August 18, 2011

ON THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS !

Our parents teach us from infancy all the values that we follow through our life , and we also learn from our teachers and friends as well as from our environment what is right and what is wrong , and the fact of the matter is that many a time there are inner conflicts which confuse us as to the right path to follow !

This happens primarily because of the fact that we find a lot of contradictions between what we have been taught as our value systems, and what we actually find happening all around us !

Naturally , we are often left confused and groping for the right path to follow in our lives , and this often leaves us searching for the path of righteousness ! We are often distracted from our correct thoughts and right way of living , when we practically see a lot which is just not right happening around us !

That is the time we often question ourselves whether we are having the right value systems !
God comes to our rescue at such times and reinforces our belief in our own value systems , our beliefs , our convictions , and our firm resolve to do always that which is just and right !

God , thank you for always being there, to help us to always do the right thing, today, every day , and for the rest of our lives !!

ON THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS !

Om Namah Shivaya

This yearMahashivratrifalls on
12th February 2010when the Shiva principle descends to Earth
a thousand times more than usual.
On this day, to obtain the full benefit of
Lord Shiva's principle,
one should chant'Om Namah Shivaya'as much as possible.

Shivratri is the time when Shiva takes a rest.
Shiva rests for one 'prahar' (three hours) of the night..
This 'prahar' is referred to as the Shivratri.
When Lord Shiva takes rest, the function of
'Shivtatva' (Shiva Principle) ceases,
i.e. Lord Shiva goes into a meditative state.

Shiva's meditative state is the time when
He is engrossed in His own spiritual practice.
During that time, the 'Shivtatva' does not accept any tamogun
(most base of the 3 elements in us - sattva, raja & tama)
or
any halahal (venom churned from the ocean)
coming from the Universe.
As a result,
the ratio of halahal or the pressure
of the negative energies increases.
For protection from this pressure, things like
'bilva patra', white flowers, 'rudraksha' beads etc
are offered to Lord Shiva.

These things attract the 'Shivtatva' from the atmosphere,
thus providing protection from the increasing
effect of the negative energies.
The Earth is a gross object.
Gross objects have very low velocities
i.e. they require more time to cover a specific distance in space.
Gods on the other hand, are subtle hence they
are capable of traversing space within a few seconds.
That is why one year on the earth
is equivalent to just one day of heaven.

Science in the worship of
Lord Shiva on Mahashivratri
The function of the
'Shivpindi'

1.
Emitting waves of Knowledge,
Devotion and renunciation

Predominantly
'sattva' waves of knowledge,
'raja' waves of devotion
and
'tama' waves of Renunciation (Vairagya)
are emitted by the 'Shivpindi'.

During Mahashivratri,
the emission increases by 30 percent.

2..
Emission of subtle vibrations
of chaitanya, bliss and peace

The 'Shivpindi' emits
subtle vibrations of chaitanya, bliss and peace.
During the Mahashivratri,
the emission increases by 25 percent.
This helps purify the subtle-body of
one who worships the Shivpindi on this day.
The 'sun' or the 'moon' channels
in the body get activated as per necessity.
The capacity to absorb the sattvaguna
and chaitanya also increases.
Due to the presence of the unmanifest
Shiva principle in the Shivpindi
and the vibrations of peace emitted,
the Shivpindi remains cool and the
mind too experiences peace.
Worship of Shivpindi with devotion,
activates the dormant Shiva principle.
An offering of puffed rice and milk
reaches Lord Shiva in the subtle form.

3.
Receiving the
'tarak or marak tatva (element)'
as required

There is a confluence of the manifest
and the unmanifest elements along with the
'tarak and marak tatva' in the Shivpindi.
(Tarak = Saviour; Marak = Destroyer).
That is how worshipers receive the required element.
The temperature of the Shivpindi increases due
to the emission of the marak tatva
and there one experiences bliss.
Similarly,
when the tarak tatva is emitted,
the temperature drops and one experiences peace and bliss.

Bilvapatra (Bel leaves)

Bilvapatra contains 2% Shiva tatva.
By offering bilvapatra to the Shivpindi on Mahashivratri,
the manifest Shiva tatva near the stalk of
the bilvapatra gets activated.
Due to this, waves of chaitanya as well as Shiva tatva
are emitted by the bilvapatra.

The bilvapatraattracts 20% of the Shiva tatva present in
the Shivpindi towards itself.
By immersing this bilvapatra
in water or by placing it in grains,
the Shiva tatva present in the bilvapatra is transmitted to them.
The Shiva tatva in the bilvapatra
is activated to a larger extent on Mondays
when it transmits 10% of the Shiva tatva and sattvikta.
On other days only 1% of the Shiva tatva
is activated in the bilvapatra.

Bilvarchan

Offering bilvapatra
to the Shivpindi and chanting the mantra

'Om Namah Shivaya'

with each offering is known as bilvarchan.
Continue offering the bilvapatra until the pindi
is completely covered.
Offer the bilvapatra from the lower part of the pindi.
By starting from the feet of the idol,
more benefit is derived and the idol
can be covered completely.

Chanting on Mahashivratri

'Om Namah Shivaya'
Om represents an unmanifest state beyond
the 3 gunas (elements of sattva, raja & tama).
We bow to Lord Shiva, from whom Om was created.

What does the word 'Shiva' mean?

a.
The word Shiva has been derived
by reversing the letters of the word vash.
Vash means to enlighten; thus the one
who enlightens is Shiva.
He remains radiant and also illuminates the universe.

b..
He is the auspicious and
prosperity-bestowin g principle.

Some unique attributes
1. Physical attributes

a. Ganga :Just as the sun is the focal point of the solar system
and the soul that of the body,
the focal point of divine consciousness
(chaitanya) in every object and
pure particles (pavitrakas) is ga-aum.
The flow from which ga-aum originates is gan gaha = Ganga.
Ga-aum flows from Shiva's head.
This is called the descent of the Ganga
from Shiva's head.
Since the river Ganga has a fraction
of the principle of the spiritual Ganga,
no matter how polluted it becomes,
its purity is perpetually retained.

