Asura are a group of power-seeking deities, sometimes misleadingly referred to as demons. ...

As Nataraja, Śiva is the Lord of the Dance, and symbolises the dance of the Universe, with all its heavenly bodies and natural laws complimenting and balancing each other. At times, he is also symbolized as doing his great dance of destruction, called Tandava, at the time of pralaya, or dissolution of the universe at the end of every Kalpa. 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. ... This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... KalPa, short for Kalevan Pallo, is a Finnish ice hockey team based at Kuopion jäähalli (capacity 5165), Kuopio. ...

Some Hindus, especially Smartas, believe Śiva to be one of many different forms of the universal Atman, or Brahman. Others see him as the one true God from whom all the other deities and principles are emanations. This view is usually related to the bhakti sects of Śaivism. Smartism is a denomination of the religion of Hinduism and is closely affiliated with the Advaita tradition. ... This is a disambiguation page for the term atman (or atma). ... Here the underlined vowels carry the Vedic Sanskrit udātta pitch accent. ... Bhakti is a Tamil or Sanskrit term from Hinduism that means intense devotion expressed by action (service). ...

Although he is defined as a destroyer (or rather re-creator), Śiva, along with Vishnu, is considered the most benevolent God. One of his names is Aashutosh, he who is easy to please, or, he who gives greatly in return for little. Unlike Vishnu, Śiva does not traditionally have avatars. However, several persons have been claimed as embodiments of him, such as Adi Shankara, and there are instances in many legends and teachings where Śiva manifests spontaneously to intervene in human events. Some people also consider Hanuman to be an aspect of Śiva. For other uses of the name Vishnu, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ... The 10 avatars of Lord Vishnu In Hinduism, an avatar or avatara (Sanskrit अवतार), is the incarnation (bodily manifestation) of an Immortal Being, or of the Ultimate Supreme Being. ... Adi Shankara (Åšaá¹…kara, Shri Shankaracharya, Adhi Shankaracharya, Ä€di Åšaá¹…karācārya; the first Shankara in his lineage), reverentially called Bhagavatpada Acharya (the teacher at the feet of Lord) (very approximately 788–820 C.E., but see below) was the most famous advaita philosopher, who had a profound influence... Lord Hanuman In Hinduism, Hanuman (Sanskrit: हनुमान, hanumāna) is a vanara who aided Rama (an avatar of Vishnu) in rescuing his wife, Sita, from the Rakshasa king Ravana. ...

Schools and Views of Śivaism

This 14th century statue depicts Śiva (on the left) and his wife Uma (on the right}. It is housed in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

Nayanars (or Nayanmars), saints from Southern India, were mostly responsible for development of Śaivism in the Middle Ages. Of the schools today, many Śaivite sects are in Kashmir and Northern India, with Lingayats and Virasaivas from Southern India. The Saiva Siddhanta is a major Śaivite theory developed in Southern India. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1607x1378, 1862 KB) Please see the file description page for further information. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1607x1378, 1862 KB) Please see the file description page for further information. ... This 14th-century statue from south India depicts the gods Shiva (on the left) and Uma (on the right). ... The Smithsonian Institution Building or Castle on the National Mall serves as the Institutions headquarters. ... Washington, D.C. is the capital city of the United States of America. ... The Nayanars were the sincere and ardent devotees of Lord Siva. ... Åšaivism, also transliterated Shaivism and Saivism, is a branch of Hinduism that worships Siva as the Supreme God. ... Shown in green is the Kashmiri region under Pakistani control. ... Virasaivism is a religious movement of Hinduism in India. ... Virasaivism is a religious movement of Hinduism in India. ... This article needs cleanup. ... A map of South India, its rivers, regions and water bodies. ...

Śiva's life is often depicted in short stage dramas to help his devotees (particularly nayanmars) better understand his aspects. This is greatly explained in the Thiruvilayadalpuram. This form is especially prevalent in South India, particularly Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu (தமிழ் நாடு, Land of the Tamils) is a state at the southern tip of India. ...

In Gaudiya Vaishnavism he is considered the best of devotee of Vishnu (vaisnavanam yatha sambhu) and also an aspect of Vishnu. The example of milk and yogurt is used to describe their difference in Brahma Samhita. He is depicted as meditating on Sankarsana, an expansion of Balarama. He also plays an important role in Krishna-lila as Kshetra-pala, protector of Vrindavan, holy dham of Krishna. As Gopisvara Mahadeva he also guards rasa-lila grounds. Authorship of Sri Sri Radha-krpa-kataksa-stava-raja (aka Radha Stava) (text and translation), from the Urdhvamnaya Tantra, is ascribed to him. This tantra, contemporarily available only in parts, is praised in chapter 3 of the Kularnava Tantra as 'the secret of secrets'. Gaudiya Vaishnavism, (Bengal) Vaishnavism, is a sect of Hinduism founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. ... Balarama (left) with his brother Krishna Krishna-Balarama Mandir, Vrindavan, India // Introduction In mainstream Hindu tradition, Balarama (phonetically Balarāma - his other names include Baladeva, Balabhadra and Halayudha) is the name of the elder brother of Sri Krishna. ... Lord Krishna playing his flute. ... Lila is a concept from Hinduism that explains the universe as a cosmic puppet theater or playground for the gods. ... Vrindavan, in Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh is a town on the site of the original forest of Vrindavana. ... Radha refers to either one of two figures in Hindu religion. ... Tantra (Sanskrit: loom), tantric yoga or tantrism is any of several esoteric traditions rooted in the religions of India. ...

Śiva is an icon of masculinity. In mythology and folklore, he can be interpreted to inspire masculine characteristics of the most extreme: absolute virility and fertility; aggression, rage and supreme powers in war; his resolve, meditation is absolute, as is his love for his consort. This form of Siva is strongly worshipped in Tantric Hinduism, especially with the linga as the icon of fertility, piety and the power of Siva. Two Seated Men In many societies, masculinity is understood to include open displays of same-sex non-sexual affection and physical contact. ...

Apart from Shaivism, Śiva also inspires Shaktism in Hinduism, which is strong in Assam and West Bengal, the eastern states of India. Shakti is the root power, force of Śiva. Shakti, his prime consort, is the female half of the Supreme Godhead. It is the root of the life force of every living being, and the entire Universe. The bond of absolute love, devotion and passion which embodies the existence of Śiva and Shakti, is considered the Ultimate Godhead form by itself, that a man is an incomplete half without a woman, who is the Ardhangini, (the Other Half) of his existence and power. Åšaivism, also transliterated Shaivism and Saivism, is a branch of Hinduism that worships Siva as the Supreme God. ... Shaktism is a denomination of Hinduism that worships Shakti, or Devi -- the Hindu name for the Great Mother -- in all of her forms whilst not rejecting the importance of masculine and neuter divinity. ... Assam (অসম) is a northeastern state of India with its capital at Dispur. ... West Bengal (পশ্চিম বঙ্গ, Pościm Bôngo) is a state in the eastern region of India. ... This article is in need of attention. ... The deepest visible-light image of the cosmos. ...

The pilgrimage to Amarnath (just over the Chinese line of the Himalayas, deep in the highest mountains of the world, on Mount Kailash) and Anantnag in Kashmir are the most difficult and dangerous, yet exalted pilgrimages for Hindus of all sects, ethnic origins and classes. The glaciers in sacred caves forms the Sivalinga or the natural embodiment of his linga. Amarnath is one of the holy shrines of the Hindus. ... Mount Kailash (also Mount Kailas, Kailasa or Kangrinbogê Feng 30. ... Anantnag is a district in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in north India. ... Shown in green is the Kashmiri region under Pakistani control. ...

Origin Theories

Śiva does not occur in the Vedic hymns as the name of a god, but as an adjective in the sense of "kind", or "auspicious". One of his synonyms, however, is the name of a Vedic deity, the attributes and nature of which show a good deal of similarity to the post-Vedic Rudra, the god of the roaring storm, usually portrayed in accordance with the element he represents, as a fierce, destructive deity, terrible as a wild beast, whose fearful arrows cause death and disease to men and cattle. He is also called Bapardin (wearing his hair spirally braided like a shell), one of the synonyms of Śiva. The Atharva Veda mentions several other names of the same god, some of which appear even placed together, as in one passage where Bhava, Sarva, Rudra and Pasupati are conjunct. Some were possibly the names under which the same deity was already worshipped in different parts of Northern India. This was certainly the case in later times, since it is expressly stated in one of the later works of the Brahmana period that Sarva was used by the Eastern people and Bhava by a Western tribe. It is also worthy of note that in the same work, composed at a time when the Vedic triad of Agni, Indra-Vayu and Surya was still recognized, attempts are made to identify the Śiva of many names with Agni; and that in one passage in the Mahabharata it is stated that the Brahmins said that Agni was Śiva. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A rolling thundercloud over Enschede, Netherlands Heavy storm brought by Typhoon Sanvu in Hong Kong. ... The Atharva Veda is a sacred text of Hinduism, part of the four books of the Vedas. ... Sarva is a sanskrit word meaning all or everything. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Pashupati(Sanskrit: lord of animals) is a god associated with animals and nature. ... The Mahabharata (Devanagari: महाभारत, phonetically Mahābhārata - see note), sometimes just called Bharata, is one of the two major ancient Sanskrit epics of India, the other being the Ramayana. ... A Brahmin (pronunciation is Brahmann) is a member of the Hindu priestly caste. ...

