Shiva(/ˈʃivə/; Sanskrit: Śiva, meaning "The Auspicious One"), also known as Mahadeva("reato!"), is a popular in!u !eit#$ Shiva is regar!e! as one o% the primar# %orms o% o!$ e is the Supreme o!within Shaivism,one o% the three most in%luential !enominations in contemporar# in!uism$ &'&e is one o%the %ive primar# %orms o% o!in theSmartatra!ition, &'an! "the *estro#er" or "the Trans%ormer" &+among the Trimurti , the in!u Trinit# o% the primar# aspects o% the !ivine$ At the highest level, Shiva is regar!e! limitless, transcen!ent, unchanging an! %ormless$ &&-&.&&0Shiva also has man# 1enevolent an! %earsome %orms$ &234n 1enevolent aspects, he is !epicte! as an omniscient 5ogiwho lives an ascetic li%e on 6ount 7ailash, &+as well as a househol!er with wi%e 8arvatian! his two chil!ren, aneshaan! 7artike#aan! in %ierce aspects, he is o%ten !epicte! sla#ing !emons$ Shiva is also regar!e! as the patron go! o%#ogaan! arts$ &22&2'&2The main iconographical attri1utes o% Shiva are the thir! e#e on his %orehea!, the snake 9asukiaroun! his neck, the crescent moona!orning, the hol# river anga%lowing %rom his matte! hair, the trishulaas his weapon an! the !amaruas his instrument$ Shiva is usuall# worshipe! in the aniconic%orm o% ingam$ &2+&2&2-Contents • 2 t#molog# an! other names • ' istor ical !evelopmen t an! literatureo '$2 A ssimila tion o% tra!itio ns o '$' 4n!u s 9a lle # origins o '$4n!o< urope an origins'$ $2 =u! ra '$ $' Agni '$ $ 4n! ra o '$+ ater 9 e!ic lite rat ure o '$8uran ic literatu re o '$- Tantric lite rat ure • 8ositio n within in!uis mo $2 Sha ivis m o $' 8anch a#atan a pu>a o $ Trimur ti
ShivaFs role as the primar# !eit# o% Shaivism is re%lecte! in his epithets Mahādeva (" reat go!";mahā " reat" an! deva "go!"),&' &'0 Maheśvara (" reat or!"; mahā "great" an!īśvara "lor!"),& 3 &2 an! Parameśvara ("Supreme or!")$& '
There are at least eight !i%%erent versions o% theShiva Sahasranama, !evotional h#mns (stotras)
listing man# names o% Shiva$&
The version appearing in ook 2 (AnuGHsanaparvan) o% the6aha1harata is consi!ere! the kernel o% this tra!ition$& + Shiva also has *asha<Sahasranamas(23,333 names) that are %oun! in the 6ahan#asa$ TheShri =u!ram Dhamakam, also known astheŚatarudriya, is a !evotional h#mn to Shiva hailing him 1# man# names$& & -
Historical development and literature
Siva Iith 6oustache @rom Archaeological 6useum OA
The worship o% Shiva is a pan< in!u tra!ition, practice! wi!el# across all o% 4n!ia, Bepal an! Srianka $& . &
Assimilation of traditions
See also:=oots o% in!uism
The %igure o% Shiva as we know him to!a# was 1uilt up over time, with the i!eas o% man#
regional sects 1eing amalgamate! into a single %igure$&
ow the persona o% Shiva converge! asa composite !eit# is not well !ocumente!$& 0 Accor!ing to 9i>a# Bath:
9isnu an! Siva &$$$ 1egan to a1sor1 countless local cults an! !eities within their %ol!s$ The lawere either taken to represent the multiple %acets o% the same go! or else were suppose! to!enote !i%%erent %orms an! appellations 1# which the go! came to 1e known an! worshippe!$Siva 1ecame i!enti%ie! with countless local cults 1# the sheer su%%iCing o% Isa or Isvara to thename o% the local !eit#, e$g$, hutesvara, atakesvara, Dhan!esvara$"&+3
ACel 6ichaels the 4n!ologist suggests thatShaivism, like9aishnavism, implies a unit# whichcannot 1e clearl# %oun! either in religious practice or in philosophical an! esoteric !octrine$@urthermore, practice an! !octrine must 1e kept separate$&+2
An eCample o% assimilation took place in6aharashtra, where a regional !eit# name!7han!o1a
is a patron !eit# o% %arming an! her!ingcastes$&+'
The %oremost center o% worship o% 7han!o1ain 6aharashtra is in?e>uri$&+ 7han!o1a has 1een assimilate! as a %orm o% Shiva himsel%,&++ inwhich case he is worshippe! in the %orm o% alingam$&+'&+ 7han!o1aFs varie! associations alsoinclu!e an i!enti%ication withSur#a&+' an! 7arttike#a$&+-
Indus Valley origins
6ain article: 8ashupati seal
Seal !iscovere! !uring eCcavation o% the 6ohen>o!aro archaeological site in the 4n!us 9alle# h!rawn attention as a possi1le representation o% a "#ogi" or "proto<Shiva" %igure
6an# 4n!us valle# seals show animals 1ut one seal that has attracte! attention shows a %igure,either horne! or wearing a horne! hea!!ress an! possi1l# ith#phallic&+. &+ &+0 %igure seate! in a posture reminiscent o% theotus position an! surroun!e! 1# animals was name! 1# earl#eCcavators o%6ohen>o<!aro Pashupati (lor! o% cattle), an epithet o% the laterin!u go!s Shivaan! =u!ra$&+. &3 & 2 &' Sir ?ohn 6arshall an! others have claime! that this %igure is a protot#pe o%Shiva an! have !escri1e! the %igure as having three %aces seate! in a "#oga posture" with theknees out an! %eet >oine!$
Ihile some aca!emics like avin @loo!& &+ an! ?ohn 7ea# have eCpresse! !ou1ts$ ?ohn 7ea#writes that " e ma# in!ee! 1e an earl# mani%estation o% or! Shiva as 8ashu< pati", 1ut a couplo% his specialties o% this %igure !oes not match with=u!ra$& Iriting in 200. *oris Srinivasan re>ecte! 6arshallFs package o% proto<Siva %eatures, inclu!ing that o% three hea!s$ She interpwhat?ohn 6arshall interprete! as %acial as not human 1ut more 1ovine, possi1l# a !ivine
1u%%alo<man$& - Accor!ing to4ravatham 6aha!evan s#m1ols +. an! + o% his 4n!us scriptglossar#The Indus Script: Texts !oncordance and Ta"les (20..), representing seate! human<like %igures, coul! !escri1e in!u !eit#6urugan, popularl# known as Shiva an! 8arvatiFs son$& .