Hence,
when compared to any other water in the world,
the water from the Ganga is the purest.
This is realised not only by those
who can perceive the subtle dimension
but also by scientific researchers.

b. Moon :Shiva adorns the chandra (moon) on His forehead.
The point where the three frequencies
- affection (mamata), mercifulness (kshamashilata)
and motherly love (vatsalya) originate
is referred to as the chandra (moon).
Thus, one can conclude that chandrama
(the moon principle) is the state in
which the three attributes of affection,
mercifulness and motherly love are present.

c. Third eye :Shankar is three-eyed,
i.e. He can perceive events of the past, present and future.
According to the science of Yoga
the third eye means the Sushumna nadi (channel).

d. Serpent :
One of the Names of Lord Shankar is Bhujanga-patihari.
Bhujang means a serpent or pure particles (pavitrakas) ,
pati means the nurturer and hari means one
with a garland around His neck.
Bhujangapatihari thus means the One
who nurtures pure particles and wears them like a garland.
Various serpents represent groups of pure particles.
Though externally they appear like serpents,
internally they are a kind of ladder.
To make spiritual progress one has to climb
up holding onto the tail of the serpent.
Lord Shankar adorns serpents at nine points on His body
- one on the head,
one around the neck,
one on each arm,
one on each wrist,
one around the waist and
one on each thigh.
This implies that His body is comprised
of pure particles or that serpents of pure particles
play all over the body of Lord Shankar
who has the universe as His form.

2. Spiritual attributes

a.. One performing severe
austerities and the great yogi

Shiva is always seated in a bandha or a mudra.
His temperature rises due to heat generated
by performing severe austerities;
Hence, He uses the Ganga, the moon and
serpents which endow a cooling effect
and lives on the snow-clad Kailas mountain.

b.. Short tempered
If someone disturbs His meditation
the radiance generated by spiritual practice
will be suddenly expelled and whoever is in front of Him
will not be able to tolerate it, and gets destroyed.
This is referred to as being 'reduced to ashes
by Shankar's opening of the third eye'.

c..
One who is willing to undergo
any distress for the sake of imparting happiness to others

The poison
generated during the churning
of the celestial ocean (samudramanthan)
was burning the entire Universe but no deity
came forward to accept it.
At that time Shiva drank that poison
and saved the world from destruction.

d.
One who has both,
deities and demons, as His worshippers

Neither did demonslike Banasur, Ravan, etc.
worship Lord Vishnu nor did Lord Vishnu bestow
any boon upon any demon.
However, they worshipped Lord Shiva who blessed them.

e. Master of the spirits
Since Lord Shiva is the master of spirits,
His worshippers are generally not possessed by them.

Science in the idol - in the Human form

This represents the Brahman
in the form of the word (shabda Brahman).
Alphabets consisting of the sounds of
fifty-two basic letters and the forms
of fourteen Maheshvar verses (sutras)
have generated from it.
Later the universe was created from these.

2. Trident :
represents the following -

The three components - sattva, raja and tama
The root of creation, sustenance and dissolution
Volition, knowledge and action

3. Noose (pash) :The noose represents the noose of time (kalpash)
(The rope in Lord Ganapati's hand too is the same).

Worship
a. Application of holy ash (Bhasma)

Tripundra refers to the three horizontal
stripes of holy ash applied to the forehead.
These stripes symbolise spiritual knowledge,
purity and penance (spiritual practice of Yoga),
so also they represent the three eyes of Lord Shiva.

b.. Wearing a rudraksha

Wearing a rudraksha when worshipping Lord Shiva is ideal.
A rudraksha is reddish in colour with yellow stripes
and is flat like a fish.
On one side it has a slight opening which
appears like an open mouth.
The rudraksha converts light frequencies of deities
from the universe into sound frequencies in the
body of humans and vice versa.
As a result, humans can absorb frequencies of deities
and thoughts can get converted into the language of deities.

A Genuine Rudraksha
The rudraksha absorbs sama (sattva) frequencies.
Similarly sama frequencies are emitted by its crests.
A real rudraksha can be recognised by the
vibrations felt by holding it in the hand.
At that time the body absorbs the
sama frequencies emitted by the rudraksha.

Nowadays,
mostly Vikrutaksha is sold as a rudraksha.
This is the seed of a type of wild berry.
Vikrutaksha is used for sacrificial fires of
tantriks, black magic etc.
by sorcerers.

c.. Ritualistic worship of the pindi

Only cold water and bel is offered
to Lord Shankar's pindi.
Neither is it bathed with milk and panchamrut
(a mixture of milk, curds, ghee, sugar and honey)
nor offered turmeric, vermilion (kumkum)
or white consecrated rice (akshata).
Milk and clarified butter (ghee) symbolise sustenance
while turmeric is an underground stem and represents
fertility of the soil, that is creation.
Vermilion is prepared from turmeric.
Since Lord Shiva is the deity of dissolution,
substances such as milk, vermilion and
turmeric are not used in His worship.

d. Circumambulation
(pradakshina)
When circum-ambulating one should begin
from the left side and continue till the channel
of the shalunka from where the water offered
during the ritualistic bathing (abhishek) flows.
Without crossing it one should complete
a circum-ambulation by moving in the reverse direction up
to the other side of the channel.
The flow of a shalunka is not crossed
as it is the flow of energy which adversely
affects the formation of semen and
the five internal vital energies (pran vayu).

e. Chanting the Name of Lord Shiva
'Namaha Shivaya is Shiva's five-syllabled mantra.
The spiritual meaning of each of the five syllables is:
na = Foremost deity of all the regions (lokas)
ma = Bestower of supreme spiritual knowledge (gyan)
and redeemer of the greatest of sins
shi = Benevolent, serene and responsible for
initiation by Lord Shiva
va = Symbolic of a bull as the vehicle
and Vasuki and Vamangi energy (shakti)
ya = Auspicious abode of Supreme Bliss and Lord Shiva.
Hence, obeisance (namaskar) to these five syllables.

Hinduism is more a way of life than a method of worship.
Dharmo Rakshati RakshithahaIf you protect Dharma, Dharma will in turn protect you.
Hindus, If people slap you once, slap them twice

Please must give your comments on this article.

August 12, 2011

ChathuraGiri

Chathuragiri otherwise known as Sivanmalai is situated 5 kms from Watrap (Vathirairuppu) near Srivilliputhur. The name Chathuragiri came from Chathur (4) Veda (Vedas) Giri (Hill), where all the four Vedas met and formed the hill. Another meaning is that the whole mountain is in square (Chathuram) in shape so the name Chathuragiri.

