Summary of Lord Shiva's Darshan
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Eight Forms of Lord Shiva
Linga means form or mark. It is mark of divinity Linga is like an egg. It represents the Brahmanda (cosmic egg). Whatever that is contained in the Brahmanda is in the Linga. The whole world is the form of Lord Siva. The world is a Linga. Linga also is the form of Lord Siva.
Sri Dakshinamoorthy, is the concept of formelssness, as you have rightly said. There are 8 forms of Siva, including Siva Lingam.
Siva Lingam, is arupa-rupa, a combination of form and formlessness.
The other six forms of Siva are:-
1. Bhikshatana - the form of a beggar, with Brahma's skull, as
begging bowl, and the garland of skulls. This is from the story
of Daruka forest. He wears the skin of elephant as an upper robe
and skin of tiger as waist robe.
2. Nataraja, the dancing god of India. He is primarily in Thillai
or Chidambaram, but his metal images are available in all Siva
temples, including Mother's Temple in the Asramam. He wears
again a tiger's skin, fire and hand drum on his two hands, the third
hand showing the left leg and the fourth hand as abhaya mudra,
the protection sign. Under his right leg is Muyalakan, the demon
symbolizing delusion, apasmaram.
3. Kalyana Sundara - a very pleasant pose with Sivakami, his consort.
4. Kalabairva - the fierce Siva dissolving the worlds.
5. Lingothbava - the primordial Lingam, which shows its face,
at the time of creation. This is usually seen on the back-wall
of any Siva Lingam shrine.
6. Somaskanda - S + Uma + Skanda. Siva with Uma and Skanda
in between. A family image.
This list varies from book to book. The Chidambara Mahatmyam
and Kunchitanghristavam of Arul Nandi Sivam, mention this.
Bhagavan Ramana has said that Sri Dakshinamoorthy is a formless
Space only. There are mainly 8 stanzas in Sri Dakshinamoorthy
Stotram of Siva. In this original work, there is no mention about
any form, and the 8 forms mentioned by Sankara, are only the
five elements, sun, moon and Purusha.
Siva Lingam, is arupa-rupa, a combination of form and formlessness.
The other six forms of Siva are:-
1. Bhikshatana - the form of a beggar, with Brahma's skull, as
begging bowl, and the garland of skulls. This is from the story
of Daruka forest. He wears the skin of elephant as an upper robe
and skin of tiger as waist robe.
2. Nataraja, the dancing god of India. He is primarily in Thillai
or Chidambaram, but his metal images are available in all Siva
temples, including Mother's Temple in the Asramam. He wears
again a tiger's skin, fire and hand drum on his two hands, the third
hand showing the left leg and the fourth hand as abhaya mudra,
the protection sign. Under his right leg is Muyalakan, the demon
symbolizing delusion, apasmaram.
3. Kalyana Sundara - a very pleasant pose with Sivakami, his consort.
4. Kalabairva - the fierce Siva dissolving the worlds.
5. Lingothbava - the primordial Lingam, which shows its face,
at the time of creation. This is usually seen on the back-wall
of any Siva Lingam shrine.
6. Somaskanda - S + Uma + Skanda. Siva with Uma and Skanda
in between. A family image.
This list varies from book to book. The Chidambara Mahatmyam
and Kunchitanghristavam of Arul Nandi Sivam, mention this.
Bhagavan Ramana has said that Sri Dakshinamoorthy is a formless
Space only. There are mainly 8 stanzas in Sri Dakshinamoorthy
Stotram of Siva. In this original work, there is no mention about
any form, and the 8 forms mentioned by Sankara, are only the
five elements, sun, moon and Purusha.
Kala Bhairav
•The origin of Bhairava can be traced to the conversation between Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu recounted in "Shiv Maha-Puran" where Lord Vishnu asks Lord Brahma who is the supreme creator of the Universe. Arrogantly, Brahma tells Vishnu to worship him because he (Brahma) is the supreme creator. This angered Shiva who in reality is the creator of all. Shiva then incarnated in the form of Bhairava to punish Brahma. Bhairava beheaded one of Brahma's five heads and since then Brahma has only four heads. When depicted as Kala Bhairava, Bhairava is shown carrying the decapitated head of Brahma. Cutting off Brahma's fifth head made him guilty of the crime of killing a Brahmin, and as a result, he was forced to carry around the head for years and roam as Bhikshatana, a mendicant, until he had been absolved of the sin. •In another version, when Brahma sees the cosmic confusion while creation of universe and ponders how to settle it. He created Saraswati from his imagination ('Manasaputri'). She issued as Shatarupa. She presented him with the wealth of knowledge and wisdom. But Brahma was infatuated with her beauty and pursued her. He sprouted a fifth head to gaze at her continuously. The horrified goddess took multiple forms to escape his eye, but Brahma continued to take a complementary form and chase her. This unlawful lust caused an imbalance in the universe and Lord Shiva took the form of Bhairava to put an end to such incest. He confronted Brahma and cut off his fifth head which brought him to his senses. He then performed a yagna to purify himself, reciting mantras with his four heads for salvation. •In the form of the frightful Bhairava, Shiva is said to be guarding each of these Shaktipeeths. Each Shaktipeeth temple is accompanied by a temple dedicated to Bhairava.
