10 Unpopular Names of Lord Shiva

In the vast pantheon of Sanatan Dharma, Lord Shiva stands apart — not merely as a god, but as an eternal principle, a cosmic reality beyond birth and death. While names like Mahadev, Bholenath, and Nataraja are widely known, the scriptures and ancient hymns mention many other names of Shiva that hold equally profound significance. These “unpopular” or lesser-known names are not just poetic epithets but vibrations of divine qualities, each capturing a unique facet of Shiva’s boundless nature.

The name Hara comes from the Sanskrit root hṛ, which means to take away, to remove. As Hara, Shiva is the remover of sins, ego, suffering, and ignorance. This is not merely about external help, but internal transformation. In the chanting of “Har Har Mahadev,” devotees invoke this very power of Shiva — to strip away attachments and illusions that cloud the soul.

Hara doesn’t just destroy the outer world — he removes avidya (ignorance) and opens the gateway to moksha. In moments of inner darkness, calling out to “Hara” is calling out for the removal of that which stands between you and your true Self.

Mentioned in the Shri Rudram of the Yajurveda, Bhava means “the one from whom all existence arises.” Shiva is not just the destroyer — he is also the silent seed from which everything emerges. Before creation began, before form took shape, before even desire stirred in the cosmic womb — Bhava was.

In recognizing Shiva as Bhava, one acknowledges that life itself is divine, and that every being — from a blade of grass to a galaxy — is infused with the Shiva tattva, the principle of eternal presence.

Sharva is Shiva in his terrifying, thunderous form — the one who dissolves, demolishes, and decimates. But this destruction is not negative. Sharva clears the field of old karmas, outdated systems, decaying worlds — all so that a new beginning may rise.

In the cycle of srishti (creation), sthiti (sustenance), and laya (dissolution), Sharva embodies laya, the necessary ending before rebirth. In the Mahabharata, when warriors invoked Sharva before battle, it was to call upon the divine fire that purifies through ending.

Uma, another name of Goddess Parvati, represents Shakti, the feminine energy of creation. Umapati is thus the lord and beloved of Uma, signifying Shiva’s inseparable union with the Divine Feminine.

This name dissolves the illusion that Shiva is only a detached ascetic. It reminds us that without Shakti, Shiva is Shava (a corpse). Umapati represents the harmony of opposites — the still and the dynamic, the void and the creative pulse — which together weave the fabric of the cosmos.

The name Mrityunjaya is most famously associated with the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra:

“Om Tryambakam Yajamahe Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam

Urvarukamiva Bandhanan Mrityor Mukshiya Maamritat”

To invoke Mrityunjaya is to seek freedom from the fear of death, not just physical, but psychological and spiritual. As Mrityunjaya, Shiva teaches that death is not the end, but a doorway.

In yogic and tantric traditions, meditating on this name is said to strengthen ojas (vital energy), awaken immortality, and protect the soul from untimely or unconscious exit from the body.

Shiva is often depicted with a crescent moon (Chandra) resting on his matted locks. This form earns him the name Chandrapal – protector or lord of the moon. In Vedic symbolism, the moon governs the mind, emotions, and time cycles.

As Chandrapal, Shiva is the sovereign of the mind, showing how to transcend mental restlessness. He represents the cool, soothing energy of soma, the divine nectar that nourishes higher awareness. The waxing and waning of the moon also represent the impermanence of time, which Shiva observes with absolute detachment.

While Brahma creates and Vishnu sustains, it is Shiva — as Vishveshwara — who watches over the entire cosmic play. He is not just a deity sitting atop Mount Kailash but the underlying intelligence that governs the universe.

Temples like Kashi Vishwanath are named after this form, as it signifies the all-encompassing lordship of Shiva. In recognizing Vishveshwara, we move from seeing the universe as mechanical or random to sacred — a divine drama held together by consciousness.

The name Aja literally means unborn, yet always existing. While every being has a date of birth, a form, a beginning — Aja never began. He simply is.

This is the Nirguna (formless) aspect of Shiva — untouched by the cycles of samsara. In meditation, remembering Aja is remembering that your own soul, too, is birthless. It was not created; it cannot be destroyed. It is Shiva itself.

In the ever-changing river of life, Sthanu is the unchanging pillar of consciousness. Even the word "Sthanu" in Sanskrit literally means firm, unmoving, eternal.

He is the axis mundi, the central point of reference in the universe. While the world dances in the turbulence of events, Shiva as Sthanu remains unmoved — the silent witness within each one of us.

The yogi, in deep meditation, becomes like Sthanu — still, stable, rooted in the Self. This stillness is not inertia but awareness beyond movement.

This grand name — Maheshwara — means “The Great Lord”, ruler over not just mortals but devas, elements, time, karma, and fate itself. He is the supreme Ishwara, the controller of everything from galaxies to atoms.

Yet, Maheshwara is not a tyrant god. He rules with karuna (compassion), vairagya (detachment), and jnana (wisdom). The greatest beings — like Vishnu, Brahma, Indra, and Saraswati — revere him, as he is the origin of their own divine functions.

When you bow to Maheshwara, you bow not to a figure — but to consciousness itself, aware and supreme.

In Sanatan Dharma, a name is not merely a label, it is a mantra, a doorway, a reality. These lesser-known names of Shiva are keys to deeper experiences:

• “Hara” helps you remove attachments.
• “Bhava” reminds you of your origin.
• “Sharva” lets you destroy outdated parts of yourself.
• “Umapati” invites harmony in your relationships.
• “Mrityunjaya” grants courage over death.
• “Chandrapal” soothes your emotions.
• “Vishveshwara” aligns you with dharma.
• “Aja” makes you realize your eternal Self.
• “Sthanu” brings inner stillness.
• “Maheshwara” brings surrender to the highest wisdom.

Whether you chant them aloud or contemplate them in silence, these names serve as spiritual tools — reminding us that Shiva is not just in the Himalayas, but in our breath, in our cells, in our silence.

The beauty of Lord Shiva lies in his paradoxes. He is the destroyer and the nurturer, the dancer and the stillness, the ascetic and the householder, the form and the formless. Each of his lesser-known names reveals a different side — a window into the Infinite.

To know Shiva is not to limit him to one form, one story, or one function. To know Shiva is to let go, to trust the process, to embrace dissolution, and to merge into that which remains when everything else is gone.

The next time you offer water on a Shiva Linga or meditate on the divine, whisper not just “Om Namah Shivaya” — but also “Om Haraaya Namah,” “Om Bhavaaya Namah,” “Om Mrityunjayaaya Namah.” You may just unlock a deeper experience of the eternal One.