In one story, this god granted the left half of his body to his wife, resulting in a combined form called Ardhanarishvara.
In one story, this god granted the left half of his body to his wife, resulting in a combined form called Ardhanarishvara. This god tore off a fingernail to create the wrathful Bhairava, who guards places where the ashes of Shakti are worshiped. The Vedic Rudra is considered a predecessor to this deity, who lives atop Mount Kailasa. This god is often depicted trampling a (*) dwarf representing ignorance in the form of Nataraja, the lord of the dance. His throat turned blue when he swallowed the Halahala poison during the churning of the ocean of milk. His mount is the white bull Nandi, and he had two children, Kartikeya and Ganesha, with his wife Parvati. For 10 points, name this "destroyer" god of the Hindu Trimurti, in which he is joined by Brahma and Vishnu.
In one story, this god granted the left half of his body to his wife, resulting in a combined form called Ardhanarishvara.
Shiva [or Shiv; or Siva]