Lord Shiva

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LORD SHIVA

Different Names of Lord Shiva SHIVA LINGA

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The Two Images of Shiva Worship of the Linga The 12 Jyotirlingas icons Rudraksha Incarnation natraj Parivar 108 names Nandi vrat Maha shivratree Shiv chalisa

LORD SHIVA
It is said that Brahma sat in deep meditation holding all his vital energies and from the sound of Om that he held close to his heart, emerged Shiv. He came out of Brahmas forehead. Shiv married twice, once the granddaughter of Brahma, named Sati and also married Sati again when she was reborn as Parvati, the daughter of the King of the Himalayas, Daksha. He had two sons, G anesh and Kartikeya. Shiv is destroyer of evil and the most feared of the gods. He is commonly depicted seated in profound thought, with a third eye in the middle of his forehead. His hair is matted and the crescent moon sits on his head. The river Ganges flows from his head. One popular myth has it that the Divine river Ganges condescended to come down to earth after being assured that Shiv the great god of the Himalayan mountains, had been pleased with a devotees penance, and had agreed to bear the impact of the falling torrents of the river by controlling it in the matted locks of his head. Lord Shiva represents the aspect of the Supreme Being (Brahman of the Upanishads) that continuously dissolves to recreate in the cyclic process of creation, preservati on, dissolution and recreation of the universe. As stated earlier, Lord Shiva is the third member of the Hindu Trinity, the other two being Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu. Owing to His cosmic activity of dissolution and recreation, the words destroyer and de struction have been erroneously associated with Lord Shiva. This difficulty arises when people fail to grasp the true significance of His cosmic role. The creation sustains itself by a delicate balance between the opposing forces of good and evil. When thi s balance is disturbed and sustenance of life becomes impossible, Lord Shiva dissolves the universe for creation of the next cycle so that the unliberated souls will have another opportunity to liberate themselves from bondage with the physical world. Thus, Lord Shiva protects the souls from pain and suffering that would be caused by a dysfunctional universe. In analogous cyclic processes, winter is essential for spring to appear and the night is necessary for the morning to follow. To further illustrate, a goldsmith does not destroy gold when he melts old irreparable golden jewelry to create beautiful new ornaments.

Lord Shiva is the Lord of mercy and compassion. He protects devotees from evil forces such as lust, greed, and anger. He grants boons, bestow s grace and awakens wisdom in His devotees. The symbolism discussed below includes major symbols that are common to all pictures and images of Shiva venerated by Hindus. Since the tasks of Lord Shiva are numerous, He cannot be symbolized in one form. For this reason the images of Shiva vary significantly in their symbolism. The unclad body covered with ashes: the unclad body symbolizes the transcendental aspect of the Lord. Since most things reduce to ashes when burned, ashes symbolize the physical univers e. The ashes on the unclad body of the Lord signify that Shiva is the source of the entire universe which emanates from Him, but He transcends the physical phenomena and is not affected by it.

DIFFERENT NAMES OF LORD SHIVA

One of the most important Hindu deities, Lord Shiva is known by several names. The Shiva Purana list 1008 names for Lord Shiva. Each of these names in Sanskrit signifies certain attribute of the Lord. Given here are 108 names of Lord Shiva with their meaning.

S No

Lord Shiva

Name Meaning

S No

Lord Shiva

Name Meaning

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Aashutosh Aja Akshayaguna Anagha

One who fulfills wishes instantly Unborn God with limitless attributes Without any fault

26 Gunagrahin Acceptor of Gunas 27 Gurudeva Master of All 28 Hara Remover of Sins 29 Jagadisha Master of the Universe 30 Jaradhishamana Redeemer from Afflictions 31 Jatin One who has matted hair 32 Kailas One Who Bestows Peace 33 Kailashadhipati Lord of Mount Kailash 34 Kailashnath Master of Mount Kailash 35 Kamalakshana Lotus-eyed Lord 36 Kantha Ever-Radiant 37 Kapalin One who wears a necklace of skulls 38 KhatvanginOne who has the missile khatvangin in his hand 39 Kundalin One who wears earrings 40 Lalataksha One who has an eye in the forehead 41 Lingadhyaksha Lord of the Lingas 42 Lingaraja Lord of the Lingas 43 Lokankara Creator of the Three Worlds 44 Lokapal One who takes care of the world 45 Mahabuddhi Extremely intelligent 46 Mahadeva Greatest God 47 Mahakala Lord of All Times 48 MahamayaOf great illusions 49 Mahamrityunjaya Great victor of death 50 Mahanidhi Great storehouse

Anantadrishti Of infinite vision Augadh One who revels all the time

Avyayaprabhu Imperishable Lord Bhairav Bhalanetra Bholenath Lord of terror On e who has an eye in the forehead Kind hearted Lord

Bhooteshwara Lord of ghosts and evil beings Bhudeva Bhutapala Chandrapal Lord of the earth Protector of the ghosts Master of the moon

Chandraprakash One who has moon as a crest Dayalu Devadeva Dhanadeepa Dhyanadeep Dhyutidhara Digambara Durjaneeya Durja ya Compassionate Lord of the Lords Lord of Wealth Icon of meditation and concentration Lord of Brilliance One who has the skies as his clothes Difficult to be known Unvanquished

Gangadhara Lord of River Ganga Girijapati Consort of Girija

S No

Lord Shiva

Name Meaning

S No

Lord Shiva

Name Meaning

51 Mahashaktimaya One who has boundless energies 52 Mahayogi 53 Mahesha 54 Maheshwara Greatest of all Gods Supreme Lord Lord of Gods

81 Shambhu

Abode of Joy

82 Shankara Giver of Joy 83 Shiva Always Pure 84 Shoolin One who has a trident 85 Shrikantha 86 Shrutiprakasha Of glorious neck Illuminator of the Vedas

55 Nagabhushana One who has serpents as ornaments 56 Nataraja King of the art of dancing 57 Nilakantha 58 Nityasundara 59 Nrityapriya 60 Omkara 61 Palanhaar The one with a blue throat

87 Shuddhavigraha One who has a pure body

Ever beautiful

88 Skandaguru
Lover of Dance

Preceptor of Skanda Lord of All Gods

89 Someshwara
Creator of OM One who protects everyone

90 Sukhada Bestower of happiness

62 Parameshwara First among all gods First among all gods 63 Paramjyoti Greatest splendor 64 Pashupati Lord of all living beings 65 Pinakin 66 Pranava One who has a bow in his hand Originator of the syllable of OM

91 SupritaWell pleased 92 Suragana Having Gods as attendants

93 Sureshwara Lord of All Gods 94 Swayambhu Self-Manifested 95 Tejaswani One who spreads illumination 96 Trilochana Three-Eyed Lord 97 Trilokpati Master of all the Three Worlds 98 Tripurari Enemy of Tripura

67 Priyabhakta Favorite of the devotees 68 Priyadarshana Of loving vision 69 Pushkara One who gives nourishment

70 Pushpalochana One who has eyes like flowers 71 Ravilochana 72 Rudra 73 Rudraksha 74 Sadashiva 75 Sanatana Having sun as the eye The terrible One who has eyes like Rudra Eternal God Eternal Lord

99 Trishoolin One who has a trident in his hands 100 Umapati Consort of Uma 101 Vachaspati 102 Vajrahasta Lord of Speech One who has a thunderbolt in his hands

