ॐ Hindu Of Universe ॐ
“God’s light is within you, It never leaves you.”
Lord Shiva
Shiva is the destroyer of the world, following Brahma the creator and Vishnu the preserver, after which Brahma again creates the world and so on. Shiva is responsible for change both in the form of death and destruction and in the positive sense of the shedding of old habits. In Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram or Truth, Goodness and Beauty, Shiva also represents the most essential goodness.
Shiva is the god of the yogis, self-controlled and celibate, while at the same time a lover of his spouse (shakti). Shiva’s first wife was Sati and his second wife was Parvati, also known as Uma, Gauri, Durga, Kali and Shakti. His sons are Ganesha and Kartikeya. Shiva lives on Mount Kailasa in the Himalayas.
Shiva’s main attributes are the trident that represents the three gunas and the snakes that show he is beyond the power of death and poison and also stand for the Kundalini energy. The vehicle of Shiva is the white bull called Nandi (the joyful).
When Ganga incarnated on Earth, Shiva captured her in his hair to avoid that she would flood all of Earth
Lord Shiva
कर्पूरगौरं करुणावतारं
संसारसारम् भुजगेन्द्रहारम् ।
सदावसन्तं हृदयारविन्दे
भवं भवानीसहितं नमामि ॥
Sawan Somvar
Sawan Somvar Vrat has very special significance for all the people living in India especially for unmarried youths (boys and girls). Indian youths (especially girls) keep fast for all the Monday occurs in the month of Sawan and worship Lord Shiva to get the same life partner as Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati. Kashi Vishwanath Temple and New Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi gets more crowds from today than other days from early morning 4 AM to night 10 PM.
About God Shiva
Varanasi history related to Lord Shiva:
Varanasi is the holy city of Lord Shiva and has become one of the seven sacred cities of Hindus. The city has been described in many Hindu scriptures such as Rigveda, Skanda Purana, Ramayana, and Mahabharata. According to the Legends, Varanasi is about 3000 years old and known as the oldest city in the world. Varanasi is the center of industries and famous for a variety of work such as muslin, silk fabrics, perfumes, ivory works as well as sculpture. Varanasi was the capital of Kingdom of Kashi at the time of Gautama Buddha.
The Varanasi city was named as the center of a variety of religious and artistic activities by a celebrated Chinese traveler Xuanzang. It is located along the western bank of the river Ganges. The great Jain Tirthankar Suparshv Nath Ji and Tirthankar Parshva Nath Ji was born at Benares.
Varanasi is famous as a Shiva Nagari and it has become the biggest pilgrimage destination. The meaning of Shiva is the “auspicious one” known as the major Hindu deity. It is believed that the God Shiva is the Destroyer or Transformer of living beings among the Trimurti. The Lord Shiva is regarded as the most powerful god in Hinduism. According to the tradition of Hinduism, Lord Shiva is the Supreme God of Hindu as he is the creator, preserver, destroyer, concealer, and revealer of human beings. The followers of Lord Shiva are called Shaivites or Shaivas.
In Hinduism, the God Shiva is worshiped in the form of lingam. It is believed that he is living on Mount Kailash as an omniscient yogi with his wife Parvati and sons Ganesha and Kartikeya. He has benevolent as well as fearsome forms and often depicted as immersed in deep meditation, slaying demons in fierce aspects or as the Cosmic Dancer.
Etymology and other names of Lord Shiva
The Shiva is a Sanskrit word having an adjective meaning “pure”. It also means “The Auspicious One”, a name for Rudra. It is known as the thousand names of Vishnu interprets God Shiva having multiple meanings such as “The Pure One”, or the One who might never affected by three Gunas of Nature (Rajas, Sattva and Tamas) or the One who purifies living beings by the utterance of His name. According to Swami Chinmayananda, the meaning of Lord Shiva is the One who is eternally pure or the One who can not ever be contaminated of the imperfection of Rajas and Tamas. The Supreme God of Hindu Shiva is considered as he has no Aadi or Anta that he has no birth or death. The Lord Shiva is known as “Devon Ke Dev Mahadev” means Great God or Great Lord.
Seal was discovered in the Mohenjodaro which shows that a seated figure is surrounded by animals, possibly Shiva, the Pashupati.
Reality of Rudra
In the 2nd century it was searched as Rudra is three-headed Shiva. In the number of Hindu traditions both God Shiva and Rudra are viewed as the same personality. It is found in the Rig Veda that Rudra is the “Father of the Rudras”, a group of storm gods. According to Axel Michaels: Rudra is called “The Archer” and the arrow is vital attribute of Rudra, he was armed with arrows in his hands. Rudra is the great God of Hindu who has the power to kill all the forces of darkness.
Relationship of Rudra with Agni
It is believed that Rudra and Agni have a close relationship. It is identified in the Vedic literature with Rudra’s gradual development process as Rudra-Shiva. According to Nirukta, Agni is also called Rudra. According to the Stella Kramrisch the relationship between two great Hindu deities is very complex.
In the Satarudria, it is clearly shown that Golden red hue as of flame and Flaming bright is a fusing of the two deities. It is considered that Agni is a bull having horn which Lord Shiva possesses as his vehicle, Nandi. The horns of Agni, who is sometimes characterized as a bull, are mentioned. But in the medieval sculpture, the form of both Agni and God Shiva is Bhairav having flamed hair as his special feature.
Relationship of Shiva with Indra
According to an ancient theory, continuation of the Vedic Indra was through the Lord Shiva. It is considered as the God Shiva and Indra have thirst for Soma. Both Hindu deities are associated with mountains, fierceness, fearlessness, rivers, male fertility, warfare, the Aum sound as well as the Supreme Self. The term Shiva is used to call Indra in the Rig Veda. God Rudra is also mentioned in Rig veda as a father of the Maruts.
History of Shiva with Parvati
God Shiva is three-eyed deities controlling the Ganges flow through his matted hair means yellowish-white or molten gold. Lord Shiva wear mala of five serpents, a garland of skulls and a skull bracelet as his lovable ornaments, he cover himself in ashes, and have Trisula and Damaru. He has a crescent moon on his head and a Trisul or Trident in the right lower arm. Because of having third eye, he is also known as Trilochana.
