On the Shiva Linga.
Since Mahashivratri is fast approaching where devotees will be keeping all night vigils offering milk, gangajal, panchamrut, and other such items over the Shiva Lingam, I think it appropriate I should write something on this form of the Lord.
There is much misconception surrounding the Shiva Linga, the stone form of the Lord; however, there are multitudes of meanings surrounding this form, each going deeper in unveiling various aspects of Shiva. I myself cannot grasp all these layers of meaning, but those I am familiar with I will try to elucidate on here.
There are variations on the origin of this symbol of Lord Shiva, some of which ascribe an esoteric and abstract origin. For example, when Shiva is seen as the intangible primordial creative power, the Lingam is said to be his sign which can be worshipped by those who require a concrete form to focus their prayers on.
The Sanskrit term लिङ्गं liṅgaṃ, transliterated as linga, has diverse meaning ranging from gender and sex, to philosophic and religions, to uses in common language, such as a mark, sign, or characteristic. Vaman Shivram Apte’s Sanskrit dictionary provides many definitions:
- A mark, sign, token, an emblem, a badge, symbol, distinguishing mark, characteristic;
- A false or unreal mark, a guise, disguise, a deceptive badge;
- A symptom, mark of disease
- A means of proof, a proof, evidence
- In logic, the hetu or middle term in a syllogism
- The sign of gender/sex
- The male organ of reproduction
- In grammar, gender
- The image of a god, an idol
- In Vedānta philosophy, the subtle frame or body, the indestructible original of the gross or visible body
- In Sāk philosophy, Pradhāna or Prakriti
- The effect or product of evolution from a primary cause and also as the producer
- Inference, conclusion
The above list (via wikipedia) highlights the diversity of the Sanskrit language and thus the depth of meaning of the word, and inevitably the form of the Linga.
In puranic literature, the Shiv Puran also describes in detail (of which I will not go into at present) the origin of Shiva, and the origin of this divine attribute of the Lord, ie the Lingam of light, that pillar of endless tej/raw energy (of which Brahma and Vishnu failed to discover the beginning and end, thus conveying the greatness of this form of the Shiva) which is represented by the stone Lingas worshipped today.
Within common thought it is accepted that the Lingam is representative of Lord Shiva sitting within dhyan in padmasan (sitting within meditation with legs crossed - the ling encases this almost triangular bodily posture), and often simply the face of Shiva. The Shiva linga is often decorated and adorned as such, to show and focus on these facets of the Lord.
Within spiritual science which I also won’t delve into here, the very form of the Lingam produces divine energy emitted at subtle and spiritual levels to the worshipper; simply by seeing, being around, and showering with milk and other such articles these energies are made fully manifest and conveyed to the worshipper.
Within Hinduism, just as the Shivaling represents the umembodied, nirakar roop of Lord Shiva, the Shalagram/shaligram represents the same aspect of Lord Vishnu, and Sri Yantra represents Shakti/Devi respectively. These forms are used for ritualistic puja, rather then the swaroop seva (elaborate dressing, adorning etc) reserved for the human-like form of these divinities which are the focus of Bhakti Margs.
Philosophically, Shiva (as other deities) has two aspects, the nirakar/nirgun and sakar/sagun (or those forms without quality, and the form with quality). So in the case of Shiva with form/qualities, he appears fair skinned, body smeared with ash, and blue throated (and that form can also be seen in the temples, usually carved from marble in northern India); but the other form, which has no quality, which can not be seen, is made concrete in the form of the Lingam. The very shape is representative of emptiness, of nothingness. It is important here to point out that although the murti form of Lord Shiv is worshipped, the most intense and rigorous pujas are reserved for the Shiva Linga, which receives serious worship in Shaivism.
On the most crude level, yes, the Shiva Linga it representational of the male phallus, and the base is representative of the Yoni in the purest sense. It shows the union of male and female, of prakruti and purush, or Shiv and Shakti, only after the joining of which is the creation spun into being. