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What does Shiv mean? From written and unwritten sources, from Taantrik and Vaidik texts, from Shruti and Smriti, we get three meanings of the term Shiv....
The first and most important meaning of Shiv is “welfare”. Shivamastu means the same as Kalyaanamastu — “May you be blessed”.

Kalyaan-sundaram is the representation of Shiv embodying the true spirit of blessedness. He is said to serve all life forms with five faces, two on the left as Vaamdev and Kaalaagni; two on the right as Dakshineshwar and Eeshaan and one in the center as Kalyaan-sundaram, the Supreme Controller.

Shiv is Dakshineshwar because he is showering Dakshinaa or compassion upon all creation. That is the special role allotted to Dakshineshwar. Eeshaan is responsible for controlling all the Jeev, individual beings, with meticulous care. And Kalyaan-sundaram, the face in the centre, plays the role of controlling all the faces. Kalyaan-sundaram’s only purpose is to promote the greatest welfare of all living beings.

As Vaamdev, Shiv is terrible - he is Rudra - "one who teaches others by making them shed tears". But the underlying purpose is to teach people, not to harm them. The other face, Kaalaagni, also subjects people to torture, but there also, the main purpose is to teach them, to promote their welfare. Now here also, the central face, Kalyaan-sundaram, controls the two roles of Vaamdev and Kaalaagni. He is Sundaram, beautiful, because he promotes Kalyaan or welfare. Hence Kalyaan-sundaram.

Shiv is both severe and tender. He is tender, so naturally people love him. Although he is severe, people still adore him, because underlying his apparent severity there is tenderness. Thus the role of Shiv is predominantly the role of promoter of welfare. So the first meaning of the term Shiv is “welfare”.

The second meaning of the term Shiv is “cognition in its zenith status”, the Supreme non-attribution process, beyond the faculties of all existential bondages.

The third meaning is Sadaashiv, who, by his holy birth, consecrated, as it were, every particle and utilized his whole life for the sole purpose of advancing the cause of universal welfare of not just humans but all life. Hence he is called Sadaashiv: Sadaa means always and Shiv means welfare. He is one whose only vow of existence is to promote the all-round welfare of all living beings.

Here is a question: In the night of blinding darkness, do humans alone aspire to feel the soothing touch of light? No, not t all, all want it. All seek to grow out of the oblivion of existential darkness into the warmth of life, to experience finally the fulfillment of their life’s urges. Up until this day, human beings have not made a proper appraisal of this great non-corporeal power, Shiv, who gave human beings their first opportunity to experience the sweet joy of fulfillment of all their longings. No one has discussed him much up until now. Why people failed to make this appraisal is irrelevant today. It is the firm duty of every individual to know and evaluate the exact contribution of Shiv, and in this process of evaluation, we cannot ignore the phenomenon of Supreme Light. One may derive some joy from a bright ray emanating from a shining entity, but without the entity itself, the bliss will not be complete.

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