Hinduism – God Shiva – what is the basic reasons for having the moon on head and ?
wearing the moving snake as necklace, keeping the jumping deer on hand, and ganga on head. Try the link I have provided underneath under roots for more details. Ganga: Ganga (river Ganges) is associated with Hindu mythology and is the most sacred river of Hindus. According to tradition, one who bathes in Ganga (revered as Mother Ganga) in accordance with conventional rites and ceremonies on religious occasions in combining with sure astrological events, is freed from sin and attains knowledge, purity and peace. Ganga, symbolically represented on the head of the Lord by a female (Mother Ganga) with a jet of water emanating from her mouth and falling on the ground, signifies that the Lord destroys sin, removes ignorance, and bestows knowledge, purity and peace on the devotees. The crescent moon: is shown on the side of the Lord's head as an ornament, and not as an integral part of his countenance. The waxing and waning phenomenon of the moon symbolizes the time cycle through which creation evolves from the beginning to the end. Since the Lord is the Eternal Reality, He is beyond time. thus, the crescent moon is only one of his ornaments, and not an integral portion of him. Snake around the neck: sages have used snakes to symbolize the yogic power of Lord Shiva with which He dissolves and recreates the universe. like a yogi, a snake hoards nothing, carries nothing, builds nothing, lives on air alone for a long time, and lives in mountains and forests. The venom of a snake, therefore, symbolizes the yogic power. Lord Shiva is depicted with a crescent shaped moon (Chandra) on his head. An interesting incident led to lord Shiva wearing the moon on his head. Daksha, the master of civilization, had married twenty seven of his daughters – the Nakshatras, lunar asterisms, to moon-god, Chandra. but Chandra ignored the 26 Nakshatrams and was enamored by only one among them the beautiful Rohini. The other daughters complained to Daksha when it comes to Chandra’s partisan conduct and this angered Daskha who cursed Chandra that your body of which you are so proud will fade away. Soon the body of Chandra started fading away and he neared Lord Vishnu who directed him to Lord Shiva who is the supreme physician and the keeper of the sacred herb Soma. Lord Shiva helped Chandra in regaining his lost luster and glory with the herb Soma. but Daksha cursed him again and he took the aid of Lord Shiva and this continued for a long period. Finally, Shiva asked Chandra to take refuge in his lock of hair on his head where he will find sufficient soma to rejuvenate him periodically. wearing the moving snake as necklace Snakes (Nagas) have been a percentage of worship in Hinduism from the very beginning. The most famous myth of Lord Shiva’s association with snakes is when he drinks the poison (kalakuda) from Snake Vasuki’s mouth during the churning of ocean to get amrit. From that day, Lord Shiva becomes blue throated and is called Nilakantha. It is said the serpent on Shiva’s neck represent the endless cycle of birth and regeneration. Another symbolism is that the snake on neck represents ego which once controlled can be worn as an ornament. Another important aspect is that Lord Shiva is depicted with snakes when he is in the Kailasa (Himalaya). Snakes serve Lord Shiva as necklace, armlets and appear in his clothes. they also serve as his bowstring. Legend has it that all the snakes found on Lord Shiva’s body became embellishments during his marriage with Parvati. it is also said that Shiva made embellishments out toxicant snakes and submitted it to Pravati as gift. Snakes, especially cobras, are said to carry ‘mani’ (rubies) in their head. it is said that these rubies serve as lamp during night to Parvati and Shiva. Since there is no written guidance in depicting Lord Shiva, artists have made use of their widest imagination when depicting snakes along with Lord Shvia. saha nav avatu, saha nau bhunaktu, saha viryam karavavahi: tejasvi nav adhitam astu: ma vidvisavahai; aum santih, santih, santih If an "Artist" "Visualises" the whole of Indian subcontinent(Bharat) including the "Present day India,Nepal,Pakistan,Bangala-Desh" from a distance in space,one can Understand The whole of Sub-continent "WAS" depicted as Lord Siva--Himalayas =His hair lock-sri.Ganga flowing out of "Gangothri(Siva's head) in Himalayas--crescent moon (3rd day full or new moon-Trithiya at the back of Himalayas),sri.Ganga flowing from Gangothri to Bay of Bengal as a long Serpent(Sarpam),and the "Deer" in full moon(Poornima) as "Mrgam" in his "Mudra" between two fingers and standing on "One" leg (sriNataraja at Chidambaram-Chit+Ambaram) at the tip of India, his Western half(Dhakshina Bhaagamm) is Golden Red(Hiranya varnam--Krishna Pingalam) Deccan Plateu/Tar desert and the entire Eastern half (Vaama Bhaagam) of rivers' fed Green Valleys of Sunderbans and East Coast India(as depicted as Ardha Naari=Sakthi).so the whole of Indian Sub Continent (prior to 1947 or earlier) is depicted as Lord SIVA---may be there are "Esoteric" Connotations also. satanic..... CHOOSE THE TRINITY CHURCHES |