This document summarizes the iconographic origins and evolution of Shiva in Hinduism. It discusses how Shiva originated as a pre-Vedic deity worshipped in the Indus Valley civilization before being integrated into the Vedic pantheon. Over time, myths and legends developed that elevated Shiva to represent the aspect of dissolution within the Hindu trinity, alongside Brahma and Vishnu representing creation and preservation. Iconography of Shiva as a horned yogi, lingam, Pashupati, and with multiple animal heads emerged and became popular in various art forms.
The religious life in the central india during c6th-c7th A.D.AmitabhKumar47
THE RELIGIOUS LIFE IN THE CENTRAL INDIA DURING THE C6th-C7th A.D. UNDER THE MINOR DYNASTIES: THE PROCESS OF SYNCRETISATION AND ASSIMILATION OF POPULAR DIVINITIES INTO THE BRAHMANICAL FOLD
The religious life in the central india during c6th-c7th A.D.AmitabhKumar47
THE RELIGIOUS LIFE IN THE CENTRAL INDIA DURING THE C6th-C7th A.D. UNDER THE MINOR DYNASTIES: THE PROCESS OF SYNCRETISATION AND ASSIMILATION OF POPULAR DIVINITIES INTO THE BRAHMANICAL FOLD
An in depth look at the Statue of Lord Shiva in Bangalore, India from the perspective of a fictitious traveler (me). Asian Art survey class assignment.
Within the larger pantheon of Hinduism, Shaivism is one of the major religious sects that worship Shiva as the Supreme Being. It is the one of the old religions of the east and is also known as one of the prominent religious cults of India. The doctrine which centers on the philosophical aspect of Rudra Shiva goes back through ages and it developed and flourished with time. Shaivism is not a single cult but a mixture of different cults. From prehistoric times down to the early centuries of the Christian era the annals of this cult was unluckily not prominent. The history of this cult may be traced to the beginnings of human civilization on earth, like the cult of mother Goddess. Both emerged from the fertility cult. The earliest historical record to the worship of Shiva was given by Megasthenes, a Greek ambassador, at Pataliputra about 300B.C. Dionysus and Herakles, two deities generally identified with Siva and Krishna respectively were described by him. In the Mahabhashya, Patanjali gave the reference to the Shiva bhagavatas and also describes the images of Shiva and Skanda being sold by Mauryas to raise money in the time of crisis during second century B.C. This shows the popularity of this cult. In this paper we would try to understand the evolution of Shaiva religion in the ambits of Jammu region. Kuljeet Singh "Tracing the Growth of Shaivaism in Jammu" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-5 | Issue-6 , October 2021, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd47536.pdf Paper URL : https://www.ijtsrd.com/humanities-and-the-arts/history/47536/tracing-the-growth-of-shaivaism-in-jammu/kuljeet-singh
Did you know about the Jyotirlingas of lord Shiva? Why are they called jyotirlinga? What and where are they? Click here to know more about The stories and information about the twelve Jyotirling in India.
An in depth look at the Statue of Lord Shiva in Bangalore, India from the perspective of a fictitious traveler (me). Asian Art survey class assignment.
Within the larger pantheon of Hinduism, Shaivism is one of the major religious sects that worship Shiva as the Supreme Being. It is the one of the old religions of the east and is also known as one of the prominent religious cults of India. The doctrine which centers on the philosophical aspect of Rudra Shiva goes back through ages and it developed and flourished with time. Shaivism is not a single cult but a mixture of different cults. From prehistoric times down to the early centuries of the Christian era the annals of this cult was unluckily not prominent. The history of this cult may be traced to the beginnings of human civilization on earth, like the cult of mother Goddess. Both emerged from the fertility cult. The earliest historical record to the worship of Shiva was given by Megasthenes, a Greek ambassador, at Pataliputra about 300B.C. Dionysus and Herakles, two deities generally identified with Siva and Krishna respectively were described by him. In the Mahabhashya, Patanjali gave the reference to the Shiva bhagavatas and also describes the images of Shiva and Skanda being sold by Mauryas to raise money in the time of crisis during second century B.C. This shows the popularity of this cult. In this paper we would try to understand the evolution of Shaiva religion in the ambits of Jammu region. Kuljeet Singh "Tracing the Growth of Shaivaism in Jammu" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-5 | Issue-6 , October 2021, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd47536.pdf Paper URL : https://www.ijtsrd.com/humanities-and-the-arts/history/47536/tracing-the-growth-of-shaivaism-in-jammu/kuljeet-singh
Did you know about the Jyotirlingas of lord Shiva? Why are they called jyotirlinga? What and where are they? Click here to know more about The stories and information about the twelve Jyotirling in India.