There is big history behind Shiva having crescent moon, because of this he is known as Chandrasekhara or Chandramouli means having the moon as his crest. Having a crescent moon on his head denotes that he has perfect control on his mind. God Shiva smears ashes or bhasma on his whole body with ashes. Because of his yellowish-white matted hair he also known as the Jataajoota Dhari or Kapardin means wearing his hair wound in a braid of shell-like fashion.
History behind Blue throat
Lord Shiva is known as the Nīlakaṇtha means blue throat or blue kantha. It is considered that he drank the Halahala poison arisen from the Samudra Manthan in order to eliminate its destructive capacity and save all the Devgan from Devil. Goddess Parvati was shocked with his activity and she tried to strangled his neck and to prevent spreading of poison all over the universe means in Shiva’s stomach. That’s why his neck color is changed to blue.
Relation with Gange and Tiger skin, Serpents, Deer, Trident, Drum, Nandi, Gaṇa, MountKailasa, Varanasi
Because of wearing a sacred Ganges he is also known as the Gangadhara means bearer of Ganga. The flow of the Ganges from the matted hair of Lord Shiva represents the nectar of immortality. King Bhagirath had done hard Tap of Gange to bring her on earth in order to help his Purvaj to get Moksha. And God Shiva wore the Gange to prevent earth from her powerful and speedy water flow. Lord Shiva had released only a single flow of Gange to go to earth from his matted hair.
Lord Shiva is often shown have seated on a tiger skin. Having seats on the tiger’s skin indicates that Lord Shiva has conquered lust.
God Shiva always wear garlanded of serpents known as Nagendra Haara. Wearing snakes denotes the wisdom and eternity.
He holds deer on his one hand which indicates that he has not Chanchalata in his mind showing maturity and firmness to whole world.
Lord Shiva have his most essential weapon (called Trident or Trishula) in his right hand represents the three Gunas Rajas, Tamas and Sattva. It is considered that he rules the world through these three Gunas.
He has a small Damaru in his left hand which represents OM which is origin of all languages are. It acts as an attribute in his famous dancing representation called Nataraja.
God Shiva has his vehicle known as Nandi or Nandin which is bull and serves as Shiva’s mount. Because of the relation of Shiva with an animal he named as Pasupati or Pashupati or lord of cattle.The bull represents him a Dharma Devata as a protector of Dharma.
Lord Shiva has a big group of Gaṇa ro bhutagana who lives in Kailash with Shiva. It is considered that the Ganesha (son of Lord Shiva) was chosen the leader of all Gana by Shiva, so the Ganesha is also called gaṇapati or lord of the gaṇas.
Mount Kailash is exists on the Himalayas, the nagari of King Himalaya. Kailash resembles a Linga which is the traditional abode of God Shiva known as the the center of the universe.
Varanasi is the famous city known as the holy city of God or city of Temples. Varanasi is specially loved by the God Shiva and has became one of the holiest places of pilgrimage in India.
Forms of Lord Shiva and depictions
Lord Shiva is a god of ambiguity and paradox by Gavin Flood. He has the ambivalent nature worshiped by Hindus as their supreme God. He was destroyer versus benefactor. It is mentioned in the Yajurveda for his both of the attributes, the malignant or terrific and benign or auspicious. God Shiva is depicted in the Mahabharata as a figure of honor, delight, and brilliance. The Rudra form of Lord Shiva denotes the wild one” or the fierce god. Shiva is also known as the Sambhu causing happiness.
Shiva as an Ascetic versus householder
The God Shiva’s family includes Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha and Kartikeya or Skanda. Lord Shiva is depicted as both an ascetic yogi as well as a householder. As a yogi he shown sitting and meditating on tiger skin. As a householder he is also known as Umapati or the husband of Uma or Umakanta or Umadhava. Mata Parvati is identified as a Devi or Divine Mother or Shakti (divine energy), Tripura Sundari, Durga, Kamakshi, Meenakshi and many more. It is considered as she is the source of Lord Shiva’s creative energy. His son Ganesha is known as the Lord of Beginnings and Lord of Obstacles and worshipped throughout India as well as Nepal as the Remover of Obstacles. His son Kartikeya is worshipped by different names such as Subrahmanya, Shanmughan, Swaminathan, Murugan, Subrahmanyan, Skanda, Kumara in Southern India like Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.
Lord Shiva is known as the Nataraja as he is the Lord of Dance as an eternal dancer. His dance with music is described in the Puranic period. Tandava (denote the powerful) and masculine dance as Kala-Mahakala (denote the destruction of the whole world) are the two most common types of the dance associated with Shiva . One of the most famous dance the Tandava-Lasya is associated with destruction and creation of the world.
God Shiva is also called as the Dakshinamurthy as he seat facing south (dakṣiṇa) which represents Shiva as a teacher of yoga, music, wisdom and a variety of shastras.
He is called as Ardhanarishvara, the five-headed Tripurantaka pointing his arrow towards Tripura the rightmost top corner with bow of mount Meru and bow string of serpent Vasuki. In the form of Ardhanarisvara he shows himself having one half of body as a male and other half as a female the lord who is half woman. It is considered that Lord Shiva has sacrificed his half body to the shakti swaroopa Goddess Adi parashakti as a sign of love.
Shiva is called Tripurantaka as he is the destroyer of triple fortresses or ender of Tripura. It is considered that after ending Tripura he smeared his forehead with three strokes of Ashes.
God Shiva as a Lingam
The Lord Shiva worshipped in the form of Lingam at Jambukesvara temple of Thiruvanaikaval. The meaning of linga is a sign or a symbol which denotes the great God of the universe. According to the Hinduism, Lord Shiva is the God to creates, sustain and withdraw the whole universe.
Avatars of Lord Shiva
Virabhadra avatar of God Shiva destroyed the Daksha’s yajna and cut his head as per Shiva’s order. Bhairava avatar also known as Bhairo or Bhairon or Bhairadya or Bheruji depicted as the Kala Bhairava was created by Shiva for the protection of Sati Pind. Durvasa avatar is supposed to be an incarnation of Shiva and famous for his short temper. Khandoba which is a form of Shiva in Maharashtra and Karnataka. Hanuman avatar is known as the eleventh Rudraavtaar of Lord Shiva in the era of Lord Rama.
