This article is about the Hindu god.

For the Jewish period of mourning, see Shiva (Judaism). For

other uses, see Shiva (disambiguation).
"Neelkanth" redirects here. For the 2012 film, see Neelkanth (film). For the bird, see Indian
roller.
"Manjunatha" redirects here. For other uses, see Manjunath (disambiguation).

Shiva

God of Destruction

Para Brahman, the Supreme Being (Shaivism)[1]

Ultimate
Reality, Moksha, Karma, Time, Arts, Dance, Yoga and Me
ditation, the Destroyer of Evil, Supreme Being in Shaivism

Member of Trimurti

Other Shankara, Bholenath, Maheśvara,

names Mahadeva, Rudra, Mahakala, Sadashiva, Batara

Siwa, Nataraja

Devanaga शिव

ri

Affiliation Trimurti, Ishvara, Parabrahman and Paramatman (S

haivism)

Abode  Mount Kailash[2]

 Cremation grounds (Shmashana Adhipati)

Mantra  Om Namah Shivaya

 Om Namo Bhagavate Rudraya

 Mahamrityunjaya Mantra

Weapon Trishula, Pashupatastra, Parashu, Pinaka bow[3]

Symbols Lingam,[3] Crescent Moon, Damaru (Drum), Vasuki
 Day Monday and also Thrayodashi

Mount Nandi (bull)[4]

Gender Male

Festivals Maha Shivaratri, Shravana, Kartik

Purnima, Bhairava Ashtami[5]

Personal information

Spouse Parvati/Sati[note 1]

Children Kartikeya (son)

Ganesha (son)[7][8]

Shiva (/ˈʃɪvə/; Sanskrit: शिव, romanized: Śiva, lit. 'The Auspicious One' [ɕɪʋɐ]), also known

as Mahadeva (/məˈhɑː ˈdeɪvə/; Sanskrit: महादे व:, romanized: Mahādevaḥ, lit. 'The Great
God' [mɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ]),[9][10][11] or Hara,[12] is one of the principal deities of Hinduism.[13] He is
the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hinduism.[14]
Shiva is known as "The Destroyer" within the Trimurti, the Hindu trinity which also
includes Brahma and Vishnu.[2][15] In the Shaivite tradition, Shiva is the Supreme Lord who
creates, protects and transforms the universe.[9][10][11] In the goddess-oriented Shakta tradition, the
Supreme Goddess (Devi) is regarded as the energy and creative power (Shakti) and the equal
complementary partner of Shiva.[16][17] Shiva is one of the five equivalent deities in Panchayatana
puja of the Smarta tradition of Hinduism.[18]
Shiva has many aspects, benevolent as well as fearsome. In benevolent aspects, he is depicted
as an omniscient Yogi who lives an ascetic life on Mount Kailash[2] as well as a householder with
his wife Parvati and his three children, Ganesha, Kartikeya and Ashokasundari. In his fierce
aspects, he is often depicted slaying demons. Shiva is also known as Adiyogi Shiva, regarded as
the patron god of yoga, meditation and the arts.[19]
The iconographical attributes of Shiva are the serpent around his neck, the
adorning crescent moon, the holy river Ganga flowing from his matted hair, the third eye on his
forehead (the eye that turns everything in front of it into ashes when opened), the trishula or
trident as his weapon, and the damaru drum. He is usually worshipped in the aniconic form
of lingam.[3]
Shiva has pre-Vedic roots,[20] and the figure of Shiva evolved as an amalgamation of various older
non-Vedic and Vedic deities, including the Rigvedic storm god Rudra who may also have non-
Vedic origins,[21] into a single major deity.[22] Shiva is a pan-Hindu deity, revered widely by Hindus
in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Indonesia (especially in Java and Bali).[23]