103 Varada Granter of Boons 104 Vedakarta Originator of the Vedas

76 Sarvacharya Preceptor of All

105 Veerabhadra Supreme Lord of the Nether World

77 Sarvashiva 78 Sarvatapana 79 Sarvayoni 80 Sarveshwara Always Pure

106 Vishalaksha
Scorcher of All Source of Everything Lord of All Gods

Wide-eyed Lord

107 Vishveshwara Lord of the Universe 108 Vrishavahana One who has bull as his vehicle

SHIVA LINGA The renowned sage Bhrigu once ventured to the abode of Lord Shiva, wanting to consult him on an important spiritual matter. On reaching, he knocked the door of Shiva's residence. There was no reply. He knocked again, this time a little louder. No avail. The knocking turned to pounding and then to a desperate beating. Finally Shiva emerged, taking his own time. He had his wife Parvati on his left arm. Obviously, the Great Lord had thought it fit to first complete his lovemaking with the goddess, rather than immediately divert his attention to the venerated ascetic. Incensed at the treatment meted out to him, the sage cursed Shiva that henceforth, since he was so fond of making love, he would be worshipped in the image of his organ of generation, rather than his anthropomorphic representation. Thus, to this day, Shiva is worshipped in the form of the male organ of procreation, often alone, and frequently conjoined with the corresponding female organ, which is sculpted as a receptacle to receive Shiva's seed. This representation of Shiva is known as the lingam. The word lingam literally means a 'sign' or distinguishing mark. Thus says the Linga Purana: "The distinctive sign by which one can recognize the nature of something is called lingam." There are variations on the birth of this symbol of Lord Shiva, some of which ascribe an esoteric and abstract origin to it. For example when Shiva is visualized as the intangible primordial Creative Power, the lingam is said to be his sign (symbol) which can be worshipped by his followers, who require a concrete entity to focus their prayers on. This stream of thought however does not negate the phallic connotations of the lingam. Its literal meaning as a distinguishing mark links these two interpretations. Consider a newborn male child. What is the sign which distinguishes its sex? Thus, the phallus is the lingam, the symbol of Shiva's manhood, and of which the human organ is just a microcosmic reflection. Another instructive legend describes why the lingam is believed to be one of the most potent emblems in Hindu ideals. It all started with Brahma and Vishnu, who were arguing over their relative supremacy. Their vain arguments were interrupted by a superluminous glow from a strange and blazing pillar, its shape reminiscent of the linga. Both of them sped towards this indescribable flaming light, which grew before their eyes into infinity, piercing the earth and extending through the heavens. Overwhelmed and terrified by the unfathomable vision, the two gods decided to seek the beginning and end of this burning immensity. Brahma taking the form of a swan flew upwards, and Vishnu dove down acquiring the shape of a boar. Both of the gods however, could not fathom the extent of this fiery column at either end, and returned exhausted and bewildered to the level they had started from. At that moment, the central part of the pi llar split open and Shiva revealed himself in his full glory. Overawed, both Brahma and Vishnu bowed before him. Thunderous laughter, or the sound of AUM, issued from the pillar, filling the sky. Primarily, the glowing, flaming linga was a pillar of fire, connecting heaven and earth. It had no end and no beginning, but it had direction, upwards, as does the earthly fire. In metaphysical terms, it was (is), the vertical axis which both holds apart and joins heaven and earth, dividing and uniting them at the same time, an apt symbol of cosmic integrity. Like the Tree of Life, it is both the foundation and support that ensures equilibrium between heaven and earth. In Vedic hymns, Rudra (an epithet for Shiva) is identified with Agni, who in these sacred texts is deified as the carrier of the sacrificial offerings to the gods for whom they are intended. Hence, Agni is the mediator between men and gods, and acts as a metaphysical bridge between the two, just like the cosmic linga. A pertinent observation here is th at every creative process is accompanied by the generation of heat. Indeed the sexual act is nothing but the offering of the seed of life into the sacred fire of love. Hence, Agni, the God of Fire, is eminently suited as a metaphoric emblem of the tejas (c reative heat) of Shiva, both metaphysically and physically.

In this context it is interesting to note that in temples where the linga is worshipped, there is often a conical pot (Skt. Dharapatra), kept hanging over it. At the bottom of this vessel is a small hole, from which water drips continuously. The idea is to cool the 'fiery' linga. In the shrine, Shiva is eternally in embrace of the goddess. By entering the sacred enclosure we are, in a sense, interrupting his amours. Thus water is poured to stifle the hotheaded god's temper. Shiva is Bhairava (quick -tempered), but he is also Ashutosh (One who calms down quickly). Indeed, a devotee needs to calm his god before asking for favors. Another description of the origin of the lingam give s a more sensuous portrayal. According to this view, there once lived in a forest, a group of hermits with their wives. At some point of time, Shiva ventured their way, resplendent in his naked glory. The virtuous wives, the very epitomes of chastity, lost all their moral qualms, and went berserk with desire at the sight of his tempting body. In addition to their restraint, they also shed their inhibitions, ornaments, and clothes, and embraced this naked stranger in a wild, uncontrolled frenzy. In one version, the forest sages gave a similar curse to Shiva as Bhrigu above. A second source says that naturally angered by this unabashed display of passion by their better halves, they snatched out Shiva's phallus and threw it on the ground. In a sacred twist to the tale, it is believed that it broke into twelve pieces when it struck the earth, and at each of the spots a pilgrimage center sprung up. These twelve sacred sites are today known as the 'Twelve Jyotirlingas,' and are important destinations in the itiner ary of a Shaivite pilgrim. The word jyotirlinga itself means a 'linga of light,' thus further cementing the association of Shiva's phallus with the cosmic pillar of light.

Yet another legend says that the severed linga of Shiva proved to be proverbially t oo hot to handle. Falling to the ground, it did not come to rest, but moved about, burning anything and everything that came in its way. Even the combined efforts of all the gods could not restrain its fierce fieriness. Finally it was Mother Earth, whom the linga penetrated, who managed to quench it inside her womb. In this regard it must also be stressed here that though Shiva is visualized as an ithyphallic deity, his true message is not a licence to licentiousness. According to Agehananda Bharati, Shiva' s erect organ connotes the very opposite in this context. It stands for 'seminal retention,' and represents complete yogic control of the senses. Shiva's linga is always vertical, pointing upwards as the phallus of an accomplished yogi, with the semen (San skrit. virya) rising up, rather than discharging itself.

Here a parallel is drawn with the uncoiled energy of kundalini, which rises and climbs the length of its path. Indeed the vertical is the direction of the sacred; it is a symbol of ascent, pointing to heaven and transcendent regions. The spermatozoid substance when reabsorbed through sexual abstinence, nourishes the cerebral matter. Rising, according to yogic formula, through the subtle channels flanking the backbone, it renders the intellectual facu lties more acute. The Yogi perceives sexual energy as though it were coiled up at the base of the spine, which is why it is called kundalini (coiled) and likened to a sleeping snake. When, by means of mental concentration, it awakens and unwinds its coils, it rises like a column of fire toward the zenith, toward the top of the skull and pierces it to reach the transcendent worlds. Shiva's liberated phallus represents this illuminating power rising heavenward beyond the material world. Thus is the linga likened to a pillar of light, guiding us to true knowledge.

THE TWO IMAGES OF SHIVA Images of Shiva are of two kinds: iconic (anthropomorphic) and aniconic. The former represents Shiva as a human being while the latter envisages an abstract origin for him. In this manner is Shiva different from other deities. The images of all other deities bestow only sensuous enjoyment since they are invariably represented in an anthropomorphic form, appealing solely to the sense organs. But Shiva grants both enjoyment and spiritual release. As an icon, he has the body of man, but in his aniconic form he is visualized as the cosmic pillar. Yet this pillar also evokes his phallus. As an abstract shape, the pillar symbolizes a purely conceptual reality that cannot be sen sed in material terms. Visually however, the shape of the cylindrical pillar with a rounded top resembles that of the phallus. Also when the time came for Shiva to reveal himself to both Brahma and Vishnu, he did so in the form of a linga. Hence the linga is an object of the greatest sanctity, more sacred than any anthropomorphic image of Shiva. Not surprisingly thus, the innermost sanctuary of all Shiva temples is reserved for the linga, while the outer precincts of the sacred architecture may show him in his human form. Indeed, though his iconic images abound, no such image ever occupies the center of attention in a Shiva temple, this honor being reserved exclusively for his linga. According to Stella Kramrisch, the linga of Shiva has three levels of signi fication, these are: 1). As a sign of Shiva: This is evident in the literary meaning of the word 'linga,' and also in the fact that the linga fell from Shiva's own body. Indeed, God resides in whatever is part of god. 2). The Linga as Phallus: This is depicted in the tale of the curse of sage Bhrigu, and Shiva's violation of the chaste wives of the ascetics in the forest. 3). The Linga as made up of cosmic substance: Established in the tale of the rivalry of Brahma and Vishnu. In a different three -fold division, it is believed that the linga contains within itself all the three divinities making up the Indian trinity of Supreme Godhead, namely Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Brahma abides in the lower part that is hidden inside the earth. Vishnu occupies the midd le portion of the linga that is covered by the pedestal, and finally there is Shiva, in the top portion that is visible above the pedestal. The Shiva portion (Rudra -bhaga) is also known as 'puja -ansha,' or the part of the linga that is to be worshipped. The Vishnu part is identified with Devi ('yonis tu jagad -dhatri Vishnu-svarupini). The Rudra bhaga is said to be masculine, Vishnu part feminine, and the Brahma part neuter. There is a logical framework behind this identification. Shiva's masculinity is obvi ous because of his phallic connotations, while Vishnu is often visualized as a woman in ancient mythology. This has its origin in the incident, when to deprive the demons of the nectar of immortality, Vishnu took on the form of a woman, aptly named Mohini (one who bewitches). Lastly Brahma, as the creator, represents that primordial unmanifest state which precedes all creation. In this archetypal state there is no perceptible duality, and no distinction of positive and negative forces. Only when there is a tendency to create does the first spark of duality appear in this undifferentiated stratum. This duality has the character of complementary poles of attraction, which is eventually manifested in the whole of creation by male and female characteristics. Hence Brahma, by virtue of preceding the duality inherent in creation, is non -dual, neither male, nor female.

Most commonly, in the sanctuaries where it is worshipped, the lingam is represented surrounded by the female organ of generation, the yoni. he yoni grasps the lingam, and indeed it is only when the phallus, the giver of semen, is surrounded by the yoni that procreation can take place. rom the relation of linga and yoni, the whole world arises. Everything therefore bears the signature of thelinga and the yoni. Each individual linga that enters a womb and procreates is a harbinger of divinity, and engaging in a sacred act. Brahma has for his cogni ance, the lotus. or Vishnu it is the discus; and Indra has his thunderbolt. But we ordinary mortals do not carry any of the distinguishing characteristics of these gods. n the other hand, each of us does have either a linga or a womb. ence all creatures of this world are but a part of the composite image of the Shiva linga, grasped by the womb of h e goddess. t Since the linga is shown to encompass the trinity Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva) and also all creatures of the earth, it is safely logical to say that those ancient venerables who conceived of this awesome symbol were right in deducing that the entire living world, nay the entire universe, is a part of the lingam of Shiva.