Iriting in '33', regor# $ 8ossehl conclu!e! that while it woul! 1e appropriate to recogniEethe %igure as a !eit#, its association with the water 1u%%alo, an! its posture as one o% ritual!iscipline, regar!ing it as a proto<Shiva is correct anal#sis$&
ShivaFs rise to a ma>or position in the pantheon was %acilitate! 1# his i!enti%ication with a ho9e!ic !eities, inclu!ing8urusha, =u!ra, Agni, 4n!ra, 8ra>Hpati, 9H#u, an! others$& 0
Rudra
6ain article: =u!ra
Three<hea!e! Shiva, an!hara, 'n! centur# A*
Shiva as we know him to!a# shares man# %eatures with the 9e!ic go!=u!ra,&-3 an! 1oth Shivaan! =u!ra are viewe! as the same personalit# in in!u scriptures$ The two names are use!
s#non#mousl#$ =u!ra, the go! o% the roaringstorm, is usuall# portra#e! in accor!ance with theelement he represents as a %ierce, !estructive !eit#$
The ol!est surviving teCt o% in!uism is the=ig 9e!a , which is !ate! to 1etween 2.33 an! 2233D 1ase! on linguistic an! philological evi!ence$&-2 A go! name!=u!ra is mentione! in the =ig9e!a$ The name =u!ra is still use! as a name %or Shiva$ 4n =9 '$ , he is !escri1e! as the"@ather o% the=u!ras", a group o% storm go!s$&-' @urthermore, the=u!ram, one o% the mostsacre! h#mns o% in!uism %oun! 1oth in the =ig an! the 5a>ur 9e!as an! a!!resse! to =u!ra,invokes him as Shiva in several instances, 1ut the termShiva is use! as an epithet %or the go!s4n!ra, 6itra an! Agni man# times$ SinceShiva means pure, the epithet is possi1l# use! to!escri1e a Jualit# o% these go!s rather than to i!enti%# an# o% them with the o! Shiva$
The i!enti%ication o% Shiva with the ol!er go! =u!hra is not universall# accepte!, as ACel6ichaels eCplains:
=u!ra is calle! "The Archer" (Sanskrit:Śarva),&- an! the arrow is an essential attri1ute o%=u!ra$&-+ This name appears in the Shiva Sahasranama, an! =$ 7$ Sharma notes that it is use! asa name o% Shiva o%ten in later languages$&-
The wor! is !erive! %rom the Sanskrit root śarv#, which means "to in>ure" or "to kill",&-- an!Sharma uses that general sense in his interpretive translation o% the name Śarva as "One who ckill the %orces o% !arkness"$&- The names *hanvin (" owman")&-. an! Hṇahasta ("Archer",literall# "Arme! with arrows in his han!s")&-. &- also re%er to archer#$
Agni
=u!ra an! Agni have a close relationship$&-0&.3 The i!enti%ication 1etween Agni an! =u!ra in the9e!ic literature was an important %actor in the process o% =u!raFs gra!ual !evelopment into thelater character as =u!ra<Shiva$&.2 The i!enti%ication o% Agni with =u!ra is eCplicitl# note! in the $iru%ta, an important earl# teCt on et#molog#, which sa#s, "Agni is also calle! =u!ra$"&.' Theinterconnections 1etween the two !eities are compleC, an! accor!ing to Stella 7ramrisch:
The %ire m#th o% =u!ra<Śiva pla#s on the whole gamut o% %ire, valuing all its potentialities phases, %rom con%lagration to illumination$&.
4n theŚatarudrīya, some epithets o% =u!ra, such as SasipaK>ara ("O% gol!en re! hue as o%%lame") an! Tivaṣ Lmati ("@laming 1right"), suggest a %using o% the two !eities$&.+ Agni is sai! to 1e a 1ull,&. an! or! Shiva possesses a 1ull as his vehicle, Ban!i$ The horns o% Agni, who issometimes characteriEe! as a 1ull, are mentione!$&.- &.. 4n me!ieval sculpture, 1oth Agni an! the%orm o% Shiva known as hairava have %laming hair as a special %eature$&.
