Draft:64 Forms of Lord Shiva

Hinduism describes Shiva, the destroyer god in the Hinduism, as both formful and as formless. Hinduism describes elaborately the 64 forms that Shiva takes. These 64 forms of Shiva are:

1. Lingam Murti - Shiva as formless in the form of a Lingam, which shows him as a fertilty god.
2. Lingodbhava Murti - Shiva emerging out of a pillar of fire along with Brahma and Vishnu creating their aniconic forms.
3. Mukhalinga Murti - Shiva with his face on a Lingam.
4. Sadashiva Murti - Shiva with five faces representing the five actions (Panchakrityas) of Shiva - Srishti (Creation), Sthithi (Preservation), Samhara (Destruction), Tirobhava (Hiding) and Anugraha (Grace).
5. Maha Sadashiva Murti - 25 faced form of Shiva representing the 25 states of consciousness and the 25 actions created from the matrix of the five basic actions of the Panchakrityas.
6. Uma-Maheshvara Murti - Uma-Maheshvara is the divine couple of Shiva and Parvati following their wedding.
7. Sukasana Murti - Sukhasana is Shiva and Parvati sitting in ease.
8. Umesha Murti - Shiva with Parvati and in a Varadana (boon-giving) to the deities.
9. Somaskanda Murti - Somaskanda is Shiva accompanied by Parvati and Skanda.
10. Vrishabhantika Murti - Shiva seated on Nandi, his bull mount.
11. Chandrashekara Murti - Chandrashekara is Shiva who wears Chandra as the crescent moon on his matted hair.
12. Bhujanga Lalita Murti - Shiva with Chandra as the crescent moon on his head and Vasuki as the snake around his neck.
13. Nataraja Murti - Nataraja is Shiva who is the king of the dance.
14. Gangavisarjana Murti - Shiva releasing Ganga from his head thereby bringing in prosperity and life to planet Earth.
15. Ardanarishvara Murti - Ardhanarishvara is depicted as the syncretic form of Shiva and Parvati.
16. Vrishabharuda Murti - Vrisharudha is Shiva who is accompanied by Parvati and seated on his bull mount, Nandi.
17. Bhujanga Trasa Murti - Shiva with Vasuki as a snake in one hand and holding fire in one hand.
18. Chandathandava Murti - Shiva dancing the tandava dance standing on Apasmara as Nataraja.
19. Tripurantaka Murti - Tripurantaka is Shiva who burned the three cities of the Tripurasuras and killed all three of them.
20. Gajasurasamhara Murti - Gajasurasamhara is Shiva who killed the asura Gajasura, who had assumed the form of an elephant and swallowed him.
21. Sandhya Nritta Murti - Shiva and Parvati with two Damarus in their hands.
22. Gangadhara Murti - Shiva with Ganga falling into his matted hair and purifying him with all the other deities and the Earth.
23. Kalyanasundhara Murti - Kalyanasundara is Shiva during his wedding ceremony with Parvati as Kalyanasundari.
24. Jvarabhagna Murti - Shiva with three faces and three legs.
25. Shardhula Hara Murti - Shiva sitting on a tiger skin.
26. Harihara Murti - Vishnu and Shiva with a deer in one hand and Sudarshana Chakra in one hand.
27. Chandisha Anugraha Murti - Shiva is crowning Chandisha to be a guardian god of him in his temples.
28. Vinadhara Dakshinamurti Murti - Shiva as Dakshinamurti holds a Vina.
29. Lakulishvara Murti - Shiva holding his Damaru and his Trishula.
30. Vaduka Murti - Shiva holding his snake Vasuki and a bowl.
31. Agorastra Murti - Shiva in the form of an Aghori as a wandering ascetic who practices intense tapas and renunciation.
32. Guru Murti - Shiva teaching the truths of the sciences of enlightenment in the Vedas and Agamas to the ancient sages.
