Shiva’s Bull

Description

I, the Great Shiva, am one of India’s most complex gods, embodying seemingly contradictory qualities. I am the destroyer and the restorer, the great ascetic and a symbol of sensuality, the benevolent shepherd of souls, and the wrathful avenger.

In the many images that represent me, my sacred bull is often present. My bull lies at the feet of God or carries me to heaven, personifying confidence and determination to resist any demonic forces and enemies of the light. Nandi is a mighty bull, formidable enough to match God. He is sometimes considered a zoomorphic image of me, Shiva.

“Shiva’s Bull” is based on a dream. A white, imposing bull appeared to me, reminding me of Zeus and the abduction of Europa. Legend has it that Zeus took the form of a white bull to seduce Europa. She caresses him, climbs on his back, and lets herself be carried away. The bull tries to seduce me, convincing me to follow him. He is the man, the lover, my beloved man. He is Shiva, his energy. That huge bull’s head is just a symbol, with the bull manifesting as a symbol of the great God.

“He, the Protector, the Creator of all living things, redissolves them all at the end of time.”