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Shiva is a major Hindu god who is worshiped by the Saivite sects of India. He is a complex god who embodies both contradictory qualities. He is the destroyer and the restorer, the great ascetic and the symbol of sensuality, the benevolent herdsman of souls and the wrathful avenger.
Shiva was originally known as Rudra, a minor deity who was only mentioned a few times in the Rig Veda. He gained importance after absorbing some of the characteristics of an earlier fertility god. He became Shiva, who is part of the trinity, or trimurti, with Vishnu and Brahma.
Shaivism is a Hindu religion that worships Shiva, the god of destruction and transformation. Shaivites believe that the soul is trapped in a cycle of birth and death, and they aim to free their souls from this cycle by achieving shivata, or the “nature of Shiva.” They do this through ascetic practices and penances, such as yoga and meditation. Many Shaivites also become wandering sadhus, or holy men. Shaivites mark their foreheads with three horizontal marks to represent the three aspects of Shiva: creation, preservation, and destruction.
The Hindu god Shiva is often shown wearing a snake around his arms and neck. This symbolizes his power over even the most deadly creatures. Snakes are also used to symbolize the Hindu belief in reincarnation. The process of a snake shedding its skin is similar to the way a human soul is reborn into a new body after death.
The town of Thiruvalangadu, north of Madras, is associated with a dance contest between Shiva and his consort, Kali. According to legend, Shiva danced so vigorously that he threw his leg up in the air. Kali, being a woman, could not do the same and was defeated. This dance and the subjugation of Kali are described in the hymns of the female saint-poet Karaikkal Ammai.
Here are some of the difficult words and phrases in the paragraph and their simpler meanings:
- Hindu: A person who follows the Hindu religion.
- god: A supernatural being who is worshipped.
- shiva: The Hindu god of destruction and regeneration.
- consort: A wife or female partner of a ruler or god.
- kali: The Hindu goddess of death and destruction.
- reincarnation: The belief that a person’s soul is reborn into a new body after death.
- hymn: A song of praise or worship.