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Shiva
Shiva (pronunciation: ; Sanskrit: ???, , lit. "Auspicious one") is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. Within Shaivism he is viewed as the Supreme deity, whereas in other branches of Hinduism such as the Smarta tradition he is worshipped as one of the six manifestations of the Divine. Followers of Hinduism who focus their worship upon Shiva are called Shaivites or Shaivas (Sanskrit ).[1] His role as the primary deity of Shaivism is reflected in his epithets ("great god"; = great + deva = god),[2][3] ("great lord"; = great + = lord),[4][5] and ("Supreme Lord").[6] Shaivism, along with traditions that focus on Vishnu, and traditions that focus on the goddess () are three of the most influential denominations in Hinduism.[7] Shiva is one of the six primary forms of the Divine in Smartism, a denomination of Hinduism that puts particular emphasis on six deities, the other five being Vishnu, Shakti, Ganesha, Kartikkeya and Surya.[8] Another way of thinking about the divinities in Hinduism identifies Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva as each representing one of the three primary aspects of the divine in Hinduism, known collectively as the Trimurti. In the Trimurti system, Brahma is the creator, Vishnu is the maintainer or preserver, and Shiva is the destroyer or transformer.[9] Shiva is usually worshipped as the Shiva linga. In images, he is generally represented as immersed in deep meditation or dancing the Tandava upon the demon of ignorance in his manifestation of Nataraja, the lord of the dance.
EtymologyThe Sanskrit word Shiva (Devanagari: , ) is an adjective meaning kind, friendly, gracious, or auspicious.[10][11] As a proper name it means "The Auspicious One", used as a euphemistic name for Rudra.[12] In simple English transliteration it is written either as Shiva or Siva. Pronunciation is written in the International Phonetic Alphabet as . The adjective meaning "auspicious" is used as an attributive epithet not particularly of Rudra, but of several other Vedic deities.[13] In the Rig Veda, Indra uses this word to describe himself several times. (2:20:3, 6:45:17, 8:93:3) In Tamil, Shiva literally means "the supreme one". Adi Sankara in his interpretation of the name Shiva, the 27th and 600th name of Vishnu sahasranama interprets Shiva to mean either "The Pure One", the One who is not affected by three Gunas of Prakrti, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas or "the One who purifies everyone by the very utterance of His name." [14] Swami Chinmayananda, in his translation of Vishnu sahasranama further elaborates on that verse: Shiva means the One who is eternally pure, or the One who can never have any contamination of the imperfection of Rajas and Tamas [15] The Sanskrit word means "relating to the god Shiva", and this term is the Sanskrit name both for one of the principal sects of Hinduism, and for a member of one of those sects.[16] It is used as an adjective to characterize certain beliefs and practices, such as Shaivism.[17] The name Shiva, in one interpretation, is also said to have derived from the Dravidian word ?Siva? meaning ?to be red?. It is the equivalent of Rudra, ?the red? RigVeda.[18] Historical developmentThe worship of Shiva is a pan-Hindu tradition, practiced widely across all of India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.[19][20] Modern 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.[21] How the persona of Shiva converged as a composite deity is not well-documented.[22] Axel Michaels explains the composite nature of Shaivism as follows: Like , is also a high god, who gives his name to a collection of theistic trends and sects: . Like , the term also implies a unity which cannot be clearly found either in religious practice or in philosophical and esoteric doctrine. Furthermore, practice and doctrine must be kept separate.[23] An example of assimilation took place in Maharashtra, where a regional deity named Khandoba is a patron deity of farming and herding castes.[24] The foremost center of worship of Khandoba in Maharashtra is in Jejuri.[25] Khandoba has been assimilated both as a name for Karttikya[26] and also as a form of Shiva himself[27] in which case he is worshipped in the form of a lingam.[28][29] Khandoba's varied associations also include an indentification with Surya.[30] The derivation of the name Khandoba has been variously interpreted, and M. S. Mate says that the most commonly-held belief is that it was a distorted form of Skanda, but also notes alternate theories.[31] The Pashupati seal
An Indus Valley seal with the seated figure termed pashupati. Rudra