Once at Kailash, Lord Siva and Parvathi were worshipped by several saints, ganas, siddhars and sanyasis. When everybody made pradakshinam to both one Maharishi called "Bringi" made pradakshinam to Lord Siva only, ignoring Parvathi. When Parvathi asked Lord Siva as to why Bringi Maharishi did not pay his tributes to her, Lord Siva explained that those who have left everything and think only about "Moksha House" will perform duties that way and at the end they will join me and those who wish to enjoy "Ishta Kamya Moksha" will worship her and enjoy everything in life. Since everybody wanted to enjoy "Ishta Kamya Moksha" in life they paid their tributes to both and this Bringi wanted only "Moksha", he paid tributes only to Lord Siva. On hearing this Parvathi Devi cursed Bringi Maharishi and he lost all flesh from his body since flesh is sakthi form. Bringi Maharishi was unable to stand without sakthi and fell down. On seeing this Lord Siva, to protect his devoted/realised disciple, threw a stick with which, the Maharishi walked away. On seeing this, Parvathi decided that if only she become "Ardha Nari " on left side of Siva, she will be able to achieve her goals and thought to do a pooja/thavam/penance to appease Lord Siva to grant her the position. Parvathi Devi left Lord Siva and went to find a suitable place and on reaching the hill she sat under the shades of "Kallala Tree" and started her meditation. The tree was near to "Sattanadha Muni Siddhar" cave. There was no rain for nearly 12 years in that place and on the presence of Goddess, the entire place flowered back with greenary. On seeing the Goddess, the Muni went and received her by paying tributes and enquired about her arrival at the place. On hearing the message, the Muni arranged everything and Parvathi Devi made a Prathishtanam of Linga with Sandalwood Paste. Goddess worshipped Lord Siva with flowers, mantras and meditation. On being appeased, Lord Siva appeared on his "Rishaba Vahana" and accepted the demand of Goddess. On their return Lord Siva proclaimed that since the Siva Lingam was worshipped by Parvathi Devi, it should be worshipped only by Maharishis only and those who wish for "Kamya Loka" should not do pooja to the lingam. And if they do so, they may stand to hate "Ishta Kamya Loka" and will become "Moksha Desired" person and ultimately join him. Lord Siva blessed everybody and went away. After that, Satta Natha Muni worshipped the "Santhana Lingam" and "Chanangi Muni" followed suit.

It is also said in Siva Puranam that the four Vedas joined together and formed this mountain and that is why it is called Chathur(ved)agiri.

To know more information about ChathuraGiri, How to Reach the place, about siddhars, Photo Gallery, temple timings and much more useful information about ChathuraGiri visit

sathuragiri

Sivanmalai is called as Chathura Giri, Chathurachalam, Siddhar Bhoomi, Mooligai Malai (Vanam) etc., is situated approximately 5 Kms from "Watrap" (otherwise called as "Vathirairuppu") near Srivilliputhur. It is approximately 100 Kms from Tirunelveli and 70 Kms from Madurai. As the name speaks, the mountain is mentioned as "South Kailash" (Thenkailayam), Bhoologa Kailayam as Lord Shiva and Parvathy have promised the Siddhars that they will stay here permanently and visit other places only from here. It is also said that it is the meeting place and head quarters of all the Siddhars, who still stay there in various places/caves in the mountain to worship Lord Siva and Parvathi.

There are two temples in the hill

Sri Sundara Mahalinga Swamy Temple and

Sri Santhana Mahalinga Swamy Temple

One more sanctum of Lord Siva is also there in the top of the hill which is called as "Periya Mahalingam" (Big Mahalingam). This is worshipped by Siddhars and only those who are destained to see it will be able to go there. Most dangerous place!

The Akasha Ganga (river) which flows from above the Santhana Mahalingam temple, separates the two temples in to two sides of the banks. The distance between these two temple is hardly 15 minutes walk.

சதுரகிரி மலை.

சதுரகிரி, தமிழ்நாட்டில் விருதுநகர் மாவட்டத்தில் வத்றாப் என அழைக்கப்படும் வத்திறாயிருப்பு அரு‏கில் உள்ள தாணிப்பாறையில் உள்ளது. வத்றாப்பிலிருந்து சுமார் 10 கிமீ தொலைவிலும், வத்றாப் விலக்கிலிருந்து சுமார் 7 கிமீ தொலைவிலும் தாணிப்பாறை அமைந்துள்ளது.

சாதாரண மலைகளைப் போலல்ல இது. வீரியம் நிறைந்த வினோதமான மலை. கணக்கற்ற இரகசியங்களைத் த‎ன்னுள்ளே பொதித்துக் கொண்டு அமைதியாய்க் காணப்படும் அபூர்வ மலை.

சித்தர்களி‎ன் இராஜ்ஜியமாகவும், அபாயகரமான காட்டுவாழ் விலங்கினங்களி‎ன் புகலிடமாகவும், அபூர்வ சக்திகள் படைத்த மூலிகைகளி‎ன் வாழ்விடமாகவும் விளங்கும் இம்மலை, பரம்பொருள் சிவபரமாத்மாவி‎ன் அருட்கடாட்சம் பெற்றபடியால் சிவ‎ன்மலை எ‎ன்றும் மகாலிங்க மலை எ‎ன்றும் அழைக்கப்படுகிறது.

சிவனும் பார்வதி தேவியும் இங்கே நிரந்தரமாகத் தங்கியிருந்து பக்தர்களுக்கு அருள்பாலிப்பதாக சித்தர்களுக்கு வாக்குத் தந்திருப்பதால் இவ்விடம் தென்கயிலாயம் எ‎ன்றும் அழைக்கப்படுகிறது.

இம்மலை அஷ்டமாசித்திகள் பெற்ற பதினெட்டு சித்தர்களி‎ன் தலைமையிடமாகவும், மற்றும் பல சித்தர்கள் கூடி தத்தம் ராய்ச்சிகளை விவாதிக்கும் இடமாகவும் அறியப்படுகிறது. இம்மலையிலுள்ள நூற்றுக்கணக்கான குகைகளில் தங்கியிருந்து சிவனை வணங்கி வழிபட்டு வந்ததுட‎ன் மக்களி‎ன் நோய் தீர்க்கும், துன்பங்களைக் களையும் மருந்துகளைக் கண்டுபிடிக்கும் ராய்ச்சிகளிலும் சித்தர்கள் ஈடுபட்டு வந்துள்ள‎னர்.

சித்தர்பூமியாம் சதுரகிரியில் எண்ணற்ற மூலிகைகள் நிறைந்த வனம் உள்ளது. இன்றும் இம்மலையில் சித்தர் பெருமக்கள் அரூபமாக வாழ்ந்து வருவதாகக் கூறப்படுகிறது. சித்தர்களி‎ன் அதிர்வலைகள் மலையெங்கும் நிறைந்திருப்பதால் அதில் சிறிதாவது தமது உடலில் ஒட்டட்டும் என பக்தர்கள் விரும்பி ‏இங்கு வருகின்றனர்.

sathuragiri

sathuragiri - sivan malai

ஓம் நமசிவாய ! ஓம் சக்தி !

நமசிவாய வாழ்க ! நாதன்தாள் வாழ்க ! இமைபொழுதும் என் நெஞ்சில்

நீங்காதான் தாள் வாழ்க !

