Shiva (pronounced Sheeva or Sheewa) is a very important God in modern Hinduism. He is one of the three Gods of the Hindu trinity, who represent Creation, Preservation, and Destruction. Shiva is the destroyer. Not only the destroyer of creation when the time comes, but also the destroyer of ignorance and the destroyer of misery. There is an entire branch of Hinduism who puts Shiva as the One True God (Shivites/Shivaism).

Why Worship Shiva * Stories * Symbolism * Holidays * How He Is Worshiped * Mantras and Bhajans

Why Worship Shiva?

It is he who destroys what is no longer good or needed in order to pave the way for rebirth. He can destroy bad karma when you are devoted to him and he can grant you long life. He crushes ignorance beneath his feet and loves his devotees so much that he has granted blessings to people who worshiped him without realizing it. He is both a family man and one who meditates. Parvati is his wife and Ganesha is his son. He is the one that women pray to for good husbands and the one they thank when they have a good husband.

Stories

There are a number of classic stories told about Shiva.

Churning the Ocean, or Why Shiva’s Neck Turned Blue

There are two factions: devas, who are angelic-type beings and asuras, who are demon-like beings. The two groups are often fighting one another. But when they found out that there was a nectar of immortality (amrita) in the ocean, they formed an alliance to find and share it. In order to obtain this nectar, it had to be churned from the ocean. The devas were on one side and the asuras on the other, using a mountain to churn into the ocean and a great snake wrapped around it to move the mountain. However, before they reached the amrita, other things emerged from the milky ocean.  One of these things was a powerful poison that could destroy the world. Shiva ran in and swallowed the poison before it could harm anyone. His wife, Parvati, was close behind and she grabbed hold of his neck to keep him from swallowing. And so Shiva held the poison in his throat, causing it to turn blue. He is often known as the blue-throated one. (The devas and asuras did eventually get to the amrita and then broke their alliance and fought viciously over which side would get it. Vishnu intervened and saw to it that it was the devas who drank). There’s a lot more detail and symbolism to this story, but the part with the poison is the part relevant to Shiva. Read more about it here.

 Shiva, Lord of the Dance

Apasmara Purusha is a demon of ignorance, laziness, jealousy, ego, and hatred. He  used to trouble mankind until people prayed to Shiva, who descended and performed a divine dance called Ananda Tandava (dance of joy), crushing the demon beneath his feet. In this dancing form, Shiva is called King of the Dance: Nataraja. Classical Indian dances are based on his cosmic dance of destruction and rebirth.

The River Ganga (Ganges) and Shiva’s Matted Hair

It used to be that the Ganges river (actually named Ganga) flowed in the heavens. There was a king who was cursed with no offspring and he felt he needed to wash away the sins of his forefathers and cleanse his kingdom with the Ganga. So he prayed that she might come to earth. Ganga wanted to, but she was so powerful that if she flowed down to earth, she would crush it with the force of her waters. And so Shiva stepped in and allowed the Ganga to flow through his hair (usually depicted to be in dreadlocks) so soften her decent to earth.

 How Shiva Married Parvati

Parvati is an incarnation of Shakti, feminine energy. She was born to draw Shiva out of his meditative asceticism and bring him back to caring for the world. A powerful demon was torturing humanity and devas alike. No one could defeat him except, it was said, Shiva’s child. But Shiva’s wife Sati had died and he was meditating alone in a cave, not interested in coming back into the world. People prayed to the great Goddess (Mahadevi) and she incarnated herself in Parvati, born to the king of the Himalayan mountains.

When she grew up, Parvati went to Shiva to make him fall in love with her and marry her, but he would not even open his eyes or respond to her at all. She tried everything she could think of: decorating his cave, bringing him flowers and sweets, even getting Kama (God of desire) to shoot Shiva with arrows of lust. Shiva was so annoyed that he opened his third eye and reduced Kama to ash.

The Gods were very worried that now men would no longer desire women and the human race would fall apart. Parvati determined that Kama could be reborn as their child if she could just get Shiva to love her.

So she took a different tac and began meditation and austerities as well. She lived in the forest and did not eat or shield herself with clothing. The ascetics of the forest were very impressed with her. After some time, Shiva was impressed as well. He stopped his meditating and emerged from the cave to marry her. She reawakened in him his care for the world. Shiva was able to become a perfect blend of family man and hermit.

The Hunter and The Tiger

There was a hunter in the forest once who encountered a tiger who was too much for him. He ran from the tiger and climbed high up into a tree. The tiger remained below, pacing, and the hunter was trapped. He stayed in the tree all night and in order to stay awake, he plucked its leaves and let them drift to the ground. Little did he know that there was a Shiva Lingam beneath the tree also and the tree was a betel leaf tree, which is beloved to Shiva. So all night the hunter was letting betel leaves drop onto the Shivaling. In the morning the tiger was gone, replaced by Shiva himself, who blessed the hunter.

Many more great Hindu stories at http://hindumythologyforgennext.blogspot.com

Symbolism

Five is an important number to Shiva. According to some legends, he has five faces.

Nandi the bull is Shiva’s vehicle/mount. Each God has an animal companion and Nandi is Shiva’s. More info on Nandi here.

Holidays

There is one night of the year which is said to be Shiva’s favorite and there is a festival dedicated to him called Maha Shivratri (which literally means Shiva’s Great Night). Because Shiva is a God of meditation, austerity, and contemplation, this festival is much less about frolicking than many others. This is a night for dedication and discipline. It is traditional to fast during the day and then stay up all night praying to Shiva.

• Some say that the origin of this holiday is from when Shiva drank the poison that was churned out of the ocean and we give thanks for that pain by celebrating him and pouring water over the lingam form of Shiva to soothe him.
• Some say that it is the anniversary of the night that Shiva danced the tandava dance dispelling ignorance.
• Some say it is the anniversary of Shiva’s marriage to Parvati.

(My Maha Shivratri)

How He Is Worshipped

Though Shiva can be worshiped every day, Monday is considered particularly connected to him. Some Shivites fast on Mondays (and young girls are often encouraged to fast for Shiva on Mondays as a way to ask for a good husband).

Lingam

Worshiping Shiva in this form allows us to connect with him as a formless being with neither beginning nor end. Its phallic shape represents life, energy, and progeny. It is said that this is the best way to worship Shiva in the current age (the Kali Yuga). To do a Shiva linga puja at home you will need:

• a bell or conch shell (and know how to blow the shell to produce a sound)
• Any five of the following liquids: water from the Ganges, Honey, Sugarcane Juice, Cow’s Milk, Yogurt, Ghee, Seawater, Coconut Water, Fragrant Oils, Rose Water.
• (optional) A set of japa mala beads to count mantras on
• Sandalwood paste
• Fresh Flowers
• Fruits and/or sweets
• Incense (or camphor)
• a lamp or candle on a tray
• Vibhuti (white ash)

Before beginning, wash yourself and dress in clean clothes. Sit in front of the lingam and either ring the bell or blow the conch shell to indicate the puja is beginning (it is said to awaken or alert the God). Five liquids are poured over the lingam (panchamrit abhishek). Take your five liquids and pour them one by one over the lingam while chanting Om Namah Shiv-i-ya. Use your beads to count repeating this mantra 108 times. Clean the lingam with water (if possible, water from the Ganges). Smear sandalwood paste on the lingam and wrap flowers around it. While rubbing on the paste, chant: “Om Umaamaheshwaraabhyaam Namah Karodwartnaarthem Chandanam Samarpayaami.” Along with the flowers you can also offer betel leaves, which are particularly beloved of Shiva. (The water and sandalwood paste are for keeping Lord Shiva cool, as he is passionate and hot tempered. In some temples you will see liquid constantly dropping onto the lingam from a pot. This is also meant to keep Shiva cool.) Offer the sweets and/or fruits by placing them in front of the lingam and leaving them there while you light incense and conduct aarti by moving a light lamp on a tray in clockwise circles in front of the lingam. Ring the bell or blow the conch again to indicate the end of the puja. Put vibhuti on your forehead (and distribute to anyone else present). Also distribute the fruits and sweets as prasadam (blessed food) to be eaten by devotees.

Mantras and Bhajans

Om Namah Shiviya is a very popular short mantra to recite. It can be found in numerous places, such as on bracelets. Here’s the Sanskrit:  ॐ नमः शिवाय I bet you’ll start seeing it all over the place!

Shiva Chalisa is a prayer to be recited with sincerity and devotion. It is said to remove obstacles and hardship from a devotee’s life. Here is the text and a translation from  http://www.mahashivratri.org/shiva-chalisa.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm5lQs2fBGU

MAHA MRITYUNJAYA  MANTRA 

Aum Trayambakam Yajamahe Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam Urva Rukamiva Bandhanaan Mrityor Mokshiye Maamritat.

We worship Shiva – The Three-Eyed (tryambakam) Lord (yajamahe); Who is fragrant (sugandhim) and nourishes (pushti) and grows (vardhanam) all beings. As the ripened cucumbe (urvarukamiva) is liberated (bandhanaan) from its bondage to the creeper when  fully ripens; May He liberate us (mokshiya) from death (mrityor), for the sake of immortality (maamritaat).