The five mantras of Lord Shiva
The number five is known as a sacred number for God Shiva. Namah sivaya is one of the most important mantras. It is considered that the body of Lord Shiva is made up of five mantras (represents as the five faces of Shiva), called pancabrahmans. Each mantras have distinct names such as:
Sadyojata
Vamadeva
Aghora
Tatpuruṣha
Isana
These are associated with five elements, five senses, five organs of perception, and five organs of action.
Maha Shivaratri
It is considered as the mata Parvati and Lord Shiva was met at this great ocassion known as Maha Shivratri. In Hinduism, Maha Shivaratri is a holy festival which is celebrated very happily every year at 13th night or 14th day in Krishna Paksha of Maagha or Phalguna. It is night when Lord Shiva had performed the Tandava. On this ocassion the devotees of God Shiva keep fast and worship Shiva Linga by offering him the fruits, flowers and Bael leaves. More on Maha Shivaratri …
Jyotirlinga Temples in India
Somnath
Omkareshwar
Vaidyanath
Mallikarjunaswamy
Mahakaleshwar
Nageshwar
Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Triambkeshwar
Bhimahankar
Rameshwaram
Kedarnath
Grineshwar
Origin and Birth of Lord Shiva
There is no clue about the origin and birth of the Lord Shiva but it is considered according to the Hindu mythology that, once Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu were arguing that which one of them as well as in the universe is more powerful. In order to searching for the most powerful power they had started going in the opposite directions. There was an immense blistering pillar appeared in front of them, they decided to search for the root and end branch of that pillar. Its been long but they never found the root as well as the end branch of that pillar. After being unsuccessful they had returned back and seen that there is a God Shiva rising out from the pillar’s opening. They found the supreme power and believed that the extreme power exists except both of us who can rule and destroy the universe.
According to the Hindu Mythology, it is believed that Lord Shiva is the destroyer of the universe and the soul of anybody after death gets intermingled into him. He is the supreme god among all three and has three eyes, the third one has the power to destroy the creation. He is also recognized as the God of storm named Rudra.
Story of Lord Shiva
It is considered that Lord Shiva many roles and power, he always wear the garland of snake in his neck and necklace of skulls as well. He is the supreme God and can help his creations as human beings as well as God also. He punishes the wicked as a divine judge who never shows mercy towards them. He has spiritual strength and used of meditation for a long time at the Kailash mountain at Himalayas. He symbolizes the truth, reality and drive out the bad energy as well as helps alleviating the suffering of devotees through his fascinating dance. He had saved the universe by drinking the poison arising out from the Samundra Mathan and called as the Neel Kanth as his neck became blue because of the poison.
He had provided the way to the River Gange to come on the earth by intermingle her to his matted hair. He saved the world from the great draught by offering the water source through Gange. It is a big story, once there was a great draught on the earth and River Gange was flowing only in the heavens. King Bhagirath had prayed a lot of the Gange to come to the earth. One day Gange became happy with his pray and came in front of him and said she cannot come to the earth as the earth would become flown away with the heavy flow of her water. She said to him that there is one way if you pray to God Shiva. King Bhagirath prayed to the Lord Shiva and got his way became simple.
Lord Shiva holds Ganges River in his matted hair, a coiled serpent in his neck, a crescent moon on the right side, a Trishul (also known as trident) in his right hand and ashes (bhasma) all over his body. He has a bull named Nandi which he used as his vehicle. Shiva-Linga is a peaceful and happiness symbol of the Lord which is adored too much.
Ardhanareeswara is another form of the both Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati as a half man and half woman. It is the form the Purusha (means the male energy) and the Prakriti (means the female energy) binding together to make the cosmic energy.
Another form of God Shiva is the Panchamukha Shiva (means Five faced Shiva) having each face in different directions like as a Sadyojata he has faced to the East, as a Tatpurusha he has faced to the north, as a Aghora he has faced to the west, as a Ishana he has faced to the south and as a Sadesiva (means the Eternal Shiva) he has faced to the upside.
There is a story of long ago, when some sages were busy in doing penance. In order to test their commitment, Lord Shiva started dancing on the forest and the wives (who came to forest to collect some firewood) of those sages got intimated with the dance of him. At the sunset when sages came to the forest to get their wives, they saw that they all were busy in seeing he dancing of other person, they pest that person. They were totally unaware that the dancing person was the Lord Shiva himself. Because of the pest, the penis fell down on the earth and started rising a long in both directions. Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma both went o the south and north direction respectively for getting some solutions and its end, but they were unsuccessful. They found that it is infinite and then recognized the God Shiva as Supreme.
Lord Shiva Family
Lord Shiva got married two times, First time he got married to the granddaughter of the Brahma named Sati (daughter of the Prajapati Daksha). And second time he got married with the Parvati (rebirth of the Sati), the daughter of the King of the Himalayas. God Shiva and Parvati had two sons named the Ganesh and the Kartikeya.
How to Worship Lord Shiva
The most famous worship of the Lord Shiva is the worship to be performed for sixteen successive Mondays. The process of the worship is:
Take a bath in the early morning at Monday and wear a clean white cloth. Cook Churma by mixing a pound of pure wheat flour, gur ghee and fry it. Offer the Churma to the God Shiva along with a ghee diya, gur, sandal paste, rice grains, beetle nut, a sacred thread and flowers by reciting the mantras and songs. After worship distribute the prasad and take yourself as well.
Do this process for sixteen Mondays. After completing the 16th Monday worship, at the 17th Monday, mix ten pounds of flour, ghee and gur and fry that. Offer all that to the Lord Shiva with full dedication and love.
There is a big story behind the worship for 16 Mondays. Once God Shiva and Parvati had gone for the world tour and stay at the temple of the Shiva. They started playing Chaucer, then Parvati asked with a lady priest that who will win the game. She told that Shankar Ji will win. Finally, Lord Shiva had won the game and Parvati thought that all this become because of the priest announcement. She became angry and cursed that lady priest to become the patient of leprosy. The lady become very sad and suffered a long with the leprosy. One day she went to the temple to know her bad working as she was cursed with the Devine mother. An Apsara told her about the worship of God Shiva for the 16 Mondays. Then she did all the processes for sixteen Mondays and blessed by the Lord Shiva and became free from the leprosy.
