Chapter 3:-... “king of the ganas”....

Together, the three eyes of Shiva represent the sun, moon, and fire. Another unique mark of Shiva is his blue throat. He drank halāhala, a poison made when the gods and demons started to churn the ocean. To keep this poison from destroying humanity, Shiva drank it and held it in his throat, so that it would not reach his stomach, where three worlds dwell. Shiva is usually depicted wearing an animal skin and holding a trident, which represents the trimurti. He wears his hair in a matted bun, and it is said that the sacred river Ganges flows from his head. He also wears a cobra and sacred beads around his neck. The cobra represents Shiva's dominance over the world's most powerful animals. The beads are called rudrāska and represent "the eyes of Rudra" (Cush). The rudrāska is made from seeds and represents celibacy, since Shiva strung them together instead of letting them plant in the soil. In many paintings and icons, his bull Nandi stands behind him. Nandi serves as the gatekeeper and protector of Shiva and Parvati. Shiva is often also associated with evil spirits. He is said to be followed by a retinue of goblins and spirits, called ganas. They are uncivilized beings who are described as deformed. Whenever Shiva needed to exact revenge, he called upon an army of ganas to fight alongside him. He even named his son Ganesha, meaning "king of the ganas".

Shaivism, the worship of Shiva, is a sect of Hinduism. Although it is a sect, Shaivism is actually a precursor to Hinduism. Shaivites hold the belief that Shiva is the supreme god and does not depend on the trimurti to complete the cycle of the universe. This sect formed over 8,000 years ago, to a time that even predates the Vedic time period. Shaivic cults have also come about in some parts of India. These groups stress certain attributes of Shiva. For example, some groups live in extreme asceticism or practice naga (snake) worship to appease him. Shiva worship is most common in southern India and in Kashmir, a city in the far north region of India.

Though Shiva is a central figure in Hindu art, he is rarely worshipped in this form. In most temples, he is worshipped in the form of a shivling, which consists of a linga and yoni. The sage Bhrighu cursed Shiva so that he could only be worshipped like this, instead of in his true form. This curse came about when Bhrigu tried to visit Shiva but was turned away by Nandi, the gatekeeper, because Shiva and Parvati wished to be left alone. Although the shivling does represent Shiva's role as the god of fertility, it has more than sexual connotations. The word linga literally means "mark" or "characteristic" and it represents the "formless divine" (Pattanaik). Since the linga is just a simple shape, it may be interpreted to take any form. Since Shiva contains all forms, he cannot take just one. Lingas can also be used in the form of a small oval stone and carried in pockets or worn as necklaces.

Sometimes, a mask is placed on the linga to make the form more accessible to worshippers. It can also represent the pillar of fire that Shiva emerged from when he claimed supremacy over the rest of the trimurti. Commonly, during worship, cow's milk is poured over the shivling to release positive energy. This act symbolizes the bathing of Shiva and will result in good luck for the devotees. While this is the most common form Shiva is worshipped in, this is not the only one. Shiva can also be worshipped in his Nataraja form as the god of dance. Since this is less common, it is mostly found in temples dedicated specifically to Shiva. When worshipped alongside Parvati, he is seen as a family man. Together, they are the divine couple that Hindu men and women aspire to. As the great ascetic, or the Mahayogi, Shiva is called upon for strength during meditation. He is sometimes said to have five faces that represent five mantras. Depending on one's needs or desires, devotees pray to a different one of Shiva's faces. Shiva holds a special place in Hindu tradition because he is thought to be humankind's first teacher. He taught through silent meditation and served as an example of how to achieve moksha. Some even believe that moksha is the real marriage of Shiva and Parvati, because it is when the two energies of universal consciousness and universal bliss will come together.

Shiva's evolution can be seen in many works of Hindu literature. In the Vedas, he was referred to as Rudra. Many hymns in the Rig Veda are directed towards him, and he is seen as the protector of the Vedas. In the Puranas, Shiva emerges as a supreme god. The Shiva Purana is the supreme book of the Shaivites, and acts as a guide of worship.