What does the word 'Shiva' mean?

 

a.

The word Shiva has been derived 

by reversing the letters of the word vash. 

Vash means to enlighten; thus the one 

who enlightens is Shiva. 

He remains radiant and also illuminates the universe.

b.

 He is the auspicious and

 prosperity-bestowin g principle.

Some unique attributes

1. Physical attributes

a. Ganga : 

Just as the sun is the focal point of the solar system 

and the soul that of the body, 

the focal point of divine consciousness

 (chaitanya) in every object and

 pure particles (pavitrakas) is ga-aum. 

The flow from which ga-aum originates is gan gaha = Ganga.

 Ga-aum flows from Shiva's head.

 This is called the descent of the Ganga 

from Shiva's head. 

Since the river Ganga has a fraction 

of the principle of the spiritual Ganga, 

no matter how polluted it becomes,

 its purity is perpetually retained. 

Hence, 

when compared to any other water in the world,

 the water from the Ganga is the purest.

 This is realised not only by those 

who can perceive the subtle dimension

 but also by scientific researchers.

b. Moon : 

Shiva adorns the chandra (moon) on His forehead. 

The point where the three frequencies 

- affection (mamata), mercifulness (kshamashilata) 

and motherly love (vatsalya) originate 

is referred to as the chandra (moon). 

Thus, one can conclude that chandrama 

(the moon principle) is the state in 

which the three attributes of affection,

 mercifulness and motherly love are present.

c. Third eye :

 Shankar is three-eyed, 

i.e. He can perceive events of the past, present and future.

According to the science of Yoga

 the third eye means the Sushumna nadi (channel).

d. Serpent : 

One of the Names of Lord Shankar is Bhujanga-patihari. 

Bhujang means a serpent or pure particles (pavitrakas) , 

pati means the nurturer and hari means one

 with a garland around His neck.

 Bhujangapatihari thus means the One 

who nurtures pure particles and wears them like a garland. 

Various serpents represent groups of pure particles. 

Though externally they appear like serpents, 

internally they are a kind of ladder. 

To make spiritual progress one has to climb

 up holding onto the tail of the serpent.

 Lord Shankar adorns serpents at nine points on His body 

- one on the head, 

one around the neck,

 one on each arm,

 one on each wrist, 

one around the waist and 

one on each thigh. 

This implies that His body is comprised

 of pure particles or that serpents of pure particles 

play all over the body of Lord Shankar 

who has the universe as His form.

2. Spiritual attributes

a. One performing severe

 austerities and the great yogi

Shiva is always seated in a bandha or a mudra.

 His temperature rises due to heat generated 

by performing severe austerities;

 Hence, He uses the Ganga, the moon and

 serpents which endow a cooling effect 

and lives on the snow-clad Kailas mountain.

b. Short tempered

If someone disturbs His meditation

 the radiance generated by spiritual practice 

will be suddenly expelled and whoever is in front of Him 

will not be able to tolerate it, and gets destroyed. 

This is referred to as being 'reduced to ashes

 by Shankar's opening of the third eye'.

c. 

One who is willing to undergo 

any distress for the sake of imparting happiness to others

The poison 

generated during the churning

 of the celestial ocean (samudramanthan)

 was burning the entire Universe but no deity

 came forward to accept it. 

At that time Shiva drank that poison 

and saved the world from destruction.

d. 

One who has both,

 deities and demons, as His worshippers

Neither did demons 

like Banasur, Ravan, etc. 

worship Lord Vishnu nor did Lord Vishnu bestow 

any boon upon any demon. 

However, they worshipped Lord Shiva who blessed them.

e. Master of the spirits

Since Lord Shiva is the master of spirits,

 His worshippers are generally not possessed by them.

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