Bronze Chola Statue of Nataraja at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City

It is in his character as destroyer that Śiva holds his place in the triad, and in this he is identified with the Vedic Rudra. Another very important function appears, however, to have been assigned to him early on. In his modern worship, the role of a destroyer is especially exhibited in his consort Mahakali, whereas Śiva becomes a generative power, symbolized in the, (lingam). The non-Aryans had worshipped the linga as a phallic symbol, but its relation to the Vedic Rudra is less certain. Plausible conjecture has been put forth that linga symbol was originally prevalent among the non-Aryan population and later introduced into the worship of Śiva due to similarities. On the other hand, there can be little doubt that Śiva, in his generative faculty, is the representative of another Vedic god whose nature and attributes account for this particular feature of the modern deity Pushan. 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. ... Assorted ancient bronze castings found as part of a cache, probably intended for recycling. ... The Cholas were the most famous of the three dynasties that ruled ancient Tamil Nadu. ... 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. ... Interior of the museum The Metropolitan Museum of Art, often referred to simply as The Met, is one of the worlds largest and most important art museums, located on the eastern edge of Central Park in Manhattan, New York, United States. ... Linga worship (Estate of Cynthia and Harlen Welsh) Lingam or Linga (Sanskrit: Gender as in purusha-linga : Phallus) by some etymologists, is used as a symbol for the worship of the Hindu God Shiva. ... Pushan, also known as Puchan, is the Hindu god of meeting. ...

The Vedic Śiva was frequently invoked as the lord of nourishment, to bestow food, wealth and other blessings. With the divine Soma, he was called the progenitor of heaven and earth, and is connected with the marriage ceremony, where he is asked to lead the bride to the bridegroom and make her prosperous (Skt: Civatama). Additionally, he has the epithet Bapardin, as has Rudra and the later Śiva, and is called Par Upa, or guardian of cattle, whence the latter derives his name Parupati. Parupa is a powerful and even fierce deity, who with his goad or golden spear, smites the foes of his worshipper, and thus in this respect offers some similarity to Rudra, which may have favored the fusion of the two gods into a monotheistic conception of God as Śiva. Soma (Sanskrit), or Haoma (Avestan) (from Proto-Indo-Iranian *Sauma) was a ritual drink of importance among the early Indo-Iranians, and the later Vedic and Iranian cultures. ...

In the mid 20th century, scholars like Ragula Sangiruthiyayan attempted to show how the various ancient religious practices were consolidated together by the rigourous effort of the Rishi Chanakya during the Gupta Dynasty. According to this school of thought, Rudra and other hunter and forest divinities were collectively brought into the charecteristics of one Godly personage: Śiva. This God was then accepted as originating from Brahman. Similarly, various other smaller gods of southern and western india were related to one single God, namely Vishnu whom then related to Rama of Aryan tribes who also was accepted as created by Brahma. However, such consolidation was incomplete for many centuries and several communities within India could never come under one umbrella till the period of British colonial rule, when all the Indians other than those who converted to Islam and Christianity were collectively labelled as Hindus. Chanakya (c. ... The Gupta dynasty ruled the Gupta Empire of India, from around 320 to 550. ...

There is however, the matter of he Pashupati (Lord of the Beasts) emblem on a seal discovered in Mohenjodaro, a major city-state in the Indus Valley Civilization. It puts forward a strong case for Shiva to be a God not of Indo-Aryan roots, but rooted in the people of the Indus valley, and the indigenous Dravidian and tribal peoples who inhabited the subcontinent. Shiva occupies an exalted, supreme position in Hinduism, making the case that Hinduism is not an Aryan religion, but a synthesis of Aryan, Dravidian and other influences. Mohenjo-daro (literally, mound of the dead), like Harappa, was a city of the Indus Valley civilization. ... The Indus Valley Civilization existed along the Indus River and the Hakra-Ghaggar river and their tributaries. ... The Dravidian Race is the name sometimes still given to the peoples of southern and central India and northern Sri Lanka who speak Dravidian languages, the best known of which are Tamil (தமிழ்), Telugu (తెలుగు), Kannada and Malayalam. ... Basic beliefs What can be said to be common to all Hindus is the belief in Dharma (duties and obligations), Samsara (Reincarnation/rebirth), Karma (actions, leading to a cause and effect relationship), and Moksha (salvation) of every soul through a variety of paths, such as Bhakti (devotion), Karma (action) and...

