HISTORY OF LORD SHIVA – AS A MAHAJANA OUT OF 12 MAHAJANAS!
As usual, I have given the HISTORY OF LORD SHIVA – AS A MAHAJANA as an easy Diary to grasp and remember!
(1) SHIVA means THE AUSPICIOUS ONE.
(2) As per the Shaivism sect, Shiva is the Supreme deity who creates, maintains and destroys the creations.
(12 MAHAJANAS – INTRODUCTION CAN BE READ HERE!)
(3) As per the Vaishnava sects, Shiva is the Great Vaishnava, ie, the devotee of Vishnu/ Krishna.
(4) Shiva is the destroyer among Trimurthis – Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
(5) Rig Veda mentions Him as The Storm God Rudra.
(6) SHAKTI or PARVATI is considered as the energy of Shiva as EQUAL PARTNER.
(7) In Puranic mentions, Shiva lives like a YOGI in The Mount Kailash and also as a householder with wife Parvati and children Ganesha and Karthikeya.
(BRAHMA DEVA – ONE OF THE 12 MAHAJANAS – DIARY OF HISTORY! READ HERE!)
(8) Shiva is depicted as having a Serpant around His neck, moon at the head, Ganga flowing from His hairs, Third Eye at the forehead and a Trishul as His weapon along with a drum called DAMARU.
(9) In general, He is mentioned as Rudra in Vedas and as Shiva in Puranas.
(10) Though Shiva is considered as the representative of Thamo guna, Vishnu Sahasra Nama mentions Him as beyond three Gunas.
(11) Sri Rudram is the important sloka that targets Lord Shiva.
(12) Lord Shiva is said to have 10,000 Names.
(13) Some Popular Names of Lord Shiva are: Viswanatha, Mahadeva, Mahesha, Maheshvara, Shankara, Shambhu, Rudra, Hara, Neelakanta, etc.
(HISTORY OF NARADA RISHI AS ONE OF THE 12 MAHAJANAS! READ HERE!)
(14) Paintings dating back 1000BC (Pre-vedic period) have been found showing Dancing Shiva, Nandi and His trident.
(15) Rig Veda has the mention of Shiva as Rudra in three hymns. Hymn 10.92 states: “The deity Rudra has two natures, one wild and cruel (Rudra), another that is kind and tranquil (Shiva).
(16) Shvethashvatara Upanishad mentions that the creator of the cosmos and liberator of Selfs from the birth-rebirth cycle.
(17) Shiva Purana and Linga Purana elaborates the details about Lord Shiva as the Supreme, whereas Bhagavatha Purana views Him as the Great Vaishnava.
(18) Hinduism has four traditions: Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism and Smartha tradition.
(3 TYPES OF SIVA – IN VAIKUNTA, INTERMEDIATE & MATERIAL WORLDS! READ HERE!)
(19) These four traditions consider different Supreme Beings: Vaishnavism takes Vishnu as Supreme; Shaivism takes Lord Shiva as Supreme; Shaktism takes Shakti as Supreme and Smartha has mixed concept that Five deties – Shiva, Vshnu, Shakti, Ganesha and Karthikeya are equivalent.
(20) Interestingly, Bhagavatham mentions Krishna as Supreme and Shiva as Nearly equivalent to Krishna. Shiva Purana and Linga Puranas mention that Shiva is Supreme and Vishnu is equalant to Shiva.
(21) Skanda Purana, 1.8.20–21 states: “Vishnu is no one but Shiva, and he who is called Shiva is but identical with Vishnu”.
(22) Shiva is shown as half Shiva and half Parvati (Arthanareesvara) meaning that Shiva and Shakti are inseparable.
(SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT LORD SIVA IN SRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM! READ HERE!)
(23) There is a story that SHASTHA or AIYAPPAN is considered as the child of Shiva with the Mohini Avatar of Krishna. SHASTHA has a great temple at SABHARIMALA in Kerala State.
(24) Shiva is considered the Great Yogi who is fully absorbed in himself as the Lord of Yogis. Mostly, He is seen as performing Yoga.
(25) Shiva has Blue throat as He drank the Halahala Poison obtained during Samudra mardhan by Devas and Asuras. So, He is also called as NEELAKANTA.
Hope this article has given all the important details about Lord Shiva as one of the Twelve Mahajanas, and you enjoyed it.
(If Lord Rama worshiped Siva, does that mean Siva is superior to Rama? READ HERE!)