Understanding the Meaning of Shiva in Hinduism, Other Symbolisms (2024)

Shivais the most difficult of the ‘Holy Trinity’ to describe. His character is the most complex amongst the three aspects of the ‘Unmanifest Supreme Lord’. He is at once merciful and dreadful — most benevolent and most ruthless when angry. He is attired in just a tiger skin with snakes round his neck and arms — a necklace of human skulls and another of his favorite bead Rudraksha — His body is covered with ash.

Shiva means pure or auspicious. Shiva is that name that denotes a univibrational energy that is non dual in nature and is free from the Trigunas of Satva, Rajas and Tamas. Shiva is auspicious because it depicts the true nature of the soul that is untouched by Trigunas, transcendental and beyond the ever-changing cosmos. The true meaning of Shiva lies in supreme consciousness, effulgence and an awareness that is unaffected by Maya ( illusion). Shiva is the one who is non existent and unbound in the physical form of existence.

30th verse of Shiva Mahimna Stotra composed by Pushpadanta states:

बहुल-रजसे विश्वोत्पत्तौ भवाय नमो नमः
प्रबल-तमसे तत्‌ संहारे हराय नमो नमः।
जन-सुखकृते सत्त्वोद्रिक्तौ मृडाय नमो नमः
प्रमहसि पदे निस्त्रैगुण्ये शिवाय नमो नमः॥ ३०॥

Salutations to you in the name of Bhava in as much as you create the world by taking the Rajas as the dominant quality; salutations to you in the name of Hara in as much as you destroy the world by taking the Tamas as the dominant quality; salutations to you in the name of Mrida in as much as you maintain and protect the world by taking Satva as the dominant quality . Again salutations to youin the name of Shivain as much asyou are beyond the above-mentioned three qualities and are the seat of the supreme bliss.

Thus ‘Shiva’ represents that which is beyond three Gunas (NisTraigunya).

Madhusudana Saraswati has written a commentary on Shiva Mahimna Stotram and for the phrase “ निस्त्रैगुण्ये शिवाय नमो नमः॥” he has commented upon as:

प्रमहसिपदे निस्त्रैगुण्ये शिवाय नमो नमः – निर्गतं त्रैगुण्यं यस्मात्न्निस्त्रैगुण्यं तस्मिन्पदे पदनीये तत्पदप्राप्तििमित्तम् । कीदृशे ? प्रमहसि प्रकष्टं मायया अनभिभूतं महो ज्योिर्स्मिन्स्था । सर्वोत्तमप्रकाशरूपत्रिगुणशून्यमोक्षनिमित्तमित्यर्थः ।शिवाय – निस्त्रैगुण्यमङ्गलस्वरूपाय ’शिवमद्वैतं चतुर्थं मन्यन्ते ’ इति श्रुतेः । प्रमहसि पदे सथिताय इति वा ।

Now the explanation of the phrase “NisTraigunya Shivaya Namo Namaha.” Shiva transcends the three guṇas so he is called ‘Nirgata Traigunya’. Why is Shiva to be prostrated? With a view to attain Him, His state.What is His nature, state? The Supreme Consciousness, effulgence, unaffected, untouched by Maya is what He is. That is the supreme state of mokṣa which is free of all three guṇas.Shiva is the Mangala swarupa beyond three Gunas.Shruti says ‘Shivam advaitam chaturtham manyante’ That pure auspicious essence that is free of the three guṇas which is non-dual, called the ‘fourth’ (Turiya).Thus the explanation of the phrase ends.

The above citation “ शिवमद्वैतं चतुर्थं मन्यन्ते ’” ie.”That Non-Dual Shiva is called the fourth” is from the 7th verse of the Mandukya Upanishad which describes Turiya state:

नान्तःप्रज्ञं न बहिष्प्रज्ञं नोभयतःप्रज्ञं न प्रज्ञानघनं
न प्रज्ञं नाप्रज्ञम् । अदृष्टमव्यवहार्यमग्राह्यमलक्षणं
अचिन्त्यमव्यपदेश्यमेकात्मप्रत्ययसारं प्रपञ्चोपशमं
शान्तंशिवमद्वैतं चतुर्थं मन्यन्ते स आत्मा स विज्ञेयः॥

The Fourth is thought of as that which is not conscious of the internal world, nor conscious of the external world, nor conscious of both the worlds, nor dense with consciousness, nor simple consciousness, nor unconsciousness, which is unseen, actionless, incomprehensible, uninferable, unthinkable, indescribable, whose proof consists in the identity of the Self (in all states), in which all phenomena come to a cessation, and which isunchanging, auspicious, and non-dual. That is the Self; that is to be known.