Worship of the Linga

The sect of Shiva worshippers known as ingayats is distinguishable by the miniature linga they wear on their bodies throughout their lives. It is kept in a silv receptacle hung around the neck, and is believed to er act both as a protective talisman and an amulet to defeat negative influences. The ingayata's are a uni ue community who do not believe in the caste system, and are known for their undiscriminating attitude towards all. ot surprisingly, a ingayat woman menstruating continues to keep the linga on her body near her heart. This is in contrast to orthodox thought where women traditionally do not associate themselves with sacred imagery during their perio ds. The linga is indeed a great equali er. Any ordinary devotee will testify to this who has seen worshippers, regardless of sex, caste, or creed, washing and pouring generous libations on the linga, while simultaneously caressing it intimately. Also, the linga is always installed at the ground level, while other anthropomorphic deities remain established at a height, beyond the reach of the ordinary worshipper

St

ct

S i

Most l t i on of S i nd i t ll found in ll S i l s, S i inga is a ounded, elli ti al, an oni -i t i age t at is usuall set on a i ular ase or eet am. A ording to some scholars the Peetham represents Parashakti, the manifesting power of od. Shi a ingas are usuall made of stone that may either e carved or naturally existing - svayambhu, such as shaped by a swift-flowing river. Shiva ingas may also be made of metal, precious gems, crystal, wood, earth or transitory materials such as ice. Some scholars say that transitory different materials such as Shiva inga may be made of sand, rice, cooked food, river clay, cow dung butter, , rudraksha seeds, ashes, sandalwood, darbha grass, a flower garland or molasses.

Various In erpre a ion of Shiva Linga Besides regarding Shiva Linga as the symbol and form of Lord Shiva, religious scholars have given various interpretations of Shiva Linga. Here is the brief description of some of the popular theories and interpretations related to Shiva Linga and its origi n:

Worship of he Phallus According to some scholars, worship of Shiva Linga in effect means worship of the reproduction function. For, they say that the other meaning of the Sanskrit word Linga is gender in general and phallus (the male reproductive organ) in particular. They be lieve that the base of the Lingam corresponds to the Yoni which mean vagina or the female reproductive organ. Correspondence of Linga and Yoni in a Shiva Linga is therefore interpreted as the representation of the process of copulation. Scholars further op ine that the Kalash (container of water) that is suspended over the Shiva Linga from which water drips over the Linga also correspond to the idea of intercourse.

Connecting the origin of Shiva Linga to the early Indus Valley civilization, scholars opine that tribes of the Indus Valley took to the togetherness of Lingam and Yoni in a Shiva Linga as the point of energy, creation and enlightenment.

In erpre a ion in Tan ra According to Tantra, Lingam is a symbol of Shiva's phallus in spiritual form. Th ey say, the lingam contains the soul-seed within which lies the essence of the entire cosmos. The lingam arises out of the base (Yoni) which represents Parvati according to some or Vishnu, Brahma in female and neuter form according to others .

In erpre a ion in Puranas Puranas, especially the Vamana Purana, Shiva Purana, Linga Purana, Skanda Purana, Matsya Purana and Visva-Sara-Prakasha attribute the origin of Shiva Linga to the curse of sages leading to the separation of and installation of the phallus of Lord Shiva on earth. Some also refer to the endlessness of the lingam to be linked to the egos of Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma.

In erpre a ion of Shiva Linga as an Abs ra

Symbol of God

Some scholars of the Hindu scriptures say that Linga is merely an ab stract symbol of the God. They point towards several legends in Hinduism where a sundry rock or even a pile of sand has been used by as a Lingam or the symbol of Shiva. Citing a particular instance they say, Arjuna once fashioned a linga of clay when worshipping Shiva. Scholars of Puranas, thus argue that too much should not be made of the usual shape of the Lingam. Scholars say that the interpretation of Shiva Linga as an abstract form of God is also consonant with philosophies that hold that God may be co nceptualized and worshipped in any convenient form. The form itself is irrelevant, as the divine power that it represents is all that matters. Scholars thus say that Sivalinga represent the formless Nirguna Brahman or the formless Supreme Being.

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THE 12 JY TI

(Barah yotirlingas) Somnath in Saurashtra (Kathiawad), ujarat

Mallikarjun in Shrishailam or Srisailam AP (also listed as a Shakti Pitha site). Mahakal in 4 5 6 7 jjain Mahakalaswar at jjain, MP state. armada, MP)

mkar in Mammaleshwaram (at Vaijnath in Parli (Vaidyanath at Bhima Shankar in

mkareshwar on the river eogarh, Bihar)

akini northwest of Poona, in

hakini, Maharashtra

ameshwaram in Setubandha, Tamil adu agesh, aganath/Nageshwar, in arukavana, Maharaashtra P autami/Godavari , Maharashtra P

Vishweshwar/ Viswanath in Banaras/Varanasi , Trimbakeshwar near Nasik on the banks of river Kedarnath/Kedareshwar in Ghurmeshwar in Shivalaya ne who recites these tterkhand

imalayas,

Grineshwar in Visalakam, near Ellora caves, Mah

names regularly in the morning and evening washes all the sins committed

in the previous 7 births and attains all the powers and Siddhis.

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ICONS
The un lad body overed wi h ashes: the unclad body symbolizes the transcendental aspect of the Lord. Since most things reduce to ashes when burned, ashes symbolize the physical universe. The ashes on the unclad body of the Lord signify that Shiva is the source of the entire universe which emanates from Him, but He transcends the physical phenomena and is not affected by it. Ma ed lo ks: Lord Shiva is the Master of yoga. The three matted locks on the head of the Lord convey the idea that integration of the physical, mental and spiritual energies is the ideal of yoga. Ganga: Ganga (river Ganges) is associated with Hindu mythology and is the most sacred river of Hindus. According to tradition, one who bathes in Ganga (revered as Mother Ganga) in accordance with traditional rites and ceremonies on religious occasions in combination with certain astrological events, is freed from sin and attains knowledge, purity and peace. Ganga, symbolically represented on the head of the Lord by a female (Mother Ganga) with a jet of water emanating from her mouth and falling on the ground, signifies that the Lord destroys sin, removes ignorance, and bestows knowledge, purity and peace on the devotees. The res en moon: is shown on the side of the Lord's head as an ornament, and not as an integral part of His countenance. The waxing and waning phenomenon of the moon symbolizes the time cycle through which creation evolves from the beginning to the end. Since the Lord is the Eternal Reality, He is beyond time. Thus, the crescent moon is only one of His ornaments, and not an integral part of Him. Three eyes: Lord Shiva, also called Tryambaka Deva (literally, "three-eyed Lord"), is depicted as having three eyes: the sun is His right eye, the moon the left eye and fire the third eye. The two eyes on the right and left indicate His activity in the physical world. The third eye in the center of the forehead symbolizes spiritual knowledge and power, and is thus called the eye of wisdom or knowledge. Like fire, the powerful gaze of Shiva's third eye annihilates evil, and thus the evil-doers fear His third eye. Half-open eyes: when the Lord opens His eyes, a new cycle of creation emerges and when He closes them, the universe dissolves for creation of the next cycle. The half-open eyes convey the idea that creation is going through cyclic process, with no beginning and no end. Lord Shiva is the Master of Yoga, as He uses His yogic power to project the universe from Himself. The half-open eyes also symbolize His yogic posture. Kundalas ( wo ear rings): two Kundalas, Alakshya (meaning "which cannot be shown by any sign") and Niranjan (meaning "which cannot be seen by mortal eyes") in the ears of the Lord signify that He is beyond ordinary perception. Since the kundala in the left ear of the Lord is of the type used by women and the one in His right ear is of the type used by men, these Kundalas also symbolize the Shiva and Shakti (male and female) principle of creation. Snake around he ne k: sages have used snakes to symbolize the yogic power of Lord Shiva with which He dissolves and recreates the universe. Like a yogi, a snake hoards nothing, carries nothing, builds nothing, lives on air alone for a long time, and lives in mountains and forests. The venom of a snake, therefore, symbolizes the yogic power. A snake (Vasuki Naga): is shown curled three times around the neck of the Lord and is looking towards His right side. The three coils of the snake symbolize the past, present and future - time in cycles. The Lord wearing the curled snake like an ornament signifies that creation proceeds in cycles and is time dependent, but the Lord Himself transcends time. The right side of the body symbolizes the human activities based upon knowledge, reason and logic. The snake looking towards the right side of the Lord signifies that the Lord's eternal laws of reason and justice preserve natural order in the universe. Rudraksha ne kla e: Rudra is another name of Shiva. Rudra also means "strict or uncompromising" and aksha means "eye." Rudraksha necklace worn by the Lord illustrates that He uses His cosmic laws firmly - without compromise - to maintain law and order in the universe. The necklace has 108 beads which symbolize the elements used in the creation of the world. Varda Mudra: the Lord's right hand is shown in a boon- bestowing and blessing pose. As stated earlier, Lord Shiva annihilates evil, grants boons, bestows grace, destroys ignorance, and awakens wisdom in His devotees.

