Bhagwan Shankar Seated on Divine Bull Nandi elegant sculpture beautifully carved in brass metal for worship. Nandi is the vehicle for the Hindu god of Shiva. In Hindu mythology, Nandi is the bearer of truth and righteousness.
Lord Shiva is also known as Neelkanth Mahadev. Shiva is the destroyer, the most powerful god and one of the godheads in the Hindu Trinity. Shiva is the dissolving force in life. But Shiva dissolves in order to create, since death is the medium for rebirth into a new life. Shiva is one of the most fascinating gods.
Nandi signifies strength, load bearing capacity and virility. Given that Shiva didn't have to fight fierce battles or travel quickly between the worlds (he spent most time meditating) he didn't have to choose for a more agile vahana similar to Vishnu's. Given that bulls were the main form of transportation in rural India, it made perfect sense for Shiva - who is the most down to earth & connected with rural India - to take a form that was close to the people.
Make: Made in shining brass.
Brass is well known for its grasping capacity. It grasps the divine spirit upto 30%, when compared to other metals. The spiritual vibrations are attracted towards these shining idols easily.
Dimensions:
Shiv idol: 5.3 inches (H) x 4 inches (W) x 2.75 inches (depth) (13.5 x 10 x 7 cm) approx
Weight: 980 grams approx
Importance of Idol worship: Idols are not the idle fancies of sculptors, but shining channels through which the heart of the devotee is attracted to and flows towards God. Though the image is worshipped, the devotee feels the presence of the Lord in it and pours out his devotion unto it. Regular worship, Puja and other modes of demonstrating our inner feeling of recognition of Divinity in the idol unveils the Divinity latent in it. This is truly a wonder and a miracle. The picture comes to life. The idol speaks. It will answer your questions and solve your problems. The God in you has the power to awaken the latent Divinity in the idol. The lives of Mirabai, Sant Tukaram, Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Shri Yogananda are a few instances to prove the point. They proved beyond doubt that idol worship has its own brighter side and through simple faith and intense devotion one can realize God through it.
Idols are the "finite representation of the Infinite". As per Vishnu Samhita (ch 29, v 55-7), persuasively endorses the use of imagery (idols) and puts it: "Without a form how can God be mediated upon? If (He is) without any form, where will the mind fix itself? When there is nothing for the mind to attach itself to, it will slip away from meditation or will glide into a state of slumber. Therefore the wise will meditate on some form, remembering, however, that the form is a superimposition and not a reality."