Shiva Hindu mythology. Shiva. The greatest of the gods God Shiva description

The awakening interest in the practice over the past 20 years shows how strong the influence of Hindu philosophy and lifestyle is in the modern world. In this article we will look at who Shiva is, what role he plays in religion, and what legends exist about his birth.

Who is Shiva

This is the name of one of the main Indian deities, at the same time it means the cosmic principle, and some kind of divine energy, and higher consciousness, and a symbol of a man. Shiva creates the world, the Universe - but he can also destroy it, which is why he is also called the Great Destroyer. The world will someday come to its end, to destruction, and Shiva is the one who will bring the Universe to its logical end. This is its purpose, its essence.

Did you know? Above the eyes of Shiva, there are 3 lines - a reminder that everyone has to destroy three vices: selfishness, karma and illusion.

Shiva is an almighty destroyer, with his strength and energy he surpasses such great deities as Vishnu and Brahma. In some Indian legends and traditions, Shiva is an absolute deity.

Deity Forms

Despite the apparent limitations of this deity, its destruction, according to the laws of the Universe, always gives rise to new life, a new beginning. Therefore, Shiva is not only a destroyer - he prepares the ground for a new seed, new beginnings. Like other Indian gods, Shiva has several names, each of which reveals its individual facet, feature, uniqueness. Each of the names is the embodiment of the divine principle, greatness - therefore, they evoke special awe and reverence among followers of Hinduism. Let's consider them in more detail.

Mahayogi (Great Yogi)

God Shiva in this facet is depicted with long hair, dressed in animal skins and living in solitude in the Himalayas. He is always “immersed in the existing beginninglessness”, he is always surrounded by animals, but not people, as a result of which he is also called the God of asceticism. According to legend, it was in this place that Shiva was struck by love and inflamed with feelings for Parvati, his future wife.

The Great Yogi is the patron of everyone - both in ancient times and in the modern world. Often followers of Mahayoga depict Shiva sitting on a tiger skin, with his head and third eye sprinkled with ashes - a mendicant yogi, a god immersed in the deepest contemplation.

Important! Due to the fact that Shiva is a destroyer, they practice prayers to his wife, the goddess Parvati - in cases where a person is struggling with any difficulty that he no longer has the strength to overcome, she can intercede for him before God.

Nataraja (Lord of Dance)

In this facet, Shiva is a deity with four arms, circling in a continuous dance, with which he destroys the worlds and the Universe. Often his appearance is enclosed in a luminous circle - this is a symbol of samsara. In his upper right hand he holds a percussion instrument, with which he taps out the energy of the macrocosm; on the opposite side, in his upper hand there is fire (one of the periods of Rest). On the left hand, fingers crossed in a special way form a symbol of mercy, and on the right hand - a symbol of protection. The deity rests his feet on the freak, the dwarf, who is a symbol of ignorance.

While Nataraja dances, all the deities enjoy, listen to him and help him by playing various musical instruments.

It is believed that it is thanks to his tantric dance of ecstasy that Shiva maintains balance and equilibrium in the entire Universe.

Symbols of Nataraja, the Lord of Dance, are especially common in. They are presented in the form of images of all kinds of statues made of wood, glass and precious metals. In almost every home you can find such an icon of Nataraja - it symbolizes rhythmic movement, ecstasy, balance, symmetry and complete spiritual

Pashupati (Lord of Animals)

Pashupati is another identification of the deity, his name. Pashupatya is one of the oldest Hindu schools, perhaps even the oldest. The first followers were ascetics who completely devoted themselves to serving Shiva. Their first mention was found in pre-Vedic culture. It is noteworthy that the practice of the Pashupatas included tantric dances, imitation of animal behavior, orgies and very eccentric behavior. The Pashupati school suffered a decline towards the end of the 1st millennium AD.

This name reveals Shiva as the patron of all birds, fish, all living creatures existing in the Universe. Such patronage is shown in the images of Shiva-Pashupati - a doe is always with him, either in his hands or just next to him.

According to the philosophical implications, Pashupati is also the ruler, the shepherd of all living souls - including human ones. Sometimes the deity is depicted sitting on a white bull - this bull was previously a man, but his mortal body could not bear the fullness of ecstasy that covered him when approaching Shiva. So he took the form of a bull.

Other deities were so afraid of the greatness of Shiva that they deliberately called themselves “Pashu” - “animal”. This is how they showed their low position in relation to the almighty Shiva.

This name of the deity reveals the facet of Shiva’s great mercy and compassion. According to legend, in the ocean during churning (one of the mythological events in Hinduism), the most dangerous was born, which threatened imminent death not only for all living things, but also for deities and demons. The deities asked Shiva to drink the poison, because it could not harm him alone. Shiva took a sip of the poison and left it in his throat to save all living things - this caused his throat to turn black, but he himself did not die. Therefore, Nilakantha Shiva is depicted with a blackened or blue throat. Nilakantha is literally translated as “blue-necked.”

In northern India, the temple of the blue-necked Nilakantha Shiva still exists and is a place of pilgrimage for many Hindus.

Bhairava (Terrible)

In this form, Shiva is depicted naked, sitting with a begging vessel created from the head of Brahma. According to legend, Bhairava cut off one of Brahma's heads for his destructive voluptuousness towards his youngest daughter. This is a particularly terrifying epithet of a deity, a manifestation of his anger. In this personification he is a scary, black, multi-armed ascetic who symbolizes going beyond and limiting the mind. Since this aspect of the deity includes the horrors, death and sins of the Universe and creation, it is also called the Terrible.

Mahakala (Great Black)

The name of Shiva, denoting his spatial and extra-spatial dimensions. It destroys any duality, tunes internal perception to universal infinity, eternal processes, macrocosm. It is believed that those who worship Mahakala get rid of fear and...

“Kala” literally means “black”, so Mahakala in his images has a menacing appearance: decorations made of snakes, a protruding belly, decorations made of human heads. Shiva takes on such a terrifying form in order to become like negative creatures, demons, and restrain their harmful, dangerous essence and influence. Mahakala exists in the places of the dead, and his body is covered with ashes from funeral pyres.