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Tri t Tri l ) a three-pronged trident shown adjacent to the ord symboli es is three fundamental powers (shakti) of will (iccha), action (kriya) and knowledge (jnana). The trident also symboli es the ord's power to destroy evil and ignorance. Damaru rum) a small drum with two sides separated from each other by a thin neck -like structure symboli es the two utterly dissimilar states of existence, unmanifest and manifest. hen a damaru is vibrated, it produces dissimilar sounds which are fused together by resonance tocreate one sound. The sound thus produced symboli es Nada, the cosmic sound of A M, which can be heard during deep meditation. According to indu scriptures, Nada is the source of creation. Kamandalu: a water pot (Kamandalu) made from a dry pumpkin conta nectar and is shown on the ground ins next to Shiva. The process of making Kamandalu has deep spiritual significance. A ripe pumpkin is plucked from a plant, its fruit is removed and the shell is cleaned for containing the nectar. In the same way, an individual must break away from attachment to the physical world and clean his inner self of egoistic desires in order to experience the bliss of the Self, symboli ed by the nectar in the Kamandalu. andi: the bull is associated with Shiva and is said to be i vehicle. The bull symboli es both power and s ignorance. ord Shiva's use of the bull as a vehicle conveys the idea that e removes ignorance and bestows power of wisdom on is devotees. The bull is called Vrisha in Sanskrit. Vrisha also means dharma (righteousness). Thus a bull shown next to Shiva also indicates that e is the etemal companion of righteousness. Ti r in: a tiger skin symboli es potential energy. ord Shiva, sitting on or wearing a tiger skin, illustrates the idea that e is the source of the creative energy that remains in potential form during the dissolution state of the universe. f is own ivine ill, the ord activates the potential form of the creative energy to project the universe in endless cycles. remati n round: Shiva sitting in the cremation ground signifies that e is the controller of death in the physical world. Since birth and death are cyclic, controlling one implies controlling the other. Thus, ord Shiva is revered as the ultimate controller of birth and death in the phenomenal world. Glory be to Shiva who is m and is represented by mkara .. Shivalinga. ey Shiva! ey mkara! ey Prabhu! Glory be to You. May Brahma, Vishnu and other devatas who are forever pleasant, along with Mahadeva remove my problems. wearing garlands of rudraksa (seeds of the Elcocarpus ganitrus tree used for making rosaries), wild flowers and a third of skulls and your forehead glistening with chandan (sandal paste) and kasturi (musk), hey Shiva i destroy my problems.

RUDRAKSHA All Glories, All Glories, All Glories to those who regularly worship ord Shiva. Those who wear the udraksha beads and smear the holy ash on their bodies are glorified in the three worlds. The holy scriptures recomment wearing different number of beads on different parts of the body. ne bead on the shikha, 6 on each of the on each wrist, 6 in each ear, 4 on the forehead, on upper arms, the throat and around the neck.

The scriptures also tell us that the single faced rudraksha bead is specially beneficial for bestowing special fortune when it is worshipped. The 5,6, and fourteen faced rudraksha beads are said to bestow wealth. orshipping rudraskha beads is equivalent to worshipping ord Shiva himself.

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SHIVA INCARNATIONS

WHAT IS INCARNATION (AVATAR)? The Sanskrit term avatara (derived from ava + tarati ) literally means descent or to cross/come down. The doctrine of Avatar can be loosely summarized as the belief that from time to time God specifically descends down or takes a birth in a certain form , usually human, to accomplish an intended purpose, and then quits that form after fulfilling that purpose. This doctrine is an essential part of Vaishnava belief, which elaborates various types and grades of Avatars. The most famous of the Vaishnava Avata rs are obviously Rama and Krishna. The doctrine of Avatar may be traced back to Tantric texts of Vaishnavism called the Pancharatra Agamas, which elaborate the five forms of God, including the Avatar form which is technically called the Vibhava Rupa (form of might or magnanimity). This early teaching of the followers of the Pancharatra system was summarized in the Narayaniya section of Shantiparva (book 12) of the Mahabharata epic. Following the Mahabharata, the Avatar doctrine received further structuring with the composition of the Puranas. This is the basis of the incarnation doctrine known in Hinduism today, which is Vaishnava in origin, but also accepted by Smartas with certain philosophical twists. AGAMIC SHAIVISM DOES NOT RECOGNIZE AVATARS From the standpoint of Shiva -Shasana (Agamic Shaivism), God has no Avatars (incarnations). What do we mean by Avatar (incarnation) here? As used here, Avatar or incarnation specifically means the idea that God takes a birth in a certain family, fulfills the intended purpose, and then gives up that form this sort of teaching is absent in Shaivism and the Shaiva Agamas.

Now, what about all the instances in the secondary literature - Puranas and Itihasas - where Shiva appears in one form or another: are these legends completely rejected by Shaivites? No, these legends are not rejected by Shaivites, but put into perspective. These various appearances of Shiva in mystic visions, in various legends, stories, Itihasas, Puranas, etc. are referred to as forms or manifestatio ns (not Avatars or incarnations), and technically termed Maheshvara Murtis (forms of the Great Lord). In fact, Agamic Shaivism recognizes of these Maheshvara Murtis, and considers 2 of them as primary. These forms, however, are not to be termed Avatars . AVATAR IN AGAMIC SHAIVISM Within Shaivism, one finds that the term avatara (i.e. descent) has a different connotation altogether. The descent in Shaivism is not of Gods form, but of Gods knowledge. Some of the earliest of Shaiva Agamas begin with chapters called Tantra-Avatara Patala (Chapter on the Descent of Tantras). The most famous one of these comes from the first Agama text of Shaivism, the Kamika -Agama Mahatantra, which explains that Shiva alone is the source of all knowledge Vedic, Agamic, philosophical, secular and even heretical. Since all knowledge is considered descended from Shiva Himself, Shiva -Dakshinamurti is the primal Teacher, the Guru of all gurus. There is nothing greater than the Guru, nothing greater than the Guru, nothing gr eater than the Guru, nothing greater than the Guru. Shiva is Guru. Shiva is Guru. Shiva is Guru. Shiva is Guru . (Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati V:63)

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Any human Guru or Siddha who is fully realized and perfectly embodies the divine knowledge of Shiva is therefore identified with Shiva Himself. This is why we find the most famous Sages, Siddhas and Satgurus like Dattatreya, Durvasa, Agastya, Lakulisha and Gorakshanatha identified with Shiva. Similarly, the most famous of Shivacharyas of Kashmiri and Tamil Shaivism, Abhinavagupta and Manikkavacagar respectively, have also both been called Shiva in human form because they were perfectly absorbed in the knowledge of Shiva. It is entirely possible that Adi Shankaracharya came to be origina lly identified with Shiva by his followers (Smartas) for the very same reason. AVATARS IN THE LINGA PURANA AND PASHUPATISM The identification of the true guru (Satguru) with Shiva is a very old tradition dating back to the ancient Pashupata religion. Aroun d the first century CE, the Pashupata religion was reformed by the great yogi master, Lakulisha, and came to be called the Lakulisha -Pashupata system. One of the key beliefs of the Lakulisha-Pashupatas was that in every dvapara and kali yugas, a great guru of mankind arises who so fully embodies the divine knowledge of Shiva that he is to be considered a veritable incarnation of Shiva. According to this system, such a guru who appears in the dvapara yuga is called a Veda Vyasa, and one who appears in the ka li yuga is called a Yogeshvara. This teaching of the Lakulisha -Pashupatas is found in the Linga Purana, which identifies Krsna -Dvaipayana and Lakulisha as the most recent Veda Vyasa and Yogeshvara respectively. In fact, the Linga Purana goes on to list 28 Veda Vyasas and 28 Yogeshvaras that have thus far been. This doctrine, although well -known, has not been inherited by Agamic Shaivism and is not generally accepted, except possibly through the interpretation that fully realized gurus may be equated with Shiva Himself, but not as special descents of the Lord. Once again, it must be stressed that in Shaivism, there are multitudes of forms and manifestations of the Lord that are recognized and worshipped, but the doctrine of Avatar as defined above is absent. The idea that certain beings may actually see/experience a form of God is definitely part of Shaivite theology. What is not found in Shaivite theology is the teaching that God especially takes a bir h in a certain family, lives as a human being to fulfill a certain purpose, and then quits that form after fulfilling that purpose. It is not, however, contrary to Shaivism to believe that great beings may be born on this earth to uplift mankind spiritually. Shaivite theology calls them Siddhas or Sages, and not special descents (Avatars) of God. Certainly from a non -dualistic sense it may be said that every being is an incarnation of God; but it must be stressed that systems which truly teach of Avatars hold them not to be realized ordinary mortals, but specia l descents of God Himself. The Shiv Purana says that Bhagwan Shiv incarnates in every Kali Yuga for the purpose of conferring the Dharm of the Vedas to disciples. Shulapani himself incarnates upon the earth through the yugas to spread knowledge for the liberation of those in his protection. (Shiv Purana, Vayaviya Samhita). The Kurm Purana says: Fallen men with minds steeped in tamoguna and making a pretence of practicing religion shall mislead all with all manner of temptation. In Kali Yuga, Ishvar, th e Lord of all, the most exalted Mahadev Rudra shall not be seen in the eyes of men as worthy of worship. For the welfare of the faithful and the establishment of the Shrot and Smart Dharma. Shankar shall take many incarnations. He shall confer upon disciples jnana, the essence of the Vedas, and the religion of the Vedas. Kurm Purana says that the Kali Yuga is Maheshwar Yuga and states in the eighteenth chapter as follows:

Brahmkrityuge devastretayam Bhagvana Ravi

Dwapare Devatam Vishnu: Kalaun Devo Maheshware. (Brahma is regarded as the special deity of Satya Yuga, the Sun of Treta Yuga, Vishnu of the Dwapar Yuga and Mahesh or Shiv as the special deity of the Kali Yuga.)

