About this video
The Hindu god Shiva can appear in many forms, from a ferocious figure to a family man, and is recognized by features like dreadlocks, a third eye, a trident, ash-smeared skin and a garland of cobras. He can also be represented by the symbolic linga, which marks a temple as his. The video ends with the legend of Shiva as an archer destroying three demon cities with a single arrow.
You'll be able to
- identify Shiva in art from his typical features and attributes.
- explain what the linga represents and how it shows a temple is dedicated to Shiva.
- retell the story of Shiva destroying the three cities.
Key words
- trident
- A spear with three points, often carried by Shiva.
- yogi
- A person who practices yoga and meditation; Shiva is called the great yogi.
- linga
- A symbolic form of Shiva that represents creative power, found in the sanctuaries of his temples.
- austerities
- Hard self-discipline, like fasting or meditation, done to gain spiritual power.
- attribute
- An object or feature that helps you recognize who a figure in art is.
Transcript
god schewe can take many forms he can appear as a ferocious figure or he can also be depicted as a family man while Shiva has dreadlocks and often he's shown with a third eye on his forehead and he often carries the Trident he's always shown his body smeared with ashes and his hair unkempt and disheveled and bearing a garland of cobras he is represented as the great yogi and the great teacher Shiva may be represented in his symbolic forms such as the Linga or the phallus the Linga is represents the creative power you would recognize that a temple is dedicated to Shiva by the image of the Linga that you would see in the temple sanctuary and here we have got a very interesting object called three pure an taka that
means the victory or the three cities and the Shiva is shown here in a as an archer in his victorious pose the legend tells us that by performing severe austerities three demon brothers received a gift of power so that they can build three indestructible cities one of gold in the heavens one of silver in the sky and one of iron in the earth thinking themselves invincible they ravaged both God and man but there was a stipulation that once in thousand years the three cities would join to become one and then it would be possible to destroy them if peers by a single arrow so the man and God petitioned Shiva and when the three cities became united he discharged his mighty arrow and destroyed the cities thus rescuing the
world from the evil tyranny Oh
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