[shee-vuh] 
| “the Destroyer,” the third member of the Trimurti, along with Brahma the Creator and Vishnu the Preserver. |
| shiv·a also shiv·ah or shib·ah (shĭv'ə) n. Judaism A seven-day period of formal mourning observed after the funeral of a close relative. [Yiddish shive, from Hebrew šib'â, seven; see šbʕ in Semitic roots.] |
| Shi·va (shē'və) n. Hinduism One of the principal Hindu deities, worshiped as the destroyer and restorer of worlds and in numerous other forms. Shiva is often conceived as a member of the triad also including Brahma and Vishnu. [Sanskrit śivaḥ, from śiva-, auspicious, dear; see kei-1 in Indo-European roots.] Shi'va·ism, Si'va·ism n., Shi'va·ist, Si'va·ist n. |
Shiva
one of the main deities of Hinduism, whom Shaivas worship as the supreme god (see Shaivism). Among his common epithets are Shambhu ("Benign"), Shankara ("Beneficent"), Mahesha ("Great Lord"), and Mahadeva ("Great God").
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