Indra
Accor!ing toIen!# *oniger , the 8uranic Shiva is a continuation o% the 9e!ic4n!ra$&.0 *onigergives several reasons %or her h#pothesis$ oth are associate! with mountains, rivers, male%ertilit#, %ierceness, %earlessness, war%are, transgression o% esta1lishe! mores, theAum soun!, the
Supreme Sel%$ 4n the =ig 9e!a the term śiva is use! to re%er to 4n!ra$ ('$'3$ ,& 3
-$+ $2.,& 2 &'
an!$0 $ $& ) 4n!ra, like Shiva, is likene! to a 1ull$& + & 4n the =ig 9e!a, =u!ra is the %ather o% the6aruts , 1ut he is never associate! with their warlike eCploits as is 4n!ra$& -
The 9e!ic 1elie%s an! practices o% the pre<classical era were closel# relate! to the h#pothesise8roto<4n!o< uropean religion,& . & an! the 4n!o<4ranian religion$& 0 Accor!ing to Anthon#, theOl! 4n!ic religion pro1a1l# emerge! among 4n!o< uropean immigrants in the contact Eone 1etween theMeravshan =iver (present<!a#NE1ekistan) an! (present<!a#) 4ran$&03 4t was "as#ncretic miCture o% ol! Dentral Asian an! new 4n!o< uropean elements",&03 which 1orrowe!"!istinctive religious 1elie%s an! practices"& 0 %rom theactria 6argiana Dulture$& 0 At least non<4n!o< uropean wor!s were 1orrowe! %rom this culture, inclu!ing the go! 4n!ra an! the
ritual !rinkSoma$&02
Accor!ing to Anthon#,6an# o% the Jualities o% 4n!o<4ranian go! o% might/victor#,9erethraghna, were trans%erre! to thea!opte! go! 4n!ra, who 1ecame the central !eit# o% the !eveloping Ol! 4n!ic culture$ 4n!ra wasthe su1>ect o% ' 3 h#mns, a Juarter o% the &i' (eda $ e was associate! more than an# other !eit#withSoma, a stimulant !rug (perhaps !erive! %rom )phedra) pro1a1l# 1orrowe! %rom the6AD religion$ is rise to prominence was a peculiar trait o% the Ol! 4n!ic speakers$&0'
=u!raFs trans%ormation %rom an am1iguousl# characteriEe! !eit# to a supreme 1eing 1egan inShvetashvatara Npanisha! (+33<'33 D), which %oun!e! the tra!ition o% =u!ra<Shiva worship$ere the# are i!enti%ie! as the creators o% the cosmos an!li1erators o% souls %rom the 1irth<
re1irth c#cle$ The perio! o% '33 D to 233 A* also marks the 1eginning o% theShaiva tra!ition%ocuse! on the worship o% Shiva, with re%erences to Shaiva ascetics in8atan>aliFs 6aha1has#a an! in the6aha1harata$& + &0
arl# historical paintings at thehim1etka rock shelters, !epict Shiva !ancing, ShivaFs tri!ent,an! his mount Ban!i 1ut no other 9e!ic go!s$&0+ &0
Puranic literature
TheShiva 8uranas, particularl# theShiva 8urana an! the inga 8urana, !iscuss the various%orms o% Shiva an! the cosmolog# associate! with him$&0-
antric literature
TheTantras, compose! 1etween the th an! 22th centuries, regar! themselves asSruti$ Amongthese theShaiva Agamas, are sai! to have 1een reveale! 1# Shiva himsel% an! are %oun!ationalteCts %orShaiva Si!!hanta$&0.
Position !ithin Hinduism
TheAnnamalai#ar Temple, Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Ba!u is !e!icate! to Shiva
Shaivism
6ain articles: Shaivism an! istor# o% Shaivism
Shaivism (Sanskrit: , śaiva paṁ tha) (7anna!a: ) (Tamil: ) is theol!est o% the %our ma>or sects o%in!uism , the others 1eing9aishnavism, Shaktism an!Smartism$ @ollowers o% Shaivism, calle! "Shaivas", an! also "Saivas" or "Saivites", revere Shas the Supreme eing$ Shaivas 1elieve that Shiva is All an! in all, the creator, preserver,!estro#er, revealer an! concealer o% all that is$ The tantric Shaiva tra!ition consists o% the
7apalikas, 7ashmir Shaivism an! Shaiva Si!!hanta$ The Shiva 6aha8urana is one o% the purHṇas, a genre o%in!u religious teCts, !e!icate! to Shiva$ Shaivism is wi!esprea! throughout4n!ia, Bepal, an! Sri anka, mostl#$ Areas nota1le %or the practice o% Shaivism inclu!e parts oSoutheast Asia, especiall# 6ala#sia, Singapore, an! 4n!onesia$
Panchayatana pu"a
6ain article: 8ancha#atana pu>a
8ancha#atana pu>a is the s#stem o% worship (Fpu>aF) in theSmarta sampra!a#a o% in!uism $ 4t issai! to have 1een intro!uce! 1#A!i Shankara, the th centur# A* in!u philosopher $ 4t consistso% the worship o% %ive !eities: Shiva,9ishnu, *evi, Sur#a an! anesha $ *epen!ing on thetra!ition %ollowe! 1# Smarta househol!s, one o% these !eities is kept in the center an! the other%our surroun! it$ Iorship is o%%ere! to all the !eities$ The %ive are represente! 1# smallmurtis, or 1# %ive kin!s o% stones, or 1# %ive marks !rawn on the %loor$&0
rimurti
6ain article: Trimurti
