Shiva Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! === Central Asia === The worship of Shiva became popular in [[Central Asia]] through the influence of the [[Hephthalite Empire]]<ref name="ReferenceA">P. 377 ''Classical Hinduism'' By Mariasusai Dhavamony</ref> and [[Kushan Empire]]. Shaivism was also popular in [[Sogdia]] and the [[Kingdom of Yutian]] as found from the wall painting from Penjikent on the river Zervashan.<ref name="ReferenceB">Puri, P. 133 Buddhism in Central Asia</ref> In this depiction, Shiva is portrayed with a sacred halo and a sacred thread (''Yajnopavita'').<ref name="ReferenceB" /> He is clad in tiger skin while his attendants are wearing Sogdian dress.<ref name="ReferenceB" /> A panel from [[Dandan Oilik]] shows Shiva in His Trimurti form with Shakti kneeling on her right thigh.<ref name="ReferenceB" /><ref name="unesco427">{{Cite web|url=https://en.unesco.org/silkroad/sites/silkroad/files/knowledge-bank-article/vol_III%20silk%20road_religions%20and%20religious%20movements%20II.pdf|title=Request Rejected|access-date=29 December 2019|archive-date=28 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161028122432/http://en.unesco.org/silkroad/sites/silkroad/files/knowledge-bank-article/vol_III%20silk%20road_religions%20and%20religious%20movements%20II.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Another site in the [[Taklamakan Desert]] depicts him with four legs, seated cross-legged on a cushioned seat supported by two bulls.<ref name="ReferenceB" /> It is also noted that the [[Zoroastrianism|Zoroastrian]] wind god [[Vayu-Vata]] took on the iconographic appearance of Shiva.<ref name="unesco427" /> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page