SHANKAR JIShiva meaning The Auspicious One is one of the three major deities of Hinduism. He is worshiped as the supreme god within Shaivism one of the three most influential denominations in contemporary Hinduism. He is one of the five primary forms of God in the Smarta Tradition and the Creator the Preserver the Transformer and the Destroyer . At the highest level Shiva is regarded as formless limitless transcendent and unchanging. Shiva has many benevolent and fearsome depictions. In benevolent aspects he is depicted as an omniscient Yogi who lives anascetic life on Mount Kailash as well as a householder with wife Parvati and his two children Ganesha and Kartikeya. In his fierce aspects he is often depicted slaying demons. Shiva is also regarded as the patron god of yogameditation and arts. The main iconographical attributes of Shiva are the third eye on his forehead the snake Vasuki around his neck the adorning crescent moon the holy river Ganga flowing from his matted hair the trishula as his weapon and the damaruas his musical instrument. Shiva is usually worshiped in the aniconic form of Lingam. The worship of Shiva is a pan-Hindu tradition practiced widely across all of India Nepal Sri Lanka and parts ofPakistan.