Shiva

Shiva is the destroyer or transformer in Hinduism and one of the trimurti.

Names

Sanskrit: शिव Shiva, "The Auspicious One"

Adiyogi, "the first yogi"

Kapalika, "Skull-Bearer"

Nataraja, "King of the Cosmic Dance"

Rudra, "The roarer"

Mahadeva, "Great God"

Highlights

• Third Eye

• Trident

• Cannabis

• Cobra necklace

• Long dreadlocks

• Vibhuti, Three stripes of ash across forehead

• Encompasses both good and evil

• Shiva Linga, master of fertility

• Master over poison, snakes

• Husband of Parvati (also known as Kali, Uma, Sati, Durga)

References

Vedas

Upanishads

Information

Shiva is a Hindu deity and one of the trimurti, the Hindu trinity. In the trimurti, Brahma is the Creator, Vishnu, who often incarnates as Krishna, is the sustainer, and Shiva is the destroyer and transformer, though some sects worship Shiva to be the supreme God.

Shiva goes by many names, reflective of his attributes, including Adiyogi "the first yogi," Rudra, "the roarer", representing his fearsome qualities, and many others. While Shiva may have fearsome qualities, those who follow him call him benevolent.

He is often depicted as the Nataraj, the cosmic dancer, within the flames of Samsara, the endless cycle of death and rebirth. He is depicted mid-dance with four hands, outstretched in different directions and standing on his right leg, with the left leg lifted. He is both sustainer and transformer, helping followers to defeat the ego, or the self and to transcend.

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