Shiva Purana Koti Rudra Samhita chapter 42 also states:

शिवे त्रिगुणसम्भिन्ने रुद्रे तु गुणधामनि ।
वस्तुतो न हि भेदोऽस्ति स्वर्णे तद्भूषणो यथा ।।

There is absolutely no difference betweenShiva who is beyond the three gunas(satva, rajas and tamas) and Rudra, possessing all the gunas, in the same way as there is no difference between the gold and the gold ornaments.

Thus, Shiva means the transcendental state, the nature of Atman, which is untouched by Trigunas and which is ever unchanging.

In Shiv Rahasya, the word Shiva is split into two parts. ‘Shi’ means that in whom everything rests and ‘Va’ means by whose power everything moves.

Definition of Shiva is directly given in chapter 4 ofShiv Rahasyawhile Lord Shiva explaining himself.

I am Shiva, theStillness (Shi)Whereofall Movement (Va)is born. As Water, Fire and the Sun at once move and are still, so I, the Great Lifeboth Move and Stand Still. Verse 8.

Also, from the same scripture in chapter 7, we find.

Lord Shiva said:For this reason,the Wise Ones have called Him Shiva which means, That in Whom everything rests (Shi) and by Whose Power everything moves (Va). I Am that Shiva, the Original Ever-Living One; the Unseen and Uncreated Who Ever Is before everything that is seen and created is born or dies. verse 3.

Therefore Siva word is a combination of two syllables – Shi + Va.

1. Shidenotes seed, primordial cause, stillness etc.
2. Vadenoted creation from seed, effect of primordial cause, creation etc.

Thus, Shiva word represents the one who has created the world (movement) yet not have become two (stillness). i.e Oneness has been being maintained even after creation. So, Shiva can also meanwho is never changed.

Thus Shiva indicates the one who is the reason for existence in this world in its spectacular diversity but yet continues to stay still. So Shiva also means the one who is stable and never changed.

Sohum ( Iam He) and Shivohum ( Iam Shiva) denote the stillness wherein all movement is born and where all movement becomes still. Siva is the unseen uncreated who preceded every creation that is visible. Shiva is also that energy that is “ Sarva moola nivasane” ( The primordial cause that resides at the root of existence). Thus Shiva could also mean the original true force that is ever auspicious and necessary for existence and movement while maintaining stability. This flow of truth is Shiva, Pure existence is Shiva, Illumination of the Soul is Shiva. The meaning of Shiva is endless as it is that divine energy that has no beginning or end.

Lord Shiva’s Roop

His hair is in matted strands and hangs down to his chest — but also has it piled up on top of his head in a ‘jatta’ on which rests the moon (on the left side). The sacred river Ganga falls on his head from the heavens and then flows down to the earth. He visits the cremation grounds and has ghosts and spirits as his entourage.He dances the ‘Tandav’ when angry — a dance that can destroy the entire world and even the Universe. His third eye in the middle of the eyebrows can burn anything and anyone — when opened in anger. This angry aspect is named ‘rudra’ synonymous with the name of the child that came out of the forehead of Brahma when he was very annoyed with the four rishis — Sanskra, Sanayatak, Sankada and Sanat Kumar for not appearing to populate the world.This aspect is awesome but being a part of the ‘Unmanifest Supreme Lord’ He cannot be divorced from the benevolence of ‘Ishwar’. The real meaning of ‘Rudra’ is to relieve from sorrows. Perhaps death is a release from all sorrows of life and living, hence the name.

States of Lord Shiva

Nirgun: This is the formless state of Mahadev. The whole universe and creation lie in the pervasiveness of Shiva.

Saguna: In this state, Shiva is the while universe and his “ansh” is present in the whole creation.

Nirgun-Sagun: In the Nirgun-Sagun state, Shiva is worshipped as the Shivalingam. The word Shivalingam has been derived from Sanskrit roots Shiva (Lord) + Lingam (Mark/Chinha/Symbol). Hence, Shivalingam is the mark of the lord within its creation.

Shiva is represented in a variety of forms: in a pacific mood with his consortParvatiand sonSkanda, as the cosmic dancer (Nataraja), as a nakedascetic, as a mendicant beggar, as a yogi, as a Dalit (formerly called untouchable) accompanied by a dog (Bhairava), and as theandrogynousunion of Shiva and his consort in one body, half-male and half-female (Ardhanarishvara). He is both the great ascetic and the master of fertility, and he is the master of both poison and medicine, through his ambivalent power over snakes. As Lord of Cattle (Pashupata), he is thebenevolentherdsman—or, at times, the merciless slaughterer of the “beasts” that are the human souls in his care. Although some of the combinations of roles may be explained by Shiva’s identification with earlier mythological figures, they arise primarily from a tendency in Hinduism to see complementary qualities in a singleambiguousfigure.

Shiva’s female consort is known under variousmanifestationsas Uma,Sati, Parvati,Durga, andKali; Shiva is also sometimes paired withShakti, the embodiment of power. The divine couple, together with their sons—Skandaand the elephant-headedGanesha—are said to dwell on Mount Kailasa in theHimalayas. The six-headed Skanda is said to have been born of Shiva’s seed, which was shed in the mouth of the god of fire,Agni, and transferred first to the riverGangesand then to six of the stars in the constellation of thePleiades. According to another well-knownmyth, Ganesha was born when Parvati created him out of the dirt she rubbed off during a bath, and he received his elephant head from Shiva, who was responsible for beheading him. Shiva’s vehicle in the world, hisvahana, is thebullNandi; a sculpture of Nandi sits opposite the main sanctuary of many Shiva temples. In temples and in private shrines, Shiva is also worshipped in the form of thelingam, a cylindrical votary object that is often embedded in ayoni, or spouted dish.

Shiva is usually depicted in painting and sculpture as white (from the ashes of corpses that are smeared on his body) with a blue neck (from holding in his throat the poison that emerged at thechurning of the cosmic ocean, which threatened to destroy the world), his hair arranged in a coil of matted locks (jatamakuta) and adorned with the crescent moon and the Ganges (according tolegend, he brought theGanges Riverto earth from the sky, where she is the Milky Way, by allowing the river to trickle through his hair, thus breaking her fall). Shiva has three eyes, the third eye bestowing inward vision but capable of burning destruction when focused outward. He wears a garland of skulls and a serpent around his neck and carries in his two (sometimes four) hands a deerskin, a trident, a small hand drum, or a club with a skull at the end. That skull identifies Shiva as a Kapalika (“Skull-Bearer”) and refers to a time when he cut off the fifth head ofBrahma. The head stuck to his hand until he reachedVaranasi(now inUttar Pradesh, India), a city sacred to Shiva. It then fell away, and a shrine for the cleansing of all sins, known as Kapala-mochana (“The Releasing of the Skull”), was later established in the place where it landed.

The Moon Crescent – Ardha-Chandrama

The moon on Shiva’s forehead depicts control on time in terms of nature, if we look at this from a scientific and philosophical point of view. In ancient times, the waxing and waning of the moon was used to calculate the days and months. Hence, the Moon symbolizes time and it’s presence on Lord Shiva’s head denotes that time is completely in control of Shiva. Control on time and the moon is important to control nature.Hence, it is Chandrashekhara alone who can control time

Body smeared with ashes

This symbol has a deeper meaning to it. It represents that Shiva’s presence is higher than material presence. Tsh ash which is to be seen, it is not an ordinary one. It is the ash from a cemetery. It matches the Hindu philosophy of life and death, in which, death is the ultimate reality of life. Shiva is the God of destruction, and everything in the end is converted into ashes. Therefore, it represents that everything, in the end, can be reduced to ashes. It also signifies that the Lord goes beyond the circle of life and death.

Matted Hair / Jata

This symbol signifies that Shiva is the Lord of Wind or Vayu and in every moment, every human being breathes him. It represents Shiva as the Pashupatinath, the Lord of All Living Beings. The Ganga Ganga is River Goddess and the most sacred river in Hindu dharma. Legend has it that the river has the source in Shiva, and it flows from His matted hair and hence represented by water smothering out of the head of Shiva and falling on the ground. Rumour also has it that it that Shiva himself allowed that water to flow to human beings through an outlet in the river to traverse the earth. Hence, the water is said to be pure. It is also the reason behind Shiva’s name “Gangadhara”, which means “Bearer of the river Ganga”. Sanatana Dharma tells us that Lord Shiva is not just a god of destruction, but also a conveyor of purity and peace.

