New Delhi: Lord Shiva is considered the Supreme God within Hinduism. In other branches of Hinduism such as in the Smarta tradition, he is regarded as one of the five primary forms of God.He is
Five is considered as the sacred number for Shiva.
Shiva's body is said to consist of five mantras, called the panchabrahmans. As forms of God, each of these have their own names and distinct iconography:
