Index

All page numbers refer to the print edition of this title.

Absolute, the, 5, 23
Adi Shankaracharya
    “Dasisloka,” 50, 180
    hymn to Shiva, 227
    “Nirvanashtakam,” 123, 140, 154, 176, 226–27
Adi Shankara (“Dakshinamurthy Stotram”), 10, 33, 92, 114, 123
Aditi, 78–79
Agastya (sage), 122
Agni, god of fire, 109, 110, 111
Agniswara (devotee of Shiva), 164
amrita, 142, 146–47
Anasuya (wife of Atri), 138, 139–40
Andhaka (son of Shiva), 129–31
Annapurna, 105
Appar (saint), 19, 150, 165, 194, 208–10, 213, 224
Ardhanareeswara (Shiva), 13, 74
Arivattayar Nayanar, 217–18
Arjuna, 169–71, 215
Arundhati (wife of Vasishta), 36, 91
astrology, 6–7
asuras (demons)
    churning the milky ocean, 142–43, 146
    described, 108
    devotees of Shiva, 126, 176–77, 179–80
    downfall of, 132–40
    three cities of, 125–28
aswamedha yaga (horse sacrifice), 150–51
Atri (sage), 138–39
aum (pranava mantra), 18, 28–29, 229
avatara, 205
avyaktha (Unmanifest, the), 2, 21

Bali (demon), 145
Bana (demon), 113, 179–80
Bhadrakaali, 65–66, 67
Bhagavan (Supreme Person), 6
Bhagavata Purana, 6, 31
Bhagiratha (prince), 151–52, 153
Bhasmaka (demon), 155–57
Bhimashankara (jyotirlanga), 188
bhoga (pleasure), 42
Bhuteswara (Shiva), 192, 229
bondage, 54
Brahma (Creator)
    creation and, 26–27, 30, 31
    creation of, 25–26
    creation of Kama, 33–34, 35
    creation of Sandhya, 33
    Daksha and, 48, 67
    described, ix, 16, 21, 22
    as Iswara, 22
    Mahapralaya of, 20, 22, 188
    Taraka and, 79–80
Brahman (Supreme Being)
    described, 5, 20–21
    Shakti as energy of, 41–42
    symbol of, 184–85
Brahmins, 15, 16, 59
Brighu (sage), 59, 63–64, 67, 68, 185
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, 245
Buddhi, 121–22

chakras, 106–7
Chandeswar Nayanar, 219
Chandra (moon god), 45–46, 138, 186
Chandramouleeswara Saraswati, 221
chariot of Shiva, 127
chidakasha, 2
Chitrabhanu (king), 183
churning the milky ocean, 141–49
conches, 137, 138
creation
    cyclic nature of, 21–23
    destruction and, 108
    Puranic view of, 2–3
    story of, 20–32, 111
curse of a sage, 71–72

Dadichi (sage), 60, 61
Daksha (father of Sati), 35, 40, 42, 44–46, 48, 49, 58–64, 66–69
Dakshinamurthy, 13, 29, 67–68, 101
“Dakshinamurthy Stotram” (Adi Shankara), 10, 33, 92, 114, 123
dance of Shiva (Thandava), 13, 102, 179, 223
Darma Shasta (avatara), 149
“Dasisloka” (Adi Shankaracharya), 50, 180
Dattatreya, 138–39
demons (asuras)
    churning the milky ocean, 142–43, 146
    described, 108
    devotees of Shiva, 126, 176–77, 179–80
    downfall of, 132–40
    three cities of, 125–28
devas, 108, 144–45, 146, 147
Devi Purana, 6
devotees of Shiva
    Agniswara, 164
    demons as, 126, 176–77, 179–80
    disciplines of, 16–17
    Ghushna, 191
    Kubera, 177–79
    Mahananda, 167–69
    Nayanmars, 194–98
    overview, 14
    Punithavathi, 222–24
    Shiva’s regard for, 160
    testing and blessing, 167–69
    Vajranga, 78–79
    violent ways of, 225–26
    Visvanara, 163–65
    women devotees, 222–26
devotees of Vishnu, 45
devotion, nine qualities of, 54
Dhanwantari, 145–46
Diti (wife of Kashyapa), 78
Divine Consciousness, 2–3
Divine Mother, 2, 18–19, 73, 105, 185
Diwali, festival of lights, 104
duality, 107, 108
Durga (Parvati), 41–42, 46, 51, 73
Durvasa (sage), 139, 141

ego, 84–85, 147
Ettumba (demon), 122

five elements, Lord of, 192, 229
five-syllabled mantra (Namashivaya), 28–29, 84–85, 208, 224, 228–29