How did Shiva appear?

Based on legends, Shiva lived about 6 thousand years ago, he was an absolute avatar who achieved perfection. In parallel with him, Brahma and Vishnu existed, the first was the absolute creator, and the second was the custodian of the universe.

Birth legends

There are several legends about how this deity appeared:

1. Shiva is the son of Brahma. Brahma did not have a child for a long time, he prayed and meditated, and after some time he appeared at his feet with skin that shimmered blue, like Brahma. The boy asked to give him a name, and Brahma gave the child a name - Rudra. However, he did not calm down and demanded more names for himself. So Brahma gave eleven names, and the child received eleven reincarnations, one of which was God Shiva.
2. Shiva was born as a result of Brahma's anger, appearing between the latter's eyebrows, therefore his character and essence are mostly angry, destructive.
3. According to another version of the legend, Brahma, having emerged from Vishnu’s navel, was surrounded by demons who wanted to kill him. Then, due to the anger of Brahma, Shiva appeared between his eyebrows with a weapon in his hand and dispersed the demons.
4. Another legend: Brahma had four sons who did not want to have their own. Then Brahma became so angry with his descendants that a boy with bluish skin appeared between his eyebrows, who later received eleven names. It is noteworthy that the eleven reincarnations of God Shiva are the five most important human organs, as well as the four earthly elements, the Moon and.

Did you know? One of the main objects of worship of Shiva for his followers is the phallic symbol of this deity - the linga.

About family and wives

According to legend, Shiva had 3 wives.

1. Sati- the very first incarnation of the deity’s wife. Due to various circumstances, Sati had to sacrifice herself by entering the sacrificial fire. Shiva was sad and inconsolable for a long time; nothing made him happy. He traveled the world with the ashes of his beloved, for a long time in the Himalayas. In order to console God, the soul of Shiva's wife reincarnated as Parvati, the daughter of the mountain king.
2. . One of her names is Kali (“black”). Parvati seduced Shiva for a long time when he was mourning in the mountains, until finally his heart was pierced by her nobility and virtues. From their union two sons were born: Ganapati, the god of wisdom, and Skanda, the warrior god.
3. Ganga. The goddess personifies a river flowing in three worlds - heaven, underground and herself. This goddess has a special gift - to wash away the sins of all those living in these worlds. She fell in love with Shiva and asked him for the opportunity to always be with him. Shiva accepted her, and since then she has lived in his hair.

Attributes of many-armed and many-faced

Like most Indian deities, Lord Shiva has certain attributes that identify some facet of his essence. These include:

• deity body- it is sprinkled with ashes, which is an expression of the beginning of the Universe, which goes beyond the boundaries of everyday existence, without causing suffering;
• tangled hair on the head- connection of various types;
• Moon on the head (in the hair)- personification over understanding and understanding;
• presence of 3 eyes: 1 - Sun, 2 - Moon, 3 - fire;
• half-open eyes- infinity of processes and flow. If - a new life is born, if closed - the old one is destroyed;
• snakes on the neck- symbol of three stages: present, past and future;
• Ganga in her hair- a symbol of ablution, removal and cleansing from all vices;
• right hand of the deity- destroys evil, gives strength and blessing; It is noteworthy that it is not known exactly how many hands Shiva had, according to legend - from four to ten.
• bull accompanying Shiva- his constant means of transportation, his companion;
• tiger skin clothing- personification of victory over vices and passions;
• drum- identifies 2 ways of existence - physical and spiritual;
• halo around the figure of a deity- personification of the entire Universe;
• lingam- phallus, the embodiment of masculinity, fertility, fertility;
• trident- Shiva’s weapon, personifies the 3 essences of God: preserver, creator, destroyer.

Supreme god Shiva: role in Hinduism

Shiva (Siva), translated from Sanskrit as “merciful.” Despite the main destructive essence of the deity and formidable character, his main mission is to protect man, endowing him with all the benefits and virtues. Shiva is included in the category of deities most revered in Indian philosophy - the many-armed god of the Hindus is a great one who fully realized his Divine essence.

Shiva is one of the triad of main gods, along with Brahma and Vishnu, but is considered the strongest and most powerful of them. According to Hinduism, Shiva destroys the existing one every 9 million years, giving impetus to the development of a new, immaculate one.
Of course, he is the most striking and controversial deity in the Hindu religion, which makes him even more powerful and strong in the eyes of his followers. According to legends, no one has been able to defeat or overthrow Shiva; everyone, both deities and demons, bow to him.

Sometimes Shiva appeared in the form of a bisexual creature - a multi-armed goddess. Such a clear contradiction perfectly highlights his divine nature, and endows his admirers with awe and delight. Its role in Hinduism is difficult to overestimate; moreover, it is the belief in a many-armed god that is the basis of the Hindu religion.

As followers of the Hindu religion believe, repeating the name of God Shiva with due respect enlightens the mind and imparts joy and tranquility, and during singing, the spiritual component of a person can take the form of God, be filled with him, become his reflection. Such unity with Higher powers has a beneficial effect on a person’s life, his success in society and much more. Therefore, various chanting mantras do not lose their relevance in the modern world.

