Who is Shiv?

When we speak of Shaivism, the question arises, 'Who is Shiv?' In Puranas, we come across different depictions of Shiv - benevolent as well as fearsome. In benevolent aspects, he is depicted as an omniscient yogi who lives like a mendicant on Mount Kailash, and also as a householder who is married to Parvati and has two sons, Ganesh and Kartikey. In his fearsome aspect, he is depicted as the slayer of demons. As the patron god of yog, meditation and arts, Shiv is revered as Adiyogi.

Among his various representations in art, the most popular is as Nataraj, the Lord of Dance. The iconographical attributes of Shiv are as the serpents adorning his neck; the crescent moon; Ganga flowing from his matted hair; the third eye on his forehead as Trilochan; the trishul, trident, as his weapon; Nandi, the bull, as his vehicle; and the damru, drum, that represents the cosmic sound of creation.

In contrast, in the inner dimension, Shiv is perceived as Neel Purush, the Blue Being, Ultimate Reality, who abides in the highest spiritual centre in the sahasrar region, the brain. In Kashmir Shaivism, the inquiry about Ultimate Reality starts not with the third person but with the first person, with Shiv 'here' - within oneself as one's own higher Self.


With the mind getting dissolved in consciousness, realisation dawns upon the seeker that nothing exists apart from Shiv.