SHIVA : THE DESTROYER AND THE CREATOR

SHIV : THE DESTROYER AND THE CREATOR

Shiva in Sanskrit:शिव: The Auspicious One, also known as Mahadeva in Sanskrit:महादेव. ‘The Great God Mahadeva and Hara are two of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hinduism.

Shiva is known as the Destroyer within the Trimurti, the Hindu trinity which also includes Brahma and Vishnu. In the Shaivite tradition, Shiva is the Supreme Lord who creates, protects, and transforms the universe. In the goddess-oriented Shakta tradition, the Supreme Goddess (Devi) is regarded as the energy and creative power (Shakti) and the equal complementary partner of Shiva. Shiva is one of the five equivalent deities Panchayatana puja of the Smarta tradition of Hinduism.

Shiva has many aspects, benevolent as well as fearsome. In benevolent aspects, he is depicted as an omniscient yogi who lives an ascetic life on Kailasa as well as a householder with his wife Parvati and his two children, Ganesha and Kartikeya. In his fierce aspects, he is often depicted slaying demons. Shiva is also known as Adiyogi (the first yogi), regarded as the patron god of yoga, meditation the arts. The iconographical attributes of Shiva are the serpent king Vasuki around his neck, the adorning crescent moon, the holy river Ganga flowing from his matted hair, the third eye on his forehead (the eye that turns everything in front of it into ashes when opened), the trishula or trident as his weapon, and the damaru. He is usually worshiped in the iconic form of Lingam.

Shiva has pre-Vedic roots, and the figure of Shiva evolved as an amalgamation of various older non-Vedic and Vedic deities, including the Rigvedic storm god Rudra, who may also have non-Vedic origins, into a single major deity. Shiva is a pan-Hindu deity, revered widely by Hindus in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia(especially in Java and Bali).

SHIVA SAHASRANAMA

The Shiva Sahasranama (Sanskrit:शिवसहस्रनाम,romanized: śivasahasranāma) is a Sanskrit hymn that contains a list of the 1,000 names of Shiva, one of the principal deities of Hinduism and the supreme being in Shaivism. In Hindu tradition, asahasranama is a type of devotional hymn (Sanskrit : stotram) listing the thousand names of a deity. The names provide an exhaustive catalog of the attributes, functions, and major mythology associated with the figure being praised. The Shiva Sahasranama is found in the Shiva Maha purana, and many other scriptures, such as Linga Purana.

There are at least eight different variations of the Shiva Sahasranama while the one appearing in the Book 13 (Anushasana Parva) of the Mahabharata is considered as the main version. One version is contained in the Linga Purana, while another version occurs in the Mahabharata.

Krishna states the thousand names of Shiva to Yudhishthirain the 17th chapter of Anushāsanaparvain the epic Mahabharata.

1 }Linga Purana version 1 is close to the Mahabharata Anushasanaparvan version.

2}Linga Purana has some passages in version 1 , but also with other sources

3}Shiva purana

4}Mahabharata(AnushasanaParva version). The critical edition of the Mahabharata has fewer than 1008 names similar to the Vishnu Sahasranama, it can be found in Chapter 1698 of the BORI Critical Edition. The Gita Pressedition has all the verses which have been traditionally accepted and commented on.

5}Mahabharata (Shanti Parva), Chapter 284 (Gita Pressedition) also has a Shiva Sahasranama sung by Dakshato please Lord Rudra. This is not present in its complete from in the Critical Edition. This is also accepted by Traditional scholars.

6}Vayu Purana is almost the same as the Mahabharata Śāntiparvan version.

7}Brahma Purana is almost the same as the Vayu Purana version.

8}Mahābhāgavata Upapurana

Shiva means “auspicious, propitious, gracious, benign, kind, benevolent, friendly”. The root words of śivain folk etymology are śī which means “in whom all things lie, pervasiveness” and va which means “embodiment of grace”.

The word Shiva is used as an adjective in the Rig Veda(c. 1700–1100 BCE), as an epithet for several Rigvedic deities, including Rudra. The term Shiva also connotes “liberation, final emancipation” and “the auspicious one”; this adjectival usage is addressed to many deities in Vedic literature. The term evolved from the Vedic Rudra-Shiva to the noun Shiva in the Epics and the Puranas, as an auspicious deity who is the “creator, reproducer and dissolver”.

The Sanskrit word śaiva 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 that sect. It is used as an adjective to characterise certain beliefs and practices, such as Shaivism.

Some authors associate the name with the Tamil word śivappu meaning “red”, noting that Shiva is linked to the Sun (śivan, “the Red one”, in Tamil) and that Rudra is also called Babhru (brown, or red) in the Rigveda. The Vishnu sahasranama interprets Shiva to have multiple meanings: “The Pure One”, and “the One who is not affected by three Guṇas of Prakṛti (Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas)“.

