The Hindu god Shiva



The Hindu god Shiva (Sanskrit: Auspicious One) is one of the main Deities of Hinduism. Shiva is one of the most complex gods of India, embodying seemingly contradictory qualities. Shiva is the destroyer and the restorer, the great ascetic and the symbol of sensuality, the benevolent herdsman of souls and the wrathful avenger.


Shiva is the favourite God of the man that married us, so a painting of Shiva seemed the perfect gift for us to give him.

Painting Shiva was different than Clancy has ever done before, for one, it was very detailed. And the details matter with this subject matter.



For instance Shiva wears a snake coiled around his upper arms and neck symbolizing the power he has over the most deadly of creatures. Snakes are also used to symbolize the Hindu dogma of reincarnation. Their natural process of molting or shedding their skin is symbolic of the human souls transmigration of bodies from one life to another.



Shiva's female consort and wife is Parvati; because of his generosity and reverence towards Parvati, Shiva is considered an ideal role model for a husband. He often holds a trident, which represents the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. It is also said to represent the threefold qualities of nature: creation, preservation and destruction.

Shiva's apparent synthesis of male and female attributes is seen in his earrings. At first Clancy did not want to include the earrings, but it was an important detail.

Shiva's posses a third eye.



The third eye is a symbol of higher consciousness. It is also something with which he can destroy his enemies "with fire." He can also kill all the gods and other creatures during the periodic destruction of the universe.



Shiva's third eye first appeared when Parvati, his wife, playfully covered his other two eyes, therefore plunging the world into darkness and putting it in danger of destruction.



I will miss Shiva in my home, I came to love that painting very much. I guess I will just have to make him create a Shiva for me too.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Christmas painting ...

Image
Four years ago, at Christmas time Terri moved into our home. Probably the best Christmas I had ever had, full of ... potential. We were unsure at the time what was coming our way, but we both knew something special was there. He gave me a painting, no, he did better than that, he presented me with a painting, it was one of the most romantic moments in my life. Two years ago I contacted Trevor, www.trevoredwinclark.com to purchase a painting Terri loved of his, a portrait Trevor has done of Terri. It was a great present to give him, I think the best gift I had ever given. Last year there was no "Christmas painting". This year as we were putting up the Christmas tree, I told Terri that I thought we should have a "Christmas Painting". I downloaded some Christmas themed images, and began to create a painting for Bay and Brennen. My first Christmas painting. I choose an old fashioned Christmas card image. I had fun instantly with the subject matter, but the perspectives...
Read more

Man Rinaldo

Image
He was rolled up in the basement at his sisters place, safe but hidden, almost forgotten I think. He was one of the first pieces Clancy had created. He was unfinished, and so handsome, his gaze I found intense. He was another painting, ironically enough that his brother-in-law also was interested in. Clancy always laughs that both Serge and I are Gemini's and how alike we are. It seemed we also have the same taste in art work. Man Rinaldo would become a Christmas present I would get that year. Me became the second piece of art work I owned.
Read more

The Kindess of Others

These are interesting times. Times of great change for the world, but I am here to talk about an act of kindness that I recently have been the recipient of.  It's hard to share this story without giving it context, but I could get lost in that direction of the story for a long time. That story is for another day.  Unfortunately I do my best writing in the shower and never seem to document it all here or that story would already of been written. There is a sign posted on the way into Madoc that offers sewing lessons. And I have never been a person that likes to sew. (Once my first husband, Bill asked me to sew a pant hem, I stapled it and he never asked again.) But, I found myself being strangely drawn to that sign and the idea of sewing lessons intrigued me.  I mentioned this on a Madoc Facebook group and a young woman reached out to me to offer to teach me to sew. What a generous gesture, people can be amazing. She doesn't know me, I could be a b...
Read more