33. Jalandharavadha Murthy - Lord Shiva shown as killing Jalandhara, an asura who was born from Shiva's own third eye.
34. Ekapadha Murthy - Lord Shiva shown as standing on one leg.
35. Gaurilila Samanvita Murthy - Lord Shiva with his entire family - Goddess Uma, Lord Ganesha and Lord Skanda
36. Brahma Shirachetha Murthy - Lord Shiva cursing Lord Brahma saying that he will never be worshipped when he lied about reaching his head in the contest between Lord Brahma (the intellect) and Lord Vishnu (material prowess) trying to reach the ultimate truth of the Universe.
37. Varaha Samhara Murthy - Form of Lord Shiva when he reminded the Varaha incarnation of Lord Vishnu so he could get back to Vaikuntha
38. Shishyabhava Murthy - The Lord assuming the role of a disciple to listen to the exposition of the meaning of the Omkara from his son Skanda.
39. Pasupatha Murthy - Is the form of Lord Shiva in a standing pose in and large form and holding an akshamala.
40. Bhikshatana Murthy - Bhikshtana is depicted in the form of a nude four-armed mendicant, adorned with ornaments and holding a begging bowl in his hand.
41. Vvakvana Dakshina Murthy - Here Dhakshinamurthy holds the Vyakhyanamudra, which represents the gesture of teaching
42. Kalantaka - Kalantaka is depicted as the form of the deity that rescued his devotee, Markandeya, from Yama, the god of death.
43. Bhairava Murthy - Fierce form Lord Shiva as a wandering medicant with a dog.
44. Kshetrapaala Murthy - The Lord takes this form to safeguard the temples or Kshetras (sacred places)
45. Dakshayajnahara Murthy - The form depicting the Lord killing Prajapati Daksha who was the father of his consort Sati.
46. Ashvaruda Murthy - Lord Shiva shown as sitting on a horse.
47. Ekapada Trideva Murthy - Lord Shiva seen taking the forms of all three of the Trimurtis - Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma.
48. Gaurivaraprada Murthy - Lord Shiva with his wife Devi Gauri
49. Vishapaharana Murthy - Lord Shiva is seen resting with Devi Parvati sitting beside him.
50. Kurma Samhara Murthy - Lord Shiva with Lord Vishnu as the Kurma Avatar and enabling him to return to Vaikuntha.
51. Prarthana Murthy - Lord Shiva pacifies and dances with his consort Parvati.
52. Kankala Murthy - Lord Shiva seen in a standing pose.
53. Simhaghna Murthy - Also known as Sarabeshwara the Lord is depicted with two Lion faces, four hands, eight legs and with wings.
54. Yoga Dakshina Murthy - Lord teaches the science of Yoga to the four sons of Lord Brahma.
55. Kama Dahana Murthy - Lord Shiva burns Kamadeva the lord of lust with his third eye.
56. Apatuttarana Murthy - The Lord appears like a human being wearing regular clothes in this form.
57. Virabhadra Murthy - Virabhadra is depicted as the form of the deity who destroyed the Daksha yajna.
58. Kiratha Murthy - Kirata is depicted as the form of the deity who assumed the form of a hunter, bestowing the Pashupatastra on Arjuna.
59. Gajantika Murthy - Lord heals Airavata, the elephant of Indra, which was hurt in battle.
60. Tripada Trimurthi - Lord Shiva is standing on one leg along with Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma each with one leg.
61. Chakradanasvarupa Murthy - Chakrapada is depicted as the form of the deity who granted the Sudarshana Chakra to Vishnu.
62. Garudanthika Murthy - Lord Shiva blessing Garuda the vehicle of Lord Vishnu.
63. Matsya Samhara Murthy - The Lord liberates the Matsya Avatar from his corporeal body so he could go back to Vaikuntha.
64. Rakthabhiksha Pradana Murthy - Lord Shiva takes the blood of Lord Vishnu and other Gods as an offering to liberate them.