HINDU GOD SHIVA – THE DESTROYER
The Hindu God Shiva (Sanskrit: Auspicious One), or Siva, is one of the main Deities of Hinduism, worshiped as the paramount lord by the Saivite sects of India. Shiva is one of the most complex gods of India, embodying seemingly contradictory qualities. He is the destroyer and the restorer, the great ascetic and the symbol of sensuality, the benevolent herdsman of souls and the wrathful avenger.
The Hindu God Shiva was originally known as Rudra, a minor deity addressed only three times in the Rig Veda. He gained importance after absorbing some of the characteristics of an earlier fertility god and became Shiva, part of the trinity, or trimurti, with Vishnu and Brahma.
The Cult of Shiva
Shaivism, or Saivism, is one of the most popular Hindu cults. It embraces many theological practices, although all agree on three principles: pati. or God; pasu, or individual soul; and pasa, or bonds that confine the soul to earthly existence. The aim of Shaivites is to rid their souls of bondage and achieve shivata, the “nature of Shiva”. They achieve this through ascetic practices and penances, with an emphasis on yoga and renunciation. Many Shaivites become wandering sadhus, or hold men. Shiavites mark their foreheads with three horizontal marks representing the three aspects of Shiva.
Shiva Hindu God of Destruction often wears a snake coiled around his upper arms and neck symbolizing the power he has over the most deadly of creatures. Snakes are also used to symbolize the Hindu dogma of reincarnation. Their natural process of molting or shedding their skin is symbolic of the human souls transmigration of bodies from one life to another.
The Hindu God Shiva often wears a snake coiled around his upper arms and neck symbolizing the power he has over the most deadly of creatures. Snakes are also used to symbolize the Hindu dogma of reincarnation. Their natural process of molting or shedding their skin is symbolic of the human souls transmigration of bodies from one life to another.
Thiruvalangadu, north of Madras, is associated with the dance contest between Shiva and his consort in the form of Kali. According to legend, Shiva danced vigorously, and to subdue Kali, threw up his leg in the rhythm of the dance. Being a lady, Kali could not repeat this feat and stood dismayed. This dance and the subjugation of Kali, are described in the hymns of the female saint-poet Karaikkal Ammai.Shiva’s female consort and wife is Parvati; because of his generosity and reverence towards Parvati, Shiva is considered an ideal role model for a husband. The divine couple together with their sons – the six-headed Skanda and the elephant headed Ganesh- reside on Mount Kailasa in the Himalayas.
The trident often held by Shiva God of Destruction represents the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu. It is also said to represent the threefold qualities of nature: creation, preservation, and destruction, although preservation is usually attributed to Vishnu.
As the destroyer, Shiva is dark and terrible, encircled with serpents and a crown of skulls.
Shiva often holds a trident, which represents the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu. It is also said to represent the threefold qualities of nature: creation, preservation, and destruction, although preservation is usually attributed to Vishnu.
Shiva wears sacred Rudraksha beads, perhaps a reference to his earlier name Rudra.The crescent moon Lord Shiva wears on his headdress, besides being a symbol of Kama the goddess of nightly love, also represents the bull, Nandi, a fertility symbol.
Shiva holds a skull that represents samsara, the cycle of life, death and rebirth. Samsara is a central belief in Hinduism. Shiva himself also represents this complete cycle because he is Mahakala; the Lord of Time, destroying and creating all things.
Shiva is represented in a variety of forms. One such form is as a lingam. The ovoid shape is a representation of the absolute perfection of Lord Shiva – if that which is beyond form had to be given form, the lingam would be the closest form to the mystical experience of the absolute perfection of Shiva.
Lord Shiva, God of Destruction’s vehicle, or vahana is Nandi (the white bull), whose statue can often be seen watching over the main shrine. The bull is said to embody sexual energy and fertility. Riding on its back, Shiva is in control of these impulses.
Shiva saw no sense in the transitory pleasures of life, so he rejected samsara, smeared his body with ash, closed his eyes and performed austerities.
Shiva’s tapas generated so much heat that his body transformed into a pillar of fire – a blazing lingam that threatened to destroy the whole world. The gods did not know how to control Shiva’s fire.
Suddenly there appeared a yoni – the divine vessel of the mother-goddess. It caught the fiery lingam and contained its heat, thus saving the cosmos from untimely destruction.
Shiva is often pictured in a pacific mood with his consort Parvati, as the cosmic dancer Nataraja, as a naked ascetic, as a mendicant beggar, as a yogi Dhakshinamurthy, and as the androgynous union of Shiva and Parvati in one body (Ardhanarisvara).
Shiva also takes the form of Ardhanari, his androgynous form. The right side of the sculpture is Shiva and the left side is Parvati. The attributes of each are split directly down the middle.
Another example of Shiva’s apparent synthesis of male and female attributes is seen in his earrings. He often wears one earring in the style of a man and the other as a female.
Shiva is commonly depicted with a third eye. The third eye is a symbol of higher consciousness. It is also something with which he can destroy his enemies “with fire.” He can also kill all the gods and other creatures during the periodic destruction of the universe. Shiva’s third eye first appeared when Parvati, his wife, playfully covered his other two eyes, therefore plunging the world into darkness and putting it in danger of destruction.
Who is Shiva?
Shiva is one of the most important gods in Hinduism, capable of creating or destroying whatever he wishes because he is considered to dominate various supernatural forces in the cosmos.
The god Shiva represents universal destruction and transformation. His name derives from the Sanskrit Siva and means “the benevolent one”. He is also known as the lord of destruction, the lord of beasts, god of chaos, god of mystery, god of nature, god of knowledge, Rudra, among others.
In the Hindu tradition, Shiva fulfills the function of the destroyer god in the Trimurti (three-forms) or Hindu Triad, composed of the gods Brahma and Vishnu. However, he also has the ability to recreate from death, which, understood from Hinduism, represents a change in the way of life and not non-existence as such.
As a destroying god, Shiva destroys everything that exists so that the new arises and life and the universe regenerate, therefore, he is also considered a creator god. In the field of spirituality, destruction is necessary to evolve, which is why he is also considered the most important yogi or god of yoga.
Likewise, Shiva is the revered god of Shivaism, one of the oldest and most influential beliefs of Hinduism.
