Siva
Siva has many different attributes and names, he is Lingodbhava, the phallic deity; Rudra, lord of beasts; Pabaka, accompanied by three mother goddesses; Digambara, 'clothed in space' or 'sky clad'; Nataraja, king of the dance etc.
Siva is the leader of all those who have no place in society, outcasts, vampires, demons, ascetics etc. He is destructive yet merciful, although a phallic god, he is also ascetic.
He wears a tiger skin and a snake collar and he is shown with his third eye open (often indicated by three lines on his forehead).
Siva is often unapproachable due to the intensity of his trance and so his active force is personified in the goddesses Parvati, Uma, Durga or Kali.
Adapted from 'A guide to the Gods' by Richard Carlyon
