I am the sea and you the wave,You are Prakrti, and I Purusha.– Translated by Stella Kramrisch Stella Kramrisch (1975), The Indian Great Goddess, History of Religions, Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 235–265 In the grand tapestry of Hindu mythology, the tale of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati stands as a testament to the divine energies of …
In Hinduism, the origins of Lord Shiva are depicted through various ancient texts, each offering a unique perspective on the transcendent and supreme deity’s Shiva’s birth. Vaishnavites believe that Lord Shiva was created by Lord Vishnu, whereas Shaivites believe that Lord Shiva is Svayambhu, self-manifested. This article unfolds the narratives presented in the Shiva Purana, …
In Asian art Shiva may be represented in slightly different ways depending on the particular culture: Indian, Cambodian, Javanese etc. but he is most commonly depicted naked, with multiple arms and with his hair tied up in a topknot. He often has three horizontal stripes and a third vertical eye on his forehead. He wears …
“It is in love that religion exists and not in ceremony, in the pure and sincere love in the heart. Unless a man is pure in body and mind, his coming into a temple and worshipping Shiva is useless. The prayers of those that are pure in mind and body will be answered by Shiva, …
“These are the external forms of devotion, through which man has to pass; but if he is sincere, if he really wants to reach the truth, he goes higher than these, to a plane where forms are as nothing. Temples or churches, books or forms, are simply the kindergarten of religion, to make the spiritual …