Shiva

Shiva (/ˈʃɪvə/; Sanskrit: शिव, romanized: Śiva, lit. 'The Auspicious One' [ɕɪʋɐ]), also known as Mahadeva (/məˈhɑː ˈdeɪvə/; Sanskrit: महादेव:, romanized: Mahādevaḥ, lit. 'The Great God' [mɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh]),[9][10][11] is one of the principal deities of Hinduism.[12] He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hinduism.[13]

Quick facts: Shiva, Other names, Affiliation, Abode, Mantr... ▼

Shiva
God of Destruction God of Time Lord of Yogis The Cosmic Dancer Patron of Yoga, Meditation and Arts Master of Poison and Medicine The Supreme Being (Shaivism)[1]
Member of Trimurti
Shiva holding Trishula and Damaru
Other names	Shankara Bholenath Maheshvara Rudra Mahadeva Mahakala Sadashiva Batara Shiva Bhairava Nataraja Pashupati
Affiliation	Trimurti Ishvara Parabrahman Paramatman (Shaivism)
Abode	Mount Kailash[2] Cremation grounds (Shmashana Adhipati)
Mantra	Om Namah Shivaya Mahamrityunjaya Mantra Om Namo Bhagavate Rudraya
Weapon	Trishula Pashupatastra Parashu Pinaka bow[3]
Symbols	Lingam[3] Crescent Moon Damaru (Drum) Vasuki The Third Eye
Day	Monday Thrayodashi
Mount	Nandi[4]
Festivals	Maha Shivaratri Shravana Kartik Purnima Pradosha Teej Bhairava Ashtami[5]
Personal information
Consort	Parvati/Sati[note 1]
Children	Kartikeya (son)[7] Ganesha (son)[8]

Shiva is known as The Destroyer within the Trimurti, the Hindu trinity which also includes Brahma and Vishnu.[2][14] In the Shaivite tradition, Shiva is the Supreme Lord who creates, protects and transforms the universe.[9][10][11] 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.[15][16] Shiva is one of the five equivalent deities in Panchayatana puja of the Smarta tradition of Hinduism.[17]

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 Mount Kailash[2] 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 and the arts.[18]

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 worshipped in the aniconic form of lingam.[3]

Shiva has pre-Vedic roots,[19] 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,[20] into a single major deity.[21] Shiva is a pan-Hindu deity, revered widely by Hindus in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia (especially in Java and Bali).[22]

Part of a series on
Shaivism
Deities Paramashiva (Supreme being) Shiva Sadasiva Bhairava Rudra Virabhadra Shakti Parvati Sati Durga Kali Ganesha Kartikeya Forms of Shiva Others
Scriptures and texts Vedas Agama-Tantras Shivasutras Tirumurai Vachanas Svetasvatara
Philosophy Three Components Pati Pashu Pasam Three bondages Anava Karma Maya other aspects 36 Tattvas Yoga Satkaryavada Abhasavada Svatantrya Aham
Practices Vibhuti Rudraksha Panchakshara Bilva Maha Shivaratri Yamas-Niyamas Guru-Linga-Jangam
Schools Ati marga Pashupata Kalamukha Kapalika Mantra marga Saiddhantika Siddhantism Non - Saiddhantika Kashmir Shaivism Pratyabhijna Vama Dakshina Kaula: Trika-Yamala-Kubjika-Netra Others Nath Inchegeri Veerashaiva/Lingayatism Siddharism Sroutaism Aghori Indonesian
Scholars Lakulisha Abhinavagupta Vasugupta Utpaladeva Nayanars Manikkavacakar Meykandar Nirartha Basava Sharana Srikantha Appayya Navnath
Related Nandi Tantrism Bhakti Jyotirlinga Shiva Temples
Hinduism portal
v t e