Shiva is known by many names such as Viswanatha (lord of the universe), Mahadeva, Mahandeo, Mahasu, Mahesha, Maheshvara, Shankara, Shambhu, Rudra, Hara, Trilochana, Devendra (chief of the gods), Neelakanta, Subhankara, Trilokinatha (lord of the three realms), and Ghrneshwar (lord of compassion). The highest reverence for Shiva in Shaivism is reflected in his epithets Mahādeva (“Great god”;mahā“Great” anddeva“god”), Maheśvara(“Great Lord”;mahā“great” andīśvara“lord”), andParameśvara(“Supreme Lord”).

Sahasranama are medieval Indian texts that list a thousand names derived from aspects and epithets of a deity. There are at least eight different versions of the Shiva Sahasranama, devotional hymns (stotras) listing many names of Shiva. The version appearing in Book 13 (Anuśāsanaparvan) of the Mahabharata provides one such list. Shiva also has Dasha-Sahasranamas(10,000 names) that are found in theMahanyasa. The Shri Rudram Chamakam, also known as the Śatarudriya, is a devotional hymn to Shiva hailing him by many names

HISTORY OF SHAIVISM

Shaivism Sanskrit:शैवसंप्रदायः,romanized: Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the supreme being. One of the largest Hindu denominations,[4][5]it incorporates many sub-traditions ranging from devotional dualistic theism such as Shaiva Siddhanta to yoga-orientated monistic non-theism such as Kashmiri Shaivism. It considers both the Vedas and the Agama texts as important sources of theology. According to a 2020 estimate by The World Religion Database (WRD), hosted at Boston University’s Institute on Culture, Religion and World Affairs (CURA), Shaivism is the second-largest Hindu sect, constituting about 385 million Hindus.

Shaivism developed as an amalgam of pre-Vedic religions and traditions derived from the southern Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta traditions and philosophies, which were assimilated in the non-Vedic Shiva-tradition. In the process of Sanskriti sation and the synthesis of Hinduism, starting in the last centuries BCE, these pre-Vedic traditions became aligned with the Vedic deity Rudra and other Vedic deities, incorporating the non-Vedic Shiva-traditions into the Vedic-Brahmanical fold.

Both devotional and monistic Shaivism became popular in the 1st millennium CE, rapidly becoming the dominant religious tradition of many Hindu kingdoms. It arrived in Southeast Asia shortly thereafter, leading to the construction of thousands of Shaiva temples on the islands of Indonesia as well as Cambodia and Vietnam, co-evolving with Buddhism in these regions.

Shaivite theology ranges from Shiva being the creator, preserver, and destroyer to being the same as the Atman(Self) within oneself and every living being. It is closely related to Shaktism, and some Shaivas worship in both Shiva and Shakti temples. It is the Hindu tradition that most accepts ascetic life and emphasizes yoga, and like other Hindu traditions encourages an individual to discover and be one with Shiva within. The followers of Shaivism are called Shaivas or Shaivites.

Etymology and nomenclature

The word Shiva is used as an adjective in the Rig Veda, as an epithet for several Rigvedic deities, including Rudra. The term Shiva also connotes “liberation, final emancipation” and “the auspicious one”, this adjective sense of usage is addressed to many deities in Vedic layers of literature. The term evolved from the Vedic Rudra-Shiva to the noun Shiva in the Epics and the Puranas, as an auspicious deity who is the “creator, reproducer and dissolver”.

The Sanskrit word śaiva or shaiva means “relating to the god Shiva”, while the related beliefs, practices, history, literature and sub-traditions constitute Shaivism.

Assimilation of traditions

The Shiva-related tradition is a major part of Hinduism, found all over the Indian subcontinent, such as India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia, such as Bali, Indonesia. Shiva has pre-Vedic tribal roots, having “his origins in primitive tribes, signs and symbols.” The figure of Shiva as he is known today is an amalgamation of various older deities into a single figure, due to the process of Sanskriti zation and the emergence of the Hindu synthesis in post-Vedic times. How the persona of Shiva converged as a composite deity is not well documented, a challenge to trace and has attracted much speculation.

Pre-Vedic elements

Prehistoric rock paintings dating to the Mesolithic from Bhimbetka rock shelter shave been interpreted by some authors as depictions of Shiva. However, Howard Morphy states that these prehistoric rock paintings of India, when seen in their context, are likely those of hunting party with animals, and that the figures in a group dance can be interpreted in many different ways.

Smarta tradition

In the Smarta tradition of Hinduism, Shiva is a part of its Panchayatana puja. This practice consists of the use of icons or anicons of five deities considered equivalent,[181]set in a quincunx pattern. Shiva is one of the five deities, others being Vishnu, Devi(such as Parvati),Surya and Ganesha or Skanda or any personal god of devotee’s preference (Ishta Devata).