Characteristics and attributes of Shiva
In Hinduism, Shiva is one of the most powerful gods for having the ability to create and destroy in order to achieve spiritual renewal and balance in the universe. Therefore, Shiva has various physical characteristics and attributes that differentiate him from other gods.
Characteristics (physical)
His skin is represented as blue gricásea since he took the poison created to destroy all beings in the universe, whom he saved. It is nectar created by the gods to make themselves immortal.
His skin is depicted as covered in ash, which represents life and death as a reality of life.
He has messy hair. The waves of his hair represent him as the god of the wind (Vaiu) and the form of breath that is present in all living things.
From his head and hair flows the river Ganges, which represents the purification of the sins of himself and his ancestors.
He has three eyes, one of which is located in the middle of his forehead. It is said that her eyes can see the past, the present, and the future.
It has four arms. In one he holds a trident that, for Shivaism, represents the attributes he possesses as a creator, destroyer, and regenerator god. In another arm, he holds a drum in the shape of an hourglass.
attributes
On the forehead is the crescent moon, near the third eye. The moon serves as a measure of time, which is why Shiva is also depicted as the master of time.
On his forehead, he also has three lines of ash (vibhuti) drawn, which represent the essence of our being (the ego, the impurities of ignorance, likes, dislikes, among others).
On his neck, he wears a cobra. Shiva had ingested kalketu poison to protect the welfare of the universe, but it is believed that his wife Parvati tied a cobra to him to hold the poison in her throat, and so she turned blue.
It has a beaded necklace that represents the extinction and generation of humanity.
Dressed in elephant skin symbolizes pride, and deerskin symbolizes mind control to perfection.
On his wrists, he has wooden bands to which medicinal powers are attributed.
He is sitting on a tiger skin, which symbolizes victory over any force, and represents his conquest over desire.
Shaivism
Shaivism is one of the oldest and most practiced Hindu beliefs. He worships only Shiva as the supreme god, who represents destruction and creation to achieve the purification of the universe.
This is a fairly broad belief, encompassing various monistic and dualistic philosophical positions on the origin of the universe, as well as myths, rituals, and yoga practices.
Shaivism is based on the sacred texts of the Vedas (four books of Indian literature) and the Agamas (Buddhist, Hindu, and Yaina literature). In the Vedic texts, Shiva is referred to as Rudra or Maheshwaram.
Shiva is usually worshiped as:
a supreme god of the Trimurti, (Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva),
god of reproduction, whose symbol is called lingam (phallus),
destroyer god, so he can be called as Kāla,
in his various human forms, such as Nataraja or Natarash (dancer) or Dakshina-murti (image of a teacher who teaches the absolute truth to four sages).
Those who practice Shivaism are called Shivaists or Shaivas, for worshiping Shiva as the creator, destroyer, and preserver god. This belief is mainly practiced in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, although it has spread around the world.
Shiva worship is performed both in temples and on homemade altars by those who practice this belief.
Shiva’s story
The main sources of information on Hindu mythology are the ancient Vedas, Puranas, and Tantras, which collect and describe the stories, epics, and traditional myths about the gods of Hinduism and date back to at least the 2nd millennium BC.
In these stories, Shiva’s story is not clear and does not have a coherent narrative thread. For example, in the Vedic texts the name of the god Shiva does not appear, but to increase his veneration it was associated with the god Rudra, who does appear in the Rig-veda (the oldest text of the Vedic tradition).
In the Vedic religion, one of the oldest beliefs in India, the only deity with great destructive potential is Rudra, god of “terrible” strength, later identified as Shiva “the benevolent”. Both gods have the same qualities in Hindu scriptures and are recognized as the same god by scholars.
For his part, in the Puranas texts, Shiva is referred to as Siva, Linga, Skanda, Agnim, among others. But in none of these texts or myths is his origin clarified, although he stands out as one of the main gods of Hinduism.
However, it is known that Shiva is part of the Trimurti or Hindu Triad, formed by the three great gods of Hinduism. Shiva represents the destroying god, Brahma the creator god, and Vishnu is the preserving god. In this way, the cycle of creation, preservation, and destruction is completed.
For Shiva, destruction is necessary to achieve spiritual purification. The destructive aspect of it is also associated with the idea of change and the transformation of life and the universe as a continuous cycle.
His home is also known to be Mount Kailasa, an image that can be seen in the background when he is depicted doing the Mahāyogī yoga posture, and where he has lived with his wives.
Main myths of Shiva
Shiva and Sati
Sati, the goddess of marital happiness and longevity, daughter of Daksha and Prasuti, was Shiva’s first wife. Sati was born from the reincarnation of the goddess Adi Parashakti, to whom her parents were devoted and to whom she warned that they could not mistreat her daughter because it would cause her death.
Sati married Shiva, but Daksha did not approve of the union. She held a party to which he invited all the gods except her daughter Sati and Shiva. Sati insisted Shiva to go, but he did not want to. Satí went to confront her father, who yelled at her and forbade her entry, which caused her to commit suicide by setting herself on fire.
When Shiva found out, he was enraged at Dashka’s house, whom he killed along with thousands of innocents through the dance of destruction or his representation of Shiva Nataraja.
Finally, Shiva brought back to life all those he had killed, took the charred body of Sati, and walked through the universe. Various parts of Sati’s body fell in various places now considered sacred in Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, and other Asian countries.
Shiva and Parvati
Shiva’s second wife was Parvati (also called Uma), with whom he lived on Mount Kailasa, his home. Parvati is the reincarnation of Sati.
Parvati represents the cosmic energy that enables renewal, transformation, and regeneration. She also appears in other stages of Shiva’s life such as Durga, Kali, among others. Shiva and Parvati form a complementary pair of universal forces.
Together they had a deep love story, and represent the search for the loved one from our own being. In the Hindu tradition, Parvati represents the feminine principle and Shiva the masculine principle.
Together they formed a cosmic family with three children:
Aiapa (female incarnation of Vishnu).
Kartikeia (god of war or violence), has six faces.
Ganesha (god with the head of an elephant), represents intelligence.
Shiva Nataraja
Shiva Nataraja or Lord of the Dance is the representation of the dancing god Shiva. It is usually represented in stone or metal sculptures that form the dance of fury, used by Shiva in order to destroy something and then make it reborn.
