Editing Shiva (section)

=== Assimilation of traditions ===
{{See also|Hinduism#Roots of Hinduism|l1=Roots of Hinduism}}

The Shiva-related tradition is a major part of Hinduism, found all over the [[Indian subcontinent]], such as India, [[Nepal]], [[Sri Lanka]],{{sfnm|Flood|1996|1p=17|Keay|2000|2p=xxvii}} and [[Southeast Asia]], such as [[Bali, Indonesia]].{{sfn|Boon|1977|pp=143, 205}} Shiva-Rudra may have non-Vedic tribal roots,{{sfnm|Sadasivan|2000|1p=148|Sircar|1998|2pp=3 with footnote 2, 102–105}} having "his origins in primitive tribes, signs and symbols,"{{sfn|Sadasivan|2000|p=148}} but the oldest literary attestion is the associated Vedic minor deity Rudra,{{sfn|Flood|1996|p=148}} who may also have non-Aryan origins.{{sfn|Fvlood|1996|p=148, 150}} The figure of Shiva as he is known today is an amalgamation of various older deities into a single figure, due to the process of [[Sanskritization]] and the emergence of the [[Hindu synthesis]] in post-Vedic times.{{sfnm|Flood|1996|1pp=148–149|Keay|2000|2p=xxvii|Granoff|2003|3pp=95–114}} How the persona of Shiva converged as a composite deity is not well documented, a challenge to trace and has attracted much speculation.<ref>For Shiva as a composite deity whose history is not well documented, see {{harvnb|Keay|2000|p=147}}</ref> According to Vijay Nath:
{{blockquote|Vishnu and Siva [...] began to absorb countless local cults and deities within their folds. The latter were either taken to represent the multiple facets of the same god or else were supposed to denote different forms and appellations by which the god came to be known and worshipped. [...] Siva became identified with countless local cults by the sheer suffixing of ''Isa'' or ''Isvara'' to the name of the local deity, e.g., Bhutesvara, Hatakesvara, Chandesvara."{{sfn|Nath|2001|p=31}}}}

An example of assimilation took place in [[Maharashtra]], where a regional deity named [[Khandoba]] is a patron deity of farming and herding [[caste]]s.{{sfn|Courtright|1985|p=205}} The foremost center of worship of Khandoba in Maharashtra is in [[Jejuri]].<ref>For Jejuri as the foremost center of worship see: {{harvnb|Mate|1988|p=162}}.</ref> Khandoba has been assimilated as a form of Shiva himself,{{sfn|Sontheimer|1976|pp=180–198|ps=: "Khandoba is a local deity in Maharashtra and been Sanskritised as an incarnation of Shiva."}} in which case he is worshipped in the form of a lingam.{{sfn|Courtright|1985|p=205}}<ref>For worship of Khandoba in the form of a lingam and possible identification with Shiva based on that, see: {{harvnb|Mate|1988|p=176}}.</ref> Khandoba's varied associations also include an identification with [[Surya]]{{sfn|Courtright|1985|p=205}} and [[Karttikeya]].<ref>For use of the name Khandoba as a name for Karttikeya in Maharashtra, see: {{harvnb|Gupta|1988|loc=''Preface'', and p. 40}}.</ref>

Myths about Shiva that were "roughly contemporary with early [[Christianity]]" existed that portrayed Shiva with many differences than how he is thought of now,{{sfn|Hopkins|2001|p=243}} and these mythical portrayals of Shiva were incorporated into later versions of him. For instance, he and the other [[Hindu deities|gods]], from the highest gods to the least powerful gods, were thought of as somewhat human in nature, creating [[emotion]]s they had limited control over and having the ability to get in touch with their inner natures through [[asceticism]] like humans.{{sfn|Hopkins|2001|pp=243-244, 261}} In that era, Shiva was widely viewed as both the god of [[lust]] and of asceticism.{{sfn|Hopkins|2001|p=244}} In one story, he was seduced by a [[Prostitution|prostitute]] sent by the other gods, who were jealous of Shiva's ascetic lifestyle he had lived for 1000 years.{{sfn|Hopkins|2001|p=243}}