108 Names Of Lord Siva

According to the Hindu religious tradition, the number 108 is considered to be an auspicious one. One of the most important Hindu deities, Lord Shiva is known by several names. The Shiva Purana, one of the oldest Hindu religious texts dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva, contains 108 Sanskrit names for Lord Shiva, each of which signifies a particular attribute of the Lord. Scroll down and have a look at the 108 Names of Lord Shiva and their significance. To share this article with your friends, just click here and send this page to them. Om Namah Shivayah! Know about the 108 names of Lord Shiva and their meaning. Name Meaning Aashutosh One Who Fulfills Wishes Instantly Aja Unborn Akshayaguna God With Limitless Attributes Anagha Without Any Fault Anantadrishti Of Infinite Vision Augadh One Who Revels All The Time Avyayaprabhu Imperishable Lord Bhairav Lord Of Terror Bhalanetra One Who Has An Eye In The Forehead Bholenath Kind Hearted Lord Bhooteshwara Lord Of Ghosts And Evil Beings Bhudeva Lord Of The Earth Bhutapala Protector Of The Ghosts Chandrapal Master Of The Moon Chandraprakash One Who Has Moon As A Crest Dayalu Compassionate Devadeva Lord Of The Lords Dhanadeepa Lord Of Wealth Dhyanadeep Icon Of Meditation And Concentration Dhyutidhara Lord Of Brilliance Digambara Ascetic Without Any Clothes Durjaneeya Difficult To Be Known Durjaya Unvanquished Gangadhara Lord Of River Ganga Girijapati Consort Of Girija Gunagrahin Acceptor Of Gunas Gurudeva Master Of All Hara Remover Of Sins Jagadisha Master Of The Universe Jaradhishamana Redeemer From Afflictions Jatin One Who Has Matted Hair Kailas One Who Bestows Peace Kailashadhipati Lord Of Mount Kailash Kailashnath Master Of Mount Kailash Kamalakshana Lotus-Eyed Lord Kantha Ever-Radiant Kapalin One Wears A Necklace Of Skulls Khatvangin One Who Has The Missile Khatvangin In His Hand Kundalin One Who Wears Earrings Lalataksha One Who Has An Eye In The Forehead Lingadhyaksha Lord Of The Lingas Lingaraja Lord Of The Lingas Lokankara Creator Of The Three Worlds Lokapal One Who Takes Care Of The World Mahabuddhi Extremely Intelligent Mahadeva Greatest God Mahakala Lord Of All Times Mahamaya Of Great Illusions Mahamrityunjaya Great Victor Of Death Mahanidhi Great Storehouse Mahashaktimaya One Who Has Boundless Energies Mahayogi Greatest Of All Gods Mahesha Supreme Lord Maheshwara Lord Of Gods Nagabhushana One Who Has Serpents As Ornaments Nataraja King Of The Art Of Dancing Nilakantha Blue Necked Lord Nityasundara Ever Beautiful Nrityapriya Lover Of Dance Omkara Creator Of OM Palanhaar One Who Protects Everyone Parameshwara First Among All Gods Paramjyoti Greatest Splendour Pashupati Lord Of All Living Beings Pinakin One Who Has A Bow In His Hand Pranava Originator Of The Syllable Of OM Priyabhakta Favourite Of The Devotees Priyadarshana Of Loving Vision Pushkara One Who Gives Nourishment Pushpalochana One Who Has Eyes Like Flowers Ravilochana Having Sun As The Eye Rudra The Terrible Rudraksha One Who Has Eyes Like Rudra Sadashiva Eternal God Sanatana Eternal Lord Sarvacharya Preceptor Of All Sarvashiva Always Pure Sarvatapana Scorcher Of All Sarvayoni Source Of Everything Sarveshwara Lord Of All Gods Shambhu One Who Bestows Prosperity Shankara One Who Gives Happiness Shiva Always Pure Shoolin One Who Has A Trident Shrikantha Of Glorious Neck Shrutiprakasha Illuminator Of The Vedas Shuddhavigraha One Who Has A Pure Body Skandaguru Preceptor Of Skanda Someshwara Lord Of All Gods Sukhada Bestower Of Happiness Suprita Well Pleased Suragana Having Gods As Attendants Sureshwara Lord Of All Gods Swayambhu Self-Manifested Tejaswani One Who Spreads Illumination Trilochana Three-Eyed Lord Trilokpati Master Of All The Three Worlds Tripurari Enemy Of Tripura Trishoolin One Who Has A Trident In His Hands Umapati Consort Of Uma Vachaspati Lord Of Speech Vajrahasta One Who Has A Thunderbolt In His Hands Varada Granter Of Boons Vedakarta Originator Of The Vedas Veerabhadra Supreme Lord Of The Nether World Vishalaksha Wide-Eyed Lord Vishveshwara Lord Of The Universe Vrishavahana One Who Has Bull As His Vehicle

Shiva Statue in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India

Pashupatinath Temple, Kathmandu

Pashupatinath, or Pashupati, is a Hindu temple on the banks of the Bagmati River in Deopatan, a village 3 km northwest of Kathmandu. It is dedicated to a manifestation of Shiva called Pashupati (Lord of Animals). It attracts thousands of pilgrims each year and has become well known far beyond the Kathmandu Valley. The temple is barred to non-Hindus, but a good view of the temple can be had from the opposite bank of the river.