Shiva Nataraja is represented dancing in a circle of fire and on top of Apasmara (a dwarf who represents ignorance).
It shows a dynamic posture in which it is supported on the right leg, while the left is raised and crossed. Her hair moves and her four arms are outstretched.
Shiva and yoga
Shiva is considered the god and spokesman for yoga or the Great Yogi. Yoga is an ancient physical and mental discipline, whose objective is to free the material ties of the soul. In yoga, spiritual purification is necessary to evolve.
Shiva is considered the most important yogi because he symbolizes creative and destructive energy. His teachings serve as a bridge for the human being to understand himself and everything that surrounds him, in order to live a better existence without attachments, developing inner strength and mental concentration.
One of the most common representations of Shiva in yoga is that of Mahāyogī, in which he appears seated, in front of Mount Kailasa, on the skin of a tiger in the perfect posture or lotus posture. The third eye on his forehead represents the energy of wisdom.
Among the supreme deities of the Hindu pantheon, Lord Shiva is known to be the most remarkable. Shiva is frequently alluded to as the “destroyer”, however, it is he who obliterates the adulterations taking shelter in the human psyche. He frees a body of its deficiencies and makes it deserving of accomplishing moksha. It is he who is responsible for obliteration on the grounds that if the ‘old’ doesn’t perish, the ‘new’ wouldn’t have the option to take birth. Lauded as Bholenath, Mahadev, Shankar, humanity has been blessed with several Lord Shiva’s Avatars. Let’s learn more about the avatars of Lord Shiva together.
The Concept of Hindu Avatars
The word “Avatar” means to descend, to manifest, or to be born. In Hinduism, it alludes to the incarnation of God. It is believed that God comes down to Earth in the form of a human (or any other creature) whenever the innocent and pious people of this planet are facing great suffering at the hands of evil. God arrives on Earth protects the innocent, obliterates fiendishness, and reestablishes dharma (nobility). An Avatar of God, like the Avatars of Lord Shiva, takes birth on Earth in some form to complete a noble mission and then return to his heavenly abode. The Prime Gods (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, or Shakti) cannot be referred to as Avatars; although in some scriptures they are hailed as the Gunnavatars- Brahma represents Satva Guna, Vishnu represents the Rajo Guna and Shiva represents the Tamo Guna. But, the prime gods are generally considered as timeless Gods, not exposed to a birth cycle. Strangely, in the 4 Vedas, which are the earliest wellsprings of spiritual sacred texts, the idea of the existence of the Avatars is not mentioned. The concept was introduced later in scriptural folklores of Itihas and Puranas. The story of Gods coming down to earth in the form of human beings or some other creature (Avatars) has been mentioned in Bhagavad Gita, one of the most essential parts of Itihas Mahabharata.
The 19 Avatars of Lord Shiva
To succor the law and equilibrium of nature, there were several different Avatars of Lord Shiva in different Yugas. Kurma Purana discusses 28 Lord Shiva Avatars, yet in Shiva Purana, 19 Avatars of Shiva are spoken about as listed down below.
1. Piplaad Avatar
Lord Shiva was born to Rishi Dadhichi and his wife Swarcha as Piplaad. However, the sage and his wife soon lost their lives because of Shani’s position in the sky at the time of his birth. Thus, Piplaad sought revenge on Shani and was the reason behind the planet’s fall from its divine home. Afterward, he pardoned Shani, when the Devas intervened, on the prerequisite that the planet could never cause trouble for anyone before it turns 16 years old. Thus, revering the Piplaad avatar of Lord Shiva assists with disposing of Shani dosha.
2. Nandi Avatar
This Lord Shiva Avatar took birth in the abode of Sage Shilada. The sage performed extreme atonement to make himself worthy of Lord Shiva’s blessings and asked the Lord to bless him with a child who would live on forever. The child, Nandi later was given the positions of the gatekeeper of Lord Shiva’s abode, Kailasha, and the Lord’s mount.
3. Veerbhadra Avatar
One of the 19 Avatars of Lord Shiva, Veerabhadra came on Earth right after Goddess Sati sacrificed herself at the Daksha yagna. Lord Shiva ended up being very angry. He culled a hair strand from his head and tossed it on the ground. Veerbhadra and Rudrakali were conceived from that particular hair strand. This furious Lord Shiva Avatar is said to have broken the conciliatory vessels, offended the priests, and lastly beheaded Daksha, stomped all over Indra, broke Yama’s staff, dissipated the divine beings on all sides; before retreating to his heavenly abode, Mount Kailasha.
4. Sharabha Avatar
According to the Shiva Purana, this Lord Shiva Avatar in the form of part bird part lion was born to subdue Narasimha- the dangerous man-lion avatar of Lord Vishnu after it slew the demon Hiranyakashipu. This among all the avatars of Lord Shiva is revered as Sarabeshwara (Lord Sarabha) or Sharabeshwaramurti.
5. Ashwatthama
Impressed by Guru Dronacharya’s extreme atonement and dedication to pleasing him so that he would be born as his son, Lord Shiva was born as Ashwatthama, a capable hero who assumed a significant part in the Mahabharata. He was being brought into the world as Bhardwaja’s grandson and was raised as a Brahman but was drawn to Kshatriyahood.
6. Bhairava Avatar
One of the fiercest of the 19 avatars of Lord Shiva, the Bhairava avatar came into existence when Lord Brahma lied with regards to his mission for superiority, Lord Shiva Avatar of Bhirava beheaded Lord Brahma’s fifth head. Brahma Hatya was a serious offense and the Bhairava Avatar of Lord Shiva had committed it, and consequently, Shiva had to carry the skull of Brahma and wander as a Bhikshatana for 12 years.
7. Durvasa Avatar
Lord Shiva chose to be born as the Lord Shiva Avatar of Durvasa to Sage Atri and his wife, Anasuya. This avatar of Lord Shiva came on earth to ensure proper discipline in the universe. Durvasa was a sage known for commanding huge respect both from human beings and devas.
