Siva

(Shiva)

   The male generative force of Vedic religion. A god of reproduction, whose symbol is the Linga or Phallus, in the same manner that the Yoni was the symbol of his wife Parvati. In the course of time Siva has assumed the personalities of other gods, benign and terrible, although this later aspect was mainly linked with Durgha and Kali, both manifestations of Parvati. Generally he is figured as a white or silver-coloured man, sometimes with as many as five heads, each of which has a third eye in the forehead. As a deity he was frequently in competition with Vishnu. His dwelling was at Kailasa, and he was usually mounted on Nandi, the sacred bull. His two sons were Ganesa and Kartikeya. Other names by which Siva is known include Bhadra Vira, Hara, Maha-Deva, Maha-Kala, Panchamukhi-Maruti, Somanatha, and Visweswara. He was the creator of the monster Vira-Bhadra, which cut off the head of Daksha.