Shiva - Destroyer and Creator

Hinduism has a myriad of gods and goddesses and Shiva is one of the main male deities, or devas, in the Hindu pantheon. A deva is a Sanskrit term for a divine entity and the term devi is the feminine version of this term. A mahadeva or mahadevi is a great god or goddess. According to Hindu mythology, Shiva holds and displays the power to destroy, create and sustain the universe over and over again. Shiva is also said to both conceal and reveal the power of divine grace according to ancient Shaivite scriptures (religious texts pertaining to Shiva). Shiva's essence or power may be called upon by devotees through the power of chanting his name, the contemplation of his form or the repetition of the sacred mantras of the Shaivite lineage.

Appearance

The Hindu image of Shiva is portrayed in both paintings and statuary as a vibrant young man sitting on a sacred meditation mat made of tiger skin and holding a three-pronged trident. The three-pronged trident represents the three sacred and powerful roles that Shiva plays as the sustainer, destroyer and creator of the universe. This classic image of Shiva is one of a wandering ascetic yogi in search of knowledge and oneness with the divine essence of the heart of God. Shiva's arms and forehead are marked with sacred ash, vibhuti, and his crown chakra (center of energy at the top of his head) is adorned with the newly rising crescent moon.

Trimurti

In Hinduism, the Trimurti is one of the core representations of the male divine energy embodied on earth. Murti is the Sanskrit word for enlivened statute. There are ancient Vedic rituals that are able to install the life essence of a god or goddess into a stone statue. When a sacred statue becomes enlivened by such a practice, it is known as a murti. The Trimurti refers to a murti that has three heads representing the three different aspects of the essential divine male energy in the form of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. Vishnu's role is primarily to preserve and protect the universe. Brahma represents the underlying creative potential of the universe. The origin of the representation of God in the Hindu Trimurti can be traced back several thousand years to ancient Hindu scriptures in the Shaivite tradition.