SHIVA

Shiva is known as the destroyer in the Trimurti. He is the husband of Parvati and their children are Kartikeya and Ganesha.

Shiva’s appearance is quite awesome. He wears a snake Vasuki around his neck. He is also known as Neelkanth (blue-throated), for he holds Vasuki’s poison in his throat. The legend dates back to the time when the gods churned the oceans. Vasuki’s poison threatened the world. Only Shiva could take the poison in his mouth. He held it in his throat forever and earned his name Neelkanth.

Also known as Pashupati, Lord of the animals he sits on a tiger skin subduing aggression. He holds a damru (a small drum) a symbol of creative activity. One hand is raised in the abhaya-mudra, for he is the benevolent force of destruction.

He wears a pair of unmatched earrings that symbolize his being Ardhnarishwara (half man and half woman). One earring is a Kundala, worn by men and the other a Tatanka worn by women. Shiva unites the sexes in his being. The love of Shiva and Parvati (his wife) fused together, they become one, the single creators.

Historically, Shiva reveals himself in secular as well as religious texts. A Dravidian king he married Sati a daughter of an Aryan king. (Sculptures from The Indus Valley Civilization depict Shiva).

Sati’s father, Daksha opposed their union. After the wedding, at a yagna (sacrifice), being performed by Daksha. Shiva was ignored by his father in law who found him ‘uncivilized’.

Sati couldn’t bear this humiliation of her husband, jumped into the sacrificial fire. When Shiva came to collect her ashes he could only express his deep pain and grief through a violent dance called the Tandav. He terrified all creation as he danced around the earth seven times.

When nothing would pacify Shiva the gods feared his sorrow could destroy the earth. They decided to revive Sati and she was born as Parvati (daughter of the mountains).

Meanwhile, Shiva had renounced the world and gone to Mount Kailash where he had began a hard penance. When Parvati reached Mount Kailash, Shiva was so involved in his meditation that he was immune to Parvati’s presence.

Parvati did all she could to entice Shiva but his meditation was powerful. Finally she asked Madan/Kama (the god of love) for help. Kama told her to dance in front of Shiva. When Parvati danced, Madan shot an arrow laced with flowers at Shiva, whose penance broke.

When Shiva opened his eyes his first sight was Parvati dancing before him. Shiva fell in love with Parvati and became her loving husband. Parvati became his shakti (creative force).

In Mount Kailash their ardour was intense, The Gods worried about the child who would be born from this union. Shiva’s seed dropped on the banks of the Ganga (the river which flows through his matted hair). This lingam is worshipped all over India.

Their first child was Kartikeya or Subramanya. Kartikeya would fight the demon Taraka rescue the world and then return to Parvati and Shiva.

The birth of Parvati’s second child was far more prosaic, Parvati wanted to bathe in privacy and she created a son from the sweat of her body. She asked him to guard the door.

When Shiva returned and walked towards the bathing area, Ganesha blocked his path. Shiva was angry and offended by the impudent new guard who had the nerve to question him. In the battle of wills Shiva beheaded Ganesha.

Parvati was furious and demanded Ganesha be brought back to life. Shiva sent Nandi (his bull) to bring back the first head of an animal who was sleeping with his head to the north.

Nandi brought back the head of Airavat, Lord Indra’s elephant. After this single cosmic misunderstanding the family Shiva, Parvati, Kartik and Ganesha lived together happily.

Somvar (Mondays) are dedicated to Shiva, on every Monday of the year people observe a fast for Shiva.