Lord Shiva
Introduction
Lord Shiva is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being within Shaivism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Shiva is known as "The Destroyer" within the Trimurti, the Hindu trinity that includes Brahma and Vishnu. In Shaivism tradition, Shiva is the Supreme being who creates, protects and transforms the universe.
Etymology and other names
Shiva means "The Auspicious One" in Sanskrit. He is also known as Mahadeva (Great God), Bholenath (The Innocent Lord), and by many other names. The highest reverence for Shiva in Shaivism is reflected in his epithets Mahādeva, Maheśvara, and Parameśvara, which translate as "the great god", "the great Lord", "the supreme Lord".
Iconography
Shiva's form: Shiva has a trident in the right lower arm, with a crescent moon on his head. He is said to be fair like camphor or like an ice clad mountain. He wears five serpents and a garland of skulls as ornaments. Shiva is usually depicted facing the south. His trident, like almost all other forms in Hinduism, can be understood as the symbolism of the unity of three worlds that a human faces - his inside world, his immediate world, and the broader overall world.
Mythology
In Hindu mythology, Shiva is depicted as an ascetic yogi who lives an abstinent life on the Mount Kailash, as well as a householder with a wife, Parvati and his two children, Ganesha and Kartikeya. Shiva is also regarded as the patron god of yoga, meditation, and arts.
Worship
The worship of Shiva is a pan-Hindu tradition, practiced widely across all of India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Some historians believe that the figure of Shiva as we know him today was built up over time, with the ideas of many regional sects being amalgamated into a single figure. Shivalinga, a representation of the Hindu deity Shiva used for worship in temples, is considered the foremost sacred symbol for shaivaites and has been worshiped for ages. The worship of the Shiva-Linga originated from the famous hymn in the Atharva-Veda Samhitâ sung in praise of the Yupa-Stambha, the sacrificial post.
Festivals
There are many both traditional and modern festivals celebrated as per the Hindu Calendar. Some of the most popular festivals are Maha Shivaratri, Kartik Purnima and Tripurari Purnima.
Philosophy
Shiva is considered the Great Yogi who is totally absorbed in himself – the transcendental reality. He is the Lord of Yogis, and the teacher of Yoga to sages. As Shiva Dakshinamurthi, states Stella Kramrisch, he is the supreme guru who "teaches in silence the oneness of one's innermost self (atman) with the ultimate reality (brahman).