Shiva is a Hindu God called the Deity of Deities, Lord of Meditation, Divine Energy, Destruction, Yoga, Dance, Arts and Time. He is also called the Supreme Being, the Supreme Destroyer of Evil, the Natraja and the Lord of the Devas (gods).
The other names of Shiva are Mahadeva, Mahesha, Neelkanth, Bholenath and Shankara. He chants the ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ Mantra. He is depicted as a fearsome, benevolent and omniscient Yogi who resides in Mount Kailasha in ascetic lifestyle.
He is depicted using various weapons like the Pinaka Bow, Pashupatastra, Parashu-Axe and the Trident. Different symbols like the Damaru Drum, Lingam, Crescent Moon and Trident are used to symbolize Lord Shiva. He uses the Nandi (bull) as his mount. The Crescent Moon adorns his head, he has a serpent wound round his blue neck, a third eye on his forehead and the trident or trishula and damaru in his hand and the holy river Ganga flowing through his matted hair.
Lord Shiva is worshipped on festivals like Bhairava Ashtami, Maha Shivaratri, Kartik Purnima, Shraavana and Ekadashi. Parvati, Mahakali, Durga, Kali and Sati are known to be his consorts. Kartikeya, Ganesha and Ashokasundari are the three children of Lord Shiva.
In Sanskrit, Shiva is called, ‘the auspicious one’. In Sanskrit, Lord Shiva’s name connotes, ‘the one who can kill the forces of darkness’. In Hinduism, he is one of the principal deities and within Shaivism, he is the Supreme Being. Within the Trimurti, he is known as the principal deities of Hinduism, the Mahadeva – ‘the deity of deities’ and worshipped mainly in the lingam aniconic form, usually. Lord Shiva is the supreme universal consciousness.