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Kurm Purana says: In this manner Paramatma Shiv had described all the Yogeshwar incarnations of all the chaturyugis of the Vaivasvat Manvantar. There shall be twenty eight Vyasas one after another in every Dwapar and a Yogeshwar incarnation at the beginning of each Kali Yuga. There shall be four eternal disciples along with each Yogeshwar incarnation who shall be great Shiv devotees and who shall advance the path of yoga. (Kurm Purana, 28:31 -3 ). The names of all the incarnations of Lord Shiv are given in the Shatrudrasamhita and Vayaviya Samhita of the Shiv Purana (Cha pters & , Chapter ). They are similarly given in Chapter 1 of the Poorva Vibhag of the Kurm Purana. The Puranas also record that in each incarnation the Lord shall have four yogi disciples who shall be adept Yogis and shall attain liberation. The names of all these and those to come in the future are also given. We also know from the authority of these Puranas that these incarnations occur in all the Kali Yugas and that the purpose always is to assist Vyas or to spread or strengthen yoga or the nivrutty marg the path of renunciation. Kapali Pingala Bhima Virupaksha Vilohita Shashta Ajapada Ahirbidhanya Sambhu Chanda Bhava

The theory of Avatars is a rather complicated one. If you analyse the teachings of the four Vainava Acharyas, i.e. Madhva, Ramanuja, Viuswami and Nimbarka, you will find certain differences even amongst them. However according to my conviction, the explanation given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the most befitting. He says that there are countless avataras of Godhead, all s temming from Bhagavan Sri Krishna (ete camsa kalaa pumsah krsnas tu bhagavaan svayam). Some are avatars of the Lord (purusa), and some avatars of His energy (prakrti). The prakrti and purusa are simultaneously one and different. This is inconceivable, therefore Lord Caitanyas teaching is called acintya -bhedaabheda -tattva. So Rama is one fo the expansions of the Supreme Godhead and Hanuman is His eternal devotee (sakti). But many times the eternal associates of the Lord comprise in themselves the incarnatio ns of multiple personalities. So Hanuman also has in himsepf the Rudra principle, therefore in Lord Ramas chart he is indicated by exalted Mars in the th. Thus we also call Hanuman as Rudratmaka (having the mentality of Rudra), because he has the destruc tive power and fire of Rudra. On the other hand, Rudra is an expansion of whom we call Sadaashiva in his eternal form. Siva is a peculiar expansion of Bhagavan. because he is in a middling category between Vishnu -tattva and Jeevatattva. He is the Avatar who comes into direct contact with the material energy and impregnates the womb of Mother nature (Mahamaya or Durga) with the jeevatmas who have given up their shelter in Vaikuntha, the spiritual realm. So Hanuman has the expansion of Rudra within himself, however techinically he is not one of the 11 Rudras who manifest at the time of the destruction of the material universe to burn it down and destroy it. This is not the only example of multile personalities. Krishna and Arjuna are said to be Nara and Narayana Rishis. You cant tell whether one becomes the other or reverse, both are eternal persons, who are simutaneously one with and different from each other.

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There are eleven udra-avatars, called Ekadasa udra. Their names are: Kapali, Pingala, Bhima , Virupaksha, Vilohita, Shashta, Ajapada, Ahirbidhanya, Sambhu, handa and Bhava. Their respective mantras are found in Vedic emedies. The eighth from any sign is udra. Thus, there can be twelve udras in the Zodiac. owever, the eighth lord from Atmakaraka qualifies as Mahevara, hence the sign ocuppied by the Atmakaraka will not harm the native because of the protective nature of the Atmakaraka. So if any signs are causing harm to the native, he should chant the udra Mantra of the th from it for prote ction. Now how to assign the mantras to the houses? If you have troubles in nd from AK, then chant the mantra for Kapali, if in the rd, then for Pingala, etc.

NATRAJ

Natraj is one of the names of the indu god, Shiva, the most revered god in this anc ient religion. The image of Natraj is also known as dancing Shiva". Natraj is sometimes referred to as "the dancer of creation, lord of joy and sorrow." The dancing image captured in popular statues is meant to symboli e life's ebb and flow. It also re minds us of the balance between form and void, as well as the time before the divine created form from the void. The statues of Natraj are framed by a circle representing cosmic energy. If you look closely at a status of this indu god, you will see that Natraj stands upon a demon, which symboli es triumph over spiritual ignorance. hy does Shiva have this other name - Natraj? In the indu religion, each of the gods may have incarnations that possess different qualities. hat does this mean? Think ab how hard it is to describe out the hristian God, we just say that e's 'all powerful' or 'omnipotent' to make it easy. This is in many ways the same concept operating here. A divine being has so many good qualities that it is difficult for us as humansto imagine them all in one place or person. In the case we are discussing, the many names of Shiva, the different good qualities that followers imagine a god to have actually end up having different incarnations. In some cases, the qualities may be represented by different gods or goddesses all together. Therefore, Shiva was based on different qualities he is attributed with having, and has different names with Natraj being one of them. Shiva-Natraj is said to be the god of artistic skill, which is one attribute that attracts those who worship the cult of Shiva, which extends from India into modern Nepal. There are other forms of Shiva in addition to Natraj. Another popular form depicts Shiva with a small drum and a trident. If you travel in India n an i area where Shiva is worshipped, you may see devotees carrying tridents. They may also smear their bodies with ashes.

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RD SHIVA PARIVAR ANESHA

Ganesha or Ganapati is son of ord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. e is called Vighneshvara or Vighnaharta, the ord of and destroyer of obstacles. People mostly worship im asking for siddhi, success in undertakings, and buddhi, intelligence. e is worshipped before any venture is started. e is also the God of education, knowledge and wisdom, literature, and the fine arts. Perhaps the most popular story regarding Ganesha's origin is the one derived from the Shiva Purana. Mother Parvati once wanted to take a bath and created a boy from the dirt of er own body, asking him to stand as a guard outside while She bathed. In the meantime ord Shiva returned home to find a stranger at is door, preventing im from entering. In anger, Shiva cut off the boy's head, upon which Parvati was stricken with great grief. In order to console er, Shiva sent out is troops (Gana) to fetch the head of anyone found sleeping with his head pointing to the north. They found an elephant sleeping thus and brought back its head. Shiva then attached the elephantine head to the body of the boy and revived him. e named the boy Ganapati or commander of is troops, and granted im a boon that anyone would have to worship im (Ganesha) before beginning any undertaking.

PARVATI

Parvati is Shakti herself, considered as wife of Parameshwara Shiva, albeit the gentle aspect of that goddess because she is a mother goddess or Parameshwari. Parvati is also considered as the supreme ivine Mother or ady and all other goddesses are referred to as her incarnations or manifestations. Shaktas consider her as the ultimate ivine Shakti the embodiment of the total energy of the universe. In Shaktism she is regarded as Absolute reality i.e. Parambrahman. This means She is God in her nirgun form i.e. Goddess Bhuveneshwari or Adi parashakti, who is dynamic essence of the ormless Static God. She is primary deity in Shaktism just as ord Krishna is Vaishnava tradition and ord Shiva in Shavism Tradition.

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Parvati is nominally the second consort of Shiva, the indu god of destruction and rejuvenation. owever, she is not different from Sat , being the reincarnation of that former consort of Shiva. Parvati is the mother of the gods Ganesha and Skanda (Kartikeya). Some communities also believe her to be the sister of Vishnu. She is also regarded as the daughter of the imalayas. Another one ofher names is "Sahana". The meaning of Sahana is 'pure', that is, 'pavitra', in indi.

Parvati, when depicted alongside Shiva, appears with two arms, but when alone, she is shown having four or eight arms, and astride a tiger or lion. Generally considereda benign goddess, Parvati also has wrathful aspects like urga, Kali, Shitala evi, Tara, handi, and the Mahavidyas as well as benevolent forms like Kathyayini, Mahagauri, Kamalatmika, Bhuvaneshwari, and alita. KARTIKEYA

Kartikeya, the second son of ord Shiva and Goddess Parvati or Shakti, is known by many names Subramaniam, Sanmukha, Shadanana, Skanda and Guha. In the southern states of India, Kartikeya is a popular deity and is better known as Murugan. e is an embodiment of perfection, a brave leader of god's forces, and a war god, who was created to destroy the demons, representing the negative tendencie in s human beings. Kartikeyas other name, Shadanana, which means one with six heads corresponds to the five senses and the mind. The six heads also stand for his virtues enables him to see in all the directions - an important attribute that ensures that he counters all kinds blows that can hit him. The war imagery and the six heads of Kartikeya indicates that if humans wish to lead themselves efficiently through the battle of life, they must always be alert lest they are shown the wrong path by crafty people with the six demonic vices: kaama (sex), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), moha (passion), mada (ego) and matsarya (jealousy).

Kartikeya carries on one hand a spear and his other hand is always blessing devotees. is vehicle is a peacock, a pious bird that grips with its feet a serpent, which symboli es the ego and desires of people. The peacock represents the destroyer of harmful habits and the conqueror of sensual desires. The symbolism of Kartikeya thus points to the ways and means of reaching perfection in life.

