Parashu-pashah — 108 Names of Shiva

The name Parashu-pashah highlights two iconic attributes of Shiva: the Parashu (battle-axe) and the Pasha (noose). These symbols are central to the theology of Shaiva Siddhanta, representing the Lord's power to both sever and bind. The axe represents the power of Jnana (knowledge) that cuts through the thicket of ignorance (Avidya) and the roots of past karma. It is the sharp instrument of discernment that separates the eternal soul from the fleeting illusions of the mind. Conversely, the noose symbolizes the power of Shiva to bind the soul (Pashu) to the path of righteousness or, in a deeper sense, it represents the bonds of the world (Pasha) that only the Lord can loosen. Contemplating Shiva as the wielder of these tools allows the devotee to seek grace in two ways: first, to have their delusions forcibly removed by the axe of wisdom, and second, to have the 'noose' of worldly attachment untied. In iconographic depictions, these two items signify that Shiva is the supreme judge and the liberator. He uses the axe to destroy the ego of the arrogant and the noose to capture the wandering mind, bringing it back to the center of consciousness. This duality reflects the balance of destruction and preservation necessary for spiritual evolution.