Shiva
Shiva, also known as Mahadeva (lit. 'the great god'), is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Shaivism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism.
Shiva is known as "The Destroyer" within the Trimurti,
the Hindu trinity that includes Brahma and Vishnu. In
Shaivism tradition, Shiva is one of the supreme beings who creates, protects, and transforms the universe. In the Shaktism tradition, the
Goddess, or Devi, is described as one of the supreme, yet Shiva is revered
along with Vishnu and Brahma. A goddess is stated to be the energy and creative
power (Shakti) of each, with Parvati (Sati) the equal complementary
partner of Shiva. He is one of the five equivalent deities
in the Panchayatana puja of the Smarta tradition of Hinduism.
According to the Shaivism sect, the highest form of Ishvar is
formless, limitless, transcendent, and unchanging absolute Brahman, and
the primal Atman (soul, self) of the universe. There are many
both benevolent and fearsome depictions of Shiva. In benevolent aspects, he is
depicted as an omniscient Yogi who lives an ascetic life on Mount
Kailash as well as a householder with his wife Parvati and his two
children, Ganesha and Kartikeya. In his fierce aspects, he has often depicted slaying demons. Shiva is also known as Adiyogi Shiva, regarded
as the patron god of yoga, meditation, and arts.
Etymology
and other names
In the earliest of the Vedic texts, the word Shiva means
Auspicious, Sacred. It does not relate to any deity but refers to the quality
of being sacred and auspicious.
In later Vedic texts, Shiva becomes a deity. Shiva is also called Brahman,
the supreme universal consciousness. The word shivo'ham translates
as I am Shiva, conveying that one's consciousness is where the lord
resides, uniting it with the supreme transcendence. In Tamil, he
was called by different names other than Sivan. Nataraja (A dancing form of
Shiva), Rudra (Enraged form of Shiva), and Dhakshinamoorthy (Yoga form of
Shiva). Nataraja is the only form of Shiva worshipped in a human figure format.
Elsewhere he is worshipped in Lingam figure. Pancha Bootha temples are located
in south India. Pancha Bhoota Stalam refers to five temples dedicated
to Shiva. Tamil literature is enriched by Shiva devotees called 63 Nayanmars
(Nayanars).
The Sanskrit word "śiva" (Devanagari: शिव, also transliterated as shiva)
means, states Monier Monier-Williams, "auspicious, propitious,
gracious, benign, kind, benevolent, friendly". The roots of śiva in
folk etymology is 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 (approximately
1700–1100 BC), 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".
Sharva, sharabha presents another etymology with the Sanskrit
root śarv-, which means "to injure" or "to
kill", interprets the name to connote "one who can kill the
forces of darkness".
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 characterize certain beliefs and practices, such as Shaivism.
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"
and deva "god"), Maheśvara ("Great
Lord"; mahā "great" and īśvara "lord"), and Parameśvara ("Supreme
Lord").