“Ganashtakam,” 115
ganas (Shiva’s goblins), 14, 51, 63, 64, 109, 131
Ganesha (Vinayaka), 115–24
    creation of, 115–18
    as force of gravity, 114
    form and origin, 118–20
    Kubera and, 178–79
    marriage to Siddhi and Buddhi, 121–22
    rat as vehicle of, 119–20
    Ravana and, 190
Gauri, 74, 103, 104
Gautama (sage), 189
Gayatri mantra, 112
Ghushna (devotee of Shiva), 191
Ghushnesha (jyotirlanga), 191
God. See Brahman (Supreme Being)
gods, forms of, 1–2, 4, 5, 6
good and evil, 108–9
Guha (Kartikeya), 110
gunas, 21, 22, 23, 30, 69, 128

Hanuman, 149
Hari (Vishnu), 69
Himavan (father of Parvati), 53, 72, 73, 74, 75, 91, 93, 94, 98, 110
Hiranyaksha (demon), 129
history of mankind, 3
horse sacrifice (aswamedha yaga), 150–51
human soul, 16, 128, 184
Huxley, Aldous, 193

Invocation to the Supreme Guru, 10
Isai-gnaaniyaar (saint), 224
Iswara (God)
    Brahma as, 22
    form of, 21
    names of, 69
    Shiva as, 13, 24, 28

Jainism, 208
Jalandara (demon), 133–36
Jhanva (sage), 153
jivan mukta, 205
jivatma (individual soul), 106
jyotirlingas, 185–92

Kaali, 51, 62, 73, 101, 102, 103
Kama
    creation of, 33–34, 35
    defeat of, 80–82
    Markandeya and, 160, 161
    resuscitation of, 99
    Shiva and, 38–40, 86–97
Kamadhenu (heavenly cow), 145
Kamalaksha (demon), 125, 126
Kannappa Nayanar, 215–17
Kanyakumari (Parvati), 172–73
Kapila (sage), 151
Kartikeya (Shiva’s son), 108–14, 120, 121, 122, 123
Kashyapa (sage), 78
Katha Upanishad, 192
Kedarnatha (jyotirlanga), 187–88
Kirata, the hunter (Shiva), 169–71
Krishna, 4, 6, 137, 169, 179–80
Krittikas, 110–11
Kubera (devotee of Shiva), 177–79
Kumara (Kartikeya), 111
kundalini Shakti, 106, 120
Kurmavatara (Vishnu), 143

Lakshmana, 55
Lakshmi (wife of Vishnu), 29, 40–41, 42, 134, 139, 145
liberation, 102, 128, 196, 197
linga
    jyotirlingas, 185–92
    Shiva as, 27, 28, 172
    worship of, 183, 184–85
“Lingashtakam” (hymn), 124
lust, Shiva on, 87–88

Mahakala (jyotirlinga), 186
Mahananda (devotee of Shiva), 167–69
Mahapralaya (night of Brahma), 20, 22, 188
Mahashivaratri (great night of Shiva), 144, 183–85
Mallikarjuna (jyotirlinga), 186
Mandara mountain, 146, 147
Mangayarkkarasi (saint), 224
Manikkavachagar (saint), 36, 155, 195, 197, 200, 210–13
mantras
    five-syllabled (Namashivaya), 28–29, 84–85, 208, 224, 228–29
    Gayatri mantra, 112
    list of, 241–43
    as names of the gods, 6
    pranava mantra (aum), 18, 28–29, 229
Markandeya (sage), 158–63
matter, concept of, 4–5, 18
maya, 22, 148–49, 161–62, 163
Medatithi (sage), 36
Meenakshi, 173–74
Mena (mother of Parvati), 71, 72, 73, 75, 85, 86, 90–91, 94–97, 99
Merton, Thomas, 226
Meykanda Deva, 194
milky ocean, churning, 141–49
Mohini (Vishnu), 146–47, 148–49, 156
Mrikandu (brahmin), 158
Mundaka Upanishad, 244
Murthi Nayanar, 218–19
Muruga (Kartikeya), 122

