The Book of ShivaShiva: Destroyer and Protector, Supreme Ascetic and Lord of the Universe. He is Ardhanarishwara, half-man and half-woman; he is Neelakantha, who drank poison to save the three worlds-and yet, when crazed with grief at the death of Sati, set about destroying them. Shiva holds within him the answers to some of the greatest dilemmas that have perplexed mankind. Who is Shiva? Namita Gokhale examines this question and many others that lie within the myriad of stories about Shiva. Even as she unravels his complexities, she finds a philosophy and worldview that is terrifying and yet life affirming-an outlook that is to many the essence of Indian thought. |
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Contents
The Manifestations of Shiva | 13 |
Shiva as Mahakala | 21 |
Tandava the Great Dance of Shiva | 27 |
The Divine Family of Shiva | 43 |
Swallowing the World Poison | 53 |
Popular Legends and Scriptural Tales | 59 |
The Erotic and Ascetic Aspect of Shiva | 67 |
Shiva in the Tharuvana | 77 |
The Worship of Shiva | 87 |
The Twelve Jyotirlingas | 97 |
Schools of Shiva Consciousness 109 | 9 |
Satyam Shivam Sundaram 117 | 17 |
29 | |
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Common terms and phrases
Agni archer arrow ascetic ashes aspects of Shiva associated asuras austerities beauty bhasma body Brahma Brahminical celestial consort cosmic cults Daksha dance dancer death deity demons destroyer devatas devotional Divine Family earth element embodiment erotic esoteric essence eternal fire ganas Ganesha Ganga Ghrishneshwara goddess gods Hanuman Hindu hiva incarnate India interpretations Ishana jyotirlinga Kala Kamadeva Kapalika Kashi legend life-force linga Lingayat Lord Shiva Mahakala manifestation meditations moon Mount Kailasha mudra mystic myth mythic Nataraja ocean panthis Parvati Pashupati penance phallic phallus Prajapati Prakriti Puranas Ravana reality religion religious representation of Shiva rishis ritual Rohini Rudra Rudra-Shiva rudraksha sacred sages samudra manthan Sanskrit Sarva Sati Satyam Shivam Sundaram Schools of Shiva sculpture semen serpent sexual Shaiva-Siddhanta Shaivism Shaivite Shakti Shamanistic Shiva Consciousness Shiva worship Shiva—Shakti Shivalinga Siva skull Soma Sudeha supreme ascetic symbol Tamil Tantric temple Tharuvana transcendent Twelve jyotirlingas understanding universe Vedic versions Vishnu worship of Shiva