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Sunday, May 20, 2007 Forms of Shiva Forms of Shiva are numerous, both in theory and in tradition. No one can truly enumerate how many forms there are in tradition. In Saiva Siddhanta tradition, 25 or 64 or 108 anthropomorphic (iconic) forms are highlighted. The 25 forms of Shiva are most significant. In ancient India, different groups came up with lists of 24 or 25 forms (probably due to competition). The Shaivas have 25 forms of Shiva, the Vaishnavas have 25 avatars of Vishnu, the Buddhists have 25 Buddhas, and the Jains have 24 Tirthankaras. In Sanatana Dharma, the number 25 is significant because 25 is the number of tattvas (principles of reality) in the Sankhya philosophy, and the number of Sanskrit consonents in the 5 x 5 scheme (5 sets of pentad consonents - 5 glutterals, 5 palatals, 5 cerebrals, 5 dentals, 5 labials). Building up from the number 25, is the number 64. 64 is significant in Shaivite and Shakta Agamic traditions. There are 64 Yoginis, 64 Siddhas, 64 Bhairavas, 64 Bhairava Agamas, 64 Kaula Tantras, 64 Tantric kriyas (rites), 64 Kalas, 64 Tamil Shaivite Saints (63 Nayannars + Manikkavasagar), and thus 64 forms of Shiva are also listed, which are inclusive of the 25 forms. 64 is a holy number because it is 8 x 8. Eight, as we've already seen, is significant because it is the number of existent entities in creation, all of which are Shiva Himself. Eight is also the state of Shiva beyond the seven higher worlds of creation (bhu, bhuva, svaha, maha, jana, tapa, satya) and beyond the seven chakras (muladhara, svadhisthana, manipura, anahata, vishuddha, ajna, and saharsra). Finally, building up from the number 64, is the number 108. 108 is significant in the Vedic tradition. There are 108 Upanishads of the Muktika canon, 108 (main) Pancharatra Agamas of the Vaishnavas, 108 Divyadeshas (holy pilgrimage spots) of the Sri-Vaishnavas, 108 beads on japa malas (chanting rosaries), 108 divisions of the eclipctic in Vedic astrology, 108 names in the ashtottarashata namavalis (list of Divine names), etc. Thus 108 forms of Shiva are also listed, which are inclusive of the 64 forms. 108 is a holy number because it represents the completeness or fullness of the manifest Divine (Virat Purusha). Note that 108 is equal to 100 + 8. 100 is the number of Rudras according to the Rudra Adhyaya of the Yajurveda, and 8 represents Shiva, as we've seen in the above paragraph, and in previous posts. The below list of the forms of Shiva are inclusive of the 25 forms (in bold), the 64 forms (bold + non-bold

names), and the 108 forms (bold + non-bold + italicized names) per Saiva Siddhanta traditions. The anthropomorphic (iconic) forms of Shiva are called Maheshvara Murtis (forms of the Great Lord), and not to be considered as Avatars or incarnations. The Maheshvara Murtis are are secondary to the primary (aniconic) form, the Shiva Lingam, which is called the Sadashiva Murti. It should be noted that every school of Shaivism places greater emphasis on the aniconic Lingam rather than the iconic forms, but the iconic forms are deemed beneficial to for the human mind to relate to the Divine. The list below was complied mainly using sources listed at the end. Every effort has been made to ensure that the same name is not repeated. Any repetition of the same or similar name is either due to ignorance on my part, or truly represents a separate form. The list has been edited to standardize spellings, and when appropriate duplicate names (or synonyms) are listed in parentheses. Therefore, the 108 names may not conform to other available lists. This list should not be confused with the prayer of 108 names (Ashtottarashata Namavali) of Shiva. The list below describes the represented iconic forms of Shiva either in temple iconography or art, and is based on various Vedic, Agamic and Puranic legends. As mentioned above, forms of Shiva are innumerous, literally and philosophically, so this list is far from exhaustive. 108 Maheshvara Murtis of Shiva

1. Bhikshatana Murti 2. Nataraja Murti 3. Aja-Ekapada Murti 4. Yoga-Dakshinamurti 5. Lingodhava Murti 6. Kamadahana Murti (Kamari) 7. Tripurantaka Murti(Tripurari) 8. Mahakaleshvara Murti (Kalari/Kalantaka/Kalasamhara) 9. Jalandharavata Murti (Jalandhari) 10. Gajasurasamhara Murti (Gajantika) 11. Virabhadra Murti (Karala) 12. Kankala-Bhairava Murti 13. Kalyanasundara Murti