The Trimurti is a concept inin!uism in which the cosmic %unctions o% creation, maintenance,an! !estruction are personi%ie! 1# the %orms o%rahmH the creator, 9ishnu the maintainer or preserver an! Śhiva the !estro#er or trans%ormer$&00 &233 These three !eities have 1een calle! "thein!u tria!" &232 or the " reat Trinit#",&23' o%ten a!!resse! as " rahma<9ishnu<6aheshwara$"
Shiva with8arvati$ Shiva is !epicte! three<e#e!, theanges %lowing through his matte! hair,wearing ornaments o% serpents an! a skull garlan!, an! covere! in ashes, an! seate! on a tigerskin$
• Shiva$s form% Shiva has a tri!ent in the right lower arm, an! a crescent moon on hishea!$ e is sai! to 1e %air like camphor or like an ice cla! mountain$ e wears %iveserpents an! a garlan! o% skulls as ornaments$ Shiva is usuall# !epicte! %acing the soutis tri!ent, like almost all other %orms in in!uism, can 1e un!erstoo! as the s#m1olismo% the unit# o% three worl!s that a human %aces < his insi!e worl!, his imme!iate worl!an! the 1roa!er overall worl!$ At the 1ase o% the tri!ent, all three %orks unite$ 4t is o%tnot shown 1ut Shiva has hea!s$
• hird eye% (Trilochana) Shiva is o%ten !epicte! with a thir! e#e, with which he 1urne!*esire (7Hma) to ashes,&23 calle! "Tr#am1akam" (Sanskrit: ), which occurs inman# scriptural sources$&23+ 4n classical Sanskrit, the wor!am"a%a !enotes "an e#e", an!in the Maha"harata, Shiva is !epicte! as three<e#e!, so this name is sometimes translate!as "having three e#es"$&23 owever, in 9e!ic Sanskrit, the wor!am"ā or am"i%ā means"mother", an! this earl# meaning o% the wor! is the 1asis %or the translation "threemothers"$&23- &23. These three mother<go!!esses who are collectivel# calle! the Am1ikHs$&23 Other relate! translations have 1een 1ase! on the i!ea that the name actuall# re%ers tothe o1lations given to =u!ra, which accor!ing to some tra!itions were share! with thego!!ess Am1ikH$&230 4t has 1een mentione! that when Shiva loses his temper, his thir! e#eopens which can re!uce most things to ashes$
• Crescent moon% (The epithets "Dhan!rasekhara/Dhan!ramouli")< Shiva 1ears on hishea! the crescent moon$&223 The epithet Dan!raGekhara (Sanskrit: " aving themoon as his crest" <candra P "moon"; śe%hara P "crest, crown")&222&22' &22 re%ers to this%eature$ The placement o% the moon on his hea! as a stan!ar! iconographic %eature !ato the perio! when =u!ra rose to prominence an! 1ecame the ma>or !eit# =u!ra<Shiva$&22+ The origin o% this linkage ma# 1e !ue to the i!enti%ication o% the moon withSoma,
an! there is a h#mn in the =ig 9e!a where Soma an! =u!ra are >ointl# implore!, an! inlater literature, Soma an! =u!ra came to 1e i!enti%ie! with one another, as were Somaan! the moon$&22 The crescent moon is shown on the si!e o% the or!Fs hea! as anornament$ The waCing an! waning phenomenon o% the moon s#m1oliEes the time c#cthrough which creation evolves %rom the 1eginning to the en!$
• Ashes% (The epithet " hasmaanga =aaga") < Shiva smears his 1o!# with ashes ( 1hasma)$The ashes are sai! to represent the en! o% all material eCistence$&22- Some %orms o% Shiva,such as hairava, are associate! with a ver# ol! 4n!ian tra!ition o% cremation<groun!asceticism that was practice! 1# some groups who were outsi!e the %ol! o% 1rahmanicortho!oC#$&22. These practices associate! with cremation groun!s are also mentione! inthe 8ali canon o% Therava!a u!!hism$&22 One epithet %or Shiva is "inha1itant o% thecremation groun!" (Sanskrit: śmaśānavāsin, also spelle!Shmashanavasin), re%erring tothis connection$&220
• &atted hair% (The epithet "?ataa>oota *hari/7apar!ina") < ShivaFs !istinctive hair st#le is
note! in the epithets ?aṭin, "the one with matte! hair",&2'3
an! 7apar!in, "en!owe! withmatte! hair"&2'2 or "wearing his hair woun! in a 1rai! in a shell<like (kapar!a) %ashion"$&2'' A kapar!a is a cowrie shell, or a 1rai! o% hair in the %orm o% a shell, or, moregenerall#, hair that is shagg# or curl#$&2' is hair is sai! to 1e like molten gol! in color or 1eing #ellowish<white$
• 'lue throat% The epithet BLlakaṇ tha (Sanskrit ; nīla P "1lue",%aṇ tha P "throat")$&2'+&2' Since Shiva !rank thealahala poison churne! up %rom the Samu!ra 6anthan toeliminate its !estructive capacit#$ Shocke! 1# his act, o!!ess 8arvati strangle! his neckan! hence manage! to stop it in his neck itsel% an! prevent it %rom sprea!ing all over theuniverse, suppose! to 1e in ShivaFs stomach$ owever the poison was so potent that it
change! the color o% his neck to 1lue$&2'- &2'.