Nagesha (jyotirlanga), 190
Nakeera (saint), 215
Nambiyandar Nambi (saint), 222
Nandi, the bull, 17–18, 59–60
Nandi (Shiva), 166–67
Narada (sage), 44, 45, 74–75, 84, 120, 134, 187
Narasimha (man-lion), 165–66
Narayana (Vishnu), 24, 25–26
Nataraja (cosmic dancer/Shiva), 18, 174–75
Nayanmars, 194–98
Neelakanda (Shiva), 144
Neelanakkar (saint), 225
nine Durgas (navadurgas), 66
“Nirvanashtakam” (Adi Shankaracharya), 123, 140, 154, 176, 226–27
Nishumba (demon), 101, 103

Omkareshwara (jyotirlinga), 187

Panchakshari Stotram (hymn to Shiva), 7–9
paramatma (cosmic soul), 106
Parvati (wife of Shiva)
    creation of Andhaka, 128–29
    creation of Vinayaka (Ganesha), 115–18
    discourses with Shiva, 101–2
    marriage to Shiva, 73–77, 100–107, 109, 111–12
    penance of, 80, 81, 84–91
    Sati reincarnates as, 74
    wedding of, 93–99
pasupata (missile of Shiva), 112, 169, 171
Pasupati (Shiva, Lord of Beasts), 13, 17
Periya Puranam (Sekkizhar), 44, 194, 196–97, 224
physics, 4–5, 18
Prakriti (nature), 22, 23, 28, 76, 102, 105, 107
pralaya, 21, 22–23, 24
pranava mantra (aum), 18, 28–29, 229
Punithavathi (devotee of Shiva), 222–24
Punyakshi (Parvati), 171–73
Puranas, 1–7

rajas, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 30, 40, 128
Rama (Vishnu), 55–56, 139, 188, 190
Rameshwara (jyotirlinga), 190
Rati (wife of Kama), 35, 82, 99
Ravana (demon), 55, 176–77, 189, 190
reality of the world, 104–5
rishis (ancient sages), 2
River Ganga, descent of, 150–53
Rudra (Shiva)
    creation of, 30–31
    Daksha and, 68–69
    described, 65–66
    name of, ix
    Sadashiva as, 41
    Shiva as, 13, 14, 42
rudravina, 177

Sadashiva (Shiva)
    as column of fire, 26–27, 28
    as Dakshinamurthy, 29
    described, 24
    as Rudra, 41
Sagara (king), 150–51
sakhya marga (path of friendship), 16
Sakkiyar, 219
saligrama, 91, 138
salokya, 16
salvation, 54, 87
Sambandar (saint), 12, 71, 78, 205–8, 209–10
samsara, 55, 162
Sanaka (sage), 30, 71–72
Sandhya (“twilight”), 33–37
Sankhya system, 76
Saraswati (consort of Brahma), 29, 34, 41
Sati (wife of Shiva)
    Daksha’s yajna and, 61–63
    death of, 63, 69–70, 72
    penance of, 42, 46–48
    reincarnation as Parvarti, 74
    Shiva and, 47, 48–49, 51–57
satputra marga (path of the good son), 16
sattva, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 40, 128
seed of Shiva, 109–10, 111, 113, 149
Sekkizhar (Periya Puranam), 44, 194, 196–97, 224
servant (dasa marga), way of, 16
seven celestial sages, 87–88, 91
Shaive Siddhanta, 194
Shaivites. See devotees of Shiva
Shakti
    described, 2
    as energy of Brahman, 41–42
    forms of, 29
    as part of Shiva, 40
    Sati as, 70
Shakti peethas, 70
Shankachuda (demon), 136–38
Sharabha (Shiva), 165–66
Shatarupa (first woman), 31
Shilada (sage), 166–67
Shiva
    attributes of, 96–97, 156–57
    blue neck of, 17, 144
    body, clothing and ornaments, 17–18
    as column of fire, 26–27, 28
    compassion of, 14
    dance of, 13, 102, 179, 223
    dialogues with Sati/Parvati, 54–55, 101–2
    discourse on devotion, 54
    functions of, 16–17, 21
    as Iswara, 13, 24, 28
    Kama and, 38–40, 86–97
    manifestations of, 13, 28, 96, 165–75, 231–33
    nature of, 40
    pasupata (missile) of, 169, 171
    Sati and, 47, 48–49, 51–57
    as Sundaramurti, 94, 97, 98–99
    trident of, 131
    wedding of, 93–99
    wrath of, 65–70
    See also devotees of Shiva; linga
Shivaa, 40, 41, 46, 70
Shiva-jnana-bodham (Meykanda
Deva), 194
“Shiva Mahima Stotram,” 182
Shiva Purana, ix–x, 6
Shivaratri, 182–85
“Shiva Stotram” (Hymn to Shiva), 11
Shiva Thandava hymn, 177
Shumba (demon), 101, 103
Siddhi, 121–22
Siruthonda Nayanar, 220
Sita (wife of Rama), 55
Somanatha (jyotirlinga), 186
Sreemad Bhagavad Gita, 4
Sreemad Bhagavatham (“Sri Shuka”), 20
“Sri Rudrum” (Yajur Veda), 19, 31–32, 37, 42–43, 49–50, 65, 83, 92, 125, 181, 192, 198–99, 227, 228–29
“Sri Shuka” (Sreemad Bhagavatham), 20
“Sri Subramanya Pancharatnam,” 108
Sudarshana chakra, 135–36
Sundaramurti (Shiva), 94, 97, 98–99
Sundarar (saint), 100, 132, 141, 158, 195, 196, 200–205
Sundareswara (Shiva), 173–74
Supreme Being, 4, 6, 21. See also
    Brahman (Supreme Being)