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NANDI A primary god: Nandi as a separate god can be traced back to Indus Valley ivili ation, where dairy farming was the most important occupation, thus explaining the appearance of various artifacts, such as the 'Pasupati Seal,' indicating a deity much like Shiva. This deity- also known as Pasupati is believed to have been worshipped as the keeper of herds. Some puranas describ e Nandi or Nandikeshvara as bull faced with a human body that resembles that of Shiva- in proportion and aspect, although with four hands, two hands holding the Parasu (the axe) and Mruga (the antelope) and the other two hands joined together in the Anjali(obeisance). Brahma Vaivarta Purana mentions Krishna himself to have taken the form of a bull as no one else in the niverse can bear Shiva.

Vehicle of Shiva: The bull Nandi is Shiva's primary vehicle and is the principal gana (follower) ofShiva. Gate keeper of Shiva's abode: The close association of Shiva and Nandi explains the presence of a statue of Nandi at the gate of many temples dedicated to Siva. It also explains why the word "nandi" in the Kannada, Telugu and Tamil languages is usedas a metaphor for a person blocking the way. In Sanskrit, a bull is called "vrisha", which has another connotation - that of righteousness or harma. It is important to seek the blessings of Nandi before proceeding to worship ord Shiva. hief in Shiva's army: Some Puranas mention that Nandi lead the Shiva Ganas, Shiva's attendants. A Guru of Saivism: In addition to being his mount, Nandi is Shiva's foremost disciple. In the Natha/Siddhar tradition, Nandi is the one of the primal gurus. e was the guru toSiddhar Thirumulanathar, Patanjalinathar and others. rom the yogic perspective, Nandi/Nandhi/ Nandikeshvara is the mind dedicated to ord Siva, the Absolute. In other words, to understand and absorb ight, the 'experience and the wisdom' is Nandi which is the Guru within.

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VRAT

Vrats means way of worship to fulfill ones desires. In Hinduism there are many different types of Vrats. People do the Vrats in different ways like by keeping fast, by visiting religious places. And some people do certain donations in temples or at charitable trusts. Vrats is an important way of worshipping. There are many deities in Hindu Religion. There are different types of Vrats for different deities, People believe with faith that by doing the certain Vrat there desires will g et bless by the god. For every Vrats there are certain rules framed in which a person has to complete the Vrat. Eg When a person starts fasting there are certain food which is prohibited. inspite its vegetarian. So,there are certain rules for every Vrats. There are many famous Vrats like Kadva Choth , Sixteen fasts of Lord Shiva,Vad Savitri, Vaivhav Laxmi .from these some of one I like to describe. One can do any Vrat but, he should have faith on it. 1. Sixteen fast on Mondays of Lord Shiva Imp - While doing this Vrat one can have fruites, milk. While doing Vrat one has stay away from Sex, Non -veg and Wine. In morning one should get up early and get ready for the Vrat. From morning itself one has to start puja . First one has to do Meditation of Lord Ganesh t hen Mata Parvati , After Meditation ,Worship Lord Shiva by offering Water, Milk, Honey, Sugar and Curd. After offering these things once again offer water to Lord Shiva. After doing the Puja one has to read and tell following Katha i.e s ory. Once upon a time there was an rich businessman. He was living very good life with his wife. But, at the same time he was very sad because he was not having any child. Whole day and night he was thinking that he doesnt have child and he becomes sad. This man was a goo d worshipper of Lord Shiva. He used to keep fast on every Monday and he used to do Vrat of Lord Shiva. One day Mata Parvati told to Lord Shiva that this man is great worshipper of yours, then why dont you bless him with the child. Lord Shiva answered to Mata Parvati that In this world KARMA is very important. A persons get the results in the present life as per the Karma (deeds)of the Past life, Life is same like Farm the persons gets the fruits of whatever they saw. Mata Parvati asked to Lord Shiva that y ou should bless this person with the child. This person worships you so much. If you dont bless this person with the child then who will worship you and who will do your Vrat.?. Faith of your followers will get hurt. Lord Shiva answered to Mata Parvati that you are requesting me so much, So I am giving Vardan to this person. Since this person does not have male child in his fate. But this child will only live for 12 years. After that this child will die. I cant do any thing more for this person. While doi ng the puja of Lord Shiva childless father heard this converssation of Lord Shiva and Mata parvati. After hearing this conversation a businessman didnt got happy and even he didnt got sad. He continued his puja and Vrat. After some months wife of Businessman got pregnant and after 10 months she gave the birth of baby boy. Every one was happy but Businessman was not happy because he knew that the age of his son is 12 years. At the same time he didnt shown to anyone that he is sad. Days passed and w hen boy grown up at the age of 12 sons mother told to the businessman that now we should get our son marry. But, businessman refused and said that he want to send his son to Kashi for studies. Then businessman called his brother in law and he told to him and told take my child to kashi for studies. Businessman gave lot of money to his brother in law and also said whenever you stop for nap do Yajna and feed the Brahmins with food. Then both businessman son and his mama started journey to kashi and whenev er they stopped they were doing the yajna and they were offering food to the Brahmins.

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While doing journey they came at one town. Where there was an marriage of the Daughter of the king of the town. At opposite side the yuvraj who was going to marry to the daughter of the king was having defect in one eye. Yuvraj was having an defect in one eye ,So there parents were worried about it that whether girl will marry of not?. Yuvraj father was also the king of another state. In between while going to marry the yuvvraj parents saw the son of the Businessman , they thought that this boy is very handsome if they make this boy stand in front of the kings daughter then there will be no problem, Yuvraj parents talked to the boys uncle. Uncle got ready a nd then the marriage cloths had given to the boy and made him sit on the horse. After reaching at the girls palace yuvraj parents thought that let the boy gets married to this princess. Yuvraj parents told to boys uncle to do kanya dan and on its behalf they will give lot of money to the boy and his uncle. Boys uncle agreed. then . marriage ceremony took place and marriage got finished. After that while going, Businessman son had wrote on sarees corner of the Rajkumari that you had married me but, you a re going with some one else and that person is having defect in his one eye. He also mentioned that he is going for studies at kashi.When Rajkumari saw the letter in her saree she refused to go with the yuvraj saying that she has not married to him. She ha s married to another person and that person has gone to kashi for further studies. Rajkumari parents also refused to send her daughter with the yuvraj, Then Yuvraj and his family went back at there state. There Businessman son and his mama reached to kashi . There boy had started his studies and his uncle started doing yajnas. When Businessman son exactly got 12 years old that time his mama was doing the yajnas and that time boy told to his mama that Mama today I am not feeling well. Mama answered that you go inside the room and go to sleep. Then boy went inside the room and went to sleep. In few minutes boy died. Then after some time mama went inside the room and saw that boy died. He got very sad and thought that right now if I will cry then this yajna wi ll remain pending. So, he finished his Yajna and offered food to Brahmins. Coincidentally that time Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati was passing by that place. That time they heard the noise of crying loudly. Mata Parvati said that Lord Shiva some one is crying Please help this person..When Mata parvati and Lord Shiva went close they saw the dead body of the boy. Mata Parvati told to Lord Shiva that this is son of the businessman who took the birth with your blessing. Lord Shiva said that this boys life was 12 years and he finished it. Then Mata parvati told to Lord Shiva that please make this child alive otherwise this childs parents will die. With this shock that his son died. Mata parvati told to Lord shiva many times that please make this child alive. After hearing so many requests Lord shiva agreed to make this boy alive. Then after Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati went to Kailash. Then after boy and his mama again done the Yajna and offered food to Brahmins and started journey to go back to there house. While j ourney they again reached to the city where boy had got married to the rajkumari. There the boy and his mama started yajna , that time Rajkumari father the king recognized the boy and he took the boy at his palace. There treated with the boy very nicely and done vidai of his daughter and his husband. When they reached at there place that time boys mama told to the boy that first he will go inside the house and inform boys parents that they have come. When boys mama went inside he saw that boys parents w ere sitting on the roof and they had taken the sweared that if there son returns then they will come down and they will daily do yajna and they will offer food to Brahmins and if boy dont comes then they will fall down from roof and they will die. When boys mama told to boys parents that there child is alive and has come back then they didnt believed and then boys mama took sweared and told that there son has come with his wife and has also brought lot of wealth. and then boys parents believed. They w elcomed the boy and his wife with lots of love. They all lived happily and continued the worshipping of Lord Shiva. This is a great Vrat. Anyone can do this Vrat. The person who do this Vrat or read this vrat katha then his or her wishes will come true.

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MAHASHIVARATRI ESTIVAL

Mahashivaratri Festival or the The Night of Shiva is cele rate with devotion and religious fervor in honor of Lord Shiva, one of the deities of Hindu Trinity. Shivaratri falls on the moonless 14th night of the new moon in the Hindu month of Phalgun, which corres onds to the month of Fe ruary - March in English Calendar. Cele rating the festival of Shivaratri devotees observe day and night fast and perform ritual worship of Shiva Lingam to appease Lord Shiva
LE ENDS MAHASHIVRATRI

There are various interesting legends related to the festival of Maha Shivaratri. According to one of the most popular legends, Shivaratri marks the wedding day of ord Shiva and Parvati. Some believe that it was on the ed auspicious night of Shivaratri that ord Shiva perform the Tandava, the dance of the primal creation, preservation and destruction. Another popular Shivratri legend stated in inga Purana states that it was on Shivaratri that ord Shiva manifested himself in the form d of a inga. ence the day is considere to be extremely auspicious by Shiva devotees and they celebrate it as Mahashivaratri - the grand night of Shiva. TRADITI NS AND USTOMS OF SHIVARATRI

Various traditions and customs related to Shivaratri estival are dutifully followed by the worshippers of ord Shiva. evotees observe strict fast in honor of Shiva, though many go on a diet of fruits and milk some do not consume even a drop of water. evotees strongly believe that sincere worship of ord Shiva on the auspicious day of Shivaratri, absolves a person of sins and liberates him from the cycle of birth and death. Shivaratri is considered especially auspicious for women. hile married women pray for the well being of their husbands unmarried women pray for a husband like ord Shiva, who is regarded as the ideal husband.

