SIVA, in Hindu mythology, a god who forms
the supreme trinity with Brahma and Vishnu. As Brahma
is the creator and Vishnu the preserver, so Siva is the
destroyer. His name does not occur in the Vedas, but in
later Hinduism he is an important divinity. Though Siva's
personal appearance is fully described in the Puranas,
it is in the form of the linga (phallic emblem) that he
is almost universally worshipped. Death being a transition
to a new form of life, the destroyer is really a re-creator,
and thus Siva is styled the Bright or Happy One. He is
exclusively a post-Vedic god, though he has been identified
by the Hindus with the Rudra of the Vedas, and numerous
features of Sivas character and history are developed
from those of Rudra.
The god Shiva is part of the Hindu Trinity, along with
Vishnu and Brahma. He is considered to be everything by
those who worship him: creator, preserver and destroyer.
In Shiva, the opposites meet. Shiva the destroyer is a
necessary part of the trinity because, without destruction,
there can be no recreation. Shiva is the source of both
good and evil who combines many contradictory elements.
His city is Varanasi, and any Hindu
who dies there is believed to go straight to heaven.
In pictures and sculptures, Shiva is represented as
Lord of the Dance (Nataraja) who controls the movement
of the universe. He is also associated with fertility.
Shiva has many consorts, including Kali, often portrayed
as wild and violent, Parvati, reknowned for her gentleness,
and Durga, a powerful goddess created from the combined
forces of the anger of several gods.
Of the more than 2,000 temples in Varanasi, the most important
is Kashi Vishwanath Temple, or "Golden
Temple," dedicated to Lord Shiva, the presiding deity
of the city. Because of repeated destruction by the invading
sultans and later by Aurangzeb, the current Vishwanath
is a relatively modern building: It was built in 1777
by the Maharani of Indore, and the shikhara (spire) and
ceilings were plated with 820 kilograms (1,808 lb.) of
gold, a gift from the Maharaja Ranjit Singh, in 1839.
Five major aartis are held daily, but the temple is always
abuzz with worshippers. Sadly, non-Hindus may not enter,
but by taking a stroll through the Vishwanath Galli (pronounced
gul-ley, meaning lane) that runs the length of it, you
can get a glimpse of the interior, which exudes pungent
smells and constant noise. For a small donation, you can
also climb to one of the second floors or rooftops of
the shops that line the lane and get a good view. Note
that adjacent is Gyanvapi Mosque, built by Aurangzeb on
a Hindu temple site and heavily guarded to ensure that
no trouble erupts. Ironically, this is also the starting
point for many pilgrims on their quest to visit all the
tirthas in a ritual journey, accompanied by a priest who
keeps reciting the sankalpa, or "declaration of intent."
Nearby is Annapurna Temple, dedicated to Shakti.
Vishweshwara jyotirlinga has a very special and unique
significance in the spiritual history of India. Deeply
and intimately implanted in the Hindu mind, the Kashi
Vishwanath Temple has been a living embodiment of our
timeless cultural traditions and highest spiritual values.
The Temple has been visited by all great saints- Adi Shankaracharya,
Ramkrishna Paramhansa, Swami Vivekanand, Goswami Tulsidas,
Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati, Gurunanak and several other
spiritual personalities.
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