வணக்கம். எனது பெயர் சரவணன். சதுரகிரிக்கு ஒரு முறை மட்டுமே சென்று வந்துள்ளேன். அந்த மலை என்னை என்னவோ செய்கிறது, நினைக்க நினைக்க சிலிர்க்க வைக்கிறது. நான் எந்த சித்தரையும் சந்திக்கவில்லை. ஆனாலும் மனம் நிறைந்த தரிசனத்தால் சிலிர்க்கிறேன். மனம் அந்த அனுபவம் மீண்டும் மீண்டும் வேண்டும் என்று கேட்கிறது. இந்த சதுரகிரி பற்றி உலகுக்கு எடுத்து சொல்ல இந்த blog இல் எழுதுகிறேன். இதை படிக்கும் ஒவ்வொருவரும் ஒருமுறையாவது சதுரகிரிக்கு சென்று வர வேண்டுகிறேன்.

சதுரகிரி மலை என்பது மலை மட்டுமல்ல. அது ஒரு உணர்வு, உயிருள்ள இடம். இது வெறும் மலை என்பவர்களுக்கு வெறும் மலை, சாகசபயணம் என்பவர்களுக்கு இது ஒரு சாகசபயணம் செய்யுமிடம், ஆனால் அமைதியாக ஆன்மிகத்தை உணர்ந்து செல்பவர்களுக்கு இந்த மலை உயிரோட்டமுள்ள இடம். இதை எப்படி உணர்வது?. 4 பேருக்குள் குழுவாக செல்லுங்கள். ஆனால் ஒருவர் பின் ஒருவராக அமைதியாக செல்லுங்கள். ஒவ்வொருவருவருக்கும் 5 அடி இடைவெளி இருக்கட்டும்.மலையில் ஏறும் போது கோரக்கர் குகையை தாண்டியதும் ஆண்கள் சட்டையை கழட்டி விட்டு ஏறுங்கள். அந்த மூலிகை காற்று நம் உடலை பக்குவப்படுத்தும். இளைப்பாற உட்காரும்போது 5 நிமிடம் மட்டும் பேசுங்கள். மற்ற நேரம் அமைதியாக மனதுள் "ஓம் நமசிவாய" என்ற மந்திரத்தை மட்டுமே சொல்லுங்கள். ஒரு சில இடங்களை கடக்கும் பொது உடல் சிலிர்க்கும் அந்த இடத்தில் சிறிது நேரம் நின்று செல்லுங்கள். அப்போது உணர்வீர்கள் இந்த சதுரகிரி மலையை பற்றி.

              சதுரகிரி செல்வதாக இருந்தால் முதல் நாள் இரவே கிளம்பி காலை 6 மணிக்குள் தாணிபாறையில் ( சதுரகிரி அடிவாரம் ) இருக்குமாறு செல்லுங்கள். 6 மணிக்கு மலையேற ஆரம்பித்தால் 9.30 முதல் 10.00 மணிக்குள் உச்சியை அடைந்து விடலாம். மலை ஏறும் முன் குடிநீர் 2 லிட்டர் பாட்டில் ஒன்று, கடலை மிட்டாய் பாக்கெட் ஒன்று, சிறிய டார்ச் லைட் ஆகியவற்றை மறக்காமல் எடுத்து செல்லவும்.

                இப்போது இந்த மலையை பற்றியும், இந்த மலையில் எனது அனுபவம் மற்றும் படங்களையும் பார்க்கலாம்.

Sivanmalai temple

In tamilnadu in erode district a beautiful temple for lord Muruga is situated at Sivanmalai near kangeyam.It is just 5 km from kangayam in tiruppur road .The temple is situated on top of the hill .A beautiful car festival will took place on thaipoosam. Nearly one lack people will participate in the festival. On that date enormous number of deities will take kavadi to offer their Bakti and special abishekam will be taken place.

At Sivanmalai there is practice in vogue. It is believed that Lord Muruga will appear in the dreams of a deity, and will tell about the future. He will bring the item which was revealed to him by lord Muruga and after verifying about the truth by the poosari by various means in vogue in the temple, the item which was brought by the deity will be exhibited in front of the temple after performing special pooja.It is believed that there will be scarce for the item in the near future or prices of the item will go up.

Kutralanaathar temple

குற்றாலநாதர் திருக்கோயில்

கயிலாயத்தில் சிவன் பார்வதியை மணந்தபோது, உலகை சமப்படுத்த அகத்தியரை தென்திசைக்கு அனுப்பினார். குற்றாலம் வந்த அகத்தியர் சிவலிங்க பூஜை செய்ய விரும்பினார். ஓரிடத்தில் பெருமாள் கோயில் இருந்ததைக் கண்டார். மூலஸ்தானத்தில் இருந்த பெருமாளின் தலை மீது கை வைத்து, ‘குறு குறு குற்றாலநாதா!’ என்றார். பெருமாள் குறுகி, சிவலிங்கமாக மாறினார். இவரே இங்கு, ‘குற்றாலநாதர்’ என்ற பெயரில் அருளுகிறார். ‘ஹரியும், சிவனும் ஒன்று!’ என்பதை உணர்த்தும்விதமான இரு மூர்த்திகளும் அகத்தியர் மூலமாக இவ்வாறு ஒரு திருவிளையாடலை இத்தலத்தில் நிகழ்த்தினார்.

குற்றாலநாதர் கோயிலுக்கு அருகில் நடராஜர் நாட்டியமாடும் பஞ்சசபைகளில் ஒன்றான சித்திரசபை இருக்கிறது. ஒரு கோயிலின் அமைப்பிலுள்ள இந்த இடம் தாமிரத் தகடால் வேயப்பட்டுள்ளது. இந்த சபையில் நடராஜர், ஓவிய வடிவில் திரிபுரதாண்டவ மூர்த்தியாக காட்சி தருகிறார். பெருமாளை சிவனாக மாற்றிய வரலாறு, மதுரையில் சிவன் நிகழ்த்திய திருவிளையாடல்கள், தட்சிணாமூர்த்தியின் பல்வேறு வடிவங்கள் என பல சித்திரங்கள் மூலிகைளால் வரையப்பட்டுள்ளது.

மார்கழி திருவாதிரையின்போதும், சித்திரை பிரம்மோற்ஸவத்தின் போதும் நடராஜர் சன்னதியில் விசேஷ தீபாராதனையுடன் பூஜை நடக்கும். இவ்வேளையில் நடராஜரின் நடனத்தைப் போலவே தீப தட்டை நளினமாக அசைத்து சுவாமிக்கு ஆராதனை செய்வர். இதை, ‘தாண்டவ தீபாராதனை’ என்கின்றனர். சிவன், ஜோதி ரூபமானவர் என்பதை உணர்த்தும்விதமாக இவ்வாறு செய்யப்படுகிறது.

