Lord Shiva

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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva

Five is a sacred number for Shiva.[161] One of his most important mantras has five syllables (namaḥ śivāya).[162]

Shiva's body is said to consist of five mantras, called the pañcabrahmans.[163] As forms of God, each of these have their own names and distinct iconography:[164]

* Sadyojāta
* Vāmadeva
* Aghora
* Tatpuruṣa
* Īsāna

These are represented as the five faces of Shiva and are associated in various texts with the five elements, the five senses, the five organs of perception, and the five organs of action.[165][166] Doctrinal differences and, possibly, errors in transmission, have resulted in some differences between texts in details of how these five forms are linked with various attributes.[167] The overall meaning of these associations is summarized by Stella Kramrisch:

Through these transcendent categories, Śiva, the ultimate reality, becomes the efficient and material cause of all that exists.[168]

According to the Pañcabrahma Upanishad:

One should know all things of the phenomenal world as of a fivefold character, for the reason that the eternal verity of Śiva is of the character of the fivefold Brahman. (Pañcabrahma Upanishad 31)[169]

[edit] Relationship to Vishnu
Vishnu (left half—blue) and Shiva (right half—white)

During the Vedic period, both Vishnu and Shiva (as identified with Rudra) played relatively minor roles, but by the time of the Brahmanas (c. 1000-700 BCE), both were gaining ascendance.[170] By the Puranic period, both deities had major sects that competed with one another for devotees.[171] Many stories developed showing different types of relationships between these two important deities.

Sectarian groups each presented their own preferred deity as supreme. Vishnu in his myths "becomes" Shiva.[172] The Vishnu Purana (4th c. CE) shows Vishnu awakening and becoming both Brahmā to create the world and Shiva to destroy it.[173] Shiva also is viewed as a manifestation of Vishnu in the Bhagavata Purana.[174] In Shaivite myths, on the other hand, Shiva comes to the fore and acts independently and alone to create, preserve, and destroy the world.[175] In one Shaivite myth of the origin of the lingam, both Vishnu and Brahmā are revealed as emanations from Shiva's manifestation as a towering pillar of flame.[176] The Śatarudrīya, a Shaivite hymn, says that Shiva is "of the form of Vishnu".[177] Differences in viewpoints between the two sects are apparent in the story of Śarabha (also spelled "Sharabha"), the name of Shiva's incarnation in the composite form of man, bird, and beast. Shiva assumed that unusual form to chastise Vishnu in his hybrid form as Narasimha, the man-lion, who killed Hiranyakashipu.[178][179] However, Vaishnava followers including Dvaita scholars, such as Vijayindra Tirtha (1539-95) dispute this view of Narasimha based on their reading of Sattvika Puranas and Śruti texts.[180]

Syncretic forces produced stories in which the two deities were shown in cooperative relationships and combined forms. Harihara is the name of a combined deity form of both Vishnu (Hari) and Shiva (Hara).[181] This dual form, which is also called Harirudra, is mentioned in the Mahabharata.[182] An example of a collaboration story is one given to explain Shiva's epithet Mahābaleśvara, "lord of great strength" (Maha = "great", Bala = "strength", Īśvara = "lord"). This name refers to a story in which Rāvaṇa was given a linga as a boon by Shiva on the condition that he carry it always. During his travels, he stopped near the present Deoghar in Jharkhand to purify himself and asked Narada, a devotee of Vishnu in the guise of a Brahmin, to hold the linga for him, but after some time, Narada put it down on the ground and vanished. When Ravana returned, he could not move the linga, and it is said to remain there ever since.[183] The story of Gokarna in Karnataka is also similar in that Ravana, on the way to Lanka from Kailasa, gave the lingam to Ganesha to keep until he bathes, but Ganesha fits it in the earth, so the lingam is called Mahabaleshwara.

As one story goes, Shiva is enticed by the beauty and charm of Mohini, Vishnu's female avatar, and procreates with her. As a result of this union, Ayyappa or Shasta identified with Ayyanar is born. Shiva is also served by Mohini when a bunch of haughty sages were taught a lesson by Shiva.
[edit] Avatars

Shiva, like some other Hindu deities, is said to have several incarnations, known as avatars. Although Puranic scriptures contain occasional references to avatars of Shiva, the idea is not universally accepted in Saivism. [184]

* Adi Shankara, the 8th-century philosopher of non-dualist Vedanta"Advaita Vedanta", was named "Shankara" after Lord Shiva and is considered by some to have been an incarnation of Shiva.[185]
* In the Hanuman Chalisa, Hanuman is identified as the eleventh avatar of Shiva, but this belief is not universal.[186]
* Sage Durvasa is also incarnation of Lord Shiva[citation needed].
* Virabhadra who was born when Shiva grabbed a lock of his matted hair and dashed it to the ground[citation needed]. And it was Virabhadra(Veerabathra) who severed Daksha's head as per Shiva's instructions[citation needed].

[edit] Maha Shivaratri
Main article: Maha Shivaratri
See also: List of Hindu festivals

Maha Shivratri is a festival celebrated every year on the 13th night or the 14th day of the new moon in the Krishna Paksha of the month of Maagha or Phalguna in the Hindu calendar. This festival is of utmost importance to the devotees of Lord Shiva. Mahashivaratri marks the night when Lord Shiva performed the 'Tandava' and it is also believed that Lord Shiva was married to Parvati. On this day the devotees observe fast and offer fruits, flowers and Bael leaves to Shiva Linga.

