India is one of the most ethnically diverse nations in the world. It is symbolized by the diverse culture rich in distinct languages, dresses, religions, cuisines, festivities, and many more activities. When we talk about religion having divine power in the forms of so many gods, the image that immediately comes to our mind is the Hindu religion.
Among all the gods, Lord Shiva holds a special place in the eyes of his devotees. Now you might be thinking what is so interesting about Shiva that makes art lovers buy Lord Shiva Paintings.
Shiva – the Supreme God in Hinduism
Lord Shiva stands for creation, power, protection and transformation. He is regarded as one of the three most powerful deities in the Hindu religion. He can be both protectors as well as a destroyer. Being a protector, he is warm-hearted for his devotees defending them from all types of negative vibes. On the other hand, he can be ferocious as a warrior, creating havoc for people with bad intentions. His anger is displayed through his vigorous dance called “tandava”.
He is portrayed with the holy river Ganga flowing through his hair, and a blue neck wrapped with a snake. His weapons are the “Trishul” and the small drum called “damaru”. It is said that the damaru was created by Shiva to make sounds that ultimately create and control the universe.
Why Shiva is known for the Legend of the Third Eye?
It is said that Lord Shiva has a third eye which is a symbol of his prudence as well as the catastrophic side. Shiva makes use of this third eye in various legends to punish or destroy enemies. For example, when he went into isolation and deep meditation just after the death of his wife Sati, other gods sent Kamadeva who is known as the god of love to make him come out of his meditation. Shiva was filled with anger when he was irked by Kamadeva. Consequently, his temper burnt Kamadeva to ashes when he opened his third eye.
Also Read: The True Interpretation of Shiva's Third Eye
Why are Shiva Lingam paintings in high demand?
Shiva Lingam is a symbol of creation, a symbol of energy, and the manifesting power of God. The word “Lingam” splits into two parts – “Lim” means ‘the end’ and “Gam” indicates ‘the recreation’. It is depicted in such a way that denotes Shiva as the origin of the whole universe. It consists of three parts - the base symbolizing Lord Brahma, the pedestal representing Lord Vishnu and the pillar exemplifying Lord Shiva. Shiva Lingam is a holy symbol of Lord Shiva that actually means the body of Shiva. Shiva devotees around the world consider it as sacred and holy in Hinduism. The Shiva Lingam is the true symbol of truth, knowledge and infinity.
How Shiva influenced different postures of Indian classical dance?
Let’s begin this with the most significant dimension of Shiva i.e. Natasha (source of all art forms). There are many people in the world who like to put one of the dimensions of Shiva at their homes and workplaces. In real life, there is a Nataraja statue that has been kept at the entrance of the CERN laboratory in Switzerland.
It is said that Lord Shiva discovered the mechanics of all kinds of work that the (human) body can do. Also, he explored what happens when we do all those things. And then he started dancing when he was in wild abandon. As a result of experimentation, Shiva identified that the body can take 84,000 postures and found 84 yogasanas that one can perform. This is how he gave more fluid expressions to the same and concluded that if it is done with a conscious mind, it is called asana. And if the same thing is performed with poetic grace, it is called classical dance.
Importance of Lord Shiva’s Divine Family Paintings
In Hinduism religion, the most desired paintings bought by art lovers and true devotees are Shiva paintings. And when Lord Shiva is showed with his family, it adds extra glory to the painting. Lord Shiva Divine Family Paintings reveal the importance of harmony and love in a family.
Each family member is believed to symbolize different powers and forms. Beginning with Lord Shiva, he denotes eternal energy and responsiveness. Next is Goddess Parvati who embodies nature and womanhood. Coming to their children, Lord Ganesha was born from Goddess Parvati’s energy. And warrior Kartikeya was born from Lord Shiva’s energy specifying knowledge, success, intellect, and achievement. Thus, Lord Shiva’s family is a perfect example of togetherness.
Diverse Forms of Lord Shiva
If we are discussing the significance of Lord Shiva, we must know about different forms of Shiva. Let’s take a look at the diverse forms of God Shiva.
Bholenath
No doubt, Lord Shiva is called the supreme power in the Hindu religion, yet his devotees regard him as naïve and innocent. Therefore, people worship him as Bholay Nath (Innocent Person).
In the context of Lord Shiva, this term means someone who is innocent. The reason behind this is that he is very kind and generous towards his devotees. He gets easily convinced if anyone worships him wholeheartedly. This form of Lord Shiva is unaffected by materialism.
Nataraja
This form of the divinity is seen in Shiva paintings that are mostly seen hanging in classical dance spaces. Moreover, you will definitely find his bronze idol adorning artful spaces. This form of Lord Shiva signifies the god in a dancing pose, making fragile movements with all of his hands.
Besides his full energy and liveliness, his dance depicts a dance of destruction also. If anyone wants to deeply connect with his inner self and soul, he/she needs to know the language of his body carefully.
Also Read: Understanding Lord Shiva and His Many Forms in Hindu Mythology
Adiyogi
It is one of the forms of Shiva indicating the state of meditation. It is the form of peace. Such form of Shiva paintings can be displayed anywhere in the house where one needs to promote calm.
There are various forms of Lord Shiva like Triambaka, Kalabhairav, Ardhanarishwara, etc. All of them have their own significance in Hindu mythology as well as Indian art. It is suggested to always go for those Lord Shiva paintings that help you to connect with your inner self, instead of pondering outward appearances.