Selection intensity and its opportunity among Santal women of Keonjhar, Odish...Binoy Kuiti
Selection intensity and its opportunity among Santal women of Keonjhar, Odisha, India
The present study dealt with the opportunity of natural selection using Crow’s index and Johnston and Kensinger's Index among Santal women of Keonjhar, Odisha, India. Mortality index (Im), Fertility index (If) and Total Selection Intensity index (I) were analyzed among the studied population. The Crow’s total index (It) value was found to be 0.7246. The mortality (Im) component was found to be 0.5385 while the fertility (If) component was found to be 0.1846. The contribution of fertility component is greater than that of mortality component among the present studied population using Crow’s index. According to Johnston and Kesinger the total index (It) was found to be 0.8367. Fertility component was found to be 0.0885, Prenatal mortality component (Ime) and Postnatal mortality component (Ime/Pb) where observed to be 0.1356 and 0.1540, respectively. Therefore, it is clear from the results that prenatal mortality contributes higher than postnatal mortality for selection. i.e., Johnston and Kesinger’s Index (0.8367) contributes higher for the opportunity of natural selection than Crow’s Index (0.7246). Keywords: Selection, fertility, mortality, tribe, prenatal, postnatal.
Related MaterialLesson 8 (ntro to Hinduism and Shiva Stories .docxdebishakespeare
Related Material:
Lesson 8 (ntro to Hinduism and Shiva Stories )
Major aspects of the Hindu Trimurti/Shaktis
Illustrations
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· PrintMy Notes|PreviousNextUpTopIndex
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Brahma, the creator aspect Sarasvati, consort/wife (Shakti) of Brahma
-Often depicted with his mount, the white swan -Represents knowledge and learning
-Rarely figures in the stories -Often depicted with books/musical instruments
Lakshmi, consort/wife (Shakti) of Vishnu
-Often shown with her mount, a white elephant
-Represents beauty, etc.
-Is most often the avatar aspect, e.g. Sita
Vishnu, the preserver aspect
-Often pictured with his mount, the bird Garuda
-Is most often the avatar aspect, e.g. Rama, Krishna
Shiva, the destroyer aspect
-Often depicted with his mount, the white bull Nandi
-Often depicted with snakes and/or skulls around his neck
-Often is shown with a third eye in the middle of his forehead
-Often is shown with a blue throat (from swallowing the world poison)
Shiva's wives/consorts (Shaktis) include:
Uma, pictured here with her mount, a lion
Parvati, pictured here w/Shiva and their son, Ganesha, the elephant-headed God
and Kali, representing death and motherhood, often depicted with skulls, a bloody tongue, and standing on Shiva
The Churning of the Ocean
Remember that in this myth, the names of the members of the Trimurti change with their functions at any given time, but God is still the same. This myth is more properly called a myth of manifestation instead of a creation myth because Hinduism does not recognize an "original" creation. Creation takes place as part of a cycle of creation, destruction, re-creation. This is the destructive phase of the cycle. Shiva, the destructive aspect of the Trimuriti, is "insulted" (metaphorically representing the decline of the state of the world) and destroys the world. After the "ruin," the world is re-created. Note that even though the members of the Trimurti are one, they often speak to each other, and at times seem to be unaware that they are all part of one deity. The creation metaphor used here is the churning of milk into butter. Milk is a fertility element (hence, critical to the creation) as nourishment (breast-feeding). The "milky" ocean, with the mountain (or the churning stick) as the phallic symbol, is also the semen. In a literal sense, the churning of the ocean represented as the churning of milk into butter. In this myth, "good" and "evil" work together, as the Gods pull the snake (rope) from one side and the "demons" pull the rope from the other. Although they are pulling in opposite directions, their purpose is the same (to churn the ocean). As in the Native Am ...