பிரகாரத்தில் மகாவிஷ்ணு, ‘நன்னகரப் பெருமாள்’ என்ற பெயரில் அருளுகிறார். தன்னை வேண்டும் பக்தர்களுக்கு நன்மைகள் தருபவர் என்பதால் இவருக்கு இப்பெயர். அருகில் கிருஷ்ணரும் இருக்கிறார். ரோகினி நட்சத்திர நாட்கள், புரட்டாசி சனிக்கிழமைகளில் இவருக்கு விசேஷ பூஜை நடக்கிறது. முற்காலத்தில் சிவன் சன்னதியில் இருந்த பெருமாளே, இங்கு எழுந்தருளியிருப்பதாகச் சொல்கிறார்கள்.

பல வித உணவு வகைகளை சுவாமிகளுக்கு நைவேத்யம் படைப்பதை கேள்விப்பட்டிருப்பீர்கள். ஆனால், இங்கு மூலவருக்கு கஷாய நைவேத்யம் செய்யப்படுகிறது. தினமும் அர்த்தஜாம பூஜையின் போது சிவனுக்கு, கடுக்காய் கஷாயம் நைவேத்யம் படைக்கின்றனர். திருநெல்வேலி மாவட்டத்தில் கஷாயத்தை ‘குடினி’ என்பர். எனவே இதற்கு ‘குடினி நைவேத்யம்’ என்று பெயர் சூட்டியுள்ளனர். அருவி விழும் இடத்தில் இருப்பதால் சிவனுக்கு ஜுரம், குளிர் காய்ச்சல் உண்டாகாமல் இருக்க சிவன் மீதான அன்பின் காரணமாக இவ்வாறு செய்யப்படுகிறது. சுக்கு, மிளகு, கடுக்காய் உள்ளிட்ட மூலிகைகள் சேர்த்து ‘குடினி’ தயாரிக்கப்படுகிறது.

பிரகாரத்திலுள்ள முருகன், கையில் வில்லேந்தியபடி காட்சி தருகிறார். இவருடன் வள்ளி, தெய்வானை இருவரும் ஒருவரை ஒருவர் நேருக்கு நேர் பார்த்தபடி இருக்கின்றனர். ஆடிஅமாவாசையன்று கோயில் முழுவதும் 1008 தீபம் ஏற்றும், ‘பத்ர தீப’ விழா இங்கு வெகு விமரிசையாக நடக்கும்.

சிவன், மணக்கோலநாதர் என்று பெயரில், அம்பிகையை மணம் முடித்த கோலத்தில் பிரகாரத்தில் காட்சி தருகிறார். அருகில் திருமணத்தை நடத்தி வைத்து பிரம்மா, தாரை வார்க்கும் கோலத்தில் விஷ்ணு, மகாலட்சுமி, திருமணக்காட்சி பெற்ற அகத்தியர் மற்றும் பிருங்கி உள்ளனர். திருமணத்தடை உள்ளவர்கள் இவர்களுக்கு மஞ்சள், பன்னீர் அபிஷேகம் செய்து பாயசம் நைவேத்யம் செய்து வழிபடுகிறார்கள்.

சக்தி பீடங்கள் 64ல் இது, ‘பராசக்தி பீடம்’ ஆகும். அகத்தியர் திருமால் தலத்தை சிவத்தலமாக மாற்றியபோது சுவாமிக்கு வலப்புறம் இருந்த ஸ்ரீதேவியை, குழல்வாய்மொழி நாயகியாகவும், பூதேவியை, பராசக்தியாகவும் மாற்றினார். குரல் வளம் சரியாக இல்லாதவர்கள், பிறப்பிலேயே பேசாதிருப்பவர்கள் அம்பிகை, குழல்வாய்மொழி நாயகிக்கு சர்க்கரைப் பொங்கல், வடை படைத்து வழிபடுகிறார்கள். ஐப்பசி பூசத்தன்று நடக்கும் திருக்கல்யாண சிவன், அம்பாள் இருவரும் அகத்தியர் சன்னதி அருகில் எழுந்தருளி திருமணக்காட்சி கொடுக்கும் வைபவம் நடக்கிறது.

லிங்க வடிவமான குற்றாலநாதர் மீது, அகத்தியரின் விரல் பதிந்த தடம் இருக்கிறது. அது சிவனுக்கு வலிக்குமே என்ற ரீதியில், மனம் நெகிழ்ந்த பக்தர்கள் அன்பின் காரணமாக லிங்கத்தின் தலையில், குற்றால மலையில் கிடைத்த மூலிகைகளால் ஆன தைலம் செய்து தேய்த்தனர். இவ்வழக்கம் இப்போது இருக்கிறது. தினமும் காலை 9.30 மணி பூஜையில், லிங்கத்தின் உச்சியில் தைலம் தடவுகின்றனர். பசும்பால், இளநீர், சந்தனம் மற்றும் 42 விதமான மூலிகைகள் சேர்த்து 90 நாட்கள் தொடர்ச்சியாக வேக வைப்பார்கள். இந்த மருந்து கலவையில், செக்கில் ஆட்டிய சுத்தமான நல்லெண்ணெய் சேர்த்து தைலம் தயாரிக்கின்றனர். இதை பக்தர்களுக்குபிரசாதமாகவும் தருகின்றனர். தலைவலி உள்ளவர்கள் இத்தைலத்தை தடவுகிறார்கள்.

இக்கோயிலில் பராசக்தி ஸ்ரீசக்ர அமைப்பிலுள்ள பீட வடிவில் காட்சி தருகிறாள். பூமாதேவியாக இருந்து மாறிய அம்பிகை என்பதால் இதற்கு ‘தரணி பீடம்’ (தரணி - பூமி) என்று பெயர். இவள் உக்கிரமானவன் என்பதால், இவளுக்கு எதிரே சிவலிங்க பிரதிஷ்டை செய்துள்ளனர். இவர், ‘காமகோடீஸ்வரர்’ என்றழைக்கப்படுகிறார். ஒன்பது அம்பிகையரின் அம்சமாக இந்த அம்பிகை இருப்பதால், பவுர்ணமியன்று இரவில் இப்பீடத்திற்கு ‘நவசக்தி’ பூசை செய்கின்றனர் அப்போது, பால், வடை படைக்கப்படும். பவுர்ணமி, நவராத்திரி நாட்களில் இந்த பீடத்திற்கு, பன்னீர் கலந்த குங்கும அர்ச்சனை செய்கின்றனர்.