The Ganga

Ganga is River Goddess and the most sacred river in Hindu dharma. Legend has it that the river has the source in Shiva, and it flows from His matted hair and hence represented by water smothering out of the head of Shiva and falling on the ground. Rumour also has it that it that Shiva himself allowed that water to flow to human beings through an outlet in the river to traverse the earth. Hence, the water is said to be pure. It is also the reason behind Shiva’s name “Gangadhara”, which means “Bearer of the river Ganga”. Sanatana Dharma tells us that Lord Shiva is not just a god of destruction, but also a conveyor of purity and peace.

The Third Eye

Lord Shiva is often seen with a 3rd eye and is also known with names such as Triyambhkam, Trinetra etc. The third eye of Shiva is symbol for his devotees which urges them to develop the sight of knowledge. The 2 eyes of ours, are not always enough to judge things. We meet not be able to look at some realities. His third eye represents the rejection of desire. Even a normal man must have Samta(balance), Sadhuta (purity of character), and Doordrishti (broader vision). He must not fall prey to desires arising out of women(other than wife), money(other than that which is earned by sweat and purity), fame(other than that which arises out of sattvic actions. From the Yogic point of view, it is said that when the pineal gland or ‘third eye’ is awakened, one is able to see beyond space-time into time-space. It raises the frequency on which one operates and moves one into a higher consciousness.. with more research it is being realized that it is essentially a spiritual antenna the mystical third eye of ‘lord Shiva’. For many eons, the third eye has been seen as a way to reach higher levels of consciousness while still being present in a physical body. The purpose of this third eye is the key here, which opens the door to the metaphysical interpretations that ancient wisdom talks about. The pineal gland is also responsible for secreting two extremely vital brain fluids related to our mental health. Those are melatonin, which is the hormone that induces sleep, and serotonin, which is the chemical that helps to maintain a happy, healthy balanced mental state of mind, among other functions.

Half Open Eyes

If you look closely, you will notice that Lord Shiva’s eyes are not completely open. They’re half open. This conveys that the cycle of the universe is still in process. A new cycle of creation begins when Shiva opens his eyes fully. Afterwards, the universe is completely destroyed till the next phase of creation begins. Half opened eyes of Shiva depict that the process of creation has no end or beginning.

The Snake Around the Neck

The snake which coils 3 times round the neck of Lord Shiva represents time. It represents the most accurate form of time, to be precise: the past, the present and the future. The cyclic nature of time is signified by the coils. Shiva wearing the snake depicts that He is immune to the And him wearing the snake shows that Shiva is immune to the rage of both time and death. They also represent resting energy which is called Kundalini Shakti that inhabits within him.

Tripunda

There are 3 stripes on Shiva’s forehead known as the Tripunda. They are a symbol of 3 Gunas:

1. Sattva Guna – is harmonious, pure, welfare and construction base, kindness, goodness, creative, balanced Rajas
2. Guna – is confusion, overactive or eager, passionate, self-centered, egoist
3. Tamas Guna – is lazy, heavy, destructive, impure, destructive

Damaru, the Drum

The Damaru represents the cosmic sound. The sound which the Damaru produces is known as Pranavamand and it represents the “Shabda Brahma” or OM. When a damaru is vibrated it produces different sounds. Theses sounds are fused together to by resonance to create one sound. The sound which is produced, depicts Nada. Nada is the cosmic sound of AUM and can be heard during deep meditation. Scriptures suggest that when Shiva mode of creation, his damru vibrates 14 times. These 14 basic formulae contain all the alphabets in Sanskrit arranged in ways to facilitate various grammatical processes. Therefore, the Damaru represents alphabets, grammar, and language itself.

Trishul

There are three prongs in the spear of Shiva, and they represent three of the fundamental power of Shiva: will (icchya), action (kriya) and jnana (knowledge). This represents that he can destroy evil and ignorance. It also represents that the evildoers are punished by the Lord in three planes: spiritual, subtle and physical.

Kamandalu

Kamandalu is also an accessory of Shiva, like others. It is a pot of water, which is made from dry pumpkin and it contains “Amrit”. It is said to represent the Yogi side of the Lord, but with a deeper meaning. Like the rice pumpkin is plucked from the plant, with the removal of its fruit and it’s shell is cleaned in order to carry the pure Amrit. Similarly, a person should give up on the materialistic world and remove the sense of egoism from themselves in order to achieve and find the purely spiritual form.

Concluding, Mahadev as Lord Shiva is popularly known as, is one of the most complex deity in Hinduism. Hindus consider him as the reason for all the causes. The word ‘Shiva’ simply means auspicious. However, it is far more than humans’ reach to understand the true meaning and essence of Shiva. This was our attempt in explaining and bringing to you, a divine drop of the vast ocean.

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