Also see: Jyotirlinga A jyotirling or jyotirlinga is a shrine where the Hindu God Shiva is worshipped in the form of a jyotirlingam or golden lingam. There are traditionally twelve Jyotirlinga shrines in India: Somnath in Gujarat is home to the foremost Jyotirlinga temple. ...

References to Śiva as female may have these origins:-
(1) Europeans guessing wrong from the -a on the end of his name.
(2) Sometimes, his consort Pārvatī is called Shivā (with the end vowel long). A consort is somebodys spouse, usually a royalty. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Names of Śiva

The Shiva Purana lists a 1008 names for Lord Śiva. Each of his names, in Sanskrit, signifies a certain attribute of his. Some of his names are listed below Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम्) is a classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ...

• Mahadeva (The Supreme Lord : Maha = great, Deva = God - more often than not, the Aghora (fierce) version)
• Rudra (The one who howls or strict and uncompromising)
• Maheshwar (The Supreme Lord: Maha = great, Eshwar = God)
• Mahayogi (The Supreme Yogi: Maha = great, Yogi = one who practices Yoga)
• Mahabaleshwar (Great God of Strength: Maha = great, Bal = strength, Eshwar = God)
• Trinetra (Three-Eyed One, i.e. All-Knowing: Tri = three, Netra = Eye)
• Triaksha (Three-Eyed One, i.e. All-Knowing: Tri = three, Aksha = Eye)
• Trinayana (Three-Eyed One, i.e. All-Knowing: Tri = three, Nayana = Eye)
• Tryambakam (Three-Eyed One, i.e. All-Knowing: Tri = three, Ambakam = Eye)
• Mahakala (Great Time, i.e. Conqueror of Time: Maha = three, Kala = Time)
• Neelakantha (The one with a Blue Throat: Neel = blue, Kantha = throat)
• Digambara (One who has the skies as his clothes, i.e. The Naked One: Dik = Clothes, Ambara = Sky)
• Shankara (Giver of Joy)
• Shambhu (Abode of Joy)
• Vyomkesha (The One who has the sky as his hair: Vyom = sky, Kesha =hair)
• Chandrashekhara (The master of the Moon: Chandra = Moon, Shekhara = master)
• Siddheshwara (The Perfect Lord)
• Trishuldhari (He who holds the divine Trishul or Trident: Trishul = Trident, Dhari = He who holds)
• Dakhshinamurthi (The Cosmic Tutor)
• Kailashpati (He whose abode is Mount Kailash)
• Pashupatinath (Lord of all Creatures)
• Umapati (The husband of Uma)
• Gangadhar (He who holds the river Ganga)
• Bhairava (The Frightful One)

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... // Yoga practice and intention Modern yoga practice often includes traditional elements inherited from Hinduism, such as moral and ethical principles, postures designed to keep the body fit, spiritual philosophy, instruction by a guru, chanting of mantras (sacred syllables), quieting the breath, and stilling the mind through meditation. ... // Yoga practice and intention Modern yoga practice often includes traditional elements inherited from Hinduism, such as moral and ethical principles, postures designed to keep the body fit, spiritual philosophy, instruction by a guru, chanting of mantras (sacred syllables), quieting the breath, and stilling the mind through meditation. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... 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. ... Mount Kailash (also Mount Kailas, Kailasa or Kangrinbogê Feng 30. ... The Ganges River (Ganga in Indian languages; Ganges is the Latin form) (Devanagari गंगा) is a major river in northern India and Bangladesh. ... Bhairava (भैरव) is a name of the fearsome aspect of the god Shiva. ...

See also

• List of Hindu deities
• Ardhanari
• Siddha Yoga
• Aum Namah Sivaya, the foremost Saivite mantra
• Shri Rudram, a Vedic chant on the early manifestation of Śiva as Rudra
• Kapalika, a secretive sect worship Shiva in it's Bhairava form
• Aghori

This is a List of Hindu deities. ... The iconic three heads represent Shiva as Aghori, Ardhanarishvara (half male-half female God) and Mahayogi (great Yogi). ... Siddha Yoga is a spiritual group teaching traditional Hindu or yogic practices both in India and in the West. ... Aum namah Sivāya is among the foremost Vedic mantras. ... The Shri Rudram Chamakam (TS 4. ... In Hindu culture, Kapalika means bearer of the skull-bowl. ... Bhairava (भैरव) is a name of the fearsome aspect of the god Shiva. ... The iconic three heads represent Shiva as Aghori, Ardhanarishvara (half male-half female God) and Mahayogi (great Yogi). ...