THE SACRED SHRINE OF SIVAMALAI

வேலூர்

சிவன்-பார்வதி திருக்கல்யாணம்

குடியாத்தம், ஜூலை 3: குடியாத்தம் ஆர்.எஸ். நகரில் உள்ள அருள்மிகு மாரியம்மன் கோயில் திருவிழாவை முன்னிட்டு சிவபெருமானுக்கும், பார்வதிக்கும் திருக்கல்யாணம் நடைபெற்றது.
இக் கோயில் திருவிழா கடந்த மாதம் 14 ஆம் தேதி காப்பு கட்டும் நிகழ்ச்சியுடன் தொடங்கியது. அதைத் தொடர்ந்து 29 ஆம் தேதி தேரோட்டமும், 30 ஆம் தேதி பூப்பல்லக்கும் நடைபெற்றது.
சனிக்கிழமை சுவாமிகளுக்கு திருக்கல்யாணம் நடைபெற்றது. இதையொட்டி சிறப்பு அபிஷேக, ஆராதனைகளும், திருமண வைபோக விருந்தும் நடைபெற்றது.
நகர்மன்ற உறுப்பினர் என்.மாரியப்பன், அரசு மருத்துவர் எம்.மாறன்பாபு, கோயில் நிர்வாகிகள், விழாக் குழுவினர் மற்றும் பொதுமக்கள் விழா ஏற்பாடுகளை செய்திருந்தனர்.

சிவன் பார்வதி

முருகன், விநாயகர், லட்சுமி, ஏழுமலையான் ஸ்டாம்புகள் -யு.எஸ். ஸ்டண்ட்!

வாஷிங்டன்: அமெரிக்க தபால் துறை சார்பில், இந்துக்களை கவருவதற்காக இந்துக் கடவுள்களின் படங்கள் அடங்கிய தபால் தலைகளை வெளியிட்டுள்ளது அமெரிக்க நிறுவனம் ஒன்று.மொத்தம் ஏழு இந்துக் கடவுள்களின் படங்கள் அடங்கிய தபால் தலைகளை இது வெளியிட்டுள்ளது. முருகன், விநாயகர், ஏழுமலையான், லட்சுமி, சிவன் பார்வதி, கிருஷ்ணர் மற்றும் ஷீரடி சாய்பாபா ஆகியோரின் உருவப் படங்களே இந்த தபால் ...

Shiva Dol -- the tallest Shiva Temple in India

Shiva Dol

Sixteen-armed Mother Goddess

Lord Vishnu in his boar-headed Avatar Baraha

Shiva Dol -- front view

A devotee performing AARTI with lighted lamps

Saraswati, the goddess of Learning

A Sadhu in front of Shiva Dol

A Sadhu at Shiva Dol

Sculptures on the wall of the main temple

Sculptures on the wall of the main temple

Sculptures on the wall of the main temple

Sculptures on the wall of the main temple

India is dotted with countless temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Cosmic Destroyer & one of the three trinities of Hinduism. Some of these temples are famous, some very famous & others are relatively less known or unknown outside the locality where they are situated. These were / are constructed mostly by rich patrons like local landlords or kings in the past.

One of such very famous Shiva temples is SHIVA DOL, situated in the town of Shiv Sagar in upper Assam, the beautiful North –Eastern state of India.
Shiv Sagar was the ancient capital of the Ahom Kings who ruled Assam for six hundred years before the British dethroned them in the nineteenth century.
The town of Shiv Sagar boasts of several very large ponds constructed by the Ahom kings. In the centre of the town is one of such ponds named SHIV SAGAR, literary meaning “the sea of Shiva”. With an expanse of 129 acres, it is really big. On its southern shore is a temple complex containing three tall temples, dedicated to Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu & Mother Goddess Durga. The temples are called Shiva Dol, Vishnu Dol & Devi Dol respectively.
Shiva Dol was constructed by Queen Madambika, the queen of King Shiva Singha in 1734.
The Shiva Dol is a huge temple with the main temple or the sanctum sanctorum (called GARVA GRIHA) rising to an imposing height of 180 feet. It is the tallest of all Shiva temples in India.
Like any typical Hindu temple built in the Nagara-style, Shiva Dol consists of four parts – the NAAT MANDIR, the JAGMOHAN, the BHOG MANDIR & the GARVA GRIHA (the sanctum sanctorum containing the main deity).
The Naat Mandir is a large rectangular structure without any special decoration. It leads to the next portion Jagmohan, which is constructed in typical CHAAR CHAALAA style of Bengal temple architecture with a pyramidal roof. The small Bhogmandir with a simple design leads to the main temple or Garva Griha which is a huge structure (height 180 feet & perimeter 195 feet). It is constructed in the typical SHIKHAR style with a central spire rising to the heaven. There is a golden dom at the top, 7 feet high.
The ridged spire contains a large number of decorations including figures of deities of Hinduism, the most notable ones are of sixteen-armed Mother Goddess Durga; Saraswati, the Goddess of Learning riding a swan; Lord Vishnu in His the Boar-headed Avatar Baraha ; Ganesha the Elephant-headed god of Success & Lord Shiva in several Yogic postures.
Inside, the sanctum sanctorum contains the Shiva Lingam, the phallic symbol of Lord Shiva inside a small KUND, or circular depression.
The whole temple bears such an aura that all visitors, be they are devotees or tourists, become mesmerized by the sublime atmosphere of the temple.
Shiv Sagar is easily approached by road (National Highway 37) from other major cities of Assam. The nearest airport is at Jorhat, some sixty kilometers away.

Keesara Gutta Shiva Temple

In the Outskirt of the Hyderabad city, down to Keesara village is located a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple is famously known as Keesaragutta Temple nad the main idols are Lord Shiva and his consorts Bhavani & Sivadurga.
The Keesaragutta Temple is located 13 kms from Hyderabad on to a hill rock in Rangareddy district. Shivaratri being the Lord Shiva festival, it receives a huge amount of visitors during that day. This temple is also known as Ramalingeshwara Swamy temple.
Among its legend Sri Rama installed Siva lingam here to amend the sin of killing the Ravana who was a Brahman. He selected this valley and ordered Hanuman to bring Sivlingam from Varanasi. But Hanuman was late in arriving and the auspicious hour was near. At that moment Lord Shiva appeared before Sri Rama and presented a Sivlingam for installation and the lingam in this temple is called Swayambhu Linga.
Hanuman returned with 101 lingams and he was angry when he saw lingam already installed. He then threw them all over the nearby area and those lingams are still found scattered in the surrounding areas. To calm the angriness of Hanuman Sri Rama precedent that it would be Hanuman who would be worshiped first here and he named the hill rock where this lingam was installed to be Kesarigiri i.e., the son of Kesari, Hanuman. But from the time evolved it was renamed as Keesaragutta.
The Keesaragutta Temple is famous place according to archaeologists as they called it as Gatika which serve as a great educational institution in third century. The Keesaragutta Temple has a great cultural backdrop as it has various ruined shrines dated of fifth and sixth century of Guptas architecture. There is also a lovely lotus pond on the hill side where white lotuses blossom in winter and rainy season.

