Shiva: The Wild God of Power and EcstasyAn extensive look at all the aspects of multi-natured Shiva • Explores the shamanic roots of world spirituality as exemplified by this Hindu god who shares many of the attributes of the Norse Odin and the Celtic Cernunnos • Looks at Shiva’s relation to contemporary culture, Tantra, and the dualistic religions of the West To his devotees Shiva is the entire universe and the core of all beings. Hindu myth shows him appearing at the beginning of creation as a giant pillar of fire from which this world sprang forth. Yet he is also the most approachable of gods, for he is the lover of lovers and the devotee of his devotees. Of the 1,008 names of Shiva, Pashupati, Lord of Animals, is one of the most common. His special relation to animals along with his trickster nature reveal the deep connection of Shiva to shamanism and other gods such as the Norse Odin and the Celtic Cernunnos that came out of the Paleolithic traditions. Ethnologist Wolf-Dieter Storl was first captivated by Shiva when he was in India as a visiting scholar at Benares Hindu University. In this book he invites readers to join in the lively and mythical world of Shiva, or Mahadev, God of All Gods. Shiva is a study in contrasts: As the lord of dance he loses himself in ecstatic abandon; with his consort Parvati he can make love for 10,000 years. Both men and women worship him for his ability to unite and balance masculine and feminine energies. But as the ascetic Shankar he sits in deep meditation, shunning women, and none dare disturb him lest he open his third eye and immolate the entire universe. Lord of intoxicants and poisons, he is the keeper of secret occult knowledge and powers, for which he is worshipped by yogis and demons alike. Shiva dances both the joy of being and the dance of doom--but in every aspect he breaks through the false ego to reveal the true self lying within. This is his true power. |
Contents
Fire and | |
The Shaman and His Black | |
Gods Virile Member | |
Shankar Chapter 5 The Yogi on the Mountain | |
The Goddess | |
The Dancer in the Flames | |
The Ideal Family | |
Shiva as the Devil | |
Chapter 11 The Serpents Path | |
The Saint the Hero and the Beast | |
Pollen Dust and Ashes | |
Shivas Festivals and Holidays | |
Footnotes | |
Notes | |
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Common terms and phrases
Agni Ahura Mazda ancient animals appeared archetypal Aryan ascetic ashes asuras beads became become Benares Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh Bhairava blood body Brahma Brahmins Buddha bull burned chakra colorful consciousness cosmic creation Creator cult cultural Daksha dance dark demons devotees divine drum Durga earth elephant eternal festival Finally fire flowers Ganesha Ganga God’s goddess gods hair hand head heaven heavenly Hindu holy honor human hunters husband icon illusion India Indian Indo-European Kali Karttikeya king light Lord lotus magic Mahadev mantras meditation moon Mother Mount Kailash mountain Nandi one’s Parvati priests Purana rishis ritual river Rudra rudraksha sacred sacrifice sadhus Sanskrit seed serpent Shaivite Shakti shaman Shankar Shiva and Parvati Shiva lingam skull snake soul spirit story Swami symbol tantric Tantrist tell temple third eye thousand tree trident turned universe Varanasi Vedas Vedic Vishnu wild worship yogi yoni Zarathustra