8. Grihapati Avatar
This Lord Shiva Avatar was brought to this world by the devoted admirer of Lord Shiva, Shuchismati. This avatar of Lord Shiva was knowledgeable in each and every one of the Vedas yet was cursed to have a short lifespan because of planetary positions. His excursion to Kashi was disturbed by Indra however Lord Shiva came to his safeguard and favored Grihapati by saying “even Kaalvajra would not have the option to kill you.” Grihapati turned out to be extremely satisfied. The Shivalinga which he revered, later on, became renowned as ‘Agnishwar linga’. Grihapati was appointed as the Lord of all directions by Lord Shiva.
9. Lord Hanuman
Lord Shiva was so mesmerized by the presence of Lord Vishnu in his Mohini avatar during Samudra Manthan that his semen was delivered on the ground. This semen was set up by the Saptarishis in the belly of Anjani, with Lord Shiva’s approval. In this manner, one of the most powerful of 19 avatars of Lord Shiva, Hanuman was conceived. This Lord Shiva Avatar was born to Mata Anjani and Kesari.
10. Vrishabha Avatar
Lord Vishnu deceived every one of the asuras, during the Samundra Manthan, by creating a mirage of charming beauties. At the point when the asuras saw them, they coercively took these charming beauties to their house – Patal Lok. From that point forward, they again got back to assume responsibility for the Nectar which had been taken by the divine beings. While Vishnu went to demolish them in Patal Loka he, at the end of the day, became involved with the Maya and fathered numerous corrupt children there, who caused a commotion for the Gods. It was then the Lord Shiva Avatar of Vrishabha appeared as a bull and killed every one of the horrible children of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu came to battle the bull avatar of Lord Shiva, however, after perceiving that it was Lord Shiva’s Avatar, he left the battle and retreated to his abode.
11. Yatinath Avatar
The Lord Shiva Avatar, Yatinath visited a tribal man, Aahuk, and his significant other who were vigorous aficionados of Lord Shiva. Their humble home couldn’t oblige the Avatar of Lord Shiva disguised as a visitor, so Aahuk chose to rest outside. Sadly, he was killed by a wild creature in his sleep. His wife chose to end her own life but she was honored by the Lord Shiva Avatar, Yatinath, that they would be brought into the world as Nala and Damyanti in the following life.
12. Krishna Darshan Avatar
The Lord Shiva Avatar of Krishna Darshan speaks about the significance of yagna and customs in an individual’s life. Prince Nabhag who was kept from his portion of the realm by his siblings had been asked by his dad to teach a sage to dispose of every one of his connections to effectively perform a yajna. At the point when the yagna was successfully performed, Sage Angiras satisfied was ready to give him all the abundance which was halted by Krishan Darshan Avatar of Shiva. Krishna Darshan Avatar taught Nabhag the importance of pious salvation and gave his blessings.
13. Bhikshuvarya Avatar
This Lord Shiva Avatar is known to keep human beings safe from all dangers of the world that might befall them.
14. Sureshwar Avatar
The son of Sage Vyaghrapaad, Upamanyu was graced with the presence of Lord Shiva Avatar, Sureshawar (as he showed up as Indra) and Goddess Parvati camouflaged as Indra and Indrani. To test his commitment, the two of them advised Upamanyu to quit his atonement and stop revering Shiva. Upamanyu was infuriated and rejected their proposal even after being brutally cursed. Shiva and Parvati were highly impressed by his complete commitment and dedication Shiva guaranteed Upamanyu that he would be available close to his abode alongside Parvati until the end of time.
15. Kirateshwar Avatar
One of the 19 avatars of Lord Shiva, Kirat (a hunter) descended to earth while Arjuna was contemplating killing an Asura named Mooka, masked as a pig. Arjun’s contemplation was disturbed by the sudden appearance of Lord Shiva’s Avatar and after seeing the boar, Arjun and the Kirat struck it simultaneously. A battle broke between the Kirat and Arjuna with regards to who struck the boar first. The latter challenged Kirat for a duel. Master Shiva was impressed by Arjuna’s courage and offered the young champion his Pashupati Astra.
16. Suntantarka Avatar
This Avatar of Lord Shiva asked Goddess Parvati’s hand in marriage from her revered father Himalaya.
17. Brahmachari Avatar
Among all the 19 Avatars of Lord Shiva, this incarnation was the one who tested the willpower of Goddess Parvati to marry him.
18. Yaksheshwar Avatar
At the point when the gods in the wake of overcoming the Asuras during Samudra Manthan, had become egotistical, Lord Shiva hated it, as pride was not a quality for divine beings to have. A Lord Shiva Avatar then, at that point, introduced some grass before them and requested that they cut it. Lord Shiva endeavored to obliterate their bogus pride through this heavenly grass. No one could cut the grass and the pride disappeared. This avatar of Lord Shiva, at that point, came to be known as Yaksheshwar.
19. Avadhut Avatar
This Avatar of Lord Shiva was a reincarnation that came into existence to battle the egotistical nature of Lord Indra.
The Mighty 11 Rudra Avatars of Lord Shiva
Rudra Avatar of Lord Shiva is a notable incarnation of Shiva in Hindu Dharma. Rudra in a real sense implies a mighty storm and signifies a form of Shiva, his generally rough and enraged self. He is one of the three heavenly beings accepted to have made the universe.
Hindu sacred writings like Vishnu Purana, Matsya Purana, and Bhagavad Gita utilize the word Rudra to coin the eleven types of Shiva (Ekadasha-Rudras) born to end the savagery and oppression of rakshasas on the planet and paradise. Various sacred texts have different histories of these Rudra Avatars of Lord Shiva.
The 11 Rudra Avatars of Lord Shiva are
1) Kapali 2) Pingal 3) Bheem 4) Virupaksha 5) Vilohit 6) Shastra 7) Ajapaad 8) Ahirbudhnya 9) Shambhu 10) Chand and 11) Bhav.
These 11 Rudra Avatars of Lord Shiva, came into existence to protect divine beings and were gifted in battle. They obliterated the rakshasa and once again gave Indra, his rightful throne, as the legitimate King of the Gods and the city of Amrawati Puri since the time was forever made the city to shield it from such rakshasas and help the divine beings in their battle against evil.
