I've been curious about how different people incorporate their devotion to Mahadev into everyday life.

Some people follow a regular jaap routine, some visit temples frequently, some listen to Shiv kathas, and others may have a much simpler personal practice.

For those who worship Shiva, I'd love to hear about your experience:

• What did your practice look like over the past week?
• Are there particular times or situations when you find it difficult to maintain your routine?
• When you want to chant, read about Shiva, or listen to a katha, what do you usually turn to?

I'm interested in what people genuinely do, not what an ideal routine should look like. Everyone's experience is different, and I'd love to learn from yours. Har Har Mahadev! 🔱

Here I am posting the image of the sculpture panel in the lintel just above the entrance of the Jagamohan of Parsurameswara temple ( 7th century AD). This depicts the celestial marriage of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Shiva and Parvathi shown in the centre during the time of their sacred union.. Agni with flames rising on both sides sits to the proper right of Shiva. To the right of Agni, Brahma with the three heads shown is pouring water from a vase. To the right of Brahma, Surya is standing with the usual lotuses. Two female attendants with swords in their hands are standing to the left of Parvathi. The four-armed Vishnu is standing to the left of the last female attendant, holding a vase in two hands and a conch shell. Between them, a dwarf stands with what appears to be a bag of sweets on his head. An anachronistic (out-of-time) tiny Ganesha figure appears right beneath Brahma, signifying his role as Prathama Pujya (the first deity to be worshipped in any rite).

Kalingan temples are nothing but sculptures in a gigantic scale all around the temple wall.

https://lunarsecstacy.com/2021/12/13/kalingan-temple-architecture-and-its-gradual-progression/

Guys, is there anyone who could enlighten me about Shiva and Shakti? I’ve always been really interested in their story and would love to learn more about them.

This symbol represents Shiva and Shakti: •)

I have rendered it sideways due to keyboard constraints.

I was incredibly surprised to read in Shiva Purana that Shiva is represented by ) while Shakti is represented by •

I thought Shiva is • and Shakti is ).

After all, Shiva is more simple than Shakti right?

Shiva, as pure consciousness, seems to be well represented by •

Whereas Shakti, as the field that is the object of consciousness, seems well represented by )

Further, when I think of a physical lingam, the • is not a dot but actually a cylinder. The Shiva Purana says the lingam represents Shiva’s appearance to Brahma and Vishnu as the fiery pillar. This pillar I thought was Shiva, not Shakti!

Could someone please explain to me why ) better represents Shiva and • better represents Shakti?