External links / Hindu Sites

• Online darshan / worship of Lord Shiva
• Spanda Yoga Mediation: About Shiva's Temple, Kedarnath Page
• Shivalaya- A site dedicated to Shiva. Collection of articles, photos, wallpaper and prayer slokas both. Site is designed both in hindi and english.
• SHIVA.NET - Provides online darshan and pictures of Lord Shiva,Mother Parvati & their children.
• A Short Biography of Bhairavanath - The Life of a Shaivite Ascetic
• Shiv Mahimna Stotra with mp3 audio.
• Bhajans, Shlokas, Hymns, Mantra & Aartis
• A Divine Life Society book on Śaivism, also available on pdf
• Characteristics of Śiva and Śaivism
• A Contemplation on Lord Shiva - The Lord of the Dance of the Universe
• Lord Shiva
• Sroutasaivasiddhanta.org
• saivalinks
• Swami Sivananda's book, "All about Hinduism"
• Shiva - The Sensuous Yogi by Sri Nitin Kumar.
• Meanings for some of the names of Śiva
• Lord Śiva saves British devotee in the nineteenth century
• Lord Śiva easily pleased, His Greatness and Sivaratri
• Greatness of worshipping Shiva
• The famous Śiva temples
• 108 names of Lord Śiva and all information on Rudrakshas - The Tears of Lord Śiva
• Śiva and Durga, a Vaishnava view
• Shiva - the Ascetic God by Madhuri Guin (the contents of this link cannot be viewed in India)

Hinduism | Hindu mythology | Itihasa
Male Deities: Brahma | Vishnu | Shiva | Rama | Krishna | Ganesha | Indra | Lakshman | Hanuman
Female Deities: Gayatri | Lakshmi | Saraswati | Durga | Devi | Sita | Radha | Kali | Parvati | Shakti
Texts: Vedas | Upanishads | Puranas | Ramayana | Mahabharata

Basic beliefs What can be said to be common to all Hindus is the belief in Dharma (duties and obligations), Samsara (Reincarnation/rebirth), Karma (actions, leading to a cause and effect relationship), and Moksha (salvation) of every soul through a variety of paths, such as Bhakti (devotion), Karma (action) and... The term Hindu mythology refers collectively to a large body of Indian literature (essentially, the mythology of Hinduism) that detail the lives and times of legendary personalities, deities and divine incarnations on earth interspersed with often large sections of philosophical and ethical discourse. ... Itihasa (Sanskrit: इतिहास - itihāsa in IAST notation, literally meaning that which happened) is the word for History. ... Image File history File links Aum. ... Within Smarta Hinduism, a variety of forms of God are seen as aspects of the one impersonal divine ground, Brahman (not Brahma). ... This article concerns the Hindu creator god, Brahma. ... For other uses of the name Vishnu, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ... Lord Rama (center) with wife Sita, brother Lakshmana and devotee Hanuman. ... Lord Krishna playing his flute. ... Lord Ganesha In Hinduism, Ganesha (Sanskrit: गणेष or श्रीगणेष (when used to distinguish lordly status) (or lord of the hosts, also spelled as Ganesa and Ganesh, sometimes also referred to as Ganapati) is a son of Shiva and Parvati, and the husband of Bharati, Riddhi and Siddhi. ... This article contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... Lakshaman(far left) with Rama(center) and Sita (far right) and Hanuman(kneeling)-Bhaktivedanta Manor, Watford, England Lakshmana was the son of Dasaratha, King of Ayodhya and Sumitra. ... Lord Hanuman In Hinduism, Hanuman (Sanskrit: हनुमान, hanumāna) is a vanara who aided Rama (an avatar of Vishnu) in rescuing his wife, Sita, from the Rakshasa king Ravana. ... Within Smarta Hinduism, a variety of forms of God are seen as aspects of the one impersonal divine ground, Brahman (not Brahma). ... Gayatri (gāyatrÄ«) is the feminine form of gāyatra, a Sanskrit word for a song or a hymn. ... Popular image of Lakshmi In India, Lakshmi or Laxmi (Sanskrit: लक्ष्मी) is the goddess of wealth, light and fortune, as well as (secondarily) luck, beauty and fertility. ... Saraswati, goddess of education Saraswati is the first of the three great goddesses of Hinduism, the other two being Lakshmi and Durga. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Commonly known as Devi (goddess), Vaishnodevi (देवी, DevÄ« in Hindi and Sanskrit) is the Divine Mother of Hinduism. ... // Introduction Sita is a Goddess in Hindu mythology, and is esteemed an examplar of womanly and wifely virtue. ... Radha refers to either one of two figures in Hindu religion. ... A common scene depicting Kali standing over Shiva Although her presentation in the West is usually as simply dark and violent, Kali is a goddess with a long and complex history in Hinduism. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... This article is in need of attention. ... The Vedas (Sanskrit:- वेद), collectively refers to a corpus of ancient Indo Aryan religious literature that are considered by adherents of Hinduism to be revealed knowledge. ... The Upanishads (उपनिषद्, Upanişad) are part of the Hindu Shruti scriptures which primarily discuss meditation and philosophy and are seen as religious instructions by most schools of Hinduism. ... The Puranas (Sanskrit पुराण, purāṇá ancient, since they focus on ancient history of the universe) are part of Hindu Smriti; these religious scriptures discuss varied topics like devotion to God in his various aspects, traditional sciences like Ayurveda, Jyotish, cosmology, concepts like dharma, karma, reincarnation and many others. ... The Ramayana (Sanskrit: march or journey (ayana) of Ram) is part of the Hindu smriti, written by Valmiki. ... The Mahabharata (Devanagari: महाभारत, phonetically Mahābhārata - see note), sometimes just called Bharata, is one of the two major ancient Sanskrit epics of India, the other being the Ramayana. ... Basic beliefs What can be said to be common to all Hindus is the belief in Dharma (duties and obligations), Samsara (Reincarnation/rebirth), Karma (actions, leading to a cause and effect relationship), and Moksha (salvation) of every soul through a variety of paths, such as Bhakti (devotion), Karma (action) and... Shruti (Sanskrit श्रुति, what is heard) is a canon of Hindu scriptures. ... The Vedas (Sanskrit:- वेद), collectively refers to a corpus of ancient Indo Aryan religious literature that are considered by adherents of Hinduism to be revealed knowledge. ... The Upanishad (उपनिषद्, Upaniá¹£ad) are part of the Hindu Shruti scriptures which primarily discuss meditation and philosophy and are seen as religious instructions by most schools of Hinduism. ... Bhagavad Gīta भगवद्गीता, composed ca the fifth - second centuries BC, is part of the epic poem Mahabharata, located in the Bhisma-Parva chapters 23–40. ... Itihasa (Sanskrit: इतिहास - itihāsa in IAST notation, literally meaning that which happened) is the word for History. ... The Ramayana (Sanskrit: march or journey (ayana) of Ram) is part of the Hindu smriti, written by Valmiki. ... The Mahabharata (Devanagari: महाभारत, phonetically Mahābhārata - see note), sometimes just called Bharata, is one of the two major ancient Sanskrit epics of India, the other being the Ramayana. ... The Agamas are sectarian and monotheistic texts dedicated to worship of Vishnu, Shiva or Devi. ... Smriti (Sanskrit स्मॄति, what is fit/deserves to be remembered) refers to a specific canon of Hindu religious scripture. ... The Tantra (Looms or Weavings), refer to numerous and varied scriptures pertaining to any of several esoteric traditions rooted in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. ... Sutra (सूत्र) in Sanskrit is derived from the verb siv-, meaning to sew (these words, including English to sew and Latinate suture, all derive from PIE *syÅ«-). It literally means a rope or thread, and more metaphorically refers to an aphorism (or line, rule, formula), or a collection of such aphorisms... The Puranas (Sanskrit पुराण, purāṇá ancient, since they focus on ancient history of the universe) are part of Hindu Smriti; these religious scriptures discuss varied topics like devotion to God in his various aspects, traditional sciences like Ayurveda, Jyotish, cosmology, concepts like dharma, karma, reincarnation and many others. ... The Brahma sutra is the nyaya prasthana, the logical text that sets forth the philosophy systematically (nyaya - logic/order). ... The most fundamental text of Hatha Yoga is the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a Sanskrit classic written by Swami Swatamarama, a disciple of Swami Goraknath. ... Smriti (what is fit/deserves to be remembered) refers to a canon of Hindu religious scripture. ... Tiruvalluvar statue at Kanyakumari Tirukural (திருக்குறள் in Tamil) is an important work of Tamil literature by Tiruvalluvar written in the form of couplets expounding various aspects of life. ... This article is in need of attention. ... The 10 avatars of Lord Vishnu In Hinduism, an avatar or avatara (Sanskrit अवतार), is the incarnation (bodily manifestation) of an Immortal Being, or of the Ultimate Supreme Being. ... Here the underlined vowels carry the Vedic Sanskrit udātta pitch accent. ... Kosas are five sheaths which covers the Atman. ... Dharma (Sanskrit, roughly law or way) is the way of the higher Truths. ... Karma is a concept within Hinduism based on the Vedas and Upanishads, and was later adopted by other religions like Buddhism and Jainism. ... Moksha (Sanskrit: मोक्ष, liberation) or Mukti (Sanskrit: विमुक्ति, release) refers, in general, to liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth. ... Maya, in Hinduism, is many things. ... Ishta-Deva, or Ishta Devata is a term from Hinduism that means chosen Deity or revered aspect of God by a devotee and is a widely held concept in Smartism. ... The Nataraja is one of the most famous images of Lord Siva Murtis are deities or images used by Hindus and also by some Mahayana Buddhists during worship as points of devotional and meditational focus. ... Past Lives redirects here. ... In Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and other related religions, samsara or saṃsāra refers to the concept of reincarnation or rebirth in Indian philosophical traditions. ... In Hinduism, the Trimurti (also called the Hindu trinity) are three aspects of God in His forms as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. ... In early Hindu philosophy, turiya (also called caturtha) is a state of pure consciousness, or the experience of ultimate reality and truth. ... The guru-shishya tradition (also guru-shishya parampara or lineage) is a spiritual relationship found within traditional Hinduism which is centered around the transmission of teachings from a guru (teacher, ) to a Å›iá¹£ya (disciple, ) . The term shishya roughly equates to the western term disciple, and in some parts of... Hindu philosophy (one of the main divisions of Indian philosophy) is traditionally seen through the prism of six different systems (called darshanas in Sanskrit) that are listed here and make up the main belief systems of Hinduism. ... Hinduism (Vedic dharma or Sanatana dharma) encompasses many movements and traditions (sampradaya). ... Early Hinduism is a term used to designate the religious development of India before the historical period. ... Samkhya, also Sankhya, (Sanskrit: सांख्य) is a school of Indian philosophy, and is one of the six astika or Hindu philosophical schools of India. ... Nyaya (pronounced as nyα:yÉ™) is the name given to one of the six orthodox or astika schools of Hindu philosophy - specifically the school of logic. ... Vaisheshika, also Vaisesika, (Sanskrit: वैशॆषिक)is one of the six Hindu schools of philosophy (orthodox Vedic systems) of India. ... // Yoga practice and intention Modern yoga practice often includes traditional elements inherited from Hinduism, such as moral and ethical principles, postures designed to keep the body fit, spiritual philosophy, instruction by a guru, chanting of mantras (sacred syllables), quieting the breath, and stilling the mind through meditation. ... The main objective of the Purva (earlier) Mimamsa school was to establish the authority of the Vedas. ... Vedanta (Vedānta, वेदान्त, pronounced as ) means the anta or culmination of Vedas. ... Tantra (Sanskrit: loom), tantric yoga or tantrism is any of several esoteric traditions rooted in the religions of India. ... Bhakti yoga is the Hindu term for the spiritual practice of fostering of loving devotion to God, called bhakti. ... ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Ayurveda (आयुर्वेद Sanskrit: ayu—life; veda—knowledge of) or ayurvedic medicine is a comprehensive system of medicine, more than 5,000 years old and based on a holistic approach rooted in Vedic culture. ... A ritual is a formalised, predetermined set of symbolic actions generally performed in a particular environment at a regular, recurring interval. ... Aarti, ãrti, arathi, or ãrati is a Hindu ritual in which light from wicks soaked in ghee (purified butter) or camphor is offered to one or more deities. ... A bhajan or kirtan is a Hindu devotional song, often but not necessarily of ancient origin. ... Darshan is a Sanskrit and Hindu (also used to some extent in Urdu) term meaning sight (in the sense of an instance of seeing something or somebody), vision, apparition, or a glimpse. ... In Hinduism, diksha is the ritual of initiation into the worship of some deity by a guru (diksha guru) who bestows mantra(s) and takes the karma of the initiate - at least in case of Vaishnava diksha, as per Hari Bhakti Vilasa 1. ... A mantra is a religious syllable or poem, typically from the Sanskrit