In Indian mythology - “Shining One,” daughter of the Himalayas, an independent world substance, the energy of the universe. Uma- the name of the wife (shakti) of the god Shiva, the destroyer and creator rolled into one. Uma has a lot of other names received in later eras of Indian mythology: Parvati, Girija, Dakshayani, Haimavati. And many of them are just expansions of Uma - this creative side of the Almighty. You can also name such names as Lalita, Durga, Gauri, Chandi, Annapurna, Kali. Confirmation is found in numerous legends. One of them tells how the wise rishis found Uma in the forest in the ring of Shiva’s arms, hugging her. God became angry and condemned every male entering the forest to be transformed into a female. There is a similar legend about the goddess Rohini. Her husband Chandra (or Soma) found her in the arms of Shiva. For this, Shiva turned the fooled husband into a woman, and Chandra (Soma) became female forever.
Another myth tells how Uma turned out to be Shiva's shakti. During the period of war between gods and asuras (demons), Shiva, having gone to the mountains, delved into great contemplation. The asuras, having an irresistible and undying patron Taraki, defeated the gods and took them captive. Frightening and threatening in battle, Taraki nevertheless released the celestials into freedom. Coming out of captivity, the gods, together with King Indra, went to Brahma asking for protection and support. But Brahma answered them that only the unborn son of Shiva and the beautiful Uma (Parvati) at the age of seven days could kill Taraki. Therefore, Shiva must be persuaded to make Uma his shakti. But the great contemplative Shiva did not need women. And the daughter of the mountains adored him, because it was in Uma that Sati, Shiva’s ex-wife, was reborn. But all Uma’s efforts were in vain. And the god of love Kama was called upon, receiving an order from the gods to awaken the feelings of Shiva. On a fragrant spring day, Kama approached Shiva and, at the moment of prayer and offering flowers to Uma the Almighty, shot an arrow of love into the very heart of God. But a terrible punishment befell Kama. The angry Shiva burned his beautiful body with his fiery gaze. But still, the arrow instilled love in Shiva’s heart. Meanwhile, suffering from unrequited feelings, Uma became a hermit, refused food and water and began to fulfill grueling vows. By chance, a young priest wandered into her abode, to whom Uma told how she became a hermit. The young man began to ask about the reasons for his love for Shiva, saying unpleasant things about him, but the angry Uma answered that her heart and life belonged entirely to the greatest, most beautiful and severe God! After her words, the brahman immediately turned into Shiva himself, who was deeply moved by Uma’s speeches. Shiva made her his shakti, after which the couple went to Kailash.
Uma is considered the mother of the gods Kartikeya and Ganesha .
Like Shiva, Uma appears in two aspects: peaceful and fearsome. In the first case, she is usually depicted together with God. In her right hand she has a blue lotus flower, and her left hand is simply lowered. Without Shiva, she is depicted with four hands: two contain blue and red lotuses, and two demonstrate the abhaya and varada mudras. On the peace-loving side, she is presented as Parvati - a reserved, quiet, loving wife, and on the fearsome side - as Kali and Durga - a warrior sitting on a tiger or lion, with 8 - 16 armed hands. Durga, especially revered in Bengal, is a tough and formidable intercessor of humanity and manu from evil spirits. Sometimes she is presented to us naked, emaciated, wearing a necklace of skulls. A bloody tongue falls out of the open mouth. This is the angry personification of Durga, already aimed at the whole world. But, according to legend, her fury is softened by maternal instinct.
Uma – helps to realize human plans and intentions, turning an empty dreamer into an active person moving towards his goal. Uma is the patroness of large families, if the parents truly love and care for their offspring. Those who waste shakti energy in adultery and abortion lose the protection of Mother Parvati, and Uma deprives them of desire, sensuality, potency, fertility, strength and health. The goddess supports those who eat healthy food that contributes to the formation of shakti energy (fruits, grains, vegetables, nuts, etc.), and patronizes farmers who grow trees and breed cows. But with a consumerist attitude towards the earth (use without rest, poisoning with chemicals, etc.), Parvati can cause drought, flood, or other natural disasters.
Uma- a strong Goddess. Having her image in the house means enlisting her support in terms of the creative energy of shakti and the reproductive system.
Continuing the topic

Shiva is still revered in India. God is eternal, personifying the beginning of everything. Its religion is considered the oldest in the world. Then the masculine principle was considered passive, eternal and static, and the feminine – active and material.

In our article we will take a closer look at the image of this ancient deity. Many have seen his images. But only a few people in Western culture know the details of his life.

Historical data

Researchers believe that the history of the god Shiva is rooted in the Harappan civilization. This is the culture of ancient Indians who lived in the lands of Northern India. They were supplanted by the Aryans, who came to the Indus River valley in the third millennium BC. Today, the ruins of their cities are found in the upper reaches, in Pakistan.

We know the Pashupati seal and some lingas (we will talk about the meaning of this word later) of this period. They were among the finds in Mongejo Daro and Harappa.

With the arrival of the Aryans, a new religion emerged. This process is comparable to the introduction of Christianity to pagans in the first centuries of our era. Now a new image appears with which Shiva merges - the god Rudra, the furious and cruel patron of storms, war and destruction.

Isn't it true that history tends to repeat itself? Good pagan gods, like the Greek Pan and satyrs, become evil forces in a new and bright religion. The Aryans believed that it was not sinful to kill “linga worshipers.”

In the Vedas, Shiva is mentioned in the Rig Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda. In total, the name Rudra has more than five thousand repetitions.

However, there were also supporters of the old traditions, joined by opponents of Brahmanical complexities. What was the point of worshiping the gods all your life if you didn’t receive a reward for it even in your next rebirth? After all, the Vedas say that only brahmins can achieve salvation.

It is noteworthy that in some sects of the new movement (Shramans), the skull of a murdered Brahman was considered one of the main attributes of the ritual.

One of the Upanishads (commentaries on the Vedas) contains the most complete and systematized content of the philosophy of Shaivism. This treatise consists of one hundred and thirteen texts and is called "Svetashvatara".

Image

How is Shiva depicted? God in his ancient form had the appearance of a lingam with tripundra (three white horizontal stripes). This sign denoted the three prisons of the human soul or the three Huns that make up the Mayan world.

Later, Shiva began to be depicted sitting in the lotus position or dancing.
In the first version, he had pale skin, a blue neck and four arms. Usually the god sits on a tiger skin, and the skin of an elephant or tiger is draped over his shoulders. His third eye is always open in his forehead. In addition, he has a snake with him. It is thrown over the shoulder, hanging around the neck or in the form of bracelets on the arms and legs. Shiva has two different earrings. One ear is male and the other is female.

