- "He sounds mean, doesn't he? But really, Shiva is a compassionate god, because in Hinduism, the destroyer of life is also the bringer of life. So what Shiva destroys, he renews and restores."
- ―Jiddu Krishnamurti[src]
Shiva (or Siva) is the Hindu god of destruction and transformation, and was one of the three main deities of Hinduism.
According to legend, Shiva emerged from a fiery pillar that had confounded the gods Brahma and Vishnu.[1]
Also according to legend, Shiva was on the holy mountain, Mount Kalisa, and gave the priest Sankara five sacred stones, and instructed him to fight evil. Sankara traveled around India, converting many to the ways of Shiva, though eventually the stones were lost.[2]
One symbol of worship of Shiva is the Shiva lingam or Sivalinga, a rounded column, usually made of stone. One of the Sankara Stones served as the Sivalinga for the town of Mayapore.[3]
Encountering the worship of Shiva[]
A cloth featuring Sankara and Shiva.
- "Follow in the footsteps of Shiva. Do not betray his truth."
- ―Indiana Jones[src]
Jiddu Krishnamurti first explained the god to Indiana Jones in Benares in 1910.[4]
In 1935, Jones encountered the people of Mayapore, who worshiped Shiva, and revered a rock, one of five Sankara Stones, as part of a lingam shrine to the god which had been stolen by the Thuggee cult at Pankot Palace. The cult worshiped Kali but also believed in Shiva. After freeing the slave children in the Thuggee Temple of Doom, Jones exclaimed to their high priest Mola Ram that he had betrayed Shiva and spoke words which caused the stone to glow red hot and ultimately led to Mola Ram's death.[3]
[]
Behind the scenes[]
The subtitles for the Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom DVD use the alternate spelling of Siva.
Appearances[]
- The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles – "Benares, January 1910" → Journey of Radiance (Statue)
- The Mata Hari Affair (Photo)
- The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Hunting for Treasure (Mentioned only)
- Indiana Jones et la Cité de la Foudre (Statue)
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (Pictured only)
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom novel (Mentioned only)
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: A Tale of High Adventure (Mentioned only)
- Indiana Jones and the Arms of Gold (Statue)
- Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis (Stone carving)
Sources[]
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: The Illustrated Screenplay
- From Star Wars To Indiana Jones - The Best of the Lucasfilm Archives
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Sourcebook
- Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide
- The Lost Journal of Indiana Jones
- Grail Diary (prop replica)
40 Great Indiana Jones Quotes on Lucasfilm.com (backup link on Archive.org)
