Hindu God Shiva :Hindu God Shiva


Index :Index Who Is he? Story 1 Story 2 Story 3 Symbols


Who is He? :Who is He? Shiva is the destroyer god, he destroys so he can get rid of all the bad in the world. He is also the third member of the trinity, the trinity consists of three members who make the supreme one these members are: Brahma the creator god, Vishnu the preserver god and Shiva the destroyer god. Back to index


Story About Shiva :Story About Shiva Story 1 A legend from the Ramayana speaks of King Bhagirath who once meditated before Lord Brahma for a thousand years for the salvation of the souls of his ancestors. Pleased with his devotion Brahma granted him a wish. He requested the Lord to send the river Ganges down to earth from heaven so that she could flow over his ancestors' ashes and wash their curse away and allow them to go to heaven. Brahma granted his wish but asked him to pray to Shiva, for he alone could support the weight of her descent. Accordingly he prayed to Shiva and he allowed the Ganges to descend on his head, and after meandering through his thick matted locks, the holy river reached the earth. This story is re-enacted by bathing the linga. Back to index


Slide 5:Story 2 Once a hunter while chasing a deer wandered into a dense forest and found himself on the banks of river Kolidum when he heard the growl of a tiger. To protect himself from the beast he climbed up a tree nearby. The tiger pitched itself on the ground below the tree fostering no intention to leave. The hunter stayed up in the tree all night and to keep himself from falling asleep, he gently plucked one leaf after another from the tree and threw it down. Under the tree was a Shiva Linga and the tree blessedly turned out to be a bilva tree. Unknowingly the man had pleased the deity with bilva leaves. At sunrise, the hunter looked down to find the tiger gone, and in its place stood Lord Shiva. He prostrated before the Lord and attained salvation from the cycle of birth and death. Back to index


Story 3 :Story 3 Lord Shiva is the destructive aspect of the Trinity.  Lord Bramha having created the five Kumaras, he ordered them to go and progenite the universe.  The Kumaras not wanting to engage in household activities but to go back to God refused.  Bramha became enraged and in his anger from his forehead emerged a little boy of a bluish red color (blue for ignorance and red for passion) which he named Rudra.  Rudra was given eleven wives and he and his descendents populated the universe in great numbers.  His followers borne of anger was creating havoc even threatening Rudra and Lord Bramha who asked Rudra to go into deep meditation so that his followers might calm down. He is decorated with a crescent shaped moon which he took from the churning of the ocean of milk. The Surabhi cow which also came from the the churning gave birth to a snow white bull Nandi who has since become Shiva's companion.  Consort of Sati whose father Daksha is the mostvocal critic him.  Once there was a great sacrifice at which


Slide 7:Bramha and Shiva were present, Daksha arrived at the arena with a brilliant glow showing all his splendor, everyone stood up in respect and Bramha welcomed him.  Shiva in meditation did not acknowledge Daksha, who proceeded to direct insults at Shiva, afraid of Daksha nobody said anything, Shiva left the arena and Daksha still left shortly after in anger. Later, Daksha was sponsoring a sacrifice and attendees came from various parts of the universe.  Daksha did not invite Sati nor Shiva, knowing that her mother and sisters will be there Sati asked Shiva for them to go since one does not need an invitation to go to a relative's home.  Shiva countered that it is true but also if one knows that being a guest he will be insulted then it is best not to go.  Determined Sati proceeded towards her father's house half running not chancing that Shiva might try stop her, seeing her thus the followers of Shiva put her on Nandi the bull and led a procession with singing and much pomp.  Upon arriving at her father's house her mother and sisters not expecting her hugged her and were all in tears.  Sati noticed that absent at the alter is a place for Lord Shiva and that upset her.  Daksha started to speak


Slide 8:foul-mouthed words about Shiva.  Overbearing Sati proclaimed that she will give up her body and come back to father she could respect so said she performed yoga and burned herself to ashes.  Her followers became angry and attempted to disrupt the alter but a saint quickly invoked a mantra which prevented them from then he invoked some beings that quickly so doing dispersed them. Upon hearing the news that his wife Sati was dead and how it happened, Shiva became very angry, he plucked a strand of hair from his head and lashed it to the ground a huge fierce looking demon appeared and asked Shiva what he wanted him to do Back to index


Symbols associated with Shiva :Symbols associated with Shiva Sacred Ganga: The holiest of the holy rivers, the Ganga, flowing from the crown of Shiva's head represents the causal waters, from which the earth arises. It also represents the essential instrument of ritual purification. By holding the Ganga on his head, Shiva allowed an outlet to the great holy river to traverse the earth and bring purifying water to human beings Crescent: Shiva bears on his head the crescent of the fifth day (panchami) moon. This is placed near the fiery third eye and this shows the power of Soma, the sacrificial offering, which is the representative of moon. It means that Shiva possesses the power of procreation along with the power of destruction.


Slide 10:Matted hair: The flowing jata or matted hair of Shiva represent him as the lord of wind, Vayu, who is the subtle form of breath present in all living beings. Cobra: Shiva is beyond the power of death though he is surrounded by death. This aspect is also emphasised by his name Nilakantha, the god drank the deadly poison Kalakuta, to free the world from its effects. The cobras around his neck also represent the dormant energy, called Kundalini, the serpent power. The trident: The Trishula of Shiva is the symbol of the three functions of God - the Creator, the Preserver and the Destroyer. This also represents the instrument of punishment to the evil doer on all the three planes - spiritual, subtle and physical.


Slide 11:Tiger skin: The tiger is the vehicle of Shakti, the goddess of power and force. Shiva is beyond and above any kind of force. He is the master of Shakti. The tiger skin that he wears symbolises victory over every force.


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