The second option is dancing Shiva. The Nritya-Murti (figurine) can have a different number of arms, be armed or peaceful, but there is always a defeated dwarf under the feet of the dancing god. This is the demon Apasmar-Purush, symbolizing in which we live.

Attributes

Like many others, Shiva has many attributes. As you travel through this country, you will see various images of deities. In order to understand it more deeply, it is worth understanding its symbolism a little.

Shiva has many weapons - Ajagava (special bow), Bhindipala (javelin), Gada (staff), Khadga (sword), Khatvanga (club with skull), Khetaka (shield) and many others.

Also an important attribute is the trident of the god Shiva - Trishul. It symbolizes the three stages of evolution, three gunas, three faces of time and other concepts.

There are a number of ritual objects. Chillum (special Shankha (shell), Mudra (position of the hands), Kaumudi (jug with the nectar of immortality), Kapala (skull-shaped bowl), Damaru (drum symbolizing the first vibration of the Universe from which everything came), Akshamala (special rosary ).

Shiva also has a number of energies: Agni (fire), Ganga (the heavenly river, which he pacified) and Shakti (power). And some animals: Naga (snake), elephant and tiger skins, Nandin (white bull), Krishnamriga (doe) and Ankusha (elephant goad).

Thus, we see that Shiva has the attributes of the spheres of knowledge, which are designed to raise a person from our world to the higher one.

Family

The Indian god Shiva originally married Sati, or Shakti, the daughter of Daksha. But there is a legend according to which the girl self-immolated out of resentment towards her father.

But afterwards she is reborn in a new incarnation. Now her name is Parvati (mountain girl) and her father is the Himalaya mountain range. It is she who is most often depicted as the wife of the god Shiva.

They have two sons - Ganesha (the elephant-headed god of wisdom) and Skanda (the deity of war, who has six heads and twelve arms and legs), and a daughter, Manasi.

Names

In Western tradition, Shiva is known only by this name. However, Hindus know more than a thousand words that are epithets of the deity.

Among them are “Terrible” and “Beautiful”, “Majestic” and “Ragged”, “King of the Lingam”, “Conqueror of Death”, “Lord of Creatures” and many others.

The most significant and famous 108 of them. They are pronounced in the form of a prayer and are designed to purify the thoughts of the person asking, as well as contribute to his elevation.

Functions, rituals, holidays

The multi-armed god Shiva is the supreme deity in Shaivism. He is revered as the trinity of the evolution of the universe - birth, growth and death. It is also believed that he will destroy the current world at the end of Mahayuga so that a new one will be created in its place.

He is the patron of healers and gave people the Om mantra and Sanskrit. In addition, Shiva is always accompanied by a retinue of demons and spirits.

The two main rituals associated with this god are called Panchabrahma Mantra and Rudra Sukta. They are held on the most significant holiday of the year, dedicated to Shiva. Mahashivratri is celebrated at the end of February and marks the wedding night of Shiva and Parvati.

The most famous temple

In the town of Baijnath, a temple of the god Shiva was built at the beginning of the thirteenth century. He is called by one of his names - Vaidyanath (patron of healers).

Once upon a time there was a sanctuary of God at this place, but local merchants decided to perpetuate their names by constructing a majestic building. The names of the traders are Ahuk and Manyuk.

Today this temple is the main tourist attraction of the town. It was built in the best traditions of the Nagara (North Indian school of architecture). The building is surrounded by a wall and has two entrances.

Usually the multi-armed god Shiva is depicted inside the temple only as a linga. Moreover, he is considered svayambhu (“self-arisen”). On the walls of the building there are bas-reliefs of many deities, demons and other characters of the Hindu pantheon.

In front of the entrance stands a statue of Nandi, the white bull. This animal is one of the most common means of transportation of Shiva. It symbolizes pure dharma, as well as sincerity, devotion and courage.

Today, the Vaidyanath Temple attracts millions of crowds of pilgrims and tourists.

God symbol

We have already mentioned the word “lingam” many times. It is with him that Shiva is associated. God was often simply referred to by this concept. What is it?

Lingam translated from Sanskrit means “sign, mark”. This is a cylindrical sculpture with a round, less often hemispherical top. Many researchers tend to see it as a symbol of an erect phallus. Ancient Hindus considered the linga to be an abstract image of a deity.

Often it is depicted not by itself, but in pairs with a circle or square, which represents “yoni” (vagina, womb). Today it is generally accepted that these two objects are the oldest mention of the unity of masculine and feminine principles. Only in Hinduism was the masculine eternal and static, and the feminine temporary, changeable and material.

Some scholars see in the linga a prototype of a stambha, a special sacrificial pillar. Cattle that were preparing for slaughter were tied to it.

There is a special ritual that includes washing the lingam, reciting mantras and offering sacrificial fruits, flowers, incense and other permitted items.

Marriage of Shiva and Parvati

There is a legend in which the first wife of the god Shiva Shakti dies. This was due to her father's rejection.

The legend says the following. Once upon a time a divine couple was returning from an ashram. Shiva bowed to a commoner in the forest. His wife was surprised by his behavior. Then god explained, Vishnu. Shakti, to check this, takes the form of Sita, the wife of this commoner, and goes to him. Rama recognizes her as a goddess.

Seeing the new image of Shakti, Shiva ceases to perceive her as a wife, since she reminded him of his mother. The girl gets sad and they have a disagreement.

Just at this time, Shakti’s father starts a festival, but does not invite the young people because of disagreements with Shiva. The girl decides to go there herself. But Daksha turns away from her. Out of grief, Shakti throws herself into the fire and dies.

Enraged, Shiva takes her body and begins to perform his dance of destruction. If Vishnu had not stopped him, he would have destroyed the universe.

After mourning, the god becomes an ascetic in the Himalayas, and Shakti is reborn as Parvati, the daughter. In the end, the girl manages to persuade Shiva, and they get married.

In Hinduism, this holiday is called Mahashivratri and is celebrated every year.

God of gods

As you have already seen, the person we are talking about in this article has many names. Among them is the god of gods, Mahadev, Shiva. The first two were chosen as the title for a television series in December 2011. His episodes are filmed in India to this day.

