Shiva

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/shiva

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary sect of worship?Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hinduism
2. What is the key philosophical texts?Prominently featured in the Puranas, Upanishads, and Agamas
3. Who is Shiva?Shiva is a very important god in India who helps the world grow by destroying the old and making room for new. He is a yogi who loves to meditate and also a family man with wife Parvati and sons Ganesha and Kartikeya.
4. Why is Shiva called the Destroyer?Shiva destroys the old world so that new life can begin. His destruction is not bad; it is a necessary step that lets the universe be made again.

Asceticism: A lifestyle characterized by severe self-discipline and abstinence from all forms of indulgence.
Immanence: The belief that a deity is present and active within the material world.
Transcendence: The belief that a deity exists beyond the material universe and its limitations.