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The best time to visit this temple is mahashivaratri, shiva kalyanam, Hanuman jayanti, Ramalingheshwara Brahmotsavan and also Sri Rama Navami. You can also visit during the auspicious days of Karthikh month and Magh month according to Hindu Calender.

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The place Dharmapuram is about 4 Kms from Karikal. The temple has a Raja gopuram of three tiers and two prakaram. This is One of 275 Siva Devara Sthalam.

Main Deity is Swayambu Lingam known as Yazhmoori Nadhar and his consort known as Theynamirtha Valli in a separate sanctum. Siva Lingam is seen with Silver kavacham in this temple. Vinayakar is known as Karpaga Vinayakar.

Sthala Vruksham is Plantain and Teertham of the temple known as Brahma teertham.

As we go around the prakaram we come across sanctum of Vinayalkar, Viswanadhar, Lingothbavar, Murugan, Gaja Lakshmi, Maha Vishnu, Durgai, and Chandikeswarar . Mahishasuran is seen at the back of Durgai.

Importance of the temple is Lord Siva played music in the instrument known as Yazh. Dakshina Moorthy other form of Lord Siva was listening to the music in slightly relaxed form. Here in this temple Dkshina Moorthy is seen slightly slanting to back.

Thiru Neelakanda Yazhpana Nayanar and his wife were great devotees of Lord Siva. They heard of service rendered by Thiru Gyana Sambandhar and joined him in visiting temples. Sambandhar used to sing Hymns on lord Siva, for which Yazhpanar used to play his instrument Yazh. He was feeling proud of his instrumental music perfection to all the Hymns of Sambandhar. Lord Siva wanted to teach him a lesson to bring down his ego.

Next day when they reached this place and Sambandhar sung Hymn on Lord Siva Yazhpana Nayanar was unable to tune with his instrument. He felt bad for his in- capability. He thought of breaking his instrument and suicide. At this hour Lord Siva revealed himself and played the instrument and danced for the same composition for which Yazhpana Nayanar was able to do in the morning. Listening to the music he got rid of the ego. Hence Lord Siva is known as Yazhmoori Nadhar.

Ambal sang when Lord Siva played the instrument and she did Abishekam for the Siva
Lingm with Honey and Amrutham(Nector) hence she is known as Theynamritha Valli.

Sthala Puranam Says, Yama lost his post, when he tried to take Markandeya’s soul by his pasam. Siva got angry and destroyed him, and he lost his post. Yama regretted for his act and requested Lord Siva to give back his post. Lord Siva said at appropriate time he will get his post once again. Yama came down and started visiting temples and penanced.

No one was there to do Yama’s job. There was no deaths occurring and Boodevi was feeling difficult. She prayed Lord to give life for Yama and help her. Yama when he came to this place he was given life again. Her he dug a pushkarani and worshiped Lord Siva and got back his post again. Teertham is known as Yama Teertham.

Thiru Gyana Sambandhar sang Hymns on Lord Siva of this place.

Shiva Lingam

Shiva is the third form of God as the Destroyer, one of the trimurti (popularly called the "Hindu trinity"). In the trimurti, Shiva is the destroyer, while Brahma and Vishnu are creator and preserver, respectively. However, even though he represents destruction, he is viewed as a positive force (The Destroyer of Evil), since creation follows destruction. Worshippers of Shiva are called Shaivaites. For Shaivaites, however, Shiva is the only Ultimate Reality.
Shiva lingam. Srinigar

Shiva lingam. Srinigar

Shiva is not limited to the personal characteristics as he is given in many images and can transcend all attributes. Hence, Shiva is often worshipped in an abstract manner, as God without form, in the form of lingam (or linga). This view is similar in some ways to the view of God in Semitic religions such as Islam or Judaism, which hold that God has no personal characteristics. Hindus, on the other hand, believe that God can transcend all personal characteristics yet can also have personal characteristics for the grace of the embodied human devotee. Personal characteristics are a way for the devotee to focus on God.
Hindus believe that if we can hear the voice of God in the way Judaeo-Christian religions believe that God communicates, then it is not neccessarily wrong to view a form of God so long as it is recognized that God is not limited to a particular form. Shiva is aadi (without beginning/birth) and ananta (without end/death).
According to the Bhagavata Purana, Lord Shiva appeared from the forehead of Lord Brahma. When Lord Brahma asked his sons (the four kaumaras} to go forth and create progeny in the universe, they refused. This angered Lord Brahma and in his anger a crying child appeared from his forehead. As the child was crying he was called Rudra, and became Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva was asked to go forth and create progeny, but when Lord Brahma observed his power, as they shared the qualities of Lord Shiva, he asked him to observe austerities instead of creating progeny. A slightly different version is told in the Shiva Purana: in the Shiva Purana, Shiva promises Brahma that an aspect of his, Rudra, will be born and this aspect is identical to Him.
Some of his chief attributes are signified by his hundreds of names, such as:-
Mahabaleshwar (Great God of Strength)
Tryambakam (Three-Eyed One, i.e. All-Knowing)
Mahakala (Great Time, i.e. Conqueror of Time)
Nilakantha (The one with a Blue Throat), etc.
Shiva is the supreme God of Shaivism, one of the two main branches of Hinduism today (the other being Vaishnavism). His abode is called Kailasa. His holy mount (called vahana in Sanskrit) is Nandi, the Bull. His attendant is named Bhadra. Shiva is usually represented by the Shiva linga (or lingam). He is generally represented in Hindu tradition as immersed in deep meditation, on Mount Kailash (reputed to be the same as the Mount Kailash in the south of Tibet, near Manasarovar Lake) in the Himalaya, which is supposed to be his abode.Shiva's consort is Devi, God's energy or God as the Divine Mother who comes in many different forms, one of whom is Kali, the goddess of death. Parvati, a more pacific form of Devi is also popular. Shiva also married Sati, daughter of Daksha, who forbade the marriage. Sati disobeyed her father and Daksha held a Yajna (ritual sacrifice) to Vishnu, but did not invite Shiva. In disgust, Sati sacrificed herself in the same fire Daksha used in his sacrifice. Shiva arrived at the scene, angry at the death of his wife, and killed many of the guests, as well as decapitating Daksha, though he later replaced his head with that of a goat. Shiva created the monster Virabhadra during his quarrel with Daksha, and he was the leader of Shiva's men who came to prevent Daksha from conducting the Yajna. According to legend (Shivpurana, Ramcharitmanas and other Hindu scriptures), this same Sati was reborn in the house of Himalaya (who is almost certainly the mountain-range personified) and performed a great tapa (sequence of austerities, culminating in sustained meditation on the object desired, which in this case, was the Lord Shiva). This tapa caused Shiva to break his Samadhi (State of deep, usually ecstatic meditation) and accept Parvati as his consort.Siva gave Parashurama his axe. Shiva's great bow is called Pinâka and thus he is also called Pinaki. Most depictions of Siva show the three-pointed spear Trishula in the background.
Shiva and Parvati are the parents of Karttikeya (also known as Murugan in South India) and Ganesh (Ganesha) (also known as Vinayagar in South India), the elephant-headed God of wisdom. He acquired his head due to the actions of Shiva, who decapitated him because Ganesh refused to allow him to enter the house while Parvati was bathing. Shiva had to give him the new head to placate his wife. In another version, Parvati showed the child off to Shani (The planet Saturn), whose gaze burned his head to ashes, which Brahma told Shiva to replace with the first head he could find, an elephant. Karttikeya is a six-headed god (thus called shadaanan, the one with six heads, Sanskrit: shad, six + aanan, head) and was conceived to kill the demon Tarakasura, who had proven invincible against other minor gods.According to the foundation myth of Kalism, Kali came into existence when Shiva looked into himself; she is his mirror image.
In another version, Kali had gone out to kill demons but she went on a rampage. To stop her, Shiva went and lay down on the ground in front of her path. When Kali stepped on him, she looked down and realized that she had just stepped on Shiva. Feeling ashamed, Kali stuck out her tongue, and the rampage ended.
As Nataraja, Shiva is the Lord of the Dance, and also symbolizes the dance of the Universe/Nature, with all its delicately balanced heavenly bodies and natural laws which complement and balance each other. At times, he is also symbolized as doing his great dance of destruction, called Taandav (Pronounced with a soft 't' and a hard 'd'), at the time of pralaya, or dissolution of the universe.
Some Hindus (non-Saivaites), especially Smartas, believe Shiva to be one of many different forms of the universal Atman, or Brahman, a monistic entity to which all things (essentially), and Shiva, as form of God are identical. Others see him as the one true God from whom all the other deities and principles are emanations, essentially a monotheistic understanding usually related to the bhakti sects of Shaivism.Although he is defined as a destroyer (or rather recreator), Siva, along with Vishnu, is considered the most benevolent God. One of his names is Aashutosh, he who is easy to please, or, he who gives a lot in return for a little.
Traditionally, unlike Vishnu, Shiva does not have any avatars. However, several persons have been claimed as avatars of him, such as Shankara. Some people consider Hanuman to be an avatar of Shiva.