The plot of the episodes is based on myths, legends and passages from the Upanishads. The main events are taken from the Puranas. In addition, the works of Devdutt Pattanaik, a famous Indian mythologist and religious scholar, were used when writing the script.

The series has been translated into a number of southern Indian languages. Today, more than one hundred and fifty episodes have already been filmed. The music for them was written by the Bavra brothers.

“Devon ke Dev...Mahadev” is also known in Russia. Fans of Indian culture can enjoy the series with subtitles.

Thus, today we met one of the most ancient deities in history. We learned attributes, names and other interesting details about Shiva.

Good luck, friends! Travel more often!

The power of Shiva. Shiva was such a god. But, since the death of the world will not be soon, Shiva, like other gods, takes care of it for the time being.

Shiva surpasses both Brahma and Vishnu in his power. They say that one day these two gods argued about which of them was more powerful. Suddenly a pillar of fire appeared in front of them, which had no beginning, no middle, no end. This pillar looked like fire consuming the world at its destruction, and sparkled among the fiery wreaths. Brahma and Vishnu decided to find the end of this pillar. And so Brahma turned into a swan and flew up. For a thousand years he flew, but there was no end to the pillar. And Vishnu turned into a boar and began to dig up the pillar from below. He dug for a thousand years, but did not get to the bottom of the pillar. This pillar was Shiva - so he showed that he was more powerful than the Creator of the World and his Guardian.

The image of Shiva. Shiva's appearance is formidable: he has five faces and several hands - they said that he has four or eight of them, and maybe all ten: after all, no one can accurately describe his appearance. His red hair is decorated with a crescent moon, and through his hair the sacred river Ganges falls to the ground. When she fell from the sky to the bottom, Shiva was afraid that the earth would not bear her weight and took her on his head. His throat is decorated with a necklace of skulls, his collar is made of snakes, and his earrings are made of snakes.

Shiva has not two eyes on his face, like other gods, but three. The third eye, crowned with a silver crescent, is located in the middle of his forehead, but it is always closed. Woe to the one whom Shiva looks at with this eye! With its brilliance it will burn any creature, and even the immortal gods this look is dangerous. With his three eyes, Shiva sees the past, present and future. Shiva's third eye appeared like this. One day his wife, the goddess Parvati, came up behind him and, as a joke, covered his eyes with her palms. But a mighty god cannot remain invisible even for one moment! And a third eye immediately appeared in Shiva’s forehead. Therefore he is often called Trilochana - Three-Eyed.

Meditating Shiva -
patron of tantra and yoga.
Modern image

But, despite such a terrifying appearance, the name “Shiva” translated means “Bringer of Happiness” - after all, Shiva can be either formidable and terrible, or good and merciful. His anger overtook the gods more than once, but always, after the anger cooled down and the rage subsided, Shiva showed his merciful side.

Sacrifice of Daksha. Shiva's first wife was Sati, daughter of Daksha. Daksha himself did not recognize Shiva as a god and did not want his daughter to marry him. But when he arranged a celebration of choosing a groom, and Sati, according to ancient custom, had to present a wreath to the one whom she wanted to call her husband, Sati threw this wreath into the air, and it ended up on the neck of the unexpectedly appearing Shiva. This is what Sati wanted: she had long ago decided that Shiva and no one else would be her husband.

Daksha had to come to terms with his daughter’s choice, but he did not experience warm feelings for Shiva. One day all the gods gathered at Brahma, and Daksha also came. Everyone stood up to greet him, only Shiva remained seated. Daksha was offended by this - after all, Shiva refused to greet him, the father of his wife! He decided to repay this.

Soon, on the sacred mountain Himavat, Daksha arranged a sacrifice, but all the gods were invited. Only Shiva he did not call. A beautiful horse was sacrificed, and all the gods received pieces of sacrificial meat from Daksha. Sati, offended that her husband did not get the sacrifice, demanded that the meat be left for him too. When Daksha did not do this, the virtuous goddess, unable to bear such humiliation, threw herself into the fire lit for the sacrifice and burned in it. Since then, in India, the word “sati” was used to describe those wives who, after the death of their husbands, burned themselves along with them on funeral pyres.

Monster Virabhadra. Shiva, having learned about the death of his wife, was filled with terrible anger. From his mouth he created the terrible monster Virabhadra. He had a thousand heads, a thousand arms and a thousand legs, and in each hand was clutched a formidable weapon; Long fangs protruded from his thousand wide mouths, and he was dressed in a tiger skin stained with blood. Falling to his knees before Shiva, the monster asked: “What must I do for you, O greatest of gods?” The formidable Shiva answered him: “Go and destroy the victims of Daksha!” Having received this order, Virabhadra created thousands of monsters like himself. The earth trembled, the sea raged and the sun faded from the roar they raised. They overturned the sacrificial cauldrons, scattered all the utensils for the sacrifice, desecrated all the sacrificial food, and they beat and mocked the gods who were speechless with horror. Many gods were then maimed or killed, and Daksha himself was cut off and thrown into the fire.

Thus Shiva satisfied his anger. When the anger passed, so did the gods. Having bowed before him and recognized his power, the Destroyer of the World had mercy. He raised all the dead and healed all the maimed. Only Daksha's head disappeared forever. Instead, Shiva gave him the head of a goat.

Shiva and Parvati. After the death of the faithful and virtuous Sati, Shiva plunged into deep sorrow. He retired to Mount Kailash and sat there, detached from the bustle of the world, immersed in sad thoughts. He was not interested in the world, nor in female beauty, nor in the prayers of his admirers addressed to him. So many hundreds of years passed.

