This statement may seem strange if one thinks of the wild rites and legends connected with Siva and his spouse.  Nevertheless the fundamental conception of Sivaism, the cosmic force which changes and in changing both destroys and reproduces, is strictly scientific and contrasts with the human, pathetic, loving sentiments of Vishnuism.  And scandalous as the worship of the generative principle may become, the potency of this impulse in the world scheme cannot be denied.  Agreeably to his character of a force rather than an emotion Siva does not become incarnate[339] as a popular hero and saviour like Rama or Krishna, but he assumes various supernatural forms for special purposes.  Both worships, despite their differences, show characteristics which are common to most phases of Indian religion.  Both seek for deliverance from transmigration and are penetrated with a sense of the sorrow inherent in human and animal life:  both develop or adopt philosophical doctrines which rise high above the level usually attained by popular beliefs, and both have erotic aspects in which they fall below the standard of morality usually professed by important sects whether in Asia or Europe.

The name Siva is euphemistic.  It means propitious and, like Eumenides, is used as a deprecating and complimentary title for the god of terrors.  It is not his earliest designation and does not occur as a proper name in the Rig Veda where he is known as Rudra, a word of disputed derivation, but probably meaning the roarer.  Comparatively few hymns are addressed to Rudra, but he is clearly distinguished from the other Vedic gods.  Whereas they are cheerful and benevolent figures, he is maleficent and terrible:  they are gods of the heaven but he is a god of the earth.  He is the “man-slayer” and the sender of disease, but if he restrains these activities he can give safety and health.  “Slay us not, for thou art gracious,” and so the Destroyer comes to be the Gracious One.[340] It has been suggested that the name Siva is connected with the Tamil word civappu red and also that Rudra means not the roarer but the red or shining one.  These etymologies seem to me possible but not proved.  But Rudra is different in character from the other gods of the Rig Veda.  It would be rash to say that the Aryan invaders of India brought with them no god of this sort but it is probable that this element in their pantheon increased as they gradually united in blood and ideas with the Dravidian population.  But we know nothing of the beliefs of the Dravidians at this remote period.  We only know that in later ages emotional religion, finding expression as so-called devil-dancing in its lower and as mystical poetry in its higher phases, was prevalent among them.