History

It is not known for certain when Pashupatinath was founded. Tradition saLocation Search   Location name Remove Doneys it was constructed by Pashupreksha of the Somadeva Dynasty in the 3rd century BC, but the first historical records date from the 13th century. The ascetic Pashupata sect was likely related to its foundation.

Pashupati was a tutelary deity of the ancient rulers of the Kathmandu Valley; in 605 AD, Amshuvarman considered himself favored by his touching of the god's feet.

By the later Middle Ages, many imitations of the temple had been built, such as in Bhaktapur (1480), Lalitpur (1566) and Benares (early 19th century). The original temple was destroyed several times until it was given its present form under King Bhupalendra Malla in 1697.

According to a legend recorded in local texts, especially the Nepalamahatmyaand the Himavatkhanda, the Hindu god Shiva once fled from the other gods inVaranasi to Mrigasthali, the forest on the opposite bank of the Bagmati River from the temple. There, in the form of a gazelle, he slept with his consort Parvati. When the gods discovered him there and tried to bring him back to Varanasi, he leapt across the river to the opposite bank, where one of his horns broke into four pieces. After this, Shiva became manifest as Pashupati (Lord of Animals) in a four-face (chaturmukha) linga.

What to See

Pashupati Temple stands in the center of the town of Deopatan, in the middle of an open courtyard. It is a square, two-tiered pagoda temple built on a single-tier plinth, and it stand s 23.6 meters above the ground. Richly ornamented gilt and silver-plated doors are on all sides.

On both sides of each door are niches of various sizes containing gold-painted images of guardian deities. Inside the temple itself is a narrow ambulatory around the sanctum. The sanctum contains a one-meter high linga with four faces (chaturmukha) representing Pashupati, as well as images of Vishnu, Surya, Devi and Ganesh.

The priests of Pashaputinath are called Bhattas and the chief priest is called Mool Bhatt or Raval. The chief priest is answerable only to the King of Nepal and reports to him on temple matters on a periodic basis.

The struts under the roofs, dating from the late 17th century, are decorated with wood carvings of members of Shiva's family such as Parvati, Ganesh, Kumar or the Yoginis, as well as Hanuman, Rama, Sita, Lakshman and other gods and goddesses from the Ramayana.

Pashaputi Temple's extensive grounds include many other old and important temples, shrines and statues. South of the temple, for instance, is Chadeshvar, an inscribed Licchavi linga from the 7th century, and north of the temple is a 9th-century temple of Brahma. On the south side of Pashupati temple is theDharmashila, a stone where sacred oaths are taken, and pillars with statues of various Shah kings.

In the northeast corner of the temple courtyard is the small pagoda temple of Vasuki, the King of the Nagas. Vasuki has the form of a Naga (mythical snake) from the waist upwards, while the lower parts are an intricate tangle of snakes' bodies. According to local belief, Vasuki took up residence here in order to protect Pashupati. One can often see devotees circumambulating and worshipping Vasuki before entering the main sanctum.

The Bagmati River, which runs next to Pashaputinath Temple, has highly sacred properties. Thus the banks are lined with many ghats (bathing spots) for use by pilgrims. Renovating or furnishing these sites has always been regarded as meritorious.

Arya Ghat, dating from the early 1900s, is of special importance because it is the only place where lustral water for Pashupatinath Temple can be obtained and it is where members of the royal family are cremated. The main cremation site is Bhasmeshvar Ghat, which is the most-used cremation site in the Kathmandu Valley. The preferred bathing spot for women is the Gauri Ghat, to the north.

Across the Bagmati River are 15 votive shrines, the Pandra Shivalaya, which were built to enshrine lingas in memory of deceased persons between 1859 and 1869.

Quick Facts

Site Information
Names:	Pashupatinath Temple
Location:	Kathmandu, Nepal
Faith:	Hinduism
Denomination:	Shaivite
Dedication:	Shiva Pashupati
Category:	Hindu Temples
Date:	Founding date unknown; present structure built 1697
Features:	Holiest
Status:	active
Visitor Information
Address:	Deopatan, Kathmandu, Nepal
Coordinates:	27.710473° N, 85.348921° E   (view on Google Maps)
Lodging:	View hotels near this location
Opening hours:	Open only to Hindus.

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