HAVI

Shankar is called as Havi because he appears in the form of things which are thrown into fire at the time of sacrifice. Havi is something which is offered in the fire as an oblation to God at the time of sacrifice. Whatever is offered to Lord Shiva or given to anyone with some purpose, that object is not different to Lord Shiva, and all affairs with such understanding are Havi formation of Shiva. Even at the time of supper one should consider all edibles as Havi, visualizing Shiva in them. Shiva is the only enjoyer. The sacrificial altar where oblations are offered, that is also Shiva. According to Gita one should see everything as Brahman. With this viewpoint scholars measured even the enjoyable things as Havi. Maitrayai-Upanishad supports this understanding—

होता भोक्ता हविर्मन्त्रो यज्ञो विष्णुः प्रजापतिः।
सर्वः कश्चिद् प्रभुः साक्षी योऽमुष्मिन् भाति मण्डले॥

In ‘Shiva-Sahastranam’ Param Shivendra Saraswati has mentioned Lord Shiva as Havi due to his nature of giving joy to everyone. Sarvanand karatvat havih paramshivah. Acharya Bhaskar explains this name in accordance with Vedanta—

दुग्धमात्रस्य कुहरे यथा घृतं प्राणिमात्रस्य दहरे तथा भवान्।
चेतसा संमथित एव लभ्यते हूयमानं त्वमखिलं ततो हविः॥

Purport: Just as clarified butter is concealed within the milk and it appears by process of churning. Similarly you are hidden in the heart of all beings and you are manifested by process of contemplation. You are called as Havi because you are equal to clarified butter. As per Vedanta vision, five sense objects are continually entering in the fire of sense organs. In fact, those sense objects are nothing other than Shiva. Burning the contamination of our heart in the fire of knowledge, is the true sense of worship of Lord Havi.