Nayanars (or Nayanmars), saints from Southern India, were mostly responsible for development of Shaivism in the Middle Ages.
The important Shaivite sects were Kashmir Shavaites from Northern India, Lingayats and Virasaivas from Southern India. Saiva Siddhanta is a major Shaivite theory developed in Southern India.
Shiva is an aspect of God or Saguna Brahman,(i.e. God with form) who Hindus pray to. In trimurti belief, he is the aspect of God (i.e., God as the Destroyer) of the trimurti (also called the Hindu Trinity), along with Brahma and Vishnu.
Aspects of God such as Shiva or Vishnu are personal attributes of the impersonal Nirguna Brahman, God without attributes, the type of God similar in Semitic religions such as Islam or Judaism (i.e., God without form or without personal characteristics.) The term "Hindu god" should not be equated with Shiva and is confused with Devas. Devas or demigods, are celestial beings similar to angels as discussed in Judaeo-Christian traditions. Devas in Sanskrit literally means "shining beings".

Origin
Siva does not occur in the Vedic hymns as the name of a god, but as an adjective in the sense of "kind", or "auspicious". One of his synonyms, however, is the name of a Vedic deity, the attributes and nature of which show a good deal of similarity to the post-Vedic god. This is Rudra, the god of the roaring storm, usually portrayed in accordance with the element he represents, as a fierce, destructive deity, terrible as a wild beast, whose fearful arrows cause death and disease to men and cattle. He is also called bapardin (wearing his hair spirally braided like a shell), a word which in later times became one of the synonyms of Siva. The Atharva Veda mentions several other names of the same god, some of which appear even placed together, as in one passage Bhava, Sarva, Rudra and Pasupati. Possibly some of them were the names under which one and the same deity was already worshipped in different parts of northern India. This was certainly the case in later times, since it is expressly stated in one of the later works of the Brahmapa period, that Sarva was used by the Eastern people and Bhava by a Western tribe. It is also worthy of note that in the same work, composed at a time when the Vedic triad of Agni, Indra-Vayu and Surya was still recognized, attempts are made to identify Siva of many names with Agni; and that in one passage in the Mahabharata it is stated that the Brahmins said that Agni was Siva.
It is in his character as destroyer that Siva holds his place in the triad, and that he must, no doubt, be identified with the Vedic Rudra. Another very important function appears, however, to have been early assigned to him, on which much more stress is laid in his modern worship, that of destroyer being more especially exhibited in his consort, viz, the character of a generative power, symbolized in the emblem representing Him, (linga) and in the sacred bull (Nandi), the favorite attendant of Him. The non-Aryans have worshipped the linga as a phallic symbol. This feature, however, is entirely alien from the nature of the Vedic god, it has been conjectured with some plausibility, that the linga-worship was originally prevalent among the non-Aryan population, and was thence introduced into the worship of Siva. On the other hand, there can, we think, be little doubt that Siva, in his generative faculty, is the representative of another Vedic god whose nature and attributes go far to account for this particular feature of the modern deity, viz. Pushan.
Siva, originally, no doubt, a solar deity, is frequently invoked, as the lord of nourishment, to bestow food, wealth and other blessings. He is once, jointly with Soma, called the progenitor of heaven and earth, and is connected with the marriage ceremony, where he is asked to lead the bride to the bridegroom and make her prosperous (civatama). Moreover. Lie has the epithet bapardin (spirally braided), as have Rudra and the later Siva, and is called Par upa, or guardian of cattle, whence the latter derives his name Parupati.
Parupa is a strong, powerful, and even fierce and destructive aspect god, who, with his goad or golden spear, smites the foes of his worshipper, and thus in this respect offers at least some points of similarity to Rudra, which may have favored the fusion of the two gods into a monotheistic conception of God, into Shiva.
Adapted with permission from
Shiva Gifts:

Wikipedia. This 14th century statue depicts Shiva (on the left) and his wife Uma (on the right}. It is housed in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.