THE APPEARANCE OF LORD VISHNU AND ITS SYMBOLISM.Astroindusoot
Lord Vishnu is one of the most important and revered deities of the Hindu pantheon. He is part of the holy divine trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh according to Hinduism, where Lord Brahma is the creator, Lord Shiva is depicted as the destroyer or transformer and Lord Vishnu is the preserver of the universe, the protector of all. field of existence. This Hindu triad signifies that all three divine powers are part of one. However, the Puranas also say that Lord Brahma came into existence from a lotus, which appeared from the navel of Lord Vishnu. So according to this legend, Lord Vishnu is the one who was responsible for Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe.
https://astroindusoot.com/
THE APPEARANCE OF LORD VISHNU AND ITS SYMBOLISM.Astroindusoot
Lord Vishnu is one of the most important and revered deities of the Hindu pantheon. He is part of the holy divine trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh according to Hinduism, where Lord Brahma is the creator, Lord Shiva is depicted as the destroyer or transformer and Lord Vishnu is the preserver of the universe, the protector of all. field of existence. This Hindu triad signifies that all three divine powers are part of one. However, the Puranas also say that Lord Brahma came into existence from a lotus, which appeared from the navel of Lord Vishnu. So according to this legend, Lord Vishnu is the one who was responsible for Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe.
https://astroindusoot.com/
Sheshnag: Story, method of worship, importance, and SheshnagAstroindusoot
Lord Vishnu is usually depicted resting on Sheshnag. Vishal Nag is considered to be a worshiper or devotee of Lord Vishnu. He is believed to have appeared on earth in human forms or avatars such as Lakshmana, brother of Rama, an avatar of Lord Vishnu during Treta Yuga, and Balarama, a form of Lord Vishnu during Dwapara Yuga. According to the Mahabharata, his father was believed to be sage Kashyapa and his mother was Kadru.
https://astroindusoot.com/
Sheshnag: Story, method of worship, importance, and SheshnagAstroindusoot
Lord Vishnu is usually depicted resting on Sheshnag. Vishal Nag is considered to be a worshiper or devotee of Lord Vishnu. He is believed to have appeared on earth in human forms or avatars such as Lakshmana, brother of Rama, an avatar of Lord Vishnu during Treta Yuga, and Balarama, a form of Lord Vishnu during Dwapara Yuga. According to the Mahabharata, his father was believed to be sage Kashyapa and his mother was Kadru.
https://astroindusoot.com/
Similar to ~ S peci fic myths ~ the iconographic genesis of shiva ( from google.com ) sorry all . (20)
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Why is this So? ~ Do Seek to KNOW (English & Chinese).pptxOH TEIK BIN
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Discover various methods for clearing negative entities from your space and spirit, including energy clearing techniques, spiritual rituals, and professional assistance. Gain practical knowledge on how to implement these techniques to restore peace and harmony. For more information visit here: https://www.reikihealingdistance.com/negative-entity-removal/
2 Peter 3: Because some scriptures are hard to understand and some will force them to say things God never intended, Peter warns us to take care.
https://youtu.be/nV4kGHFsEHw
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Exploring the Mindfulness Understanding Its Benefits.pptxMartaLoveguard
Slide 1: Title: Exploring the Mindfulness: Understanding Its Benefits
Slide 2: Introduction to Mindfulness
Mindfulness, defined as the conscious, non-judgmental observation of the present moment, has deep roots in Buddhist meditation practice but has gained significant popularity in the Western world in recent years. In today's society, filled with distractions and constant stimuli, mindfulness offers a valuable tool for regaining inner peace and reconnecting with our true selves. By cultivating mindfulness, we can develop a heightened awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, leading to a greater sense of clarity and presence in our daily lives.