Meanwhile, Sati was born again on earth in the form of the beautiful Parvati (Uma). The love that Sati felt for Shiva now passed on to Parvati, and she dreamed of marrying Shiva. Knowing that Shiva was not interested in worldly affairs, she decided to win his heart through severe penance. And so, going to the mountains, she took off her luxurious clothes, replacing them with clothes made from tree bark. Three times a day she bathed in the icy water of a mountain spring, for a hundred years she ate only leaves from trees, for another hundred years - fallen leaves, for a hundred years she strictly fasted and did not take a single crumb into her mouth. But all this could not soften the stern Shiva; he constantly thought about the deceased Sati.

Perhaps all her efforts would have remained in vain, but other gods decided to intervene. At this time, there was a fierce war between the gods and asuras. The leader of the asuras, Taraka, for many years leading the life of a stern hermit, exhausting himself with fasting and prayers, achieved from Brahma that none of the gods could defeat him. Only a seven-day-old baby could do this, and this baby had to be the unborn son of Shiva.

Kama tries to inspire Shiva with a new love. But if Shiva plunged into grief forever, it means he will never have a son. Therefore, the gods sent Kama, the god of love, to Shiva. Kama sat astride a parrot, in his hands he held a bow made of sugar cane with a string made of bees, and in his quiver he had arrows - flowers that, striking people right in the heart, brought them love.

It was spring and nature was awakening when Kama arrived at Kailasa, where, not noticing the spring blossoms, Shiva was sitting among the trees, immersed in sad thoughts.

Kama carefully approached him and penetrated his head through his ears, distracting him from thoughts about Sati. Shiva felt that the beautiful image of his wife was fading in his memory, and began to revive it with the power of his thoughts - and then his wife returned to him again, again occupying all his thoughts. But Kama did not calm down and shot his arrow made from flowers into the heart of Shiva. Feeling her sting and seeing Kama, the Destroyer of the World directed his withering gaze at him, and not even a pile of ashes remained from the god of love. Later, Kama's wife persuaded Shiva to resurrect her husband, but his body could not be restored. Since then, people call him Ananga - Incorporeal.

Shiva the Brahmin and Parvati. After this, Parvati-Uma again indulged in severe penance. In the summer heat she tormented herself with the heat of fires, in the winter cold she stood for hours in icy water. Many years passed like this. And then one day a young priest, a brahman, appeared in her hut. Parvati received him cordially, and he, having rested from the road, asked: “Why do you exhaust yourself so severely, O beautiful maiden?” “I have no joy from my beauty,” he heard in response. “I don’t need anyone in the world except Shiva, whom I have loved since childhood!”

The Brahman tried to convince Parvati that it was in vain that she was enduring such suffering because of Shiva, but she rejected all his words and continued to praise her love. Then Parvati saw how her young guest was transformed, and instead of the brahman she saw Shiva himself, who, with a voice like thunder, announced that he was touched by such love, and he joyfully takes her as his wife.

Birth and deeds of Skanda. The wedding of Parvati and Shiva was magnificent. Brahma himself presided over the wedding ceremony, and all the celestial beings were guests. After the wedding, the newlyweds rode on the great white bull Nandi to Mount Mandara, where their wedding night lasted for a whole year in the quiet forests. And when their son Skanda, the formidable god of war, whose strength surpassed the strength of other gods, was born, the earth and sky shook, and the world was illuminated with a wonderful radiance. Skanda was so powerful that already on the fifth day from birth he could easily draw his father’s bow and with arrows fired from it he could pierce through and crush mountains into dust. His power was so great that he changed the paths of the celestial planets, moved mountains and forced rivers to flow along new channels. Even the gods were afraid of his power!

On the sixth day from birth, Skanda went out to fight Taraka. Their battle was fierce! The opponents fired thousands of arrows at each other, and inflicted thousands of blows with iron-bound clubs. But the strength of the mighty leader of the asuras was small compared to the power that Skanda possessed. With a blow of his club, he cut off the head of his enemy, and the gods rejoiced at this victory - after all, power over the Universe had returned to them again.

Shiva's sacred bull is Nandi.
XII-XIII centuries

Shiva is the destroyer of Tripura. The deceased Taraki had three sons, and each of them owned a city on earth. The eldest ruled the golden city, the middle one ruled the silver city, and the youngest ruled the iron city. They lived peacefully for a thousand years, but then the skillful and powerful asura Maya came to them. He was the inventor of the art of witchcraft suggestion and a great builder. Once upon a time, subjecting himself to severe asceticism, he achieved from Brahma the fulfillment of one of his desires. “Let me build a fortress that no one can destroy!” - he asked. “But nothing exists forever, and even the world itself is destined for destruction! There cannot be such a fortress,” Brahma objected. - “Okay, then let only the great Shiva be able to destroy my fortress, and let him do it with just one arrow.” That's what they decided on.

Coming to the sons of Taraka, Maya convinced them to unite the three cities into one. And so the first of the fortifications was made of iron and dug into the ground, the silver stood on the iron, resting against the sky, and the gold rose above the silver, rising above the heavens. This city was called Tripura, each of its sides was a hundred yojanas in length and width, and the asuras who lived in it had unlimited power. Life in Tripura was sad. Along the road leading to the city gates there were vessels with wine and flowers, water gurgled in fountains in the streets, and music was always heard, the palaces were surrounded by beautiful shady gardens.

Rage of the Asuras. For many years the asuras lived in Tripura in peace and quiet, enjoying happiness and security, but one day envy, enmity, hatred entered their hearts - and peace disappeared forever. Discord and fights constantly broke out in Tripura, the asuras ceased to distinguish day from night: they slept during the day and feasted at night. Their violent attacks on their neighbors terrified the entire Universe.

Even the gods were thrown into confusion. When their attempt to capture Tripura failed and their army had to retreat, they turned to the progenitor Brahma with a request for help. After listening to them, Brahma said: “I gave Maya inaccessibility for the fortress he built, but he was unable to curb evil, and the asuras under his control bring misfortune everywhere. Their stronghold must be destroyed so that evil does not prevail over good. Go, oh gods, to Shiva and ask him to help you!”

