Lord Shiva

The Lord's attributes represent his victory over the demonic activity, and calmness of human nature. He is known as the "giver" god. He is said to be easily pleased. His vehicle is a bull (symbol of happiness and strength) named Nandi.

Shiva is the God of asceticism, art and dancing. In statues and paintings he is usually depicted as ash-colored with a blue neck wearing a necklace of skulls. His blue neck is from holding in his throat the poison thrown up at the churning of the cosmic ocean, which threatened to destroy humankind.

Shiva-Linga, a sign of the Lord, is adored instead of him. Shiva temples have Shiva-Linga as the main deity.

In Sanskrit, Shiva means the "auspicious one". He is known both as the destroyer and as the restorer. He takes life away so it can be recreated. He is a God of contradictory opposites, a paradox in that He is both terrible and mild.

He has three eys; the thid one, the inner eye, is capable of destruction when focused outwards. His hair is arranged in a coil of matted locks. He is also said to have been a cosmic dancer.

Some Hindus worship Lord Shiva as the supreme deity and think of Him as a benevolent God of salvation as well as a God of destruction. As the supreme ascetic, Shiva is the destroyer of maya (illusion), which opens the way to moksha (salvation).