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Research has shown that practicing mindfulness can contribute to lowering blood pressure, which is beneficial for heart health.
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Mindfulness may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity by reducing stress and improving overall lifestyle habits.
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The Book of Joshua is the sixth book in the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament, and is the first book of the Deuteronomistic history, the story of Israel from the conquest of Canaan to the Babylonian exile.
Kenneth Grant - Against the Light-Holmes Pub Grou Llc (1999).pdf
~ S peci fic myths ~ the iconographic genesis of shiva ( from google.com ) sorry all .
1. Shiva
The Iconographic Genesis of Shiva
Shiva, the Mahadeva, represents one of the three visible forms, or the
functional aspects of God, namely, the creation, preservation and
dissolution, that is, bringing the cosmos into existence, sustaining it
and finally withdrawing it from existing. Lord Shiva represents the last
of these three aspects, that is, dissolution or destruction of the
cosmos. The other two aspects, the creation and the preservation, are
represented respectively by Prajapati or Brahma, and Vishnu.
Prajapati Brahma and Vishnu are Vedic gods. In the Rigveda,
Prajapati and Brahma are mentioned as two gods, though both almost
alike responsible for the act of Creation. Hence, in later Vedic
literature, they merge into one entity, and are sometimes alluded to
as Prajapati Brahma and sometimes as two synonymous terms
alternating each other. In Puranic literature, Brahma gets pre-
eminence and the term Prajapati is used only as the other name of
Brahma to avoid monotonous repetition of the same nomenclature.
Initially, that is, in the Rigveda, Vishnu is a subordinate type of god,
but later by Puranic era, he attains the status of the Lord of the
universe and the principal Vedic god.
Shiva as such, or as Mahadeva, is not alluded to in proper Vedas. The
Rigveda, however, frequently mentions a brown complexioned sun-
like brilliant and gold-like glowing animal-skin-wearing entity by the
name of Rudra, or Ishan, who, as per the Rigvedic description, is
synonymous of a violent non-Aryan jungle or tribal god capable of
subduing, by his mighty arrows, even the most wild of animals. He
did not hesitate even to kill human beings and sought delight in such
destruction. Hence, the Rigveda is somewhat critical of his wildness
and invokes him for not destroying his devotees, their ancestors,
offspring, relatives and horses. It is only gradually and somewhat in
simultaneity that the Rigveda softens and sophisticates him into a civil
god of Aryan kind and includes him into the Vedic pantheon. The later
Vedic literature identifies in Rudra the proto form of the subsequent
Shiva. When Puranas perceived the formless God manifest in His
triple function, which He performed as the Creator, Sustainer and
Destroyer, both initially and finally, as well as always, they chose
Shiva to represent one of these functional aspects of Him and
elevated him to the status of the Great Trinity.
Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu, Only the Time-Bound
Manifestations of the Timeless God
2. Shiva, as well as Brahma and Vishnu, do not represent God but only
His functional aspects, which manifest in Creation, in sustaining the
Creation and, finally, in withdrawing the Creation, which occurs after
every kalpa, which is the scheduled age of each Creation. Obviously,
after the Creation is withdrawn and the kalpa comes to an end, God's
functional aspects too disappear and so does the Great Trinity
representing them. Thus, the Trinity, with each of Shiva, Brahma and
Vishnu having a scheduled life-span, is the time-bound manifestation
of the timeless One, that is, the Trinity disappears after its allotted
life-span to re-appear when the next kalpa begins, but the
Omnipresent God neither appears nor disappears because He is
always there before the time began and after its scale has exhausted.
