Denominations in Hinduism: Shaivism

Within Hinduism there are several big denominations. The differences between them are so great that they sometimes appear to be different religions. This group worships Shiva. They belong to one of the four biggest denominations - Shaivism, or Shivaism as it’s sometimes called. But who is Shiva really?

Often Shiva is mentioned together with the world creator - Brahma, and the world preserver - Vishnu. And in this context Shiva is the world destroyer and rebuilder. But within Shaivism, Shiva is the only god that counts; he is the symbol of the whole world soul: Brahman. This is what he looks like. From his hair, the holy River Ganges is flowing, and a crescent moon is shining.

And around his neck, snakes are coiling. Scary? No. And why is he grey? He is covered in ash.

Shiva is the one in charge of the destruction of the world, the whole Universe and beyond, and then its renewal. It’s the ash from the world’s destruction that he is covered with. In his forehead there is a third eye, and when he opens this, the world is destroyed. It might not sound very nice, that the world is destroyed, but within Hinduism it’s not seen as a bad thing. According to Hindus the world around us is an imaginary thing: an illusion.

To get off of the wheel of rebirth, one needs to realise that all there is... is Atman and Brahman. And they are the same. Shiva’s third eye is a symbol for seeing through the illusion, and when this happens it is dissolved. But how is it possible for a human to see through this illusion?

Well, one way is through meditation, and Shiva is supposed to have created yoga and meditation. That’s why he is often depicted sitting in a meditation pose. The way he holds his hands is also to do with meditation. This kind of hand movement is called a mudra. Each Mudra has its own meaning, and this one is supposed to remove fears.

So what is this? It’s a trident that may mean several things but in the hands of Shiva it’s most often a symbol for three worlds: the humans’ world, the ancestors’ world and the gods’ world. All three worlds are part of the illusion, and are destroyed and re-created by Shiva. Here, at the top of the trident there is a small drum, and it’s the sound of this that re-creates the worlds. What does it sound like?

Something like this. Aum! To be able to concentrate better while meditating, many focus on words: Mantras. A mantra may be one or several words, either with a meaning or with simply just a sound. This mantra “Aum” doesn’t mean anything, but it is said to be the sound that creates the world.

This is the symbol for Aum. It’s also the symbol for Hinduism. And who is that? That’s the mother goddess Parvati; she’s the wife of Shiva. Within Shaivism Shiva and Parvati together symbolise the combination of male and female energy in the world.

And also, together they are a symbol for the ultimate reality - the utmost truth - Brahman.