To mark the Shivratri festival, devotees wake up early and take a ritual bath, preferably in river Ganga. After wearing fresh new clothes devotees visit the nearest Shiva temple to give ritual bath to the Shiva ingum with milk, honey, water etc.

n Shivaratri, worship of ord Shiva continues all through the day and night. Every three hours priests perform ritual pooja of Shivalingam by bathing it with milk, yoghurt, honey, ghee, sugar and water ple amidst the chanting of m Namah Shivaya and ringing of tem bells. Nightlong vigil or jaagran is also observed in Shiva temples where large number of devotees spend the night singing hymns and devotional songs in praise of ord Shiva. It is only on the following morning that devotee break their fast by partaking prasad offered to the deity.

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WHEN IS SHIVARATRI? Auspicious festival of Mahashivaratri falls on the 13th or the 1 th night of the new moon during Krishna Paksha in the Hindu month of Phalgun. The Sanskrit term, Krishna Paksha means the period of wan ing moon or the dark fortnight and Phalguna corresponds to the month of February - March in English Calendar. Shivaratri Festival is celebrated on a moonless night. According to Hindu mythology, Shivaratri or 'Shiva's Grea Nigh ' symbolizes the wedding d ay of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Many however, believe, Shivaratri is the night when Lord Shiva performed the Tandava Nri ya the dance of primordial creation, preservation and destruction. Celebrating the festival in a customary manner, devotees give a ritu al bath to the Lingam with the pan hagavya - milk, sour milk, urine, butter and dung. Celebrations of Shivaratri Festival mainly take place at night. Devotees of Lord Shiva throng Shiva temples across the country and spend the Night of Lord Shiva by chan ting verses and hymns in praise of the Lord. The festival holds special meaning for the ladies. They pray to Goddess Parvati also called 'Gaura', the giver of 'suhag' for good husbands, marital bliss and a long and prosperous married life. SHIVARATRI RITUALS Devotees of Lord Shiva observe the Shivaratri Festival by following the prescribed rituals with sincerity and devotion. All through the day, devotees abstain from eating food and break their fast only the next morning, after the nightlong worship. Ritua l baths of Shivalinga in the numerous Shiva temples by Shiva worshipper, mainly women, is another significant feature of Shivratri customs and traditions. Devotees strongly believe that ritual worship of Lord Shiva on the auspicious day of Shivaratri absol ves them of past sins and they are blessed with Moksha. RITUALS OBSERVED ON A SHIVARATRI MORNING As a tradition devotees wake up early in the morning of the Mahashivratri day and take a ritual sunrise bath, preferably in the holy waters of river Ganga. The y also offer prayers to the Sun God, Vishnu and Shiva as a part of a purification rite observed on all -important Hindu festivals. After wearing fresh new clothes devotees visit the nearest Shiva Temple to give the customary bath to the Shivalinga. On a Shivratri day, Shiva temples are thronged by devotees, mainly women, who come to perform the traditional Shivalinga pooja and seek blessings from the god. At times there is so much rush in the temples that devotees have to wait for their turn to observe pooja . At their turn for worship, devotees circumambulate the Shivalinga, three or seven times, and then pour water over it. Some also pour milk. Sounds of bell and shouts of Shankarji ki Jai or (Hail Shiva) reverberate in the temple premises RITUAL BATH OF SHIVALINGA Following the rituals prescribed in the Shiva Purana, every three hours, Shivalingam is given a special bath with milk, yoghurt, honey, sandalwood paste and rose water. Puja, meditation and chanting of Om Namah Shivaya accompany the ritual bath. Followin g the bath, vermilion paste is applied on the linga. Traditionally, leaves of a forest tree Aegle marmelos (bilwa, maredu, wood apple) are used for Shiva puja. Thereafter, Bilwa leaves, which have to be a stalk with three leaves, is kept on top of the Shiv alinga. Ber or jujube fruit is a special offering to the god on this day. Beetle leaves are also offered by some. Some also offer bilwa leaves in the belief that the Goddess Lakshmi resides in them. Others believe it is offered for its cooling effects on the hot-tempered deity. Many devotees also decorate the linga with flowers and garlands and offer incense sticks and fruit.

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SIGNIFICANCE OF PU A ITEMS
y

According to the Shiva Purana, there is a special significance of the six essential puja items use d in the Shiva worship. Bathing of Shivalinga with water, milk and honey and wood apple or bel leaves added to it, represents purification of the soul. The vermilion paste applied on the linga after the ritual bath represents virtue. Offering of fruits s ymbolizes longevity and gratification of desires. Burning of incense sticks yields wealth. The lighting of the lamp symbolizes attainment of knowledge. Offering of betel leaves marks satisfaction with worldly pleasures.

y y y y y

ALL-NIGHT SHIVA WORSHIP Worship of Lord Shiva continues all through the night on Shivaratri Festival. Devotees stay awake all night and spend the night in Shiva temples in worship of Lord Shiva. Singing of hymns and verses in praise and devotion of Lord Shiva besides the intense chanting of Om Namah Shivay, the mantra that is said free people from all their sins, continue through the night on Shivaratri. Special worship of Shiva by priests continues through the nightlong prayer vigil. During this ritual worship, Lord Shiva is off ered special food made from the fruits of the season, root vegetables and coconuts. Those observing the Shivaratri Fast break their fast the next morning by consuming the prasad offered to Shiva. SHIVARATRI POO A Shivaratri Pooja has been given tremendou s significance in Hindu mythology. It is said that ritual worship of Lord Shiva on a Shivaratri day pleases Lord Shiva the most. Devotees further believe that by pleasing Lord Shankara on the auspicious Shivaratri day, a person is absolved of past sins and is blessed with Moksha or salvation. MERITS OF SHIVARATRI PU A According to Shiva Purana, sincere worship of Lord Shiva yields merits including spiritual growth for the devotees. It also provides extensive details on the right way to perform Shivratri Pu ja. Shiva Purana further says that performing abhisheka of Shiva Linga with six different dravyas including milk, yoghurt, honey, ghee, sugar and water while chanting Sri Rudram, Chamakam and Dasa Shanthi pleases Lord Shiva the most. According to the myth ology, each of these dravya used in the abhisheka blesses a unique quality:
Milk is for the blessing of purity and piousness. Yogurt is for prosperity and progeny. Honey is for sweet speech. Ghee is for victory. Sugar is for happiness. Water is for purity

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Besides, worship of Lord Shiva on Shivratri is also considered to be extremely beneficial for women. While, married women pray to Shiva for the well being of their husbands and sons, unmarried women pray for a husband like Shiva, who is co nsidered to be the ideal husband. GETTING READY FOR SHIVRATRI PU A To perform the worship of Lord Shiva on Shivratri, devotees wake up early and take a ritual bath, preferably in the holy waters of river Ganga. This is followed by worship to Sun God, Vis hnu and Shiva in accordance with the purification rite observed on all -important Hindu festivals. Devotees then wear fresh new clothes and pay a visit to the nearest Shiva temple. As a tradition, devotees observe a fast on a Shivaratri day. Some do not consume even a drop of water. PERFORMING MAHA SHIVARATRI POO A Following the method prescribed in Shiva Purana, priests perform ritual puja of Shiva Linga every three hours all through the day and night of Shivaratri Festival. During this pooja, chants of Om Namah Shivaya and sounds of bells reverberate in the temple. Following the bath with milk, yoghurt, honey, ghee, sugar and water that helps in the purification of the soul a vermilion paste is applied on the Linga as it represents virtue. These six items form an indispensable part of Shivaratri, be it a simple ceremony at home or grand temple worship After this, Bilwa leaves, which have to be a stalk with three leaves, is kept on top of the Shivalinga to cool the hot-tempered deity. Ber or jujube fruit is also offered to Lord Shiva, as it is symbolic of longevity and gratification of desires. Some devotees also offer the auspicious be el leaves to Lord Shiva marking satisfaction with worldly pleasures. Garlanding of Linga with flowers an d garlands is also a part of the ritual Shivaratri Puja. Devotees also burn in ense s i ks as is said to yield wealth. Many also ligh lamps to symbolize attainment of knowledge. It is said that by offering water, hugging the Linga, lighting the diya and incense and ringing the temple bells, devotees call into focus all their senses, making them acutely aware of themselves and the universe to which they belong. This ritual worship of Lord Shiva continues through the day and night of Shivaratri. Devotees sta y awake and spent the night in Shiva temples by chanting Om Namah Shivaya and singing hymns and verses in praise of Lord Shankar. Devotees observing vrat on Shivaratri break it only the next morning by partaking prasad offered to Lord Shiva. SHIVARATRI CELEBRATIONS IN TEMPLES After the ritual bath, preferably in the sacred waters of river Ganga, devotees pay a visit to the nearest Lord Shiva temple carrying the traditional puja items like milk, water, bel leaves, fruits, incense stick, oil lamp etc. Due to massive popularity of the festival several stalls selling puja items come up outside the temple and do a thriving business. In the bigger and more popular Shiva temples there is massive rush of devotees. Long queues can be noticed as devotees, mostly women, wait for their turn to perform puja. Since, bathing of Shiva Linga with milk is part of the Shivaratri Puja tradition; little rivers are formed due to the excessively overflowing milk and fruit in the Shiva temples on this day. Ritual worship of Shi va Linga is done by temple priests every three hours all through the day and night of Shivaratri Festival. Shouts of Shivaji ki Jai, chanting of the mantra, Om Namah Shivaya and ringing of temple bells make the atmosphere religious and devotional. Nightlong vigil on Shivratri or the Jaagran is celebrated by singing of devotional hymns and songs in worship of Lord Shiva. And, it is only in the following morning that the devotees break their fast by consuming prasad offered to the Lord.