In Indian cosmological tabulation, Shiva's life-span is double of the
Vishnu's and Vishnu's double of the Brahma's. Brahma's life-span
comprises of 120 Brahma years, which are equivalent to 300 million,
9 hundred thousand, 17 thousand and 376 years of human calendar.
Shiva Precedes Trinity-
Partners
Shiva, thus different from
what the Puranas proclaim,
is not Brahma's creation.
He rather precedes his
Trinity counterparts,
Brahma and Vishnu, on
time scale. This pre-
eminence of Shiva over
others as much reflects in
their related theological
chronology and availability
of their iconic
representations in visual
arts. Brahma and Vishnu
have their roots in the
Vedas, and not before.
Shiva has a pre-Vedic
origin, as his worship cult
seems to have been in
vogue amongst the Indus
dwellers, even around 3000
B. C. The excavations of various archaeological sites in the Indus
valley reveal two sets of archaeological finds that suggest the
prevalence of the cult of worshipping both, his anthropomorphic as
well as symbolic representations. This excavated material includes a
number of terracotta seals representing a yogi icon and the phallus
type baked clay objects, obviously the votive lings, suggestive of
some kind of phallus-worship cult of the non-Aryan settlers of the
Pashupati, the Lord of Animals
Mohenjo-daro (Indus Valley)
circa 2000 B.C
3. Indus cities. Seated in meditative posture, the stern looking
Yogi figure wears a typical head-dress made of buffalo horns
and is surrounded by various animal icons, lion, elephant,
buffalo-type bull, rhinoceros etc. and the bird forms above.
In some seals, this Yogi figure consists of three heads. That the
symbolic phallus icons and the anthropomorphic representations
relate to one and the same entity becomes obvious from the
iconographic thrust, which defines the Yogi form. One of the most
significant cardinals of this Yogi iconography, and perhaps more so
than others, is its well erect and emphatically exposed phallus, similar
to the Urddh-ling Shiva icons, a cult of Shiva, which dominated
Shaivite sculptural art for centuries from around the period of
Kushanas. These finds, datable to the period from 3000 B. C. to 1000
B. C. or even later, show the continuity of such worship cult till much
after the Vedic era. This is further affirmed by the Rigveda itself. The
Rigveda at least twice talks of the phallus worshipping non-Aryan
tribes and vehemently condemns the practice.
Shiva in Later Vedic Cult and in The Mahabharata
The Vedas, in their later cult, admit
into Vedic pantheon the jatadhari holy
Shiva with all his manifestations,
namely the bow and arrows carrying
archer Sharva, the all pervading
Bhava, the benevolent Shambhu and
the animal-skin wearer Krittivasanah,
but do not approve his phallus
worship.
Bhava Shiva (A Particularly
Beneficent Aspect)
4. In Brahmanical order, Shvetashvara
Upanishad is perhaps the earliest
treatise that refers, though not
directly, to this aspect of Shiva-
worship with some degree of
reverence when it calls him the Lord
of all yonis, that is, the commander
of genital faculties of all living ones.
It is, however, in the Mahabharata
that his phallus worship has been
directly alluded to. The Mahabharata
widely follows the Indus perception
of Shiva. The Mahabharata, in tune
with the Indus Shiva, perceives him
as Trishira, or Chaturmukha, that is,
having three heads, or four, as
Digvasas, that is, without cloth, as
Urddh-ling, that is, with upward
erect phallus, and as yogadhyaksha,
that is, the Lord of Yoga. The
Mahabharata goes a little ahead and
conceived him also as five headed, four facing the four directions and
fifth looking upwards, that is the guardian of the entire cosmos. It is
from this five headed Shiva concept that his Sadashiva form seems to
have evolved, as these five heads also symbolize five powers- para,
adi, icchha, jnana and kriya, that is, all that is perishable, all that is
timeless, and the desire, knowledge and act, of which the entire
creation comprise.
Panchanana or Five-Headed Shiva
5. Mahabharata's epithet of
Pashupati for Shiva is also an
adherence to the Indus
iconography of Shiva image. The
Mahabharata perceives him
further as Shardularupa,
Vyalarupa and in many other
animal forms and as Vrishvaha, or
Vrishvahan.
