SHIVA LINGAM

 A BRIEF STUDY  ABOUT "SHIVA-LINGAM"

WHAT IS SHIVA LINGA ?

Many viwers are little confused with

the concept of linga,so i wish to

clarify it more.It represents the

"column of light" appeared during

the debate of Brahman and Vishnu.

It has been a common myth that

Shiva Lingam represents male

genital organs. This is not only

misleading but also base less. Such

misinterpretations are done in later

Vedic period and popularized much

later, when Indian literatures

actually came into hands of foreign

scholars. It was difficult to interpret

the language and a word may have

different meaning depending on the

context.

Some of the easy interpretation may

be misleading. And such

misinterpretation may actually be

welcome, if you want to find the

defects in somebody else’s faith.

This misunderstanding is can be one

of the most glaring examples of

such a situation. Misinterpretations

of actual Sanskrit literature led to

this false belief. Shiva Lingam is a

differentiating mark; it is certainly

not a sex mark.

The Lingam Purana states:

प्रधानं प्रकृतिर यदाहुर्लिगंउत्तम ।

गंध-वर्ण-रसहिंनं शब्द-स्पर्शादिवर्जितं ॥

meaning:

the foremost Lingam which is

devoid of colour, taste, hearing,

touch etc is spoken of as Prakriti or

nature.

The nature itself is a Lingam (or

symbol) of Shiva. When we see

nature, we infer the presence of its

creator – Shiva. Shiva Lingam is the

mark of Shiva the creator, Shiva the

sustainer and Shiva the destructor.

It also dispels another myth in

which Shiva is considered only as a

destructor.

Another authentic reference comes

from Skanda Purana where lingam is

clearly indicated as the supreme

Shiva from where the whole

universe is created and where it

finally submerge.

आकाशं लिंगमित्याहु: पृथ्वी तस्य पीठिका।

आलय: सर्व देवानां लयनार्लिंगमुच्यते ॥

(स्कन्द पुराण)

The endless sky (that great void

which contains the entire universe)

is the Linga, the Earth is its base. At

the end of time the entire universe

and all the Gods finally emerge in

the Linga itself.

From Vedanta :- A subtle

representative of God that is present

in our body. Kundalini is coiled with

it in three and half coils. This is

what Shiva Lingam and snake coiled

round depict in our temples. It

shows Paramatman in the form of

Atman and Shakti in the form of

Kundalini.

From Sankya :-The Mool Prakriti

that absorbs all the Vikriti came

from it finally.

From Nyay Shastra(V. Imp) :- A

source that can help us to know

exactly about a matter or event. So

formless Lingam represents the

formless power of this universe that

is the origin of all the matter and

the events of this universe.

Simple meaning :- Symbol by that

help us to know to recognize any

event or matter as stated above.

Though it is the source of creation,

the male sex organ was also given

this name as a source of

reproduction but it is not the main

meaning it is a derived meaning.

Meanings of Yoni are body and

origin. There are 84 lacs Yonis

(bodies) in which soul(Lingam)

travels. It is also called source

becasue all creation came from.

When this Lingam(atman) come out

of this circle of Yonis, It simply

looks like Shiva Lingam. Just a

symbol of tearing the circle of

rebirth.

This is what Yoni Lingam represents.

Yoni is also called vagina because

the main meaning of Yoni is origin

as life originates from vagina. So

Penis and Virgina are not the main

meaning of Lingam and Yoni. They

are symbolically called so.

"Yoni is also called Bhaga. That

means all the luxuries and pleasure

of this universe and Shiva Lingam

symbolizes how Atman tear them

apart to meet it real source

Parabrhaman"

In some sex-oriented lliterature of

Sanskrit. Vagina is the all luxury and

pleasurous thing for lusty people.

So, it was called Bhaga.

From Shiva Purana:-

We should worship Shiva Lingam

because Bharg(Shiv) is the the

masculine power aka Purusha and

Parvati is the feminine power

(Bhargaa) called Prakriti. Formless

kind of thing that is the base of this

universe is Lingam(Shiva) and the

origin of the creation that bring this

universe in to existence is Yoni

(Paravati). Both Prakriti and

Purusha are the reason of this

visible world we are watching. This

is what Lingam and Yoni represents.

The soul again and again sent here

by Purusha and again and again

preserved in Maya(prakriti).

So SHIVA LINGAM IS THE PARENTAL

MANIFESTATION OF THIS UNIVERSE.

Human body is made of 5 kalas

while Sakara Brahman (Krishna and

Shiva) contains 16 kalas that is why

we worship them. But they are not

confine to only 16 kalas. They are

also beyond them. That is why we

called them (Nishkal) means without

kalas. Shiva Lingam also presents so.

IT IS A FORMLESS REPRESENTATION

OF GOD.

SHIVA LINGAM IS THE ONLY

NIRAKARA REPRESENTATION IN

SCULPTURES OTHERWISE YOU WILL

SEE THAT ONLY SAKARA BRAHMAN

IS WORSHIPED IN SCULPTURES(LIKE

SHIVA, RAMA, KRISHNA, GANESHA

ETC.)

During the creation a debate took

place between the creator Brahma

and the preserver Vishnu that who

Shiva is. Just then this "Column of

light" appeared in front of them on

the Hindu month of Margasheersha

and Hindu date Poornima or

Pratipada. When both the demigods

failed to know the real origin and

end of this column, Shiva appeared

in his visible form. He preached

both of them the real meaning of

Shiva Lingam.

He said,

" I have two form, Sakala(with

form) and Nishkala(with out form).

This column of light is my real

form. Brahman is my Nishkala form

and Maheshwara is my Sakala form.

When I come with sixteen kalas, I

become Sakala and when I present

in the crude energy, I am called

Brahman. Brahman means the most

enormous(Brihat) and the creator of

all. Lingam depicts my formless

Brahman power. This is my Lingam

(symbol). Lingam(Braman) and

Lingee(Atman) are same. therefore

the great souls should also worship

me. One who has established Shiva

Lingam somewhere in his life, he

gots Sayujya Moksha(eternal

company of Shiva)