Three-headed Shiva, Gandhara, 2nd century CE The oldest surviving text of Hinduism is the Rig Veda, which is dated to between 1700–1100 BCE based on linguistic and philological evidence.[39] A god named Rudra is mentioned in the Rig Veda. The name Rudra is still used as a name for Shiva. In RV 2.33 he is described as the "Father of the Maruts", a group of storm gods.[40] Furthermore, the Rudram, one of the most sacred hymns of Hinduism found both in the Rig and the Yajur Vedas, and addressed to Rudra, invokes him as Shiva in several instances. The identification of Shiva with the older god Rudra is not universally accepted, as Axel Michaels explains:
Rudra is called "The Archer" (Sanskrit: )[42] and the arrow is an essential attribute of Rudra.[43] This name appears in the Shiva Sahasranama, and R. K. Sharma notes that it is used as a name of Shiva often in later languages.[44] The word is derived from the Sanskrit root - which means "to injure" or "to kill"[45] and Sharma uses that general sense in his interpretive translation of the name as "One who can kill the forces of darkness".[46] The names ("Bowman")[47] and ("Archer", literally "Armed with arrows in his hands")[48][49] also refer to archery. Identification with Vedic deitiesShiva's rise to a major position in the pantheon was facilitated by his identification with a host of Vedic deities, including Agni, Indra, , , and others.[50] AgniRudra and Agni have a close relationship.[51][52] The identification between Agni and Rudra in the Vedic literature was an important factor in the process of Rudra's gradual development into the later character as Rudra-Shiva.[53] The identification of Agni with Rudra is explicitly noted in the Nirukta, an important early text on etymology, which says "Agni is called Rudra also".[54] The interconnections between the two deities are complex, and according to Stella Kramrisch:
In the ?atarudr?a, some epithets of Rudra such as ("Of golden red hue as of flame") and ("Flaming bright") suggest a fusing of the two deities.[56] Agni is said to be a bull[57] and Lord Shiva possesses a bull as his vehicle, Nandi. The horns of Agni, who is sometimes characterized as a bull, are mentioned.[58][59] In medieval sculpture both Agni and the form of Shiva known as Bhairava have flaming hair as a special feature.[60] IndraThe Indologist, Koenraad Elst proposes that Shiva of Puranic Hinduism is a continuation of the Vedic Indra. He gives several reasons for his hypothesis. Both Shiva and Indra are known for having a thirst for Soma. Both are associated with mountains, rivers, male fertility, fierceness, fearlessness, warfare, transgression of established mores, the Aum sound, the Supreme Self. In the Rig Veda the term is used to refer to Indra. (2.20.3,[61] 6.45.17,[62][63] and 8.93.3.[64]) Indra, like Shiva, is likened to a bull.[65][66] In the Rig Veda, Rudra is the father of the Maruts, but he is never associated with their warlike exploits as is Indra.[67] In the present form of Hinduism, Indra and Shiva are considered as distinct dieties. Attributes
Shiva with Parvati. Shiva is depicted three-eyed, with crescent moon on his head, the Ganga flowing through his matted hair, wearing ornaments of serpents and a skull necklace, covered in ashes and Trisula and Damaru are seen in the background.
Shiva Bearing the Descent of the Ganges River as Parvati and Bhagiratha, and the bull Nandi look, folio from a Hindi manuscript by the saint Narayan, circa 1740
Forms and depictionsAccording to Gavin Flood, "?iva is a god of ambiguity and paradox", whose attributes include opposing themes.[112] The ambivalent nature of this deity is apparent in some of his names and the stories told about him. Destroyer versus benefactor
Shiva carrying the corpse of his first consort Dakshayani (Sati). The name Rudra (Sanskrit ?????) reflects his fearsome aspects. According to traditional etymologies, the Sanskrit name Rudra is derived from the root rud- which means "to cry, howl."[115] Stella Kramrisch notes a different etymology connected with the adjectival form raudra, which means wild, of rudra nature, and translates the name Rudra as "the Wild One" or "the Fierce God".[116] R. K. Sharma follows this alternate etymology and translates the name as "Terrible".[117] Hara (Sanskrit ??) is an important name that occurs three times in the Anushasanaparvan version of the Shiva sahasranama, where it is translated in different ways each time it occurs, following a commentorial tradition of not repeating an interpretation. Sharma translates the three as "One who captivates", "One who consolidates", and "One who destroys."[118] Kramrisch translates it as "The Ravisher".[119] Another of Shiva's fearsome forms is as (Sanskrit: ), "Time", and as (Sanskrit: ), "Great Time", which ultimately destroys all things.[120][121][122] Bhairava (Sanskrit: ), "Terrible" or "Frightful"[123] is a fierce form associated with annihilation.[124] In contrast, the name (Sanskrit ?????), "Beneficent"[125] or "Conferring Happiness"[126] reflects his benign form. This name was adopted by the great Vedanta philosopher (c. 788-820 CE), who is also known as Shankaracharya.[127][128] The name (Sanskrit: ), "Causing Happiness", also reflects this benign aspect.[129][130] Ascetic versus householder