Philosophically, the Smarta tradition emphasises that all idols (murti) are icons to help focus on and visualise aspects of Brahman, rather than distinct beings. The ultimate goal in this practice is to transition past the use of icons, recognise the Absolute symbolised by the icons, on the path to realising the nondual identity of one’s Atman (Self) and the Brahman. Popularized by Adi Shankara, many Panchayatana mandalas and temples have been uncovered that are from the Gupta Empire period, and one Panchayatana set from the village of Nand (about 24 kilometres from Ajmer) has been dated to belong to the Kushan Empireera (pre-300 CE). The Kushan period set includes Shiva, Vishnu, Surya, Brahma and one deity whose identity is unclear.

Trimurti

The Trimurti is a concept in Hinduism in which the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer or preserver and Shiva the destroyer or transformer. These three deities have been called “the Hindu triad” or the “Great Triple deity”. However, the ancient and medieval texts of Hinduism feature many triads of gods and goddesses, some of which do not include Shiva.

Attributes :

Shiva with Parvati. Shiva is depicted three-eyed, the Ganges flowing through his matted hair, wearing ornaments of serpents and a skull garland, covered in ashes, and seated on a tiger skin.

A seated Shiva holds an axe and deer in his hands.

Siva with Moustache from Archaeological Museum GOA.

Third eye: Shiva is often depicted with a third eye, with which he burned Desire (Kāma) to ashes, called “Tryambakam” (Sanskrit:त्र्यम्बकम्), which occurs in many scriptural sources. In classical Sanskrit, the word ambaka denotes “an eye”, and in the Mahabharata, Shiva is depicted as three-eyed, so this name is sometimes translated as “having three eyes”. However, in Vedic Sanskrit, the word ambā or ambikā means “mother”, and this early meaning of the word is the basis for the translation “three mothers”. These three mother-goddesses who are collectively called the Ambikās. Other related translations have been based on the idea that the name actually refers to the oblations given to Rudra, which according to some traditions were shared with the goddess Ambikā.

Crescent moon: Shiva bears on his head the crescent moon. The epithet Candraśekhara (Sanskrit:चन्द्रशेखर“Having the moon as his crest” –candra= “moon”; śekhara= “crest, crown”) refers to this feature. The placement of the moon on his head as a standard iconographic feature dates to the period when Rudra rose to prominence and became the major deity Rudra-Shiva. The origin of this linkage may be due to the identification of the moon with Soma, and there is a hymn in the Rig Veda where Soma and Rudra are jointly implored, and in later literature, Soma and Rudra came to be identified with one another, as were Soma and the moon.

Ashes: Shiva iconography shows his body covered with ashes (bhasma, vibhuti). The ashes represent a reminder that all of material existence is impermanent, comes to an end becoming ash, and the pursuit of eternal Self and spiritual liberation is important.

Matted hair: Shiva’s distinctive hair style is noted in the epithets Jaṭin, “the one with matted hair”, and Kapardin, “endowed with matted hair” or “wearing his hair wound in a braid in a shell-like (kaparda) fashion”. A kaparda is a cowrie shell, or a braid of hair in the form of a shell, or, more generally, hair that is shaggy or curly.

Blue throat: The epithet Nīlakaṇtha(Sanskrit: नीलकण्ठ;nīla= “blue”,kaṇtha= “throat”). Since Shiva drank the Halahala poison churned up from the Samudra Manthana to eliminate its destructive capacity. Shocked by his act, Parvati squeezed his neck and stopped it in his neck to prevent it from spreading all over the universe, supposed to be in Shiva’s stomach. However the poison was so potent that it changed the color of his neck to blue. This attribute indicates that one can become Shiva by swallowing the worldly poisons in terms of abuses and insults with equanimity while blessing those who give them.

Meditating yogi: his iconography often shows him in a Yoga pose, meditating, sometimes on a symbolic Himalayan Mount Kailasa as the Lord of Yoga.

Sacred Ganga: The epithet Gangadhara, “Bearer of the river Ganga" (Ganges). The Ganga flows from the matted hair of Shiva. The Gaṅgā (Ganga), one of the major rivers of the country, is said to have made her abode in Shiva’s hair.

Tiger skin: Shiva is often shown seated upon a tiger skin.

Vasuki: Shiva is often shown garlanded with the serpent Vasuki. Vasuki is the second king of the nāgas (the first being Vishnu’s mount, Shesha). According to a legend, Vasuki was blessed by Shiva and worn by him as an ornament after the Samudra Manthana.

Trident: Shiva typically carries atrident called Trishula. The trident is a weapon or a symbol in different Hindu texts. As a symbol, the Trishulre presents Shiva’s three aspects of “creator, preserver and destroyer”, or alternatively it represents the equilibrium of three guṇas of sattva, rajas and tamas.

