108 Shiva Forms

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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 oftattvas

(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
http://shivadarshana.blogspot.com/2007/05/forms-of-shiva.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattvahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattvahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kal%C4%81http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kal%C4%81http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattvahttp://shivadarshana.blogspot.com/2007/05/forms-of-shiva.html


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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 Murti2. Nataraja Murti3. Aja-Ekapada Murti4. Yoga-Dakshinamurti5. Lingodhava Murti6. 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 Murti13.Kalyanasundara Murti
http://shivadarshana.blogspot.com/2007/11/108-names-of-shiva_28.htmlhttp://shivadarshana.blogspot.com/2007/11/108-names-of-shiva_28.html


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14.Vrishabharudha Murti15.Chandrashekhara Murti16.Uma-Maheshvara Murti17.Shankaranarayana Murti (Keshavardha/Harihara)18.Ardanarishvara Murti19.Kirata Murti20.Chandeshvaranugraha Murti21.Chakradaneshvararupa Murti (Chakrapradasvarupa)22.Somaskanda Murti23.Gajamukhanugraha Murti24.Nilakantha-Maheshvara Murti25.Sukhasana Murti26.Mukhalinga Murti (Panchamukhalingam)27.Sadashiva Murti28.Mahasadashiva Murti29.Umesha Murti30.Vrishabhantika Murti31.Bhujangarlalita Murti32.Bhujangatrasa Murti33.Sandhyanritta Murti34.Sadanritta Murti35.Chanda-Tandava Murti36.Gangadhara Murti37.Gangavisarjana Murti38. Jvarabhagna Murti


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39.Shardhulahara Murti40.Pashupata Murti41.Vyakhyana-Dakshinamurti42.Vina-Dakshinamurti43.Vaguleshvara Murti44.Apat-Uddharana Murti45.Vatuka Bhairava Murti46.Kshetrapala Murti47.Aghorastra Murti48.Dakshayajnahara Murti49.Ashvarudha Murti50.Ekapada-Trimurti Murti51.Tripada-Trimurti Murti52.Gaurivaraprada Murti53.Gaurililasamanvita Murti54.Vrishabhaharana Murti55.Garudantika Murti56.Brahmasirachedataka Murti57.Kurmasamhara Murti (Kurmari)58.Mastyasamhara Murti (Mastyari)59.Varahasamhara Murti (Varahari)60.Simhagna Murti (Sharabha/Sharabheshvara)61.Raktabhikshapradana Murti62.Guru-Murti (Gurushiva)63.Prarthana-Murti


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64.Shishyabhava Murti65.Anandatandava Murti66.Shantyatandava Murti67.Samharatandava Murti68.Kapalishvara Murti (Brahmakapaladhara)69.Mahamritunjaya Murti70.Tryaksharmritunjaya Murti71.Shadaksharamrityunjaya Murti72.Andhasurasamhara Murti73.Juvarapaghna Murti74.Simhasana Murti75. Ilakeshvara Murti76.Satyanatha Murti77. Ishana Murti78.Tatpurusha Murti79.Aghora Murti80.Vamadeva Murti81.Ananteshvara Murti82.Kumaranugraha Murti83.Hayagrivanugraha Murti84.Maha Rudra Murti85.Nartana Rudra Murti86.Shanta Rudra Murti87.Yoga Rudra Murti88.Krodha Rudra Murti


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89.Vrinji Rudra Murti90.Muhunta Rudra Murti91.Dvibhuja Rudra Murti92.Ashtabhuja Rudra Murti93.Dashabhuja Rudra Murti94.Trimukha Rudra95.Panchamukhabhishana Rudra Murti96.Jvalakeshashadbhuja Rudra Murti97.Aghora Rudra Murti98.Vishnudharmottara Rudra Murti99.Bhima Rudra Murti100. Svarnakarshana Rudra Murti101. Bhishana Bhairava Murti102. Kapala Bhairava Murti103. Unmatta Bhairava Murti104. Krodha Bhairava Murti105. Asitanga Bhairava Murti106. Ruru Bhairava Murti107. Chanda Bhairava Murti108. Samhara BhairavaMurti

Sources:

http://www.shaivam.org/siddhanta/maahesh.html

http://www.shaivam.org/siddhanta/forms64.htm

http://www.hindutempleofgeorgia.org/... html

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Agnideva, 2007
http://www.shaivam.org/siddhanta/maahesh.htmlhttp://www.shaivam.org/siddhanta/forms64.htmhttp://www.hindutempleofgeorgia.org/Write%20Up%20about%20108%20Shivas.htmlhttp://www.hindutempleofgeorgia.org/Write%20Up%20about%20108%20Shivas.htmlhttp://www.shaivam.org/siddhanta/forms64.htmhttp://www.shaivam.org/siddhanta/maahesh.html


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Related Post:Forms of Shiva II

Posted by Agnideva at09:43

Labels:Agamic Doctrine,Shaivite Tradition,Theology

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