Vrishavahana Shiva and Parvati
6. The Skand Purana numbers his
animal heads as seven, two of
which, namely that of the goat
and the horse, he had given
respectively to Brahma and
Vishnu.
Vishnu as Hayagriva
7. Thus again the number of heads
comes to the same five as
perceived in the Mahabharata. In
visual arts, this Mahabharata
iconic vision of Shiva has been
widely followed. Shiva's Trishira,
Chaturmukha, Yogi, Pashupati,
Vrishvaha and Urddh-ling images,
whatever their medium, the
stone, canvas, metals and so on,
are quite in vogue in Indian arts.
The animal headed Shiva is a
rarity. However, in visual arts,
which allow greater scope for
imagination to operate, such as
painting, Shiva has been depicted
sometimes with multiple animal
heads, although to avoid inclusion
of his human face these heads are
planted on the form of Hanuman,
who is Shiva's incarnation. Such
Hanuman forms have heads of
animals that have attained
mythical heights, say, the horse-headed god Hayagriva, the boar-
headed Varah, the great eagle Garuda, and the jungle monarch lion
or Simha. Such five-headed and ten-armed figures not only carry
most of Shiva's attributes in these hands but such figures also stand
upon the form of Apasamara, one of the most characteristic features
of Shiva iconography. This iconographic perception defines, on one
hand, Shiva as Pashupati, the lord of animals, and on the other as
containing within him the entire animal world.
Five Headed Hanuman
8. Shiva's Pre-Aryan Origin
Obviously, Shiva had a pre-Aryan
origin but where, when and how he
came into being, or say into human
perception, is not known. This much
is, however, certain that a god like
him was the presiding deity of the
Indus inhabitants and he was
worshipped as both, iconically as
well as symbolically, that is, as
Pashupati and Mahayogi and as
Ling.
This in all certainties seems to the
initial form of Shiva. May be, the
Indus inhabitants shared their god
with West Asian settlers who
worshipped a similar god Teshav.
Teshav, too, was a bull riding deity
like Vrishvaha Shiva. He also
carried, like Shiva, a trident,
pinakin, the bow, arrows, which
shot as lightening, danda, the rod,
parashu, the axe, and so on. Incidentally, Teshav's consort was also
named Maa and was worshipped as Jaganmata, that is, the world
mother. Her name so much corresponds with Shiva's consort Uma
who too is worshipped as Jagat-janani, the mother of the world.
Jaganmata sounds so much like Indus Mother Goddess. Both, Shiva's
consort Uma and Teshav's consort Maa rode a lion. Images of
Jaganmata, recovered in excavations, have honeybees hovering
around her face. One of the Uma's forms so closely resembles with
this honeybee hovering image of Maa. Markandeya Purana alludes to
Uma's relation with honeybees, or bhramaris, when it calls her as
Bhramaridevi. May be Shiva's consort had some prior tradition of her
association with honeybees. It is for such reasons that the known
historian Roy Chowdhari, in his Studies in Indian Antiquities,
emphatically holds that Rudra-Shiva had some kind of genetic
relationship with various gods whose images have been recovered
from Anatolia, Mesopotamia and Indus Valley.
Shiva in Vedic Pantheon
Shiva Linga Assembly with Dripping
Vase for Milk
9. Whatever Shiva's origin, the pre-
Aryan or from Brahma's frown, as
claims the subsequent Puranic
tradition, the all assimilating
Aryan culture and Vedic religious
cult elevated him into its own
Order and placed him always on
par with its other two great gods,
Vishnu and Brahma, and
sometimes even above them.
Later Vedic literature invested
him with various attributes and
details of his person. He has been
conceived as thousand eyed,
animal skin clad and as possessed
of long hair braided into a crown-
like shape, the jatamukuta, blue
neck, black abdomen, blood-red
back and as containing in him all
medicinal herbs, that is,
possessed of the power to redeem
every one of all kinds of ailments and the cycle of birth and death.
Thus, Vedas perceived him initially as the violent jungle god of non-
Aryan kind but later they discovered the other aspect of his being,
that is, the well meaning benevolent Shiva. It was this perception of
Shiva that seems to have prevailed all after and defined his all
subsequent forms, manifestations and visions. Brahmans and
Upanishads identify this Vedic perception as Shiva's two aspects, one
that of the destroyer and the other of the auspicious benevolent
divinity. The Mahabharata identified these two aspects as Ghora and
Shiva. Of these Ghora has been equated with fire and Shiva, also
mentioned as Maheshvara, has been vested with the deeply spiritual
and auspicious saumyarupa, that is, serene and sublime divine being.
Shiva in Myths and Legends
In the course of time, the tradition of faith, both oral and scriptural,
and the folk and urbanized, wove around Shiva hundreds of myths
and legends and invested his image and visual forms with numerous
new dimensions and meaning. The violent jungle god of Vedas and
the grim looking horn wearing Yogi of Indus emerges upon the altar
of the believing ones, on painter's canvas, in metal casters' mould
and in the strokes of hammer and chisel, as the harmless Bholanath,
the innocence Lord and the good incarnate, as the supreme auspice,
the most formidable of divine powers, the paramount lover and the
holiest model of the Vedic family cult. The term Shiva becomes
Panchamukha Shiva
10. synonymous of the 'auspicious', good and well being and in him
alone, India's all-time maxim, 'Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram', that is,
he alone is truthful, benevolent and beautiful, finds its true meaning.
In his context, love becomes a divine phenomenon and family the
holiest institution. He never codifies his conduct nor sets it to any
established rule, but he is all the way the most devoted husband, who
passionately loves his consort, and a unique father.
He marries Sati, the daughter of Brahma's son Daksha-Prajapati
against her father's wishes. Daksha organizes a great yajna and to
slight Shiva does not invite him.
Sati, in hope to rectify her
father's error, goes to attend
the yajna, though Shiva does
not approve it. Instead of
correcting himself, Daksha
humiliates Sati also for
marrying a tribal brute. Sati,
unable to bear her husband's
insult by her father, ends her
life by immolating herself into
yajna-fire. The outraged Shiva,
who madly loved Sati, longed
to avenge Daksha's act and
created out of his frowns
Virabhadra, a young warrior
endowed with all of Shiva's
powers to destroy Daksha's
yajna.
Virabhadra, Shiva's Most Trusted
Guard
11. After Virabhadra has destroyed the
yajna, entire yajna-bhumi and the
capital of Daksha, Shiva retires to
forest and wanders in wilderness for
thousands of years till Uma, the
daughter of Himalaya, and hence
also known as Parvati, that is, one
born of the Parvata, or mountain, is
able to win his love by her long
rigorous penance. This time he has
in Uma, or Parvati, not a mere
consort he loved but also the most
accomplished woman possessed of
paramount beauty, the most caring
and devoted wife and as much
loving mother. To complete the holy
family, they have, or have been
conceived with, five sons, two,
Karttikeya and Ganesh, the real ones, and three, Vanasura,
Virabhadra and Nandin, the adopted ones, though none of the five
were born of his consort's womb. Ganesh was born of Parvati's body
elements and Karttikeya those of Shiva.
Shiva, the Bholanath in the Real Sense of the Term
Shiva and Family
12. As he was a moral being, so he
was simple, innocent, generous,
benevolent and easily
manageable, and hence, even the
wicked ones often won his favor
and boons of invincible powers
and sometimes used them even
against him. He, however, as
readily punished them when he
knew their designs and intentions.
Ganga was mad in love for him
and wished to unite with him by
whatever mean, fair or fowl.