Chariot of Shiva. The Destroyer of the World did not refuse the gods. “I will destroy Tripura,” he announced, “but you must help me equip myself for battle.” Then the gods began to prepare for Shiva a war chariot, which had no equal in the Universe. The earth was its foundation, Mount Meru was its seat, Mount Mandara was its axis, and the sun and moon were its shining wheels. The arrows in Shiva’s quiver were poisonous nagas - snakes, sons and grandsons of the great Vasuki, Samvatsara - the Year - served as his bow, and the Night of the End of the World served as his bowstring. Brahma himself became the driver of this great chariot, and at the head of the army of the gods, Shiva moved to Tripura.

Great battle. On the high walls of Tripura, hordes of asuras awaited battle. Looking at them, Shiva said, addressing the king of the gods Indra: “Take, O Indra, the whole army and all my retinue and attack Tripura, distract the asuras with a fierce battle, and I will wait for the right moment to release my arrow!” A fierce battle began. Indra's warriors stormed all three fortresses at once, and the inhabitants of Tripura bravely repulsed them, until finally the gods began to push them back. Then Maya resorted to witchcraft, and it began to seem to Indra’s warriors that a wall of raging flame was advancing on them from all sides, followed by thousands of predatory animals and poisonous snakes. The warriors fainted from fear, but Indra removed this obsession, and the battle began to boil with renewed vigor.

Thousands of asuras died, despondency crept into their souls, but Maya, with the power of his magic, created a pool of living water. Those killed, immersed in it, returned to life again and entered into battle, so that the power of the asuras no longer decreased. Then the gods turned to Vishnu and he, unnoticed, entered the fortress, turned into a bull and drank all the living water in one gulp, and then returned to Indra’s army. Once again, victory passed to the gods, and they began to press back the army of the asuras.

Once again Maya used magic. Tripura, moving from its place, plunged into the waves of the Ocean and disappeared from the eyes of the gods. But the omniscient Brahma showed Indra's army the way to where it was now, to the western shores of the ocean, so the battle immediately resumed. But inevitable death was already looming over the city: the stars in the sky came to a position that was favorable for Shiva’s shot. Taking his formidable bow in his hands, Shiva put an arrow on the bowstring and shot it at Tripura. A terrible thunder rang out, the sky above the fortress burst into flames, and it plunged forever into the abyss of the Ocean. None of the asuras who lived there were saved; only Maya Shiva allowed him to escape unharmed to the edge of the Universe, where he settled forever. And the gods, glorifying the great deed of Shiva, returned to their heavenly kingdom.

Shiva-Nataraja. Among the nicknames of Shiva is the nickname Nataraja - “King of Dance”. It comes from the fact that Shiva dances a frantic magical dance - tandava. He performs this dance every time at the beginning of the world, awakening it and setting it in motion, and with the same dance he will destroy the world when the time of its existence ends.

No one can resist Shiva's dance. They say that once Shiva wanted to convert ten thousand hermits who lived in the forest far from people. They were angry that Shiva was distracting them from pious thoughts, and they cursed him with a terrible curse. But it had no effect on the great god. Then they created a ferocious tiger from the sacrificial fire and sent it towards Shiva, but he tore off the skin from it with the nail of his little finger and threw it on himself. Like a precious robe.

Then the hermits set a terrible snake on Shiva, but Shiva wrapped it around his neck like a collar. The hermits sent the antelope, but Shiva grabbed it with his left hand, and has been holding it ever since. Then they sent the most formidable opponent against Shiva - the evil dwarf Mulayoku with a huge club in his hands. But Shiva threw him to the ground and danced his victory dance on his back. Then the hermits recognized the power of Shiva and began to worship him.

When Shiva dances on top of the sacred mountain Kailasa, the other gods not only enjoy his dance, but also help him. Indra plays the flute for him, Vishnu beats the drum, Brahma beats time, and Lakshmi sings. And while the sacred dance of Shiva lasts, peace and harmony reign in the Universe. [In India, it is believed that Shiva invented 108 different dances - slow, stormy and fast.]

Trimurti. So, we got acquainted with how in India they represented the three supreme gods with whom the fate of the world is connected. They are different in character, and Brahma cannot be confused with Vishnu, and Vishnu with Shiva; and the stories-myths that were told about them were also different. But in India they believed that these were not only three different gods, but also different manifestations of the same God, united in his greatness. When anything is created in the world, this God manifests himself in the form of Brahma; when it is necessary to preserve the world order, to support it, he appears in the guise of Vishnu, and when the world comes to the time of its destruction, God appears as Shiva.

Gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva

As you know, there are a lot of deities in India, but one of the most famous is the god Shiva. It is he who has an honorable place in the so-called supreme trinity - Vishnu-Shiva-Brahma. He is the patron of domestic animals and performs other interesting functions.

Along with Vaishnavism, Shaivism occupies a worthy place among the revered religions in India. In the south of the country this is most pronounced. The earliest image of the god dates back to the 2nd-1st centuries. BC e. It is his stone statue in the Gudimallam temple (in the north of Madras) that is the oldest. Shiva is sculptured against the background of a lingam (phallic symbol of divine power) as if intertwined with it into a single whole. The height of such a sculpture is 1.52 m. He is depicted as strong, confident, as well as cheerful and as if ready for action. God stands on the shoulders of Yaksha - a terrible creature with a large mouth, bulging eyes and a powerful body. Yaksha personifies natural forces, and Shiva himself is the highest symbol of all creative creative forces of the Universe.

This is probably the most extraordinary god of all, in whom asceticism and sensuality are intertwined in all their diversity of manifestations. He is the force that can create and destroy, as well as give mercy or show cruelty. The image of Shiva, the ruler of the Universe, creating worlds through dance, is attractive and beautiful. It is not surprising that it was the dancing Shiva - Shiva Natarja - that became the most beloved image of Indian architects. Its appearance combines philosophy, religion and art.

In the 10th-11th centuries, Nataraja most often appears among the images of the deity. According to legend, it was Shiva, through his beloved disciple Shiva Tanda, who transmitted the art of theater to the sage Bharat. Tamil Shaivist literature ascribes 5 directions of universal activity to God:

• Shishti is creation.
• Sthiti – protection.
• Samhara – destruction.
• Tirobhava – veiling in Maya (illusion).
• Anugraha - liberation.

