DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0097
i
aivtsm.
*5
and surrounded by dwarfish, buffoon-like troops (gana) of
attendants, who, like their master, are fond of good living
and occasionally inebriated by intoxicating liquors. The
worshippers of Siva in this character generally belong to the
sect called Saktas, who are devoted to the wife of the god,
and are given to self-indulgence and sensual gratification.
Their religious books are called Tantras, and their peculiar
tenets will be explained under the head of Saktism.
A still more remarkable aspect of the god is as a being
half-male, half-female (Ardha-narl)1. This really belongs
to the second of the characters just described. It sym-
bolizes both the duality and unity of the generative act and
the production of the universe from the union of two eternal
principles (Prakriti and Purusha, Maya and Atman), accord-
ing to the Sankhya and Vedanta systems of philosophy.
Further, it should be noted that, according to some Puranas,
there are eight principal personal manifestations of Siva, called
Rudra, Bhairava (or Bhlma), Ugra, Isvara (or Isana or Isa),
Mahadeva (or Mahesvara), Pasupati, Sarva, and Bhava.
Again, he is specially manifested in eight material forms
(Tanus)—Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Ether (which are the five
elements, represented by his five faces), the Sun, Moon, and
the sacrificing Brahman. By these he upholds the world.
In Southern India Siva is celebrated as the worker of 64
special miracles. He raised the dead, healed the blind, deaf,
lame, etc., and gave similar powers to 63 of his saints.
It might have been expected that so great a variety of the
god Siva's characters and aspects would have led to a cor-
responding variety in the sects which are addicted to his
exclusive worship. We find, however, that Saivism has not,
1 In the caves of Elephanta I saw a fine carving of Siva and Parvafl
thus united in one body. The female side forms the left side of the god,
and is represented holding a looking-glass. It is noticeable that the
wife is always on the left side, except as a bride at the nuptial ceremony,
when she is placed on the right.
aivtsm.
*5
and surrounded by dwarfish, buffoon-like troops (gana) of
attendants, who, like their master, are fond of good living
and occasionally inebriated by intoxicating liquors. The
worshippers of Siva in this character generally belong to the
sect called Saktas, who are devoted to the wife of the god,
and are given to self-indulgence and sensual gratification.
Their religious books are called Tantras, and their peculiar
tenets will be explained under the head of Saktism.
A still more remarkable aspect of the god is as a being
half-male, half-female (Ardha-narl)1. This really belongs
to the second of the characters just described. It sym-
bolizes both the duality and unity of the generative act and
the production of the universe from the union of two eternal
principles (Prakriti and Purusha, Maya and Atman), accord-
ing to the Sankhya and Vedanta systems of philosophy.
Further, it should be noted that, according to some Puranas,
there are eight principal personal manifestations of Siva, called
Rudra, Bhairava (or Bhlma), Ugra, Isvara (or Isana or Isa),
Mahadeva (or Mahesvara), Pasupati, Sarva, and Bhava.
Again, he is specially manifested in eight material forms
(Tanus)—Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Ether (which are the five
elements, represented by his five faces), the Sun, Moon, and
the sacrificing Brahman. By these he upholds the world.
In Southern India Siva is celebrated as the worker of 64
special miracles. He raised the dead, healed the blind, deaf,
lame, etc., and gave similar powers to 63 of his saints.
It might have been expected that so great a variety of the
god Siva's characters and aspects would have led to a cor-
responding variety in the sects which are addicted to his
exclusive worship. We find, however, that Saivism has not,
1 In the caves of Elephanta I saw a fine carving of Siva and Parvafl
thus united in one body. The female side forms the left side of the god,
and is represented holding a looking-glass. It is noticeable that the
wife is always on the left side, except as a bride at the nuptial ceremony,
when she is placed on the right.