Lord Shiva is worshipped both with and without form, most commonly without form as the Linga. He has three eyes - the third eye being on the forehead between the eyebrows. The powerful gaze of Lord Shiva's third eye annihilates evil, and is the reason that evil-doers fear His third eye. He has four arms, two of the arms holding the Trishula (trident) and Damaru (drum) while the other two are in the Abhaya (protection-giving) and Varada (boon-giving) Mudras (poses). He has a crown of long matted hair from which flows the river Ganga. He also wears the crescent moon as a diadem. A tiger-skin and an elephant-skin adorn His body as His garments. There are serpents all over his body forming a necklace, the girdle, the yajnopavita (sacred thread) as also arm-bracelets. Lord Shiva represents that aspect of the Supreme Reality which continuously recreates, in the cyclical process of creation , preservation, dissolution and recreation. He annihilates evil, grants boons, bestows grace, destroys ignorance, and awakens wisdom in His devotees. Since the attributes of Lord Shiva are numerous, images of Lord Shiva vary in symbolism.