Shiva

Shiva

1. Beliefs

   • Third part of the Trimurti - Destroyer God
     • Plays large part in Samsara (cycle of life) - birth --> death --> rebirth
   • Worshipped by Shaivites
   • "Shiva is best understood as the God of opposites" Zaehner
     • Creator & Destroyer, fierce & gentle
   • Ancient - mentioned in the Vedas and the Epics
     • "one of the oldest gods within Hinduism" Jamison
   • possibly found in the Indus Valley Civilisation through the Proto-type Shiva
   • Dances to a rhythm of a drum believed to be the cycle of life and death that goes on an on symbolising rebirth, this is also shown by the circle flame - in this form = Nataraja / "lord of the dance"

2. Features & Symbols

   • He's surrounded by emblems that represent his destructive power ; snake, trident & flame
   • Hand held up to show a blessing over his devotees with the om symbol representing peace
   • The sign on his forehead is a U shape with a dot in in which represents serving at the foot of god
   • "He's clothed with the skin of a wild cat (trophy of a powerful hunter" Jamison
   • He has dreadlocks which is a symbol of spiritual power. they're piled on his head to symbolise the Himalaya mountains with the goddess Ganga flowing out like the River Ganges at the Himalayas
   • Shiva's consort is Pavarti and it's believed that it is the goddess that provides the god with dynamic power. they also believe that Shiva is a corpse without his Shakti.
     • "supreme realisation occurs in uniting the two poles, not in negating one" Zaehner
   • Believed he has a third eye on his forehead and when it opens the universe will be destroyed
   • blue skin to represent divinity, especially on his throat as it is believed that he drank a poison in order to save the world

3. Practise & Worship

   • worshipped in 4 main forms
     • 1. THE LINGA - an aniconic phallic symbolising the power of fertility. naturally occurring not man made. used as focal point in temples where offerings are poured over; lassi, milk, honey, cow urine and drained off and used as prashadam
     • 2. SHIVA NATARAJA - Shiva as the cosmic destroyer who works to destroy as part of the process of life. represented through the "lord of the dance" shows shiva stamping out evil & destroying it
       • "Shiva's dance is... the stamping tandava of the destruction that is necessary for the universe to continue" Jamison
     • 3. SHIVA MAHAYOGI - Shiva as the cosmic yogins ; creates and maintains the universe by virtue of his tapas. the ultimate meditator
       • "dedicating himself to a life of meditation and ascetic practises to build up tapas" Jamison
       • his posture represents "purity of his mind, harmony and serenity" Voiels
     • 4. SHIVA BHAIRAVA - Shiva as the terrifying destroyer; united with his Shakti
   • AGHORIS & KAPALIKAS - extreme worshippas who practise extreme asceticism & bring themselves closer to Shiva by; living in cremations grounds, smearing ashes on themselves, matting their hair, performing tantric practises, offerings impure substances (meat, sexual fluids, wine, blood) . idea is that the Kapalikas have killed the brahman that he was in the service to shiva

4. Popularity & Significance

   • he's a god not an avatar so more important that Krishna or Rama
     • "a considerably more complex figure" Jamison
   • he destroys evil which is thought to be good by devotees and he protects them from evil by doing this
   • recreates life so represents fertility
   • way for devotees to perform Bhakti and show their love and devotion to god
   • are able to reach liberation by worshipping him through Bhakti
   • represents both men and women so represents equality of the sexes through the representation of the male and female genitalia through the Linga and the Yoni
     • "the lingam...often rests upon a yoni" Jamison