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Lord Shiva appears in a meditating but ever-happy posture. He has matted hair which holds the flowing Ganges river and a crescent moon, a serpent coiled around his neck, a trident (trishul) in his one hand and ashes all over his body. Shiva is also regarded as are productive power, who restores what has been dissolved. His most common depiction is as a dark-skinned ascetic with a blue throat.
The Lord's attributes represent his victory over the demonic activity, and calmness of human nature. He is known as the "giver" god. His vehicle is a bull (symbol of happiness and strength) named Nandi.
Shiva-Linga, a sign of the Lord, is adored instead of him. Shiva temples have Shiva-Linga as the main deity. The Linga, or the Shivalinga, is the most popular manifestation of the lord, and is represented by a phallus. Linga means 'sign, mark, or symbol'. The Shivalinga is a symbol of cosmic energy and creation. It is phallus shaped and fixed on a base. Though Shiva is considered the Destroyer, according to Hindu belief, creation follows destruction. The linga is therefore associated with the sexual union of Shiva and Parvati, which results in creation. It is a symbol of the procreative power of the universe. It is also sometimes referred to as linga.
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