Shiva
"Shiva is the destroyer, which it seems like he should be a Satan-figure
seeing as how he destroys everything that has been created and preserved. But,
you have to destroy something old before you can build something new. That is
his job."
"Apparently Shiva has many followers in India and is quite popular there
although the average Westerner would have trouble understanding the worship of
the destroyer. When Madonna went to the Grammies with Hindi paint on her face
she was wearing a design that only followers of Shiva wear."
"Why The Destroyer? This is a hard concept for some. In Hinduism, all things
are circular. This can be seen easily in their belief in reincarnation. Everything
that has happened once will happen again. Well, to put up a new building, you
must first tear down the old one in its place. Shiva is not the Satan of Hinduism,
like some believe. Shiva instead is the end that gives way to Brahma's new beginning.
It is the natural order that all things must come to an end and it is Shiva who
brings this about."
:: click here to see a picture of Shiva
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