(See6aha Shivaratri$)Shiva 1earing the !escent o% the anges =iver as 8arvati an! hagiratha an! the 1ull Ban!i look,%olio %rom a in!i manuscript 1# the Bara#an, circa 2.+3
• Sacred (anges% (The epithet " anga!hara") earer o% anga$ anges river %lows %romthe matte! hair o% Shiva$&2' &2'0 The*a ṅ 'ā ( anges), one o% the ma>or rivers o% thecountr#, is sai! to have ma!e her a1o!e in ShivaFs hair$&2 3 The %low o% the anges alsorepresents the nectar o% immortalit#$
• iger s)in% (The epithet "7rittivasana")$ e is o%ten shown seate! upon a tiger skin,&22- anhonour reserve! %or the most accomplishe! o% in!u ascetics, the rahmarishis$&2 2
• Serpents% (The epithet "Bagen!ra aara" or F9asoki")$ Shiva is o%ten shown garlan!e!with asnake$&2 '
• *eer% is hol!ing !eer on one han! in!icates that e has remove! the Dhanchalata o% themin! (i$e$, attaine! maturit# an! %irmness in thought process)$ A !eer >umps %rom one place to another swi%tl#, similar to the min! moving %rom one thought to another$
• rident% (Trishula): ShivaFs particular weapon is thetri!ent$&22- is Trisul that is hel! inis right han! represents the three unasQ Sattva, =a>as an! Tamas$ That is the em1lemo% sovereignt#$ e rules the worl! through these three unas$ The *amaru in is le%than! represents the Sa1!a rahman$ 4t represents O6 %rom which all languages are%orme!$ 4t is e who %orme! the Sanskrit language out o% the *amaru soun!$
• *rum% A small !rum shape! like an hourglass is known as adamaru (ḍamaru)$&2 &2 + This is one o% the attri1utes o% Shiva in his %amous !ancing representation&2 known as Batara>a$ A speci%ic han! gesture (mu!ra) calle!ḍamaru#hasta (Sanskrit %or "ḍamaru<han!") is use! to hol! the !rum$&2 - This !rum is particularl# use! as an em1lem 1#mem1ers o% the 7HpHlika sect$&2 .
• A+e% ( Parashu):The parashu is the weapon o% or! Shiva who gave it to8arashurama,siCth Avatar o% 9ishnu, whose name means "=ama with the aCe" an! also taught him itsmaster#$
•
,and : (The epithet "Ban!i 9aahana")$ Ban!L , also known as Ban!in, is the name o% the 1ull that serves as ShivaFs mount (Sanskrit:vāhana)$&2 &2 0 ShivaFs association with cattleis re%lecte! in his name 8aGupati, or8ashupati (Sanskrit: ), translate! 1# Sharmaas "lor! o% cattle"&2+3 an! 1# 7ramrisch as "lor! o% animals", who notes that it is particularl# use! as an epithet o% =u!ra$&2+2 =isha1ha or the 1ull represents *harma*evata$ or! Siva ri!es on the 1ull$ ull is his vehicle$ This !enotes that or! Siva is the protector o% *harma, is an em1o!iment o% *harma or righteousness$
• (a ṇ a : The a ṇa s (*evanagari: ) are atten!ants o% Shiva an! live in7ailash$ The# areo%ten re%erre! to as the 1hutaganas, or ghostl# hosts, on account o% their nature$ ener 1enign, eCcept when their lor! is transgresse! against, the# are o%ten invoke! to interce!
