Shiva Meditating on Tiger Skin 48"

This meditating Shiva sculpture is based off the beautiful meditating Shiva located in the Hindu holy city of Rishikesh, India.  The muscular form of Shiva is calmly mediating on a tiger skin.  Both his arms are resting on his knees with his thumb and forefinger touching.  He wears only a loin cloth with a necklace of rudraksha beads and snake coiled around his broad chest.  The snake symbolizes the power Shiva has over the most deadly of creatures.  Snakes are also used to symbolize the Hindu dogma of reincarnation. Their natural process of molting or shedding their skin is symbolic of the human souls transmigration of bodies from one life to another.  

His hair is long and flowing with a crescent moon tucked into it.  The sculpture would be perfect for a place of quiet reflection or meditation.

The sculpture is hand carved from two separate pieces of marble.  Shiva is carved from a piece of white marble and the tiger skin base is carved from orange marble.  It will be arriving in Oceanside, California by November, 2011.

Shiva the Destroyer (Sanskrit: Auspicious One), or Siva, is one of the main Deities of Hinduism, worshipped as the paramount lord by the Saivite sects of India. Shiva is one of the most complex gods of India, embodying seemingly contradictory qualities. He is the destroyer and the restorer, the great ascetic and the symbol of sensuality, the benevolent herdsman of souls and the wrathful avenger.
Shiva was originally known as Rudra, a minor deity addressed only three times in the Rig Veda.  He gained importance after absorbing some of the characteristics of an earlier fertility god and became Shiva, part of the trinity, or trimurti, with Vishnu and Brahma.
Shiva wears a snake coiled around his upper arms and neck symbolizing the power he has over the most deadly of creatures. Snakes are also used to symbolize the Hindu dogma of reincarnation. Their natural process of molting or shedding their skin is symbolic of the human soul's transmigration of bodies from one life to another.
Shiva's female consort and wife is Parvati; because of his generosity and reverence towards Parvati, Shiva is considered an ideal role model for a husband. The divine couple together with their sons - the six-headed Skanda and the elephant headed Ganesh - reside on Mount Kailasa in the Himalayas. 
His guardian is Nandi (the white bull), whose statue can often be seen watching over the main shrine.  The bull is said to embody sexual energy, fertility.  Riding on its back, Shiva is in control of these impulses.
He often holds a trident, which represents the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu.  It is also said to represent the threefold qualities of nature: creation, preservation and destruction, although preservation is usually attributed to Vishnu.
As the destroyer, Shiva is dark and terrible, encircled with serpents and a crown of skulls.
Shiva often wears sacred Rudaksha beads, perhaps a reference to his earlier name Rudra.
The crescent moon Shiva wears on his crown, besides being a symbol of Kama the goddess of nightly love, also represents the bull, Nandi, a fertility symbol.
Shiva holds a skull that represents samsara, the cycle of life, death and rebirth.  Samsara is a central belief in Hinduism.  Shiva himself also represents this complete cycle because he is Mahakala, the Lord of Time, destroying and creating all things.
Shiva is represented in a variety of forms.  One such form is as a lingam.  The ovoid shape is a representation of the absolute perfection of Lord Shiva - if that which is beyond form had to be given form, the lingam would be the closest form to the mystical experience of the absolute perfection of Shiva.   Shiva is often pictured in a pacific mood with his consort Parvati, as the cosmic dancer Nataraja, as a naked ascetic, as a mendicant beggar, as a yogi, and as the androgynous union of Shiva and Parvati in one body (Ardhanarisvara).
Another example of Shiva's apparent synthesis of male and female attributes is seen in his earrings.  He wears one earring in the style of a man and the other as a female.
Shiva's third eye is a symbol of higher consciousness.  It is also a weapon he uses to destroy his enemies by emitting a fire missile which has the power to incinerate the three worlds.  He can also kill all the gods and other creatures during the periodic destruction of the universe.  Shiva's third eye first appeared when Parvati, his wife, playfully covered his other two eyes, so Shiva opened his third eye emitting his destructive missile endangering the three worlds.

White, red and black marble statues are easy to take care of as they just need some annual upkeep to keep them looking as they did when they were first carved.  Here are some easy tips to keep your White, red and black marble statues from Lotus Sculpture looking like the gods they are:

• Dust the statue as needed to prevent dirt build up
• To make the statue shine use a cotton cloth to buff the sculpture
• You can use a small amount of natural oil such as coconut oil or olive oil to further polish the sculpture
• Use a tooth brush to get into the hard to reach spaces of the sculpture
• DO NOT TOUCH the painted surfaces of any of the white marble statues.  This will damage the painting if done often
  

We recommend keeping our marble statues in an indoor environment.  The statues are durable however not durable enough to brave the natural outdoors.  Please feel free to contact us directly if you have any questions regarding your wooden statue from Lotus Sculpture, (760) 994-4455 or info@lotussculpture.com.

Here are some testimonials we have had from some of our customers who have bought our stone Hindu statues.  We are so happy to be sharing these statues with the world!  We welcome you to share your photos of our statues.  Please email them to info@lotussculpture.com

This 4 foot marble Shiva was installed in a Shiva temple in Hyderabad from Lotus Sculpture. Hello Kyle   Shiva arrived intact. He has been Installed with full of Life and Glory in the presence of 125 Pandits (gurus) and 350 Guests. Thank you May the Lord Shiva's choicest best blessings be on Lotus sculpture your and your family cheers Srikanth

The Calgary Zoo purchased this 9 foot tall dancing Ganesh statue for the entrance to their 'Elephant Crossing' exhibit. Hello Kyle Thank you so much for making the Ganesh a reality!  It arrived with perfect timing right before the opening!  Don

Namaste Kyle, I took a pic of Ganesha for you this weekend, once again Thank you very much! Thanks Aaron

Yes, the Ganesh arrived in perfect condition and has been installed. Here are some pictures to prove it. We are so delighted to have him! Leslie

Hello Kyle, Welcome back from your trip! I hope you had a great time. I'm trying not to be envious of your frequent visits to Tamil Nadu! Attached is a photo of the Ganesha from last night's Ganesha Chathurthi Puja at my house. It's a beautiful statue and I'm very grateful to have it in my care. paul

We look forward to carving many new statues, large and small, for years to come giving our artists work and promoting this beautiful art form and religious values.

USA Shipping

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This sculpture is in our Oceanside, California store and ready for immediate packing. Shipping is calculated from Oceanside, California after the purchase. This piece is too heavy to ship via UPS ground and will be shipped using R&L Freight Carriers. Approximately 3 working days are needed to pack the sculpture in its own custom wood crate. If you place your order online shipping will show in the order as $0. Shipping will be calculated based on the weight of the sculpture and the distance from Oceanside, CA to determine the shipping price. Shipping will then be added to the total after the order is placed. Please call 760-994-4455 or email us info@lotussculpture.com for a shipping quote.

International Shipping

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This sculpture is in our Oceanside, California store and ready for immediate packing. Shipping is calculated from Oceanside, California after the purchase. This piece is too heavy to ship via UPS ground and will be shipped using an international freight service. Typically we use TNT Special Services as they give the most competitive rates. Approximately 3 working days are needed to pack the sculpture in its own custom wood crate. If you place your order online shipping will show in the order as $0. Shipping will be calculated based on the weight of the sculpture and the distance from Oceanside, CA to determine the shipping price. The shipping quote will be emailed to you and no charge will be made without your approval. Shipping will then be added to the total after the order is placed. Please call 760-994-4455 or email us info@lotussculpture.com for a shipping quote.