Thread by @MisraNityanand

[Thread]

Best wishes on #MahaShivaratri2019. A name of Shiva is ‘Ashtamurti’ = “one with eight forms”. In this thread, I will share eight meanings of the Sanskrit word ‘shiva’ (शिवः) as per various ‘vyutpatti’s and ‘nirukti’s. All meanings are as per Hindu ‘shastra’s.

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Meaning 1 (vyutpatti)

√shi = to sleep

shiva (neuter) = that due to which one sleeps well, i.e. auspiciousness

shiva (masculine) = he who always possess auspiciousness, i.e. ever-auspicious

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Meaning 2 (vyutpatti)

shiva (neuter) = auspiciousness

shiva (masculine) = he who bestows auspiciousness on others

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Meaning 3 (vyutpatti)

√shi = to sleep

√shi + va[n] = shiva = he in whom the eight ‘siddhi’s (‘anima’, etc) sleep, i.e. reside

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Meaning 4 (vyutpatti)

√sho = to weaken

√sho + va[n] = shiva = he who weakens (=destroys) sorrows or inauspiciousness

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Meaning 5 (nirukti)

‘shiva’ (neuter) = auspiciousness

‘shiva’ (masculine) = he who, always wishing auspiciousness, causes all fruits in all actions of humans to increase

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Meaning 6 (nirukti)

sh = eternal pleasure and bliss
i = purusha
va = shakti or nectar (amrita)

sh + i + va = shiva = the combination of eternal pleasure or bliss, purusha, and shakti or nectar

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Meaning 7 (nirukti)

shi = the destroyer of sins

va = the bestower of mukti

shi + va = shiva = he who destroys sins and gives mukti

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Meaning 8 (nirukti)

shi = auspiciousness

va = one who gives/bestows

shi + va = shiva = he who bestows auspiciousness [on all]

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