with the lor! on 1ehal% o% the !evotee$anesha was chosen as their lea!er 1# Shiva,hence anesha Fs title 'a ṇa#īśa or 'a ṇa#pati, "lor! o% the gaṇas"$&2+'
• "F hea!s:"F
Shiva is known as panchavactra means hea!s which in!icates eliments$
• "FArms:"F
Shiva has + arms which resem1les + ve!as
• &ount .ail/sa : 6ount 7ailash in the imala#as is his tra!itional a1o!e$&22-
4n in!um#tholog#, 6ount 7ailHsa is conceive! as resem1ling a Lin'a, representing the center o%the universe$&2+
• Varanasi : 9aranasi ( enares) is consi!ere! to 1e the cit# speciall# love! 1# Shiva, an! isone o% the holiest places o% pilgrimage in 4n!ia$ 4t is re%erre! to, in religious conteCt7ashi$&2++
ingam at ?am1ukesvara temple inThiruvanaikaval, Tamil Ba!u6ain article: ingam
Apart %rom anthropomorphic images o% Shiva, the worship o% Shiva in the %orm o% alin'am, orlin'a , is also important$&2+ &2+- &2+. These are !epicte! in various %orms$ One common %orm is theshape o% a vertical roun!e! column$Shiva means auspiciousness, an!lin'a means a sign or as#m1ol$ ence, theShivalin'a is regar!e! as a "s#m1ol o% the great o! o% the universe who isall<auspiciousness"$&2+ Shiva also means "one in whom the whole creation sleeps a%ter!issolution"$&2+ Lin'a also means the same thingQa place where create! o1>ects get !issolve!!uring the !isintegration o% the create! universe$ Since, accor!ing to in!uism, it is the samego! that creates, sustains an! with!raws the universe, the Shivalinga represents s#m1olicall#o! imsel%$&2+ Some scholars, such as6onier 6onier<Iilliams an! Ien!# *oniger , alsoviewlin'a as a phallic s#m1ol,&2+0 &2 3 although this interpretation is !ispute! 1# others, inclu!ingDhristopher 4sherwoo!,&2 2 9ivekanan!a,&2 ' Swami Sivanan!a,&2 an! S$B$ alaganga!hara$&2 +
The worship o% theShiva#Lin'a originate! %rom the %amous h#mn in the +tharva#(eda Samhit, sung in praise o% the-upa#Stam"ha, the sacri%icial post$ 4n that h#mn, a !escription is %oun! o%the 1eginningless an! en!lessStam"ha or S%am"ha, an! it is shown that the sai!S%am"ha is putin place o% the eternalrahman $ ?ust as the5a>na (sacri%icial) %ire, its smoke, ashes, an! %lames,theSoma plant, an! the oC that use! to carr# on its 1ack the woo! %or the9e!ic sacri%ice gave
place to the conceptions o% the 1rightness o% ShivaFs 1o!#, his tawn# matte! hair, his 1lue thran! the ri!ing on the 1ull o% the Shiva, the-upa#S%am"ha gave place in time to theShiva#Lin'a$&2 &2 - 4n the teCt Lin'a Purana, the same h#mn is eCpan!e! in the shape o% stories, meant toesta1lish the glor# o% the great Stam1ha an! the superiorit# o% Shiva as 6aha!eva$&2 -
The sacre! o% all Shiva linga is worshippe! as ?#otir linga$ ?#oti means =a!iance, apart %romrelating Shivalinga as a phallus s#m1ol, there are also arguments that Shiva linga means FmarkFor a FsignF$?#otirlinga means "The =a!iant sign o% The Almight#"$ The ?#otirlingas arementione! inShiva 8urana$&2 .
Sha)ti
7ali an! hairava (the terri1le %orm o% Shiva) in Nnion, 2 th centur#, Bepal6ain article: Shakti
Shiva %orms a Tantric couple with Shakti &Tamil : , the em1o!iment o% energ#, !#namism,an! the motivating %orce 1ehin! all action an! eCistence in the material universe$ Shiva is hertranscen!ent masculine aspect, provi!ing the !ivine groun! o% all 1eing$ Shakti mani%ests inseveral %emale !eities$Sati an! 8arvati are the main consorts o% Shiva$ She is also re%erre! to asNma, *urga (8arvata),7ali &2 an! Dhan!ika$&2 0 7ali is the mani%estation o% Shakti in her!rea!%ul aspect$ The name 7ali comes %rom%āla, which means 1lack, time, !eath, lor! o% !eath,Shiva$ Since Shiva is calle!7Hla, the eternal time, 7HlL, his consort, also means "Time" or
"*eath" (as in "time has come")$ 9ariousShakta in!u cosmologies, as well as ShHktaTantric 1elie%s, worship her as the ultimate realit# or .rahman $ She is also revere! as havatHrini(literall# "re!eemer o% the universe")$ 7HlL is represente! as the consort o% or! Shiva, on wh 1o!# she is o%ten seen stan!ing or !ancing$ Shiva is the masculine %orce, the power o% peacewhile Shakti translates to power, an! is consi!ere! as the %eminine %orce$ 4n the 9aishnava
tra!ition, these realities are portra#e! as 9ishnu an! aCmi, or =a!ha an! 7rishna$ These are!i%%erences in %ormulation rather than a %un!amental !i%%erence in the principles$ oth ShShakti have various %orms$ Shiva has %orms like 5ogi =a> (the common image o% imsel%me!itating in the imala#as), =u!ra (a wrath%ul %orm) an! Batara>ar (ShivaFs !ance are theas#a < the gentle %orm o% !ance, associate! with the creation o% the worl!, an! the Tan!ava <violent an! !angerous !ance, associate! with the !estruction o% wear# worl!views wear# perspectives an! li%est#les)$
he five mantras
@ive is a sacre! num1er %or Shiva$&2-3 One o% his most important mantras has %ive s#lla1les
(namaḥ GivH#a)$&2-2
ShivaFs 1o!# is sai! to consist o% %ive mantras, calle! the paKca1rahmans$&2-' As %orms o% o!,each o% these have their own names an! !istinct iconograph#:&2-
• Sa!#o>Hta• 9Hma!eva
• Aghora
• Tatpuruṣha
• RsHna
These are represente! as the %ive %aces o% Shiva an! are associate! in various teCts with the %elements, the %ive senses, the %ive organs o% perception, an! the %ive organs o% action$&2-+&2- *octrinal !i%%erences an!, possi1l#, errors in transmission, have resulte! in some !i%%erences 1etween teCts in !etails o% how these %ive %orms are linke! with various attri1utes$&2-- The overallmeaning o% these associations is summariEe! 1# Stella 7ramrisch:
Through these transcen!ent categories, Śiva, the ultimate realit#, 1ecomes the e%%icient an!material cause o% all that eCists$&2-.