Shiva was also depicted in bronze. These statues were found in southern Ceylon and India. Their dating dates back to the 10th-12th centuries. AD It was these images that made Indian metal culture famous.

Nataraja represents the aspect of movement, rotation of the world. The sculptural representation usually depicts one of the ecstatic dance poses - Ananda-tandva. There are also other provisions, most of which can be found on the gate towers of the Shiva temple at Chidambaram. The pose reflects the raised left leg, 2 pairs of arms and body intertwined in a complex rhythmic interaction. The image is considered canonical and has been reflected in art for about a thousand years. It is this image that is imprinted on almost all figurines of God that can be found in esoteric stores.

Dancing Shiva

The dance reflects the eternal movement of our Universe:

1. Strands of hair fluttering in motion are the energy of the deity.
2. Under the foot of Shiva is a dwarf, similar to a child, - the forces of evil, Maya, ignorance.
3. There is a flaming halo of Thiruvasi - material universal forces.
4. The right hand of the god is occupied by a small damaru drum - symbolizing the awakening of the Universe to new life through sound vibration.
5. The second hand is bent in the Abhaya Mudra gesture - symbolizes approval, blessing.
6. The left hand is in contact with Tiruvasi, and it contains the flame of Agni - symbolizing the purification and renewal of the world.
7. The second left hand is across the chest in the Gaja-Hasta pose - it points to the trampled demon, or it is also defined as a gesture of strength and power.
8. Shiva's earrings also have their own meaning. The elongated Makara Kundala in the right ear refers to the male part of Shiva. On the left is a simple round one – feminine. This symbolizes that the gods have the nature of 2 principles. Simply put, they are bisexual.
9. In the hairstyle of the deity on the right is a water maiden with a fish tail - a symbol of the Ganga.
10. On the left there is a crescent moon and a cobra Vasuki - the personification of the divine principle of Shiva.
11. The second cobra is wrapped around the lower back - a symbol of world energy.
12. The Sun and Moon are the 2 eyes of Shiva, and the third (in the forehead) is Fire - the well-known third eye of Shiva.
13. At the base of the hairstyle, the skull also has its own meaning. This is the dispersion of the world at the end of the development of the Universe.

The image of God turns out to be very strong in every sense - both artistic and philosophical.

Ardhanareshvara - synthesis of male and female energies of the universe

In the north-west of the country, the Rajput cult is one of the most beloved. Moreover, it is rarely called that here. Usually addressed as Mahadeva or Great God. The most favorite image is of an ascetic meditating on Mount Kailash in the Himalayas. In addition, various forms of Shiva are respected and revered: Bhairava (Bheru) and Ekaling. The first is depicted as a man on a lotus. As a decoration, he has a garland of snakes around his neck, his hair is tangled, and he has 4 arms. They contain a damaru (a bowl made from a human skull from which the blood of defeated enemies is drunk), a trident and a sword. There is also Ekaling - a symbol in the form of a phallus with 8 faces around its circumference. In addition, in Shiva temples they worship the Lingam-yoni - a symbol of the unity of the feminine and masculine principles, which is an indispensable attribute of this place.

Rituals of Shiva Worship

Na – associated with the face of Shiva, facing east. Marks the creation of the world. The symbol is green. But, as you know, the Indian god Shiva is also defined by destruction, which is described further.

Ma - the face of God is turned to the south. Manifests itself as maintaining peace. Color – red.

Shi - facing west. With this face, God destroys the world and manifests himself as Rudra. Dark-blue colour.

Va – north. Contacts Ishvara, who fulfills wishes. From this face appeared Air. White color.

Yya - Shiva looks up, showing the mercy of the universe - Mukti. Space emerged from this image. Yellow color.

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1. Rudra Sukta is recited during Linga Abhisheka, which relates to domestic service to Shiva. In addition, it is recognized as an independent philosophical text.

This is a Vedic hymn dedicated to Rudra, one of the forms of Shiva. It is in it that all the manifestations and images of God are described, how he should be addressed and worshiped. The hymn describes Shiva as the root cause of all phenomena and the Universe itself. He is at the same time the highest and the lowest, the beginning and the end (according to the Christian analogy “I am alpha and omega”). Everything that has developed in the Upanishads, Puranas and Agamas is based on this hymn. The most famous mantras - “nama shivaya”, “om namo bhagavad rudra”, “triambakam” - are first found in the philosophical and religious work Rudra-sukta.

The authority of the Rudra Sukta is so great that this text is read in all directions of Shaivism, and there are quite a lot of them. It is significant that even schools that do not recognize the Vedas as a source of knowledge still resort to reading this hymn. He plays a key and most important role in all forms of Shiva worship.

Many peoples believe that Shiva is the creator of the sacred sound “om”.

According to popular belief, it is believed that Shiva loves to indulge in smoking marijuana. That is why many ascetics from Shaivism, revered as saints in India, prefer to do the same thing, believing that in this way they are transformed into the highest deity. Sadhu-ascetics also celebrate Maha Shivaratri, or the festival of the Great Night of Shiva, by smoking herbs. Although such smoking has not been proven, it raises great doubts and looks more like an excuse for one’s weakness rather than following the habits of God.

Shiva and Parvati

Celebration of the Great Night of Shiva

As you know, Shiva, the god of India, is the most revered, and the main holiday in his honor is the Great Night of Shiva. It is celebrated on the night of February 20th to 21st. According to tradition, the festival marks the night of the wedding of Shiva and Parvati. This is a very unusual and favorable time for the fulfillment of all desires.

The holiday is bright and colorful. The gods are treated as if they were alive and at the same time they are worshiped.

Drawing conclusions

The ambiguous figure of the great deity, who is worshiped not only in India, is presented as a manifestation of creation and destruction, beginning and end. The universe, created in the dance of Shiva, develops by his grace and in accordance with his laws.