�� Richard Randall

Caribbean

Sundries

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.

In the mid 20th century, scholars like Ragula Sangiruthiyayan attempted to show how the various ancient religious practices were consolidated together by the rigorous effort of the Rishi Chanakya during the Gupta Dynasty. According to this school of thought, Rudra and other hunter and forest divinities were collectively brought into the charecteristics of one Godly personage: ��iva. This God was then accepted as originating from Brahman. Similarly, various other smaller gods of southern and western india were related to one single God, namely Vishnu whom then related to Rama of Aryan tribes who also was accepted as created by Brahma.

There is however, the matter of the Pashupati (Lord of the Beasts) emblem on a seal discovered in Mohenjodaro, a major city-state in the Indus Valley Civilization. It puts forward a strong case for Shiva to be a God not of Indo-Aryan roots, but rooted in the people of the Indus valley, and the indigenous Dravidian and tribal peoples who inhabited the subcontinent. Shiva occupies an exalted, supreme position in Hinduism, making the case that Hinduism is not an Aryan religion, but a synthesis of Aryan, Dravidian and other influences.

References to ��iva as female may have these origins:-�Į(1) Europeans guessing wrong from the -a on the end of his name.�Į(2) Sometimes, his consort P��rvat�� is called Shiv�� (with the end vowel long).

Names of Shiva

The Shiva Purana lists 108 names for Lord ��iva and the Shiva sahasranama lists 1008 names. Each of his names, in Sanskrit, signifies a certain attribute of his. Some of his names are listed below

�Ģ Mahadeva (Sanskrit ������������������ ) - The Supreme Lord : Maha = great, Deva = God - more often than not, the Aghora (fierce) version)

�Ģ Rudra (Sanskrit ��������������� ) - The one who howls or strict and uncompromising

�Ģ Maheshwar (Sanskrit ��������������������� ) - The Supreme Lord: Maha = great, Eshwar = God

�Ģ Rameshwar (Sanskrit ��������������������� ) - The one whom Ram worships: Ram, Eshwar = worships, God; Ram's God

�Ģ Mahayogi (Sanskrit ��������������������� )- The Supreme Yogi: Maha = great, Yogi = one who practices Yoga

�Ģ Mahabaleshwar (Sanskrit ������������������������������ )- God of Great Strength : Maha = great, Bal = strength, Eshwar = God

�Ģ Trinetra (Sanskrit ��������������������������� )- Three-Eyed One, i.e. All-Knowing: Tri = three, Netra = Eye

�Ģ Triaksha - Three-Eyed One, i.e. All-Knowing: Tri = three, Aksha = Eye

�Ģ Trinayana - Three-Eyed One, i.e. All-Knowing: Tri = three, Nayana = Eye

�Ģ Tryambakam - Three-Eyed One, i.e. All-Knowing: Tri = three, Ambakam = Eye

�Ģ Mahakala (Sanskrit ������������������ )- Great Time, i.e. Conqueror of Time: Maha = three, Kala = Time

�Ģ Neelakantha (Sanskrit ������������������ )- The one with a Blue Throat: Neel = blue, Kantha = throat

�Ģ Digambara (Sanskrit ������������������ )- One who has the skies as his clothes, i.e. The Naked One: Dik = Clothes, Ambara = Sky

�Ģ Shankara (Sanskrit ������������ ) - Giver of Joy

�Ģ Shambhu (Sanskrit ������������ ) - Abode of Joy)

�Ģ Vyomkesha (Sanskrit ������������������������ )- The One who has the sky as his hair: Vyom = sky, Kesha =hair

�Ģ Chandrashekhara (Sanskrit ��������������������������� ) - The master of the Moon: Chandra = Moon, Shekhara = master

�Ģ Siddheshwara (Sanskrit ������������������������������ ) - The Perfect Lord

�Ģ Trishuldhari (Sanskrit ��������������������������������� ) - He who holds the divine Trishul or Trident: Trishul = Trident, Dhari = He who holds

�Ģ Dakhshinamurthi (Sanskrit ������������������������������������ ) - The Cosmic Tutor

�Ģ Kailashpati (Sanskrit ������������������������ ) - Lord of Mount Kailash

�Ģ Pashupatinatha (Sanskrit ��������������������������� ) - Lord of all Creatures

�Ģ Umapati (Sanskrit ������������������ ) - The husband of Uma

�Ģ Gangadhara (Sanskrit ������������������ ) - He who holds the river Ganga

�Ģ Bhairava (Sanskrit ������������ ) - The Frightful One

�Ģ Sabesan - Lord who dances in the dais

�Ģ Nagaraja (or Nagaraj)- King of snakes (lord,price,ruler,controller... of snakes)

�Ģ Ekambaratha- The destoyer of evil (name used scarcly, mostly in temples)

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