language. ... PÅ«jā (alternative transliteration pooja, Sanskrit: reverence or worship, loosely) is a religious ritual which most Hindus perform every morning after bathing and dressing but prior to taking any food or drink. ... The company of the highest knowledge and Truth; the company of a Guru; contact with a person or an assembly of persons who listen to, talk about, and assimilate the Truth. ... Stotras are Hindu prayers that praise aspects of God, such as Devi, Siva, or Vishnu. ... Hindu wedding ceremonies are traditionally conducted in Sanskrit, the language in which most holy Hindu ceremonies are conducted. ... In Hinduism, Yajna or Yagya यज्ञं (Sanskrit yajñá worship, prayer, praise; offering, oblation, sacrifice) is a Vedic ritual of sacrifice performed to please the Devas, or sometimes to the Supreme Spirit Brahman. ... References This section needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... General definition of saint In general, the term Saint refers to someone who is exceptionally virtuous and holy. ... Adi Shankara (Åšaá¹…kara, Shri Shankaracharya, Adhi Shankaracharya, Ä€di Åšaá¹…karācārya; the first Shankara in his lineage), reverentially called Bhagavatpada Acharya (the teacher at the feet of Lord) (very approximately 788–820 C.E., but see below) was the most famous advaita philosopher, who had a profound influence... Sri Ramanuja Acharya (1017 - 1137 AD) was an Indian philosopher and is recognized as the most important saint of Sri Vaishnavism. ... Shri Madhvacharya,(1238-1317), was the chief propounder of the Dvaita or dualistic school of Hindu philosophy, one of the three influential Vedanta philosophies. ... ... Sri Thakur Gadadhar Chattopadhyaya Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (Bangla: শ্রীরামকৄষ্ঞ পরমহংস) (February 18, 1836 - August 16, 1886) was a Bengali saint. ... Swami Vivekananda (Bangla: স্বামী বিবেকানন্দ, Hindi: स्वामी विवेकानन्द) (whose pre-monastic name was Narendranath Dutta Bangla: নরেন্দ্রনাথ দত্ত, Hindi: नरेन्द्रनाथ दत्त) (January 12, 1863 - July 4, 1902) is considered one of the most famous and influential spiritual leaders of the Hindu religion. ... Narayana Guru Narayana Guru (नारायण गुरु) (1856 - 1928) was a great sage and social reformer of India. ... Sri Aurobindo Sri Aurobindo (Bangla: শ্রী অরবিন্দ) (August 15, 1872–December 5, 1950) was an Indian nationalist, scholar, poet, Hindu mystic, evolutionary philosopher, yogi and guru. ... Ramana Mahrishi as portrayed in a loving oil painting by Jayalakshmi Satyendra Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi (December 30, 1879 – April 14, 1950) was a great Hindu mystic of the Advaita Vedanta stream and is widely regarded as one of the greatest saints of Hinduism. ... Swami Sivananda Saraswati (1887-1963), as he is known under his monastic name, was born Kuppuswamy in Pattamadai, Tamil Nadu, India. ... Swami Chinmayananda (स्‍वामी चिन्‍मयानन्‍द) (1916 - August 3, 1993) was born Balakrishna Menon (Balan) in Ernakulam, Kerala in a very devout Hindu family. ... Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927 - 2001), affectionately known as Gurudeva, was born in Oakland, California on January 5th, 1927. ... Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan Bhagwan Swaminarayan (April 2, 1781 - 1830) was born Ghanshyam Maharaj to a brahmin family in the village of Chhapaiya, Uttar Pradesh, India. ... A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (September 1, 1896–November 14, 1977) was born Abhay Charan De, in Kolkata, West Bengal. ... Hinduism encompasses many movements and schools fairly organized within Hindu denominations. ... Vaishnavism is one of the principal divisions of Hinduism. ... Åšaivism, also transliterated Shaivism and Saivism, is a branch of Hinduism that worships Siva as the Supreme God. ... Shaktism is a denomination of Hinduism that worships Shakti, or Devi -- the Hindu name for the Great Mother -- in all of her forms whilst not rejecting the importance of masculine and neuter divinity. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Smartha Sect. ... Agama Hindu Dharma is the formal name of Hinduism in Indonesia. ... Hinduism is going through a phase of regeneration and reform through the vehicle of several contemporary movements. ... Scope The article presents a comparative overview of the leading Hindu organisations of India. ... Within Smarta Hinduism, a variety of forms of God are seen as aspects of the one impersonal divine ground, Brahman (not Brahma). ... This is a List of Hindu deities. ... The term Hindu mythology refers collectively to a large body of Indian literature (essentially, the mythology of Hinduism) that detail the lives and times of legendary personalities, deities and divine incarnations on earth interspersed with often large sections of philosophical and ethical discourse. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The Satya Yuga, also called Sat Yuga, Krta Yuga and Krita Yuga in Hinduism, is the Yuga (Age or Era) of Truth, when humankind is governed by gods, and every manifestation or work is close to the purest ideal and mankind will allow intrinsic goodness to rule supreme. ... The Treta Yuga is the second Yuga in the four yugas. ... Dwapar Yuga is the third out of four yugas, or ages, in the religion of Hinduism. ... Kali Yuga is also the title of a book by Roland Charles Wagner. ... This article is in need of attention. ... A Brahmin (pronunciation is Brahmann) is a member of the Hindu priestly caste. ... According to the Sanskrit a Kshatriya is the caste of princes and warriors, conquerors, one of four varna. ... In the Hindu caste system, a Vaishya (Sanskrit वैश्य vaiÅ›ya, female वैश्या vaiÅ›yā) is a member of the third of the four major castes of the varna system of traditional Indian society, comprising farmers, herders, merchants,artisans. ... Shudra or Sudra is the fourth caste or varna in the traditional four-caste division in Indian society. ...