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Key Takeaways
1. Lauded as Bholenath, Mahadev, Shankar, humanity has been blessed with several Lord Shiva’s Avatars.
2. Kurma Purana discusses 28 Lord Shiva Avatars, yet in Shiva Purana, 19 Avatars of Shiva
3. Lord Shiva was born to Rishi Dadhichi and his wife Swarcha as Piplaad.
4. Veerabhadra came on Earth right after Goddess Sati sacrificed herself at the Daksha yagna.
5. Lord Shiva was born as Ashwatthama, a capable hero who assumed a significant part in the Mahabharata.
6. The Bhairava avatar came into existence when Lord Brahma lied with regards to his mission for superiority
7. Lord Shiva chose to be born as the Lord Shiva Avatar of Durvasa to Sage Atri and his wife, Anasuya.
8. Lord Hanuman most powerful avatars of Lord Shiva, was born to Mata Anjani and Kesari.
9. Lord Shiva Avatar of Vrishabha appeared as a bull and killed every one of the horrible children of Lord Vishnu
10. The Lord Shiva Avatar of Krishna Darshan speaks about the significance of yagna and customs in an individual’s life.
11. The son of Sage Vyaghrapaad, Upamanyu was graced with the presence of Lord Shiva Avatar, Sureshawar (as he showed up as Indra)
12. Rudra Avatar of Lord Shiva is a notable incarnation of Shiva in Hindu Dharma.
Shiva is a God who is unlike any other God and Lord Shiva stories are extremely popular. Shiva is considered to be the most unique of all Hindu gods and also the God of all. A great ascetic, Shiva is the only godhead who is forever in deep meditation, totally absorbed in contemplation in His abode, the Kailasa Mountain in the great Himalayas. Shiva is often shown with many faces – as creator, destroyer and preserver in total command of the cosmos. He contains both good and evil. He is moody, free of inhibitions, easy to please, protector of the down trodden, and has the power to alter the laws of destiny. Thus, Lord Shiva is known as the God of mercy and kindness. He protects his devotees from all evil that are always around us. He blesses his followers with grace, knowledge and peace. Lord Shiva has many tales to his name and it is always interesting to read stories of Lord Shiva.
Why is Lord Shiva called Neelkanth?
According to the legend, during samudra manthan, while the ocean of milk was being churned by the devas and asuras, there appeared a dark sticky foam – The poison halahala that had the power to destroy the universe. When the fumes started to spread in the air and water, Shiva drank it to save the world. Goddess Parvati caught hold of his neck to stop the poison from entering his body and so it remained in the throat making it blue.
Why does Shiva cover his body with ash?
One day the powerful sage Parnada was cutting some grass when he cut his finger out of which the sap of a tree oozed out instead of blood which filled him with pride. Shiva witnessed this and took the disguise of an old man and asked the safe the reason for his delight for which Parnada replied that he had become the most pious man in the world. To this the old man ( Shiva ) questioned his joy saying it was just sap; when trees and plants are burned down they turn into ash. He then demonstrated it by slicing his finger and spilled ash. Sage then realized that it is Shiva before him and his forgiveness for his ignorance.
Why did Shiva fall at Goddess Kali’s feet?
Once there were a powerful demon named Rakta Beej, who could duplicate himself as soon as a drop of his blood touches the Earth. And so, he was uncontrollable for which Shakti in the form of Goddess Durga was summoned to put an end to the demon. But as soon as he was hurt, his blood fell on Earth and he started multiplying. Enraged by this, Shakti took the form of Goddess Kali and killed each demon and drank its blood. After she consumed the army of demons, she became mad with blood lust for which she started slaying innocents. All the Gods assembled and asked Shiva for help who lay down among the corpses. Accidentally, she stepped on Shiva and soon realized her mistake and calmed down which made her tongue stick out.
Why does Ganga flow out of Shiva’s head?
Once Bhagirathi asked Brahma to bring the river Ganga down to Earth to purify the souls of his ancestors and help them to attain nirvana. Brahma asked Bhagirathi to propitiate Shiva because only he can break Ganga’s landfall. Ganga furiously flew down to Earth but Shiva calmly trapped her back in his locks and let her out as seven rivers: Bhagirathi, Janhvi, Bhilanga, Mandakini, Rishiganga, Saraswati and Alaknanda. She then followed Bhagirathi, who lead her to his ancestors and with her piousness released her soul.
Why is Shiva associated with Cannabis?
Shiva wandered off into the fields after an angry word with his family. Tired of the conflict and hot sun, he fell asleep under a leafy plant ( cannabis ). When he woke up, his curiosity led him to try the leaves of the plant. Instantly rejuvenated, Shiva made the plant his go to food.
The story behind Shiva’s Tandava?
One of the interesting legends related to Shiva’s tandava goes like this. Once, the dwarf demon Apasmara challenged Shiva. Shiva took the form of Nataraja and performed the famous Shiva Tandava, crushing the demon under his right foot. Since, the demon should not die as to preserve the balance between Knowledge and ignorance, it is believed that Shiva forever remains in his Nataraja form suppressing Apasmara for eternity. His avatar is a message that ignorance can only be overcome by knowledge, music and dance.
Why is there a snake around Lord Shiva’s neck?
There are two tales associating with Snakes and Shiva.
During Samudra Manthan, when Shiva drank the deadly poison, it was believed that there were also some snakes in water who did the same. Impressed by this act of snakes, Shiva accepted Vasuki ( King of snakes ) around his neck.
There is another tale which says that snakes found on his body became ornaments during his marriage with Parvati. Also it is believed he made ornaments out of snakes and gifted it to Goddess Parvati as gift. Snakes are believed to carry rubies in their head that served as lamps during the night.
Why is there a moon in Lord Shiva’s head?
The moon adorns the head of Shiva, which is assumed as the peak point of any human being. During the churning of the ocean, when Lord Shiva consumed halahala, his body temperature rose. As the moon is cool in its nature, he placed the moon on his head to lower his body temperature.
Why is Shiva associated with a bull?
Surabhi, the original mother of all cows, began to give birth to a lot of cows and the milk of these cows flooded Shiva’s home. Angry at this disturbance, he struck the cows with fire from his third eye. Seeing this disaster, the Gods tried to call Shiva down by offering him a magnificent bull – Nandi, son of Surabhi and Kasyapa which he made his ride. Nandi also became the protector of all animals.
No wonder Shiva is everyone’s favorite.