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Shiva’s pose of head, hands and lifted foot suggests the outline of the sign for the word "OM." OM is interpreted as the seed sound, the energy sound, the shakti of all being. The appearance of this sound in the form of a god, resounds of the wonder of existence.

Shiva’s head is poised, serene and still, in the midst of all movement of creation and destruction represented in the rhythm of the rocking arms and slowly stamping right heel. His right earring is a man’s, his left a woman’s, for he transcends opposites. The streaming hair represents that of a yogi, flying in a dance of life. Among its strands is tucked a skull, a crescent moon, a datura flower, and finally a tiny image of the goddess Ganges, who pours onto Shiva’s head the first impact of the heavenly stream as it falls to earth from on high.

Each of Shiva’s four hands have significance either in what it holds or its posture. In Shiva’s upper right hand he holds a small drum on which is beaten the rhythm which creates the world of time. This rhythm draws a veil across the face of eternity signifying the temporal world. The left hand holds the flame of spiritual light which burns the veil away. This annihilates the world and reveals the void of eternity.

The second right hand is held in the "fear-dispelling" position. The second left hand is held out across the chest and points to the raised left foot. This hand position is known as the elephant hand which signifies teaching. "For where the elephant has gone through the jungle all animals can follow, and where a teacher leads the way disciples follow."

The lifted left foot symbolizes release. Finally, Shiva’s right foot drives souls into the vortex of rebirth by stamping on the dwarf Forgetfulness. The dwarf is gazing at the poisonous world-serpent which represents man’s psychological attraction to the realm of his bondage in unending birth, suffering and death.

The union between Shiva and Parvati begins when a tyrant-titan named Taraka usurped the mastery of the world. According to a prophecy, only a son of the High God Shiva could overthrow him. Shiva, was the pattern god of yoga, aloof, alone, and drawn in meditation. It was impossible that Shiva should ever be moved to sire a son.

Parvati, daughter of the mountain king Himalaya, was determined to change this by matching Shiva in meditation. Alone and drawn into her soul her handsome body shriveled to a brittle construction of bones and leathery skin. One day a Brahmin youth arrived and asked why anyone so beautiful should destroy herself with such torture. She told the youth that she was practicing these austerities to move Shiva from his state of balance so he would come to her in love. The youth responded that Shiva was the god of destruction and the World Annihilator. Parvati responded that Shiva was "beyond the mind of such as you. A pauper, but the fountainhead of wealth; terrifying, but the source of grace; snake-garlands or jewel-garlands he can assume or put off at will. How should he have been born, when he is the creator of the uncreated! Shiva is my love." The youth then put away his disguise, and was Shiva.