Sadāśiva
From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
By Swami Harshananda
Sadāśiva literally means ‘the Ever Auspicious One’.
As per General Description[edit]
Sadāśiva is one of the aspects and names of god Śiva. He is described as having five heads and ten arms, and is seated in baddha-padmāsana.[1] The heads are adorned with matted hair. The ten hands hold:
- Śakti - spear with a triangular tip
- Triśula - trident
- Khaṭvāṅga - magic wand
- Abhayamudrā - gesture of protection
- Varadamudrā - gestures of boon-giving
- Serpent
- Snake
- Ḍamaru - hand-drum
- Nīlotpala - blue-lotus
- Bījāpura - pomegranate fruit
Alternately, he may be shown as having a single face with three eyes, with a crescent moon adorned on the head. His consort is Manonmaṇi.
As per Other Description[edit]
In another description he is pictured as saumya.[2] He has four arms, two carrying purṇāmṛta-kumbhas[3] and the other two carrying one more pot and a rosary.
As per Śaivasiddhānta[edit]
In Śaivasiddhānta, Sadāśiva is the Supreme God-head but absolutely formless. He is all-pervading, extremely subtle and incomprehensible.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore