Lord Shiva who is also known as Mahadev is the supreme being, The Destroyer and The Transformer. He is a unique God that signifies both good and bad.
For centuries, historians and devotees have romanticized the image of Lord Shiva and the present is no different. Artwork and Mahadev tattoo designs are popular among many people as it’s their way of showing devotion to the supreme lord.
There are several Mahadev tattoo designs available to choose from like Trishul, the traditional third-eye opened tattoo, and many more which are found in both larger-than-life sizes and small Shiva tattoo designs which equally look divine. So, if you are thinking of getting a Shiva tattoo, you have landed at the right place.
Let’s look at a list of designs that you can opt for.
- Trishul Tattoo
- Third Eye Tattoo
- Mahadev Tattoo
- Shiv Parvati Tattoo
Trishul Tattoo Designs
Shiva is often depicted with a trident, his signature spear which is called a trishula or trishul. The three points of the trident have different meanings and significance, they commonly represent – creation, maintenance, and destruction; past, present, and future; body, mind, and atma.
Legend has it that Lord Shiva used his trishula to accidentally sever the head of his son Ganesh and later replaced it with the head of an elephant.
The Trishul represents a great deal of power and Trishul tattoos always speak about power. Looking for Trishul tattoo ideas take cues from the below designs.
You can also opt for this Trishul tattoo design with a musical instrument, Damru. The symbolic meaning of the Damru is – how the world expands and collapses.
The whole universe has rhythms which is the universal energy rising and collapsing and the shape of the Damru signifies the same. It is broad in the upper part and becomes narrow in the middle only to expand again.
The sound of the Damru when it is shaken produces a sound that is called the sound of the universe and can be heard during meditation.
Lord Shiva’s Third-Eye Tattoo
A third-eye tattoo is quite common around the wrists and many devotees of Lord Shiva get themselves inked with the third eye on their bodies. The third eye symbolizes the end of ignorance.
It also signifies the destruction of the world. The third eye is an eye of wisdom which can help us in differentiating between right and wrong in the world.
This tattoo is a reminder to keep an eye out for evil things around you. The third eye tattoo can be referred to as divinity and people often opt for this design as a sign of blessing from Lord Shiva himself.
Apart from Trishul tattoo designs, other Shiva tattoo designs are also a rage among many. They show the same temperament as Lord Shiva and have multiple meanings.
Lord Shiva has multiple names like Mahadev, Bholenath, Nataraj, and Shiv Shambu to name a few and some people choose these names for tattoos on their hands, chest, and back.
Mahadev Tattoo
With beautiful photos of Lord Shiva available on the internet, there are multiple options that you can pick for the perfect Bholenath tattoo. For instance, a Lord Shiva sketch with his third eye open or close, he meditates or his Nataraj avatar can make perfect tattoos.
If you like life-size tattoos, you could opt for this design that shows the power of the Lord. This can be made as a black and white tattoo on your chest or at the back and it will look stunning. This sketch shows Lord Mahadev with a crescent moon which signifies mindfulness.
Apart from Lord Shiva’s figure, there are text tattoos that very well depict the immense power of Lord Bholenath. For example, the word Mahakal is a popular tattoo art that can be seen around wrists.
This mahakal tattoo looks stylish and speaks volumes about the power of Lord Shiva that he holds with his trident. Mahakal means the destroyer of all elements and there is nothing beyond him, no element, no dimensions not even time (Kaal).
That is the reason why Lord Shiva is maha (greater) kaal (time). The mahakal version of Lord was seen when his wife Mata Sati jumped into the fire as she couldn’t bear the disrespect towards her husband by Raja Daksh (her father) during a havan.
This was the moment when Lord Shiva was about to destroy the world. Thus, he is known as “Mahakal” and a tattoo of Mahakal signifies the destruction of all enemies. Lord Shiva is also known as the dancing God and his dance moves are ferocious.
His dance is called Tandava and is done on the rhythm of creation. Many representations show Lord Shiva with multiple hands but a simple Lord Shiva with the Damru in his hand tattoo can do wonders like the one above.
He is seen lost in the rhythm of the Damru as he is doing the Tandava and the universe revolving around him. This tattoo can be done around the wrist, neck, and back.
Shiv Parvati Tattoo Design
The love of Lord Shiva and Parvati is a testament to true love. They are the perfect couple and the tattoo picture below does justice to the pure love between the two.
The couple together with their sons, Lord Kartikeya and Lord Ganesha is often regarded as the ideal family. A Shiv-Parvati tattoo speaks about love and the union of two beings to create a family.
There is no Shiva without Shakti and no Shakti without Shiva. The two are what is called the absolute state of being.
Final Words
If you like simple tattoos, you can opt for something like this one which is simple yet it speaks about the deep love between Lord Shiva and Parvati and shows the divine couple looking lovingly at each other. With this, we have come to the end of tattoo ideas inspired by Lord Shiva, the Creator and Destroyer.
This list might be enough to inspire you to get that Shiva tattoo that you have been thinking about for a very long time or you can share this blog with your friend who has been in the eye for a creative Shiva tattoo design.