He is depicted as both an ascetic yogin and as a householder, roles which are mutually exclusive in Hindu society.[131] When depicted as a yogin he may be shown sitting and meditating.[132] His epithet Mah?yogin (The Great Yogi: = great, Yogin = one who practices Yoga) refers to his association with yoga.[133] While Vedic religion was conceived mainly in terms of sacrifice, it was during the Epic period that concepts of tapas, yoga, and asceticism, became more important, and the depiction of Shiva as an ascetic sitting in philosophical isolation reflects these later concepts.[134] As a family man and householder he has a wife, Parvati (also known as ), and two sons, Ganesha and Skanda. His epithet ("The husband of ") refers to this idea, and Sharma notes that two other variants of this name that mean the same thing, and , also appear in the sahasranama.[135] in epic literature is known by many names, including .[136][137] She is identified with Devi, the Divine Mother, and with Shakti (divine energy). Shiva and Parvati are the parents of Karthikeya and Ganesha. Karthikeya is worshipped in southern India (especially in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka) by the names Subrahmanyan, Shanmughan, Swaminathan and Murugan, and in northern India, is better known by the names Skanda, Kumara, or Karttikeya.[138] Nataraja
The depiction of Shiva as Nataraja (Tamil: ??????, Sanskrit: , "Lord of Dance") is popular.[139][140] The names Nartaka ("Dancer") and Nityanarta ("Eternal Dancer") appear in the Shiva Sahasranama.[141] His association with dance and also with music is prominent in the Puranic period.[142] In addition to the specific iconographic form known as Nataraja, various other types of dancing forms (Sanskrit: ) are found in all parts of India, with many well-defined varieties in Tamil Nadu (in southern India) in particular.[143] (Sanskrit: )[144] literally describes a form () of Shiva facing south (). This form represents Shiva in his aspect as a teacher of yoga, music, and wisdom, and giving exposition on the shastras.[145] This iconographic form for depicting Shiva in Indian art is mostly from Tamil Nadu.[146] Elements of this motif can include Shiva seated upon a deer-throne and surrounded by sages who are receiving his instruction.[147] MruthyunjayaLiterally translated as 'victor over death', this is an aspect of Shiva worshipped as the conqueror of Death as manifested in the Hindu lord of death, Yama. The particular legend in question deals with the sage Markandeya, who was fated to die at the age of sixteen. On account of the sage's worship and devotion to Shiva, the Lord vanquished Yama to liberate his devotee from death. Shiva is often worshipped as Mruthyunjaya by the aged or ill, to ward off death and mitigate its harshness when it does occur. He is worshipped as such at the temples of Thirupainyeeli, near Trichinopoly, and at a shrine in Thirukadaiyur, near Chidambaram. 
Chola bronze from the 11th century. Shiva in the form of Ardhanarisvara. ArdhanarishvaraAn iconographic representation of Shiva called Ardhanarishvara shows him with one half of the body as male, and the other half as female.[148] According to Ellen Goldberg, the traditional Sanskrit name for this form, () is best translated as "the lord who is half woman", and not as "half-man, half-woman".[149] Shiva is often depicted as an archer in the act of destroying the triple fortresses, Tripura, of the Asuras.[150] Shiva's name (Sanskrit: ), "Ender of Tripura", refers to this important story.[151] Lingam
Apart from anthropomorphic images of Shiva, the worship of Shiva in the form of a lingam is also important.[152][153][154] These are depicted in various forms. One common form is the shape of a vertical rounded column. The five mantras
Five is a sacred number for Shiva.[155] One of his most important mantras has five syllables ().[156] Shiva's body is said to consist of five mantras, called the :[157] As forms of god, each of these have their own names and distinct iconography:[158] These are represented as the five faces of Shiva, and are associated in various texts with the five elements, the five senses, the five organs of perception, and the five organs of action.[159][160] Doctrinal differences and possibly errors in transmission have resulted in some differences between texts in details of how these five forms are linked with various attributes.[161] But the overall meaning of these associations is summarized by Stella Kramrisch: Through these transcendent categories, ?iva, the ultimate reality, becomes the efficient and material cause of all that exists.[162] According to the Pańcabrahma Upanishad: One should know all things of the phenomenal world as of a fivefold character, for the reason that the eternal verity of is of the character of the fivefold Brahman. (Pańcabrahma Upanishad 31)[163] Relationship to Vishnu