Drum: A small drum shaped like an hourglass is known as a damaru. This is one of the attributes of Shiva in his famous dancing representation known as Nataraja. A specific hand gesture (mudra) called ḍamaru-hasta(Sanskrit for ”ḍamaru-hand”) is used to hold the drum. This drum is particularly used as an emblem by members of the Kāpālikasect.

Axe:(Parashu) and Deer are held in Shiva’s hands in Odisha & south Indian icons.

Rosary beads: he is garlanded with or carries a string of rosary beads in his right hand, typically made of Rudraksha. This symbolises grace, mendicant life and meditation.

Nandī: Nandī, (Sanskrit:नन्दिन् (nandin)), is the name of the bull that serves as Shiva’s mount. Shiva’s association with cattle is reflected in his name Paśupati, or Pashupati (Sanskrit: पशुपति), translated by Sharma as “lord of cattle” and by Kramrisch as “lord of animals”, who notes that it is particularly used as an epithet of Rudra.[

Mount Kailāsa: Kailasain theHimalayas is his traditional abode. In Hindu mythology, Mount Kailāsa is conceived as resembling a Linga, representing the center of the universe.

Gaṇa: The Gaṇas are attendants of Shiva and live in Kailash. They are often referred to as the bhutaganas, or ghostly hosts, on account of their nature. Generally benign, except when their lord is transgressed against, they are often invoked to intercede with the lord on behalf of the devotee. His son Ganesha was chosen as their leader by Shiva, hence Ganesha’s title gaṇa-īśaorgaṇa-pati, “lord of the gaṇas“.

Varanasi: Varanasi(Benares) is considered to be the city specially loved by Shiva, and is one of the holiest places of pilgrimage in India. It is referred to, in religious contexts, as Kashi.

Forms and depictions

Shiva is often depicted as embodying attributes of ambiguity and paradox. His depictions are marked by the opposing themes including fierceness and innocence. This duality can be seen in the diverse epithets attributed to him and the rich tapestry of narratives that delineate his persona within Hindu mythology.

LINGA

The Linga Purana states, “Shiva is signless, without color, taste, smell, that is beyond word or touch, without quality, motionless and changeless”. The source of the universe is the signless, and all of the universe is the manifested Linga, a union of unchanging Principles and the ever changing nature. The Linga Purana and the Shiva Gita texts builds on this foundation.Linga, states Alain Daniélou, means sign. It is an important concept in Hindu texts, wherein Linga is a manifested sign and nature of someone or something. It accompanies the concept of Brahman, which as invisible signless and existent Principle, is formless or linga-less.[

The Shvetashvatara Upanishad states one of the three significations, the primary one, of Lingamas ”the imperishable Purusha“,the absolute reality, where says thelinga as “sign”, a mark that provides the existence of Brahman, thus the original meaning as “sign”. Furthermore, it says “Shiva, the Supreme Lord, has no liūga”,liuga (Sanskrit:लिऊग IAST: liūga) meaning Shiva is transcendent, beyond any characteristic and, specifically the sign of gender.

The worship of the lingam originated from the famous hymn in the Atharva-Veda Samhitâsung in praise of the Yupa-Stambha, the sacrificial post. In that hymn, a description is found of the beginningless and endless Stambha or Skambha, and it is shown that the said Skambha is put in place of the eternal Brahman. Just as the Yajna(sacrificial) fire, its smoke, ashes, and flames, the Soma plant, and the ox that used to carry on its back the wood for the Vedic sacrifice gave place to the conceptions of the brightness of Shiva’s body, his tawny matted hair, his blue throat, and the riding on the bull of the Shiva, the Yupa-Skambha gave place in time to the Shiva-Linga. In the text Linga Purana, the same hymn is expanded in the shape of stories, meant to establish the glory of the great Stambha and the superiority of Shiva as Mahadeva.

The oldest known archaeological linga as an icon of Shiva is the Gudimallam lingam from 3rd-century BCE. In Shaivism pilgrimage tradition, twelve major temples of Shiva are called Jyotirlinga, which means “linga of light”, and these are located across India.

Avatars

Puranic scriptures contain occasional references to “ansh” – literally ‘portion, or avatars of Shiva’, but the idea of Shiva avatars is not universally accepted in Shaivism. The Linga Purana mentions twenty-eight forms of Shiva which are sometimes seen as avatars, however such mention is unusual and the avatars of Shiva is relatively rare in Shaivism compared to the well emphasised concept of Vishnu avatars in Vaishnavism. Some Vaishnava literature reverentially link Shiva to characters in its Puranas. For example, in the Hanuman Chalisa, Hanumanis identified as the eleventh avatar of Shiva.[340][341][342]The Bhagavata Puranaand the Vishnu Purana claim sage Durvasato be a portion of Shiva. Some medieval era writers have called the Advaita Vedanta philosopher Adi Shankara an incarnation of Shiva.