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SHIVARATRI CELEBRATIONS BY WOMEN Shivratri Festival is particularly awaited by Hindu women. On Shivaratri, married and unmarried women perform puja with great faith, as Goddess Parvati who is also called 'Gaura', is regarded as the giver of 'suhag' - good husbands, marital bliss and a long and prosperous married life. One can therefore see find women enthusiastically observing the fast and performing the rituals Shiva Pujas on the day. SHIVA CHALISA Shiva Chalisa is a prayer for Lord Shiva - one of the Gods of Hindu trinity, the other two being Brahma and Vishnu. Shiva Chalisa praises the Lord and asks for his help in removing hardships and obstacles in devotee's life. It is said that devotees seeking blessings of Lord Shiva must recite Shiva Chalisa with devotion and sincerity. It is suggested that devotees should focus their mind on Lord Shiv or his image and then recite Shiv Chalisa. Here, Lord Shiv Chalisa is presented along with English Translation for better understanding

Abh

K n n

in

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u t h d n n Ap L -Ni- sh h n Ap J l ndh Asu u h Vidit ns

th u i Gi u nh u sh

O Lord, You sent Shadanan without delay and thus destroyed the evil ones Lava and Nimesh You also destroyed the demon Jalandhara Your renown is known throughout the world

ili

n J b hi J b hi u h Ki Up d u hi Juh i

u bhu Ap Ni Bh i n

O Lord, whenever the Deities humbly sought Your assistance, You kindly and graciously uprooted all their problems You blessed the Deities with Your generous help when the demon Tarak outraged them and You destroyed him

N ndi G n sh oh in h n K is dh K l in J is K ti h Au G n -U Y Chh i Ko K hi J t N K uo
                 

Nandi and Shri Ganesh along with Lord Shiva appear as beautiful as two lotuses in the middle of an ocean Poets and philosophers cannot describe the wonderful appearance of Lord Kartikeya and the dark complexioned Ganas (attendants)

V K

tu Ki i ul i An oh t Chh i N i ishul oh t Chh i Bh i K h t un Chh i

O Lord, the beloved daughter of Maina on Your left adds to Your splendid appearance O Wearer of the lion's skin, the trishul in Your hand destroys all enemies

An G u hi G n B h und l n Chh L V st Kh l B h b oh in Chh i Ko h N uni oh in

                

The holy Ganges flows from your matted hair The saints and sages are attracted by Your splendid appearance Around Your neck is a garland of skulls White ash beautifies Your Divine form and clothing of lion's skin adorns Your body

J i Gi ij ti in d l d K t nt n tip l Bh l Ch nd oh t Ni Kund l N ph ni K

O Glorious Lord, consort of Parvati You are most merciful You always bless the poor and pious devotees Your beautiful form is adorned with the moon on Your forehead and on your ears are earrings of snakes' hood

J i G n sh Gi ij u n n l ul uj n K h t A odh s u V d n

          

              

                         

           

Glory to Lord Ganesh, the Divine Son of Goddess Girija, the cause of all auspiciousness and intelligence Ayodha Dass (the composer of these verses) humbly requests that every one be blessed with the boon of being fearless

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Shankar Ho Sankat Ke Nishan Vighna Vinashan Mangal Karan Yogi Yati Muni Dhyan Lagavan Sharad Narad Shisha Navavain

O Lord Sankar, You are the destroyer of all miseries You remove the cause of all obstacles and grant Your devotees eternal bliss The saints and sages meditate upon Thy most beautiful form Even celestial beings like Sharad and Narad bow in reverence to You
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Dhan Nirdhan Ko Deta Sadahin Jo Koi Janche So Phal Pahin Astuti Kehi Vidhi Karai Tumhari Kshamahu Nath Aba Chuka Hamari

O Lord, You bless the downtrodden with prosperity and grant wisdom to the ignorant Lord, due to my limited knowledge, I omitted to worship Thee Please forgive me and shower Your grace upon me
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Mata Pita Bhrata Sab Hoi Sankat Men Puchhat Nahin Koi Svami Ek Hai Asha Tumhari Ava Harahu Aba Sankat Bhari

O Lord, when I am in distress, neither my parents, brothers, sisters nor loved ones can relieve my suffering I depend only on You You are my hope Eliminate the cause of this tremendous torture and bless me with Your compassion
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Trahi-Trahi Main Nath Pukaro Yahi Avasar Mohi Ana Ubaro Lai Trishul Shatrun Ko Maro Sankat Se Mohin Ana Ubaro

O Lord! I beseech Your help and seek your divine blessing at this very moment Save and protect me Destroy my enemies with Your Trishul Release me from the torture of evil thoughts

Jai Jai Jai Anant Avinashi Karat Kripa Sabake Ghat Vasi Dushta Sakal Nit Mohin Satavai Bhramat Rahe Mohin Chain Na Avai

Glory be unto You O Gracious, Infinite, Immortal, All-pervading Lord Evil thought torture me and I keep on travelling aimlessly in this world of mundane existence No relief seems to be coming my way

Ek Kamal Prabhu Rakheu Joi Kushal-Nain Pujan Chaha Soi Kathin Bhakti Dekhi Prabhu Shankar Bhaye Prasanna Diye- chchhit Var
#

O Lord, You kept on looking at Shri Ram, who wished to offer His lotus-like eyes to worship Thee When You observed such intense devotion, You were delighted and blessed Him You granted His heart's desire

Pujan Ramchandra Jab Kinha Jiti Ke Lanka Vibhishan Dinhi Sahas Kamal Men Ho Rahe Dhari Kinha Pariksha Tabahin Purari

When Lord Rama worshipped You, He became victorious over the king of demons, Ravana When Lord Rama wished to worship Thee with one thousand lotus flowers, the Divine Mother, to test the devotion of Shri Ram, hid all the flowers at Your request

Pragate Udadhi Mantan Men Jvala Jarat Sura-Sur Bhaye Vihala Kinha Daya Tahan Kari Sahayee Nilakantha Tab Nam Kahayee

Lord, when the ocean was churned and the deadly poison emerged, out of Your deep compassion for all, You drank the poison and saved the world from destruction Your throat became blue, thus You are known as Nilakantha

Danin Mahan Tu Sama Kou Nahin Sevak Astuti Karat Sadahin Veda Nam Mahima Tab Gayaee Akatha Anandi Bhed Nahin Payee
"

O Gracious One, devotees always sings Your glory Even the Vedas are unable to describe Your greatness No one is as generous as You are

Tripurasur Sana Yudha Machayi Sabhi Kripakar Lina Bachayi Kiya Tapahin Bhagiratha Bhari Purva Pratigya Tasu Purari

O Lord, Purari, You saved all Deities and mankind by defeating and destroying the demons Tripurasura You blessed Your devotee Bhagirath and he was able to accomplish his vow after rigorous penance

Om Shivaya Namaa

Om Shivaya Namaa

Nitya Nema kari Pratahi Patha karau Chalis Tum Meri Man Kamana Purna Karahu Jagadish

O Universal Lord, every morning as a rule I recite this Chalisa with devotion Please bless me so that I may be able to accomplish my material and spiritual desires

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Dhupa Dipa Naivedya Charhavai Anta Vasa Shivapur Men Pavai Kahai Ayodhya Asha Tumhari Jani Sakal Dukha Harahu Hamari

Whosoever offers incense, prasad and performs arti to Lord Shiva, with love and devotion, enjoys material happiness and spiritual bliss in this world and hereafter ascends to the abode of Lord Shiva The poet prays that Lord Shiva removed the suffering of all and grants them eternal bliss

Pandit Trayodashi Ko Lavai Dhyan-Purvak Homa Karavai Trayodashi Vrat Kare Hamesha Tan Nahin Take Rahe Kalesha

On Trayodashi (13th day of the dark and bright fortnights) one should invite a pandit and devotedly make offerings to Lord Shiva Those who fast and pray to Lord Shiva on Trayodashi are always healthy and prosperous

Riniyan Jo Koi Ho Adhikari Patha Karai So Pavan Hari Putra-hin Ichchha Kar Koi Nischaya Shiva Prasad Tehin Hoi

Devotees who chant these verses with intense love become prosperous by the grace of Lord Shiva Even the childless wishing to have children, have their desires fulfilled after partaking of Shivaprasad with faith and devotion

Namo Namo Jai Namah Shivaya Sura Brahmadik Par Na Paya Jo Yah Patha Karai Man Lai Tapar Hota Hai Shambhu Sahayee

O Lord, prostration to You Even Brahma is unable to describe Thy greatness Whosoever recites these verses with faith and devotion receives Your infinite blessings