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24. He is Usually Tranquil and in the Lotus Position
Despite Shiva’s intense and sometimes violent personality, he is often depicted as a meditating yogi, serene and with his legs in the lotus position. This image is usually because his wife, Parvati, has such a calming influence on him that he reverts to a calmer, more tranquil state of self-reflection and meditation. Though other gods may be pictured as lavish and hedonistic, Shiva – still the destroyer – is austere and ascetic.