Accor!ing to the Pa/ca"rahma 0panishad :
One shoul! know all things o% the phenomenal worl! as o% a %ive%ol! character, %or the reathat the eternal verit# o% Śiva is o% the character o% the %ive%ol!rahman$ ( Pa/ca"rahma0panishad 2) &2-
Accor!ing to avin @loo!, "Shiva is a go! o% am1iguit# an! para!oC," whose attri1utes inclu!eopposing themes$&2-0 The am1ivalent nature o% this !eit# is apparent in some o% his names an! thstories tol! a1out him$
*estroyer and 'enefactor
4n the5a>urve!a, two contrar# sets o% attri1utes %or 1oth malignant or terri%ic (Sanskrit:rudra)an! 1enign or auspicious (Sanskrit: śiva) %orms can 1e %oun!, lea!ing Dhakravarti to conclu!ethat "all the 1asic elements which create! the compleC =u!ra<Śiva sect o% later ages are to 1e%oun! here"$&2.3 4n the 6aha1harata, Shiva is !epicte! as "the stan!ar! o% invinci1ilit#, might,an! terror", as well as a %igure o% honor, !elight, an! 1rilliance$&2.2 The !ualit# o% ShivaFs %ear%ulan! auspicious attri1utes appears in contraste! names$
Nma an! 6aheswar
The name &udra (Sanskrit: ) re%lects his %earsome aspects$ Accor!ing to tra!itionalet#mologies, the Sanskrit name &udra is !erive! %rom the rootrud#, which means "to cr#, howl"$&2.' Stella 7ramrisch notes a !i%%erent et#molog# connecte! with the a!>ectival %ormraudra,which means "wil!, o%rudra nature", an! translates the name &udra as "the wil! one" or "the%ierce go!"$&2. =$ 7$ Sharma %ollows this alternate et#molog# an! translates the name as"terri1le"$&2.+ ara (Sanskrit: ) is an important name that occurs three times in theAnushasanaparvan version o% the Shiva sahasranama, where it is translate! in !i%%erent wa#seach time it occurs, %ollowing a commentorial tra!ition o% not repeating an interpretation$Sharma translates the three as "one who captivates", "one who consoli!ates", an! "one who!estro#s"$&2. 7ramrisch translates it as "the ravisher"$&2'. Another o% ShivaFs %earsome %orms isas 7Hla (Sanskrit: ), "time", an! as 6ahHkHla (Sanskrit: ), "great time", whichultimatel# !estro#s all things$&2.-&2.. &2. hairava (Sanskrit: ), "terri1le" or "%right%ul",&2.0 is a%ierce %orm associate! with annihilation$&2 3
4n contrast, the name Śaṇkara (Sanskrit: ), "1ene%icent"&- or "con%erring happiness"&2 2 re%lects his 1enign %orm$ This name was a!opte! 1# the great 9e!anta philosopherŚaṇkara (c$. < '3 A*), who is also known as Shankarachar#a$&2 ' &2 The name Śam1hu (Sanskrit: ),"causing happiness", also re%lects this 1enign aspect$&2 + &2
An illustration o% the %amil# o% Shiva, consisting o% Shiva,8arvati, anesha an! Skan!a
(7artike#a)e is !epicte! as 1oth an ascetic#ogi an! as a househol!er, roles which have 1een tra!itionall#mutuall# eCclusive in in!u societ#$&2 - Ihen !epicte! as a #ogi, he ma# 1e shown sitting an!me!itating$&2 . is epithet 6ahH#ogi ("the great5ogi: Mahā P "great",-o'i P "one who practices5oga") re%ers to his association with #oga$&2 Ihile 9e!ic religion was conceive! mainl# interms o% sacri%ice, it was !uring the pic perio! that the concepts o%tapas, #oga, an! asceticism 1ecame more important, an! the !epiction o% Shiva as an ascetic sitting in philosophical isolatire%lects these later concepts$&2 0 Shiva is also !epicte! as a corpse 1elow o!!ess7ali, itrepresents that Shiva is a corpse without Shakti$ e remains inert$ Ihile Shiva is the static %orm6ahakali or Shakti is the !#namic aspect without whom Shiva is powerless$
As a %amil# man an! househol!er, he has a wi%e,8arvati an! two sons,anesha an! 7artike#a$is epithet NmHpati ("The hus1an! o% NmH") re%ers to this i!ea, an! Sharma notes that two otvariants o% this name that mean the same thing, NmHkHnta an! NmH!hava, also appear in thesahasranama$&203 NmH in epic literature is known 1# man# names, inclu!ing the 1enign8HrvatL $&202&20' She is i!enti%ie! with*evi, the *ivine 6other;Shakti (!ivine energ#) as well asgo!!esses likeTripura Sun!ari, *urga, 7amakshi an! 6eenakshi$ The consorts o% Shiva are thesource o% his creative energ#$ The# represent the !#namic eCtension o% Shiva onto this unive&20 is son anesha is worshippe! throughout4n!ia an! Bepal as the =emover o% O1stacles,or! o% eginnings an! or! o% O1stacles$ 7artike#a is worshippe! inSouthern 4n!ia (especiall#in Tamil Ba!u, 7erala an! 7arnataka) 1# the names Su1rahman#a, Su1rahman#an,
Shanmughan, Swaminathan an! 6urugan, an! in Borthern 4n!ia 1# the names Skan!a, 7umara,or 7arttike#a$&20+
Some regional !eities are also i!enti%ie! as ShivaFs chil!ren$ As one stor# goes, Shiva is entice 1# the 1eaut# an! charm o%6ohini , 9ishnuFs %emale avatar, an! procreates with her$ As a resulto% this union,Shasta < i!enti%ie! with regional !eitiesA##appa an! A##anar < is 1orn$&20 &20-&20.