When Bhagiratha did rigorous
penance to bring Ganga from
heaven to the earth for his
ancestors' death rituals and
redemption, Ganga designed to
fulfill her long cherished desire of
reaching Shiva. She appeared
before Bhagiratha and agreed to
emerge on the earth but warned
at the same time that her current,
unless Shiva took her on his
head, would cleave the earth. Bhagiratha underwent another round of
penance, pleased Shiva and got his prayer granted. But, when Ganga
landed on his head and showed her supremacy, Shaiva kept her
arrested into his hair till she herself prayed him to let her be released.
For long containing Ganga into his hair, Shiva becomes known as
Gangadhara Shiva.
Shiva in Saumya and Raudra-rupas
The Emergence of the Ganga on the
Earth
13. Thus, Shiva's divine perception as well
as iconic visualization developed into two
directions, one growing out of his serene
sublime benevolent Saumyarupa and the
other out of his awe-striking Raudra-
rupa. Even in his Saumyarupa, contrary
to his Vaishnava counterparts, that is,
Vishnu, Brahma or even Indra, whom
Puranas define using feudal terms and
iconography, Shiva is a simpler being, an
amalgam of both, the Raudra and the
Saumya rupas. In both aspects,
jatamukuta is his crown, elephant hide
his cloak, lion skin his loincloth, snakes
his necklace, yajnopavita and other
ornaments, bhang his favored drink and
the shade of a roadside tree his castle.
He is delighted in dance and dances for
both, to create as well as to destroy, and
in lasya as well as in Tandava and his
Tandava is the Anand-tandava as it aims at re-creating and setting
the cycle of creation-destruction-and recreation in motion.
The Dance of Shiva
14. He assists Devas, the gods, in
their exploits and battles
against demons but unlike
them and always differently
and in mightier way. Both, the
gods and the demons, wish to
be immortalized and for
obtaining the immortalizing
nectar join hands to churn
ocean, which contained such
nectar. But before the ocean
yields nectar, there emerges
from it the all-annihilating
venom. Even by its vapors it
begins to suffocate the entire
creation. All, gods and
demons, flee to save their
lives leaving the creation to its
destiny. Shiva comes to
rescue. He deposits the
venom into his throat and
saves the creation from its
devastating effect. Stored perpetually in the throat, the venom
renders it blue and gives Shiva yet another name of Neelakantha,
that is, the blue throated one. It was in consideration to such exploits
that in subsequent days the Vaishnavites and Shaivites were seen
with daggers-drawn on the question of the pre-eminence of their
respective gods. Ultimately the wise ones of both sects had to
discover for the votive images the Harihara form, which combined
Hari and Hara, that is, Vishnu and Shiva, into one sanctum image and
inspired sectarian unity.
HariHara
15. In his purer Raudra-rupa, besides
what the Vedas and Puranas
perceived in it, these aspects farther
expand. He is now perceived as
Bhairava, Kapalika, Kalabhairava,
Mahakala and in similar other terrific
forms. He is the presiding deity of
cremation ground, which is his loving
abode. He rejoices dancing around a
burning pyre and as much upon a
dead body. The dark nights, when
howls of jackals, wolves and other
ignominious animals echoed, are his
chosen hours to operate. These
jackals and other animals living on
human flesh are, otherwise too, his
best companions. Bhairava wears
around his neck the garland of
human skulls and around his waist
the girdle of dismembered human
hands. Now, besides snake
ornaments, scorpions make his
earrings and ghostly spirits dance around him. The human skull is his
cup and ashes of a burnt corpse his talc, with which he smears and
adorns his body. In ritual worship, wine and flesh are his chosen
offerings.
Bhairava
16. In these forms of Shiva Kali,
Smashan-Kali, Mahakali,
Chhinnamasta, Chamunda,
Vagulamukhi etc. are his female
counterparts, perceived in Puranas
often as his consorts.
Bhairava, howsoever terrific
his form, has his softer
aspects when seated under a
canopy or riding his Nandin he
represents such beautiful
musical modes as the Raga
Bhairava, or Raga Kedara.
Kali
Raga Bhairava