Om Namoh Shiv...

Lord Shiva is considered to be one of the most powerful yet benevolent Lords in Hinduism. He is the one who has the power to devastate all that we see. God Shiva can be pleased easily and He fulfills all the wishes of his devotees.

These are the various forms that were given to the Lord Shiva by the Gods and the devotees as per the form that He took for the benefit of the mankind.This list is called the Maheshwara Mu rtham. You can recite these 64 forms if you want to on Mondays.

1. Linga Murthy – In this form the God Shiva in formless form

2. LinGodbhava Murthy- This is the Form of God Shiva emerging from formless

3. Mukhalingam- In this form the Shiv Linga form with five faces of God Shiva is worshipped.

4. SadaShiva Murthy- In this form again the Lord Shiva with five faces

5. Maha sadaShiva Murthy- In this form the God Shiva with twenty five faces

6. Umamaheshvara Murthy- This is the sixth form and in this the God Shiva with Goddess uma or Parvati.

7. Sukasana Murthy – In this particular form you will find Lord Shiva with his wife and is in a pleasant mood. If worshipped in this form he grants peace and happiness.

8. Umesha Murthy – in this form the Lord Shiva is seen with his wife and one of his hand is in a vardana pose.

9. Somaskandha Murthi- This is a popular form of Lord Shiva. The God Shiva is seen with Goddess uma and Lord skandha in this form.
10. Vrishabhantika Murthy- In this pose the Lord Shiva is seen along with bull. Many devotees prefer to worship the Lord in this form.

11. Chandrashekara Murthy- God Shiva with crescent is seen in this form. This was when the moon told him to keep him on his head after the moon was saved from the curse of his father in law by Lord Shiva.

12. Bhujanga Lalita Murthy – Lord Shiva liked to keep a snake on his body all the time. In this form he is seen with a snake.

13. Sada nritta Murthy – In this form the Lord Shiva is seen in the form of Natraj. He is seen with his wife and standing on the body of a demon.

14. Gangavisarjana Murthy – God Shiva releasing ganga in this form. This is the form in which the Lord Shiva held the Ganga on his head.

15. Ardanarishvara Murthy- God Shiva Goddess shakti together in one form is worshipped by many. In this form the Lord Shiva and his wife are seen together. The form is of half Lord Shiva and half of Goddess Parvati.

16. Vrishabharudar – The Lord Shiva is seen sitting on a bull.
17. Bhujanga Murthy – In this particular form the Lord Shiva is seen with a sanke in one hand and fire in the other. As usual there is damroo in one hand and with the fourth hand he is seen blessing the devotees.

18. Chandathandava – In this form the Lord Shiva is seen standing on a demon. It is considered to be one of the fierce forms of the Lord Shiva.
19. Tripurantaka– In this form the Lord Shiva is seen riding a chariot that is driven by four horses. He also has his wife with him here

20. Gajasura Samhara Murthy – In this form the God Shiva is seen peeling an elephant.

21. Sandhya Nritta Murthy – This is an interesting form of the Lord Shiva. In this form he is seen with his wife and with a damroo in his hand. He is again seen killing an asura in this form.

22. Gangadhara Murthy – God Shiva with the river Ganga falling into matted locks is seen in this particular form.

23. Kalyanasundhara Murthy – Lord Shiva in this form is seen getting married to Goddess Partvati the daughter of Himalaya.

24. JvarabhagnaMurthy – This form of the Lord Shiva is also called the jvarahara Murthy. In this form the Lord is seen with three faces and three legs. The Lord is dancing in this pose.

25. Shardhula Hara Murthy – This is a form in which the God Shiva is seen with a tiger skin.

26. Keshavartha Murthy – This form of the Lord Shiva is also called the Shankaranarayana. You will see that in this form the Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu are seen together in one body. You can see Damroo Trishool in one hand and Shankh in the other.

27. Chandisha Anugraha Murthy- In this form the Lord Shiva is seen gifting the Kamdhenu cow to a Sage. Kamdhenu was a mystical cow and it would fulfil all the wishes of its master.

28. Vinadhara DakshinaMurthy – In this form the Lord Shiva is seen holding a musical instrument that is called the Vina. He is seen standing on a demon and is surrounded by Gods.

29. LakulishvaraMurthy – is seen sitting in a composed form as LakulishvaraMurthy. He as usual holds his damroo and trishool.

30. Vaduka Murthy- is also called the Bhairava. In this particular form the Lord is seen holding a snake and a trishul as a simple hermit that he was.

31. GuruMurthy – In this form the Lord Shiva is seen as a sage who is teaching others. This was the form in which the Lord used to share his knowledge with the sages in the Gyan sabha.

32. Agorastra Murthy – The Lord Shiva is seen as an agori in this form.