சிவா GOD

GOD SHIVA
Shiva has a 1,008 names and a thousand faces. His names include Mahadeva (the great god), Mahesh,
Rudra, Neelkantha (the blue-throated one), and Ishwar (the supreme god). He is also called Mahayogi, or the great ascetic, who symbolises the highest form of austere penance and abstract meditation, which results in salvation.
Shiva has eight forms: Rudra, Sharva, Bhava, Ugra, Bhima, Pashupati, Ishana, and Mahadeva, which, according to the Shiva Purana, correspond to the earth, water, fire, wind, sky, a yogi called Kshetragya, the sun, and the moon respectively.
The snakes coiled at different places of Lord Shiva's body have names.
The serpents coiled at His ears are named Padma and Pingala.
The serpents coiled at His armlets are named Kambala and Dhananjaya.
The serpents at right and left wrists are named asvatara and taksaka.
The serpent at his waist is called Nila. --- Vamana Purana.
Maha Shivaratri, Shiva's great spiritual night, is traditionally devoted to Paramashiva (Shiva the Supreme, God). Shiva's devotees consider this night to be the holiest night of the whole year.
The Maha Shivaratri night falls on the night previous to the new moon night, in the February or March - in the Phalguna month in the Hindu calendar.
Shiva - The Lingam
Shiva is worshipped in his invisible and an unborn form, known as the lingam. Lingam is always accompanied by the Yoni, which is the female part, adjoining the base of the lingam. The lingam symbolizes the male creative power of Shiva