14. Vrishabharudha Murti 15. Chandrashekhara Murti 16. Uma-Maheshvara Murti 17. Shankaranarayana Murti (Keshavardha/Harihara) 18. Ardanarishvara Murti 19. Kirata Murti 20. Chandeshvaranugraha Murti 21. Chakradaneshvararupa Murti (Chakrapradasvarupa) 22. Somaskanda Murti 23. Gajamukhanugraha Murti 24. Nilakantha-Maheshvara Murti 25. Sukhasana Murti 26. Mukhalinga Murti (Panchamukhalingam) 27. Sadashiva Murti 28. Mahasadashiva Murti 29. Umesha Murti 30. Vrishabhantika Murti 31. Bhujangarlalita Murti 32. Bhujangatrasa Murti 33. Sandhyanritta Murti 34. Sadanritta Murti 35. Chanda-Tandava Murti 36. Gangadhara Murti 37. Gangavisarjana Murti 38. Jvarabhagna Murti

39. Shardhulahara Murti 40. Pashupata Murti 41. Vyakhyana-Dakshinamurti 42. Vina-Dakshinamurti 43. Vaguleshvara Murti 44. Apat-Uddharana Murti 45. Vatuka Bhairava Murti 46. Kshetrapala Murti 47. Aghorastra Murti 48. Dakshayajnahara Murti 49. Ashvarudha Murti 50. Ekapada-Trimurti Murti 51. Tripada-Trimurti Murti 52. Gaurivaraprada Murti 53. Gaurililasamanvita Murti 54. Vrishabhaharana Murti 55. Garudantika Murti 56. Brahmasirachedataka Murti 57. Kurmasamhara Murti (Kurmari) 58. Mastyasamhara Murti (Mastyari) 59. Varahasamhara Murti (Varahari) 60. Simhagna Murti (Sharabha/Sharabheshvara) 61. Raktabhikshapradana Murti 62. Guru-Murti (Gurushiva) 63. Prarthana-Murti

64. Shishyabhava Murti 65. Anandatandava Murti 66. Shantyatandava Murti 67. Samharatandava Murti 68. Kapalishvara Murti (Brahmakapaladhara) 69. Mahamritunjaya Murti 70. Tryaksharmritunjaya Murti 71. Shadaksharamrityunjaya Murti 72. Andhasurasamhara Murti 73. Juvarapaghna Murti 74. Simhasana Murti 75. Ilakeshvara Murti 76. Satyanatha Murti 77. Ishana Murti 78. Tatpurusha Murti 79. Aghora Murti 80. Vamadeva Murti 81. Ananteshvara Murti 82. Kumaranugraha Murti 83. Hayagrivanugraha Murti 84. Maha Rudra Murti 85. Nartana Rudra Murti 86. Shanta Rudra Murti 87. Yoga Rudra Murti 88. Krodha Rudra Murti

89. Vrinji Rudra Murti 90. Muhunta Rudra Murti 91. Dvibhuja Rudra Murti 92. Ashtabhuja Rudra Murti 93. Dashabhuja Rudra Murti 94. Trimukha Rudra 95. Panchamukhabhishana Rudra Murti 96. Jvalakeshashadbhuja Rudra Murti 97. Aghora Rudra Murti 98. Vishnudharmottara Rudra Murti 99. Bhima Rudra Murti 100. 101. 102. 103. 104. 105. 106. 107. 108. Svarnakarshana Rudra Murti Bhishana Bhairava Murti Kapala Bhairava Murti Unmatta Bhairava Murti Krodha Bhairava Murti Asitanga Bhairava Murti Ruru Bhairava Murti Chanda Bhairava Murti Samhara Bhairava Murti

Sources: http://www.shaivam.org/siddhanta/maahesh.html http://www.shaivam.org/siddhanta/forms64.htm http://www.hindutempleofgeorgia.org/... html || ||

Agnideva, 2007

Related Post: Forms of Shiva II Posted by Agnideva at 09:43 Labels: Agamic Doctrine, Shaivite Tradition, Theology 4 comments: