Śiva

The Brihadisvara temple is an ancient Hindu temple located at Thanjavur in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. This 10th century CE temple, one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, is a brilliant example of the Dravidian style of temple architecture. The central temple known as the Periya Koil (Big Temple) stands within a fort, whose walls are later additions built during the 16th century. The main tower of the temple is about 70 m high. The crown itself is very large and heavy (nearly 30 tonnes) and till a few years back was t ...

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Aum namah Śivāya (IAST transliteration, refer to Sanskrit for pronunciation) is among the foremost Vedic mantras. Its general translation is "adoration (namas) to Śiva", preceded by the mystical syllable Aum. It is called Panchakshara, or "having five syllables". Śaivite mystics hold that within its celestial tones and hues resides all of the intuitive knowledge of Śaivism. The Aum namah Śivāya mantra apears for the first time, yet without the Aum, in a traditional Vedic prayer to Rudra called Śri R ...

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• Aum namah Sivaya - A Hindu Śaivite view on the Aum namah Śivāya mantra

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The meaning of the Namah Śivāya mantra was explained by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami: "Namah Śivāya is the most holy name of God Śiva, recorded at the very center of the Vedas and elaborated in the Śaiva Agamas. Na is the Lord's concealing grace, Ma is the world, Śi stands for Śiva, Va is His revealing grace, Ya is the soul. The five elements, too, are embodied in this ancient formula for invocation. Na ...

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Aum namah Sivaya, Aum namah Sivaya - A Hindu Śaivite view on the Aum namah Śivāya mantra

Read more here: » Aum namah Sivaya: Encyclopedia II - Aum namah Sivaya - A Hindu Śaivite view on the Aum namah Śivāya mantra

Please remove this notice after the article has been expanded. Details are on this talk page or at Wikipedia:Requests for expansion. Shaivism (also spelled Saivism, IAST Śaivism; see Sanskrit for pronunciation) is a branch of Hinduism that worships Siva as the Supreme God. Followe ...

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• Shaivism - Philosophy and Worship
• Shaivism - History
• Shaivism - Features of Shaivism
• Shaivism - Within Hinduism
• Shaivism - Shaiva Upanishads

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Hinduism encompasses many movements and schools fairly organized within Hindu denominations. A denomination shares a common ground of beliefs but embraces many different movements and schools inside its philosophical branches. Hindu denominations - Basic overview. Contemporary Hinduism is traditionally divided into four major denominations: Śaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, and Smartha. Hinduism is a very rich and complex religion. Each of its four denominations share rituals, bel ...

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• Hindu denominations - Basic overview
• Hindu denominations - Vaishnavism
• Hindu denominations - Śaivism
• Hindu denominations - Shaktism
• Hindu denominations - Smartha sect
• Hindu denominations - Newer denominations
• Hindu denominations - Agama Hindu Dharma

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Rudraksha is commonly used to mean the seeds of the rudraksha tree, Elaeocarpus ganitrus. In Sanskrit rudraksha literally means "the eye of Rudra" or "red-eyed", from rud, "to cry," and aksha, meaning "eye". In one story by Śaivites, God himself (Śiva) shed a tear, on viewing the misfortunes of humanity. This single tear became the first Rudraksha tree, and a sign of his compassion. In another story, while destroying the asura fortress of Tripura, the seeds from Lord Siva's eyes emerged to form rudraksha. The ...

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Nataraja (literally, The King of Dance) is the dancing posture of Lord Śiva, the aspect of God as the Destroyer in Hinduism. The upper right hand holds the Drum (called Udukkai in Tamil and Dhamarukha in Hindi), which symbolizes sound originating Creation. The upper left hand contains Agni or the fire, which signifies Destruction. The opposing concepts in the upper hands show the counterpoise of creation and destruction. The second right hand shows Abhaya (fe ...

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• Nataraja - Origin

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The salient features of Saivism as it is today are:- 1 Siva is the supreme god among the Hindu god-trinity - Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. 2 He is worshipped in two forms. One as a lingam and the other as human form. The human form has several varieties. The most important of them are Nataraja - the dancing posture and Dakshinamoorthy - the teacher instructing the four sages on the absolute truth. 3 His consort Parvathi, his sons Ganapath ...

