Shiva’s third eye stands there dramatically on his forehead ready to release a missile of fire and destroy the world.

Shiva’s third eye stands there dramatically on his forehead ready to release a missile of fire and destroy the world. People assume that is why Shiva is called the `destroyer’. They also assume that this eye opens when Shiva is angry. "Usually closed, the third eye Lord Shiva is supposed to have appeared when his consort, Parvati, playfully covered both his eyes with her hands as Shiva sat rapt in meditation. Immediately the universe was plunged in darkness. Chaos reigned supreme.

Shiva formed the third eye to restore order and fire emerged from his third eye to re-create light. The fierce light from his third eye is so powerful and destructive that henceforth he only opens it to destroy all that is unconscious, dark, and dualistic, in this dancing universe. Shiva’s third eye opens to end all illusion." Shiva’s third eye represents the rejection of desire. It is the eye that killed Kama, the principle that makes the world go round. And why does Shiva reject desire? Because he realized what desire can do. When the object of desire (Sati) goes away, there is immense sorrow and rage. Desire not only evokes positive emotions (love, affection, contentment, compassion), it also evokes negative emotions (anger, dissatisfaction, sorrow). Shiva therefore shies away from it, preferring the cold still mountains which represent the state of transcendence or ananda – where there is no tumult of emotions, just stillness, silence and bliss.