Vishnu (left half - blue) and Shiva (right half - white) During the Vedic period, both Vishnu and Shiva (as identified with Rudra) played relatively minor roles, but by the time of the Brahmanas (c. 1000-700 BCE) both were gaining ascendance.[164] By the Puranic period both deities had major sects that competed with one another for devotees.[165] Many stories developed showing different types of relationships between these two important deities. Sectarian forces each presented their own preferred deity as supreme. Vishnu in his myths "becomes" Shiva.[166] The Vishnu Purana (4th c. CE) shows Vishnu awakening and becoming both to create the world, and Shiva to destroy it.[167] Shiva also is viewed as a manifestation of Vishnu in the Bhagavata Purana.[168] In Shaivite myths, on the other hand, Shiva comes to the fore and acts independently and alone to create, preserve, and destroy the world.[169] In one Shaivite myth of the origin of the lingam, both Vishnu and are revealed as emanations from Shiva's manifestation as a towering pillar of flame.[170] The ?atarudr?ya, a Shaivite hymn, says that Shiva is "of the form of Vishnu".[171] Difference in viewpoints between the two sects is apparent in the story of (also spelled "Sharabha"), the name of Shiva's incarnation in the composite form of man, bird, and beast. Shiva assumed that unusual form to chastise Vishnu in his hybrid form as Narasimha, the man-lion, who killed Hiranyakashipu, an ardent devotee of Shiva.[172][173] Syncretic forces produced stories in which the two deities were shown in cooperative relationships and combined forms. Harihara is a the name of a combined deity form of both Vishnu (Hari) and Shiva (Hara).[174] This dual form, which is also called Harirudra, is mentioned in the Mahabharata.[175] An example of a collaboration story is one given to explain Shiva's epithet , "Lord of Great Strength" (Maha = great, Bala = strength, = Lord). This name refers to story in which was given a linga as a boon by Shiva on the condition that he carry it always. During his travels, he stopped near the present Deoghar in Bihar to purify himself and asked Narada a devotee of Vishnu in the guise of a Brahmin to hold the linga for him, but after some time Narada put it down on the ground and vanished. When Ravana returned, he could not move the linga, and it is said to remain there ever since.[176] AvatarsShiva, like some other Hindu deities, is said to have several incarnations, known as Avatars. Adi Shankara, the 8th-century philosopher of non-dualist Vedanta was named "Shankara" after Lord Shiva and is considered to have been an incarnation of Shiva.[177] In the Hanuman Chalisa Hanuman is identified as the eleventh avatar of Shiva.[178] Temples
The holiest Shiva temples are the 12 Jyotirlinga temples. They are Somnath – Prabhas Patan, Nageshwar – Dwarka, Mahakaleshwar – Ujjain, Mallik?rjuna – Srisailam, Bhimashankar, Omkareshwar, Kedarnath, Kashi Vishwanath – Varanasi, Trimbakeshwar – near Nasik, Rameswaram – Rameswaram, Grishneshwar – near Ellora and Vaidyanath – Deoghar. In South India, five temples of Shiva are held to be particularly important, as being manifestations of him in the five elemental substances:
Other notable temples in India include: Amarnath, Madurai, Thanjavur, Aragalur, and Tirunelveli. The Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal and the pilgrimage site of Kailash Mansarovar is noteworthy. Names of Shiva
A statue of Shiva near Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi In Hinduism, deities are called by many names, which describe them in different ways. These names often refer to specific stories about the deities, functions they perform, or ways of thinking about them. Study of these names is helpful to understanding deities from multiple points of view. Some names are used by more than one deity, so looking for names that uniquely describe a deity is one way to pinpoint their functions. SahasranamasThere are at least eight different versions of the Shiva Sahasranama, devotional hymns (stotras) listing many names of Shiva.[179] The version appearing in Book 13 () of the Mahabharata is considered the kernel of this tradion.[180] Shiva also has DashaSahasranamas (10,000 names) that are found in the Mahanyasa. Rudram ChamakamThe Shri Rudram Chamakam, also known as the ?atarudriya, is a devotional hymn to Shiva hailing him by many names.[181][182] See alsoNotesReferences
A Shiva Linga
ar:???? an:?iva bs:?iva bg:???? ca:Xiva (hinduisme) cs:?iva cy:Shiva da:Shiva de:Shiva et:?iva es:Shivá eo:?ivao fr:Shiva gu:??? ko:?? hi:??? hr:?iva io:Shiva id:Siwa is:Síva it:Shiva he:????? jv:Siwah kn:??? ka:???? lt:?yva hu:Siva ml:?????? mr:??? ms:Siva nl:Shiva new:????? (???? ??????) ja:??? no:Shiva nn:Sjiva uz:Shiva nds:Schiwa pl:?iwa pt:Shiva ro:Shiva ru:???? sco:Shiva simple:Shiva sk:?iva sl:?iva sr:???? sh:?iva fi:Shiva sv:Shiva ta:????? te:?????? th:???????? tr:?iva uk:???? ur:?? zh:?? Source: Wikipedia | The above article is available under the GNU FDL. | Edit this article
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