· At the base of the crown of hair on Siva's head is a skull - this is symbolic of Siva's destroying energy.

· River Ganga on his head denotes fertility.

· The crescent moon on his head ( Siva is Chandrasekhara) signifies Siva's grace and also Time.

· The cobra on his head indicates Kundalinishakti at Sahasrara-chakra

· His third eye stands for omniscience or wisdom.

· On his right ear, Siva wears makara-kundala, signifying the male principle and on the left, the tatanka ( being Ardhanarisa) denoting the female principles.

· His necklace of skulls of Brahma, Vishnu and others proclaim that he is the arbiter of numberless creations and destructions

· The ashes smeared all over his body are symbolic of purity. It reminds us that in the love of transient Samsara we should not lose sight of the God. The body will end up in ashes.

· Beads of Rudraksh he wears represent the solidified tears of pity Shiva sheds at the woes of his bhaktas.

· He wears the Upavita or the sacred thread consisting of 96 strands representing the 96 tatvas , this represents that he is the arbiter of all actions.

· The Tiger skin he wears on his loins tells us that we must strip ourselves of ahankara or pride which is equated to the tiger.
 

AUM - the mystical utterance stemming from the sacred language of Vedic praise and incantation, is understood as an expression and affirmation of the totality of creation. A - is the state of waking consciousness, together with its world of gross experience. U - is the state of dreaming consciousness, together with its experience of the subtle shapes of dream. M - is the state off dreamless sleep, the natural condition of quiescent undifferentiated consciousness, wherein every experience is dissolved into a blissful non-experience, a mass of potential consciousness.

Another most popular image of Shiva has no human form but is represented by LINGA (the Phallus Figure). It is made of black or white stone, depicted sometime as 'rounded both at top and bottom to show that it does not stand' or 'arise from' anywhere in our space or time, and in some cases an egg-shaped stone tapering at top recalling either the 'COSMIC EGG', from which the world emerge or the 'Bright Flame of Light'; hence it is called JYOTIR LINGA too. Thus, whether depicted as the generative symbol or the fountain-source of light, this Linga represents the Lord of the Universe.

It may also be noted that sex symbolism is for long associated with fanning and the implements connected with it. This fertility aspect of the Linga belongs to the period of Epics and Puranas. As the symbol of transcendental energy and power Linga is the central conception of Shiva philosophy. Shiva is represented in temples in beautifully sculptured forms as well as the symbolic Linga form. The Lingaayat sect follower's initiation ceremony corresponding to the sacred thread ceremony of most of the Hindus is performed by replacing, YAJNOPAVITA (sacred thread) with a necklace of small Lingas. In south India male devotees of Shiva also wear a formalized miniature Linga,