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Shaivism, Shaivism - Philosophy and Worship, Shaivism - History, Shaivism - Features of Shaivism, Shaivism - Within Hinduism, Shaivism - Shaiva Upanishads

Read more here: » Shaivism: Encyclopedia II - Shaivism - Features of Shaivism

Shaktas worship Shakti, the divine Mother, in her many forms like (Kali, Durga, Laxmi, Saraswati etc.). Shakta form was one of the oldest forms of Hindu religion (evidences even from Indus valley civilisation), but with evolution of civilisation and emergence of various doctrines, various other forms of Hindu philosophy emerged. Shaivism and Shakta forms are really inseparable, as is the description of Shiva and Shakti/Sati/Parvati. Vaishanvism has also its connections with Shakta philoso ...

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Hindu denominations, Hindu denominations - Basic overview, Hindu denominations - Vaishnavism, Hindu denominations - Śaivism, Hindu denominations - Shaktism, Hindu denominations - Smartha sect, Hindu denominations - Newer denominations, Hindu denominations - Agama Hindu Dharma

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Of the 108 Upanishads of the Muktika canon, 14 are associated with Shaivaism[citation needed]. They are listed with their associated Veda (ṚV, SV, ŚYV, KYV, AV): Kaivalya (KYV) Śira (AV) See also:

Shaivism, Shaivism - Philosophy and Worship, Shaivism - History, Shaivism - Features of Shaivism, Shaivism - Within Hinduism, Shaivism - Shaiva Upanishads

Read more here: » Shaivism: Encyclopedia II - Shaivism - Shaiva Upanishads

The visual image of Nataraja achieved canonical form in the bronzes cast under the Chola dynasty in the tenth century AD, and then continued to be reproduced in metal, stone and other substances right up to the present times. The Chola Nataraja is often said to be the supreme statement of Hindu art. One of the many legends on the conception of Śiva as Nataraja is this one: In a dense forest in South India, there dwelt multitudes of heretical sages. Thither proceeded Śiva to confute them, accompanied by Vishnu disguised as a beaut ...

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Nataraja, Nataraja - Origin

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Smarthas have free rein to choose whichever deity they wish to worship. They usually worship five deities (pancopasana). It is a liberal and eclectic sect. Some prominent Smarta communities: In south India Iyer Vaidike Mulukanadu Vaidiki Velanadu Vaidiki Telanganya Namboothiri Badaganadu Hoysala Kannada Kota brahmin Babboor Kamme Arvel Niyogi Brahmins In Maharashtra Karhade Deshast ...

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Hindu denominations, Hindu denominations - Basic overview, Hindu denominations - Vaishnavism, Hindu denominations - Śaivism, Hindu denominations - Shaktism, Hindu denominations - Smartha sect, Hindu denominations - Newer denominations, Hindu denominations - Agama Hindu Dharma

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Hindu denominations - Agama Hindu Dharma. The newest and least numerous denominations are comprised of Balinese Hindus, who make up a sect of Hinduism that once flourished on the nearby island of Java until late 16th century when a vast majority of its adherents converted to Islam. ...

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Hindu denominations, Hindu denominations - Basic overview, Hindu denominations - Vaishnavism, Hindu denominations - Śaivism, Hindu denominations - Shaktism, Hindu denominations - Smartha sect, Hindu denominations - Newer denominations, Hindu denominations - Agama Hindu Dharma

Read more here: » Hindu denominations: Encyclopedia II - Hindu denominations - Newer denominations

Originated in India, Śaivism has appeal all over India and is particularly strong among the Tamils of Southern India and Sri Lanka and Kannadigas. Some traditions credit the spreading of Śaivism into southern India by the great sage, Agastya, who is said to brought Vedic traditions as well as the Tamil language. There can be found almost innumerable Śaivite temples and shrines, with many shrines accompanied as well by murtis dedicated to Ganesa, Lord of the Ganas, followers of Śiva, and son of Śiva and Śakti. The twelve Jyotirling, or "golden Iingam", shrines are ...

