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Śiva is the supreme God of Śaivism, one of the three main branches of Hinduism today (the others being Vaishnavism and Shaktism). His abode is called Kailasa. His holy mount (Skt: Vahana) is Nandi, the Bull. His attendant is named Bhadra. Śiva is usually represented by the Śiva linga (or lingam), usually depicted as a clay mound with three horizontal stripes on it, or visualised as a flaming pillar. In anthropomorphised images, he is generally represented as immersed in deep meditation on Mount Kailash (reputed to be the same as the Mount Kailash in the south of Tibet, near Manasarovar Lake) in the Himalaya, his traditional abode.

Shiva: Supreme God of all in Saivism

Śiva is the supreme God of Śaivism, one of the four main branches of Hinduism today (the others being Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smartism). Śiva is usually represented by the Śiva linga (or lingam), usually depicted as a clay mound with three horizontal stripes on it, or visualised as a flaming pillar. In anthropomorphised images, he is generally represented as immersed in deep meditation on Mount Kailash (reputed to be the same as the Mount Kailash in the south of Tibet, near Manasarovar Lake) in the Himalaya, his traditional abode.

As this web site, [1], states, Lord Shiva is the God of all and is worshipped by all, from devas such as Brahma, Indra, by asuras like Bana, Ravana, by humans like Adi Shankara, Nayanars, by creatures such as Jatayu, an eagle, Vali, a monkey, and the list goes on and on. Furthermore, the site states that a variety of people of different backgrounds and qualities worship the Lord shiva, with many temples having histories of even cranes, bees, elephants, (see Kalahasti), spiders, snakes, worshipping the Lord and getting blessed and concludes by stating that the Lord as the Supreme blesses anyone who worships in sincere devotion as there is no discrimination on who the seeker is. Major deities, rishis, planets, worshipped Shiva and also established Shivalingas in various places in India.

1. Lord Ganesh at Pillayar patti (100 km from Madurai, India)

2. The four Vedas worshipped Shiva at Thirumaraikaadu (i.e., Vedaaranyam near Tanjore)

3. Lord Skanda at Thiruchendur (200 km from Madurai, India)

4. Lord Rama (avatar of Vishnu) in Rameswaram (India)

5. Lord Vishnu at Kancheepuram (Kacheeswarar Temple)

6. Lord Parasuramar (avatar of Vishnu) at Sreesailam, Karnataka and also at Chennai (Lord Parasurama at Lingeshwara Temple, Iyanavaram )

7. Goddess Lakshmi (wife of Vishnu) at Tirupachethi (50 km from Madurai).

8. Lord Sun at Srivilliputhur (Vaidhyanathaar Temple 100 km from Madurai)

9. Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu at Tiruvannamalai (180 km from Chennai)

10. Lord Brahma at Vrinchipuram (155 km from Chennai, 15 km from Vellore)

11. Lord Raagu and Lord Kethu at Kaalahasthi (50 km from Tirupathi, AP, India)

12. Lord Indra at Madurai (Soma Sundareeswar Temple)

13. The Rishi Agastya at Papanasam (100 km from Tirunelveli, TN, India)

14. Goddess Parvati at Kancheepuram (Ekambeeswarar Temple, 70 km from Chennai, India)

15. Lord Shani at Thirnallar (near Kaaraikal, Pondicherry)

16. Lord Moon at Thingalur (near Tanjore)

17. Lord Shiva and Sani at Thirvidaimaruthoor (near Kumbakonam)

18. Lord Brahma at Kumbakoonam (Kumbeeswarar, near Tanjore)

Consorts, and the burning of Kamadeva

Śiva's consort is Devi, God's energy or God as the Divine Mother who comes in many different forms, one of whom is Kali, the goddess of death. Parvati, a more pacific form of Devi is also popular. Śiva also married Sati, another form of Devi and daughter of Daksha, who forbade the marriage. Sati disobeyed her father. Daksha once held a Yajna (ritual sacrifice) to Vishnu, but did not invite Śiva. In disgust, Sati burned herself through yogic meditation (or, in another version, in the same fire Daksha used in his sacrifice). When Śiva's attendants reported the matter, Shiva tore off a lock of his hair and lashed it against the ground. The stalk split in two, one half transforming into the terrifying gana Virabhadra, while the other caused Mahakali to manifest on the scene. The pair immediately led Śiva's army of ganas to Daksha's yajna and destroyed it. Daksha was decapitated by Virabhadra, but was later given the head of a goat to humble him, once the rishis and Brahma had pleaded with Śiva for lenience. Sati was later reborn in the house of Himavat (Himalaya mountain-range personified) and performed great penance (Skt: Tapasya) to win over Śiva's attention. Her penance brought Kamadeva and his consort Rati to the scene, whereupon they attempted to interrupt Shiva's meditation with Kamadeva's arrow of passion. It caused Śiva to break his Samadhi, but he was so infuriated by Kamadeva's assault that he burned the deva of passion to ashes on the spot with his glare. It was only after Rati's pleading that Śiva agreed to reincarnate Kamadeva.

Parvati would try again without Kamadeva's aid to win over Shiva, and this time, through her devotion and the persuasion of other rishis, yogis, and devas, he eventually accepted her.

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