&20 Shiva is also mentione! in some scriptures to have ha! !aughters like the serpent<go!!ess
Dhola 1ronEe %rom the 22th centur#$ Shiva in the %orm o%Ar!hanarisvara$
An iconographic representation o% Shiva calle! ( +rdhanārīśvara) shows him with one hal% o% the 1o!# as male an! the other hal% as %emale$ Accor!ing to llen ol!1erg, the tra!itional Sanskritname %or this %orm ( +rdhanārīśvara) is 1est translate! as "the lor! who is hal% woman", not as"hal%<man, hal%<woman"$&'2 Accor!ing to legen!, or! Shiva is please! 1# the !i%%icult austerites per%orme! 1# the go!!ess 8arvati, grants her the le%t hal% o% his 1o!#$ This %orm o% Shiva
similar to the 5in<5ang philosoph# o% astern Asia, though +rdhanārīśvara appears to 1e moreancient$
The %ive<hea!e!Tripurantaka is seen pointing an arrow towar!s the Tripura (rightmost topcorner) with the 1ow ma!e o% mount 6eru, the serpent 9asuki is seen as its string$
Shiva is o%ten !epicte! as an archer in the act o% !estro#ing the triple %ortresses,Tripura, o% theAsuras$&'2- ShivaFs name Tripurantaka (Sanskrit: , Tripurānta%a), "en!er o% Tripura",re%ers to this important stor#$&'2. 4n this aspect, Shiva is !epicte! with %our arms wiel!ing a 1owan! arrow, 1ut !i%%erent %rom the 8inakapani murti$ e hol!s an aCe an! a !eer on the upper po% his arms$ 4n the lower pair o% the arms, he hol!s a 1ow an! an arrow respectivel#$ A%ter!estro#ingTripura, Tripurantaka Shiva smeare! his %orehea! with three strokes o% Ashes$ Thishas 1ecome a prominent s#m1ol o% Shiva an! is practice! even to!a# 1# Shaivites$
2ther forms3 avatars3 identifications
Shiva, like some other in!u !eities, is sai! to have several incarnations, known asAvatars$Although8uranic scriptures contain occasional re%erences to "ansh" avatars o% Shiva, the i!ea isnot universall# accepte! inSaivism$&'2 The inga 8urana speaks o% twent#<eight %orms o% Shivawhich are sometimes seen as avatars$&'20 Accor!ing to theSvetasvatara 0panishad , he has %ouravatars$&''3
4n the 3anuman !halisa, anuman is i!enti%ie! as the eleventh avatar o% Shiva an! this 1elie% isuniversal$ anuman is popularl# known as =u!raavtaarU =u!raU 1eing a name o% ShivaU$&''2 =ama the 9ishnu avatar is consi!ere! 1# some to 1e the eleventh avatar o%=u!ra (Shiva)$&''' &''
Other tra!itions regar! the sage*urvasa,&''+ &'' & ''- & ''. the sage Agast#a, the philosopherA!i
Shankara an! Ashwatthama as avatars o% Shiva$ Other %orms o% Shiva inclu!e9ira1ha!ra an!Shara1ha$
The worship o% or! Shiva 1ecame popular in Dentral Asia through theephthalite (Ihite un)*#nast#,&' + an! 7ushan mpire$ Shaivism was also popular in Sog!iana an! astern Turkestanas %oun! %rom the wall painting %rom 8en>ikent on the river Mervashan$&' 4n this !epiction,Shiva is portra#e! with a sacre! halo an! a sacre! threa! ("5a>nopavita")$&' e is cla! in tigerskin while his atten!ants are wearing So!gian !ress$&' 4n astern Turkestan in the Taklamakan
*esert$&'
There is a !epiction o% his %our<legge! seate! cross<legge! n a cushione! seatsupporte! 1# two 1ulls$&' Another panel %orm *an!an<Nilip shows Shiva in is Trimurti %ormwith is Shakti kneeling on her right thigh$&' &' - 4t is also note! thatMoroastrian win! go!9a#u<9ata took on the iconographic appearance o% Shiva$&' -
7irant people, a 6ongol tri1e %rom Bepal, worship a %orm o% Shiva as one o% their ma>or !ei!enti%#ing him as the lor! o% animals$ 4t is also sai! that the ph#sical %orm o% Shiva as a #o!erive! %rom 7irants as it is mentione! in 6un!hum that Shiva took human %orm as a chil! o%7irant$ e is also sai! to give 7irants visions in %orm o% a male !eer$
4n 4n!onesia, Shiva is also worshipe! asatara uru $ 4n the ancient times, all king!oms were
locate! on top o% mountains$ Ihen he was #oung, 1e%ore receiving his authorit# o% power, hiname was Sang #ang 6anikma#a$ e is %irst o% the chil!ren who hatche! %rom the eggs lai! 16anuk 8atiara>a, wi%e o% go! 6ula>a!i na olon$ This avatar is also worshipe! in 6ala#sia$ShivaFs other %orm in 4n!onesian in!uism is "6ahara>a *ewa" (6aha!eva