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[edit] Temples
Main page: Shiva temples
One hundred and eight Shiva lingas carved on the rock at the banks of River Tungabhadra, Hampi
Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal.

In Shaivism, Shiva is the God of all and is described as worshipped by all, including Devas (gods) like Brahma and Indra, Asuras (demons) like Banasura and Ravana, humans like Adi Shankara and Nayanars, and creatures as diverse as Jatayu, an eagle, and Vali, an ape. Deities, rishis (sages), and grahas (planets) worshipped Shiva and established Shivalingas in various places.
[edit] Jyotirlinga temples
Main article: Jyotirlinga temples

The holiest Shiva temples are the 12 Jyotirlinga temples. They are,
Jyotirlinga Location State
Somnath Prabhas Patan,
near Veraval Gujarat
Nageshwar Dwarka Gujarat
Mahakaleshwar Ujjain Madhya Pradesh
Mallikārjuna Srisailam Andhra Pradesh
Bhimashankar near Pune Maharashtra
Omkareshwar near Indore Madhya Pradesh
Kedarnath Kedarnath Uttarakhand
Kashi Vishwanath Varanasi Uttar Pradesh
Trimbakeshwar Trimbak,
near Nasik Maharashtra
Ramanathaswamy Rameswaram Tamil Nadu
Grishneshwar near Ellora Maharashtra
Vaidyanath Deoghar Jharkhand
[edit] Manifestations

In South India, five temples of Shiva are held to be particularly important, as being manifestations of him in the five elemental substances:
Deity Manifestation Temple Location State
Sri Jambhukeswar Water Jambukeshwarar Temple Thiruvanaikaval Tamil Nadu
Sri Arunachaleswar Fire Annamalaiyar Temple Thiruvannamalai Tamil Nadu
Sri Kalahastheeswara Air Srikalahasti temple Srikalahasti Andhra Pradesh
Sri Ekambareswar Earth Ekambareswarar Temple Kanchipuram Tamil Nadu
Sri Nataraja Ether Natarajar Temple Chidambaram Tamil Nadu
[edit] Sabha temples

The five sabha temples where Shiva is believed to perform five different style of dances are:
Sabha Temple Location State
Pon (Gold) Sabha Natarajar Temple Chidambaram Tamil Nadu
Velli (Silver) Sabha Meenakshi
Sundareswarar Temple Madurai Tamil Nadu
Tamira (Copper) Sabha Nellaiappar Temple Tirunelveli Tamil Nadu
Rathna (Gem) Sabha Thiruvalankadu
Vadaaranyeswarar Temple Thiruvalangadu
near Arakkonam Tamil Nadu
Chitira (Picture) Sabha Kutraleeswar Temple Coutrallam Tamil Nadu
[edit] Other famous temples in India

Tamil Nadu

Main article: Shiva Temples of Tamilnadu

* Airavatesvara Temple, Darasuram, Thanjavur district
* Gangaikonda Cholapuram
* Rockfort Ucchi Pillayar Temple, Tiruchirappalli
* Brihadeeswarar, Thanjavur—2nd Largest Temple in the world, after Angkor Wat in Cambodia; it also has one of the largest Shivalingams and the largest Nandi in the world
* Patteeswaram in Perur, Coimbatore District

Kerala

* Rajarajeshwara Temple, Taliparamba
* Vadakkunnathan Temple, Thrissur
* Poonkunnam Siva Temple, Poonkunnam, Thrissur district

Karnataka

* Murudeshwara, Bhatkal Taluk of Uttara Kannada (Tulunadu)—World's Tallest Shiva statue[187][188]
* Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara temple in Belthangadi taluk in Dakshina Kannada district

Andhra Pradesh

* Vemulawada, Karimnagar district

Maharashtra

* Kailash Temple, Ellora

Assam

* Sukreswar Temple, Guwahati



Orissa

* Lingaraj Temple, Bhubaneswar
* Kapilash Temple, Dhenkanal District
* Mukteswar Temple, Bhubaneswar
* Parsurameswar Temple, Bhubaneswar
* Gupteswar Cave temple, near Jeypore

Uttarakhand

* Daksheswara Mahadev Temple at Kankhal in Haridwar district
* Guptakashi
* Jageshwar
* Rudreshwar Mahadev Temple
* Baleshwar Temple, Champawat
* Gopinath Mandir, Chamoli Gopeshwar
* Panch Kedar
o Kedarnath Temple, Kedarnath, Rudraprayag district – one of the most revered shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva
o Tungnath, Chamoli district
o Rudranath
o Madhyamaheshwar
o Kalpeshwar

Jammu and Kashmir

* Amarnath Yatra to the Amarnathji cave in Jammu and Kashmir is of huge significance.[189]

Delhi

* Nili Chhatri temple, New Delhi

[edit] Famous temples in other countries

* Pashupatinath Temple located on the banks of Bagmati River in the eastern part of Kathmandu, Nepal
* Lake Mansarovar and Mount Kailash in Tibet, a pilgrimage site believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva
* Gosaikunda Lake located in Rasuwa District, Nepal