Authentic India Madhubani Painting of Shiva and Parvati, "Ardhnareshwar"

Lord Shiva and Parvati become one soul and body, incarnated as ardhnareshwar — meaning "half man and half woman." Regarded as the celestial overlord of deliverance through destruction, Shiva is one of the most complex gods of India, embodying seemingly contradictory qualities — at once the destroyer and the restorer, the great ascetic and the symbol of sensuality, the benevolent herdsman of souls and the wrathful avenger. The beautiful consort of Shiva, Parvati is adored and petitioned by wives seeking a happy married life. This elegant Madhubani painting by Devendra Kumar Jha expresses the Hindu belief that, after marriage, husband and wife become one in eternity.