Taittiriya Upanishad, 181
tamas, 21, 22, 23, 29–30, 40, 128, 184
tapasya, 76
Taraka (demon), 77, 79–80, 86, 109, 112–13, 125
Tarakaksha (demon), 125–26
“Tat twam asi,” 121
Thandava (dance of Shiva), 13, 102, 179, 223
Thilagavatha (saint), 224
Thirumoolar (saint), 58, 84
Thirunavukkarasar (saint), 38
Thiruvalluvar (poet), 205
Thirvalluvar (saint), 51
trident, Shiva’s, 131
trinity (Trimurtis), 16. See also
    Brahma; Shiva; Vishnu
Tryambakeswara (jyotirlinga), 189
Tulasi, 136, 137–38

Ucchaisravas (white horse), 145
Upanishads, 5
urdhva-thandava (cosmic dance), 102
Usha (daughter of Bana), 179–80

Vaaruni (Goddess of intoxication), 145
Vaidyanatha (jyotirlinga), 189–90
vairagya (detachment), 54
Vaishyanatha (merchant/Shiva), 167–69
Vajranga (devotee of Shiva), 78–79
Vanthodar (saint), 93
Varangi (wife of Vajranga), 79
Vasanta, 38–39
Vasishta (sage), 35, 36, 57, 214
Vaskui (Lord of snakes), 142–43
Vayu (wind God), 149
Vedanta, 76
Vedas, ix, 5, 221, 228
Vidyunmali (demon), 125, 126
Vinayaka. See Ganesha (Vinayaka)
Virabhadra (Shiva), 65, 66–67, 68, 112
Virupaksha (Shiva), 65
Vishnu
    attributes of, 40, 157
    creation and, 24–25, 26, 30
    devotees of, 226
    Lakshmi as wife of, 145
    name of, ix
    as Narasimha (man-lion), 165–66
    role of, 21
    worshipping Shiva, 176
    See also creation
Visvakarma (divine architect), 56, 60, 127
Visvamitra (sage), 110
Visvanara (devotee of Shiva), 163–65
Visvanatha (jyotirlinga), 188–89
Vrinda, 134, 135
Vyasa (author of the Puranas), 6

wedding of Shiva and Parvati, 93–99
white horse (Ucchaisravas), 145
women devotees, 222–26

yajna of Daksha, 58–64, 68, 69
Yajur Veda
    about, 1, 228
    “Sri Rudrum,” 19, 31–32, 37, 42–43, 49–50, 65, 83, 92, 125, 181, 192, 198–99, 227, 228–29
yaksha (treasure guardian), 132–33
Yama (Lord of death), 95, 159
“Yoga Vasishta” (Vasishta), 57, 214
yoni, 27, 185