Forms and depictions :
Nataraja : The depiction of Lord Shiva as nataraja is popular. His association with dance and also with music is prominent in the puranic period. The two most common forms of dance are the Tandava - the powerful and masculine dance as Kala - Mahakala associated with the destruction of the world and Lasya - which is graceful and delicate and expresses emotions on a gentle level and is considered the feminine dance attributed to Goddess Parvathi. Lasya is regarded as the female counterpart of Tandava.
Dakshinamurthy : Dakshinamurthy literally describes a form of shiva in his aspect as a teacher of yoga , music and wisdom and giving exposition on the shastras. Elements of this motif can include Lord Shiva seated upon a deer throne and surrounded by sages who are receiving his insturction.
Mrutyunjaya : An aspect of Lord Shiva worshipped as the conqueror of Death as manifested in the Hindu lord of death, Yama. The particular legend in question deals with the sage Markandeya, who was fated to die at the age of sixteen. On account of the sages's worship and devotion to Lord Shiva, the Lord vanquished Yama to liberate his devotee from death. SLord Shiva is often worshipped as Mruthyunjaya by the aged or ill, to ward off death and mitigate its harshness when it does occur.
Ardhanarishvara : An icongraphic representation of shiva called Ardhanarishvara shows him with one half of the body as male, and the other half as female. In Hindu philosophy, this is used to visualize the belief that the sacred ultimate power of the universe as being both feminine and masculine.
Lingam : The worship of Lord Shiva in the form of a Lingam or Linga is also important. One common form is the shape of a vertical rounded column. Shiva means auspiciousness and linga means " genital", a sign or a symbol of the great God of the universe who is all - auspiciousness. Linga also means the same thing - a place where created objects get dissolved during the disintegration of the created universe.
Temples :
The holiest Lord Shiva temples are the 12 Jyotirlinga temples. They are
Nataraja : The depiction of Lord Shiva as nataraja is popular. His association with dance and also with music is prominent in the puranic period. The two most common forms of dance are the Tandava - the powerful and masculine dance as Kala - Mahakala associated with the destruction of the world and Lasya - which is graceful and delicate and expresses emotions on a gentle level and is considered the feminine dance attributed to Goddess Parvathi. Lasya is regarded as the female counterpart of Tandava.
Dakshinamurthy : Dakshinamurthy literally describes a form of shiva in his aspect as a teacher of yoga , music and wisdom and giving exposition on the shastras. Elements of this motif can include Lord Shiva seated upon a deer throne and surrounded by sages who are receiving his insturction.
Mrutyunjaya : An aspect of Lord Shiva worshipped as the conqueror of Death as manifested in the Hindu lord of death, Yama. The particular legend in question deals with the sage Markandeya, who was fated to die at the age of sixteen. On account of the sages's worship and devotion to Lord Shiva, the Lord vanquished Yama to liberate his devotee from death. SLord Shiva is often worshipped as Mruthyunjaya by the aged or ill, to ward off death and mitigate its harshness when it does occur.
Ardhanarishvara : An icongraphic representation of shiva called Ardhanarishvara shows him with one half of the body as male, and the other half as female. In Hindu philosophy, this is used to visualize the belief that the sacred ultimate power of the universe as being both feminine and masculine.
Lingam : The worship of Lord Shiva in the form of a Lingam or Linga is also important. One common form is the shape of a vertical rounded column. Shiva means auspiciousness and linga means " genital", a sign or a symbol of the great God of the universe who is all - auspiciousness. Linga also means the same thing - a place where created objects get dissolved during the disintegration of the created universe.
Temples :
The holiest Lord Shiva temples are the 12 Jyotirlinga temples. They are
- Somnath in Saurashtra
- Mallikarjun in Srisailam
- Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain
- Omkareshwar in Shivpuri / mamaleswara
- Kasivishwanath - Varanasi
- Vaidyanath in Parali
- Nageswar in Darukavanam
- Kedareswar in Kedarnath / Himalayas
- Tryambakeswar in Nasik
- Rameshwar in Setubandanam / Rameshwaram
- Bhimashankar in Dakini
In south India, 5 Temples of Lord Shiva are held to be particularly important, as being manifestations of him in the five elemental substances :
- Tiruvannamalai - Fire
- Kanchipuram - Earth
- Tiruvanaikaval - Water
- Chidambaram - Ether
- Srikalahasti - Air.
Sources : Wikipedia