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Shaivism, Shaivism - Philosophy and Worship, Shaivism - History, Shaivism - Features of Shaivism, Shaivism - Within Hinduism, Shaivism - Shaiva Upanishads

Read more here: » Shaivism: Encyclopedia II - Shaivism - History

Śaivism is a form of nondual spiritual practice and philosophy originating in India. Śaivites believe that the entire creation is both an expression of conscious divinity and is non-different from that divinity which they call "Śiva". Because he is simultaneously the created and the creator, Śiva is both immanent and transcendent. This concept contrasts with many semitic religious traditions in which God is seen as fundamentally different from the creation and transcendent, or "higher" than the creation. As in all Hindu denominations, Ś ...

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Shaivism, Shaivism - Philosophy and Worship, Shaivism - History, Shaivism - Features of Shaivism, Shaivism - Within Hinduism, Shaivism - Shaiva Upanishads

Read more here: » Shaivism: Encyclopedia II - Shaivism - Philosophy and Worship

The salient features of Saivism as it is today are:- 1 Siva is the supreme God among the Hindu God-trinity - Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. 2 He is worshipped in two forms. One as a lingam and the other as human form. The human form has several varieties. The most important of them are Nataraja - the dancing posture and Dakshinamoorthy - the teacher instructing the four sages on the absolute truth. 3 His consort Parvathi, his sons Ganapath ...

See also:

Shaivism, Shaivism - Philosophy and Worship, Shaivism - History, Shaivism - Features of Shaivism, Shaivism - Within Hinduism, Shaivism - Shaiva Upanishads

Read more here: » Shaivism: Encyclopedia II - Shaivism - Features of Shaivism

Contemporary Hinduism is traditionally divided into four major denominations: Śaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, and Smartha. Hinduism is a very rich and complex religion. Each of its four denominations share rituals, beliefs, traditions and personal Gods with one another, but each denomination has a different philosophy on how to achieve life's ultimate goal (mokśa, liberation) and different views of the Gods. Each follows different methods of self-realization and worships different aspects of the One Supreme God. Howeve ...

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Hindu denominations, Hindu denominations - Basic overview, Hindu denominations - Vaishnavism, Hindu denominations - Śaivism, Hindu denominations - Shaktism, Hindu denominations - Smartha sect, Hindu denominations - Newer denominations, Hindu denominations - Agama Hindu Dharma

Read more here: » Hindu denominations: Encyclopedia II - Hindu denominations - Basic overview

Vaishnavas worship Vishnu, or Krishna and his avataras (especially Rama) as the supreme deity. This is the largest denomination. Vaishnava sampradayas: Madhvas - followers of Madhavacharya Shri Vaishnavas, followers of Ramanujacharya Rudra Vaishnavas, followers of Vallabhacharya Nimbarka Vaishnavas Gaudiya Vaishnavism, followers of Chaitanya Mahaprab ...

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Hindu denominations, Hindu denominations - Basic overview, Hindu denominations - Vaishnavism, Hindu denominations - Śaivism, Hindu denominations - Shaktism, Hindu denominations - Smartha sect, Hindu denominations - Newer denominations, Hindu denominations - Agama Hindu Dharma

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Śaivites are those who primarily worship God Śiva as Supreme God, both Immanent and Transcendent. Śaivism embraces at the same time Monism and Dualism. It focuses on yoga, meditation and love for all beings. Major theological schools of Śaivism include Kashmir Śaivism, Śaiva Siddhanta and Virasaivism. To Saivites God Śiva is both with and without form; He is the Supreme Dancer, Nataraja; He is the linga, without beginning or end. Si ...

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Hindu denominations, Hindu denominations - Basic overview, Hindu denominations - Vaishnavism, Hindu denominations - Śaivism, Hindu denominations - Shaktism, Hindu denominations - Smartha sect, Hindu denominations - Newer denominations, Hindu denominations - Agama Hindu Dharma

Read more here: » Hindu denominations: Encyclopedia II - Hindu denominations - Śaivism