Archetype of Shiva

As a comprehensive archetype of the collective unconscious, Shiva bears an almost indefinite number of aspects. Unifying the primal human aspiration to transcendence, its different aspects vary and are emphasized according to the cultural and historical context of the communities that adopt and celebrate them.

The aspect of Pashupatê, King of the Animals, is likely the most archaic, found in seals from the Dravidian culture. Other aspects are Natarája, Adhanari, Shankara, Sada Shiva, Linga, Shivanandi, Chandrachêkara, Shambhô, Nilakantha, or Dakshinamurthy. (Source: blog suzanavaz.wordpress.com)