Lord Shiva is known as the god of yogis and the main agent of change, both as a preserver of life and a destroyer of life, including the ego. Nothing is truly is destroyed by Shiva, because when something like the ego is taken away something new is created. In essence, it means the power he holds is the power to purify.
He is said to help make us perceive reality more clearly. His destructive powers are therefore a way of opening up new paths for people, which lead to new ways of seeing things. When this happens people are able to see reality in the way he intended.
Meditation plays a key role in the Hindu religion and it's role with the deities is no different. The deep meditation that's advocated by the followers of deity involves a greater level of consciousness, one that eventually renders you formless. The idea is that we are all essentially pure consciousness and that by going back to our original state we are able to let go our attachments to possessions.
As is fairly usual in Hinduism, the deity has many different guises. Nataraj is a dance that represents destruction and creation. It's main purpose is to reveal the cycles of rebirth and death. There are many other dances that are connected to the deity, such as the Dance of Bliss and the King of Dance, which are supposed to promote the welfare of the world and His love for his devotees. There are many other dances and each one represents something connected with either or all of the following: love, destruction and rebirth.
Followers of the god will probably know that Hanuman, the karma yogi, is rumored to be one of the many forms he has taken. This yogi serves Ram both endlessly and selflessly. Yogis, however, are not meant to take any credit for their selfless acts, so no-one can be entirely sure who Hanuman really is.
Mantras are an important aspect of the Hindu religion, and they are equally important when mentioning the gods. Like most gods, the omnipresent Shiva is incarnated in mantras. He is known as Mahamrityunjaya and when you chant Mahamrityunjaya's mantras they ate supposed to promote health and well being and are said to aid peace and relaxation.
The religious scriptures dictate that people should worship him, usually for a month. This month is often called Sawan, which some call Shravan. Some may wonder why it is just him that is being worshiped during this time and why not other gods. The Hindu scriptures recognize him as being in control of the whole world, and it's him that will one day be responsible for its ultimate destruction. Those who want more in-depth reasons as to why he is worshiped should take a look at the Hindu scriptures.
Lord Shiva is a very important part of the Hindu culture. During the hold month it is he alone who is worshiped. There are many reasons for this, just as there are many stories about the god. One story which captures his essence states that he was telling the goddess Parvati the story of immortality and she fell asleep. A parrot was present, and, after listening to the whole story, the parrot became immortal.
He is said to help make us perceive reality more clearly. His destructive powers are therefore a way of opening up new paths for people, which lead to new ways of seeing things. When this happens people are able to see reality in the way he intended.
Meditation plays a key role in the Hindu religion and it's role with the deities is no different. The deep meditation that's advocated by the followers of deity involves a greater level of consciousness, one that eventually renders you formless. The idea is that we are all essentially pure consciousness and that by going back to our original state we are able to let go our attachments to possessions.
As is fairly usual in Hinduism, the deity has many different guises. Nataraj is a dance that represents destruction and creation. It's main purpose is to reveal the cycles of rebirth and death. There are many other dances that are connected to the deity, such as the Dance of Bliss and the King of Dance, which are supposed to promote the welfare of the world and His love for his devotees. There are many other dances and each one represents something connected with either or all of the following: love, destruction and rebirth.
Followers of the god will probably know that Hanuman, the karma yogi, is rumored to be one of the many forms he has taken. This yogi serves Ram both endlessly and selflessly. Yogis, however, are not meant to take any credit for their selfless acts, so no-one can be entirely sure who Hanuman really is.
Mantras are an important aspect of the Hindu religion, and they are equally important when mentioning the gods. Like most gods, the omnipresent Shiva is incarnated in mantras. He is known as Mahamrityunjaya and when you chant Mahamrityunjaya's mantras they ate supposed to promote health and well being and are said to aid peace and relaxation.
The religious scriptures dictate that people should worship him, usually for a month. This month is often called Sawan, which some call Shravan. Some may wonder why it is just him that is being worshiped during this time and why not other gods. The Hindu scriptures recognize him as being in control of the whole world, and it's him that will one day be responsible for its ultimate destruction. Those who want more in-depth reasons as to why he is worshiped should take a look at the Hindu scriptures.
Lord Shiva is a very important part of the Hindu culture. During the hold month it is he alone who is worshiped. There are many reasons for this, just as there are many stories about the god. One story which captures his essence states that he was telling the goddess Parvati the story of immortality and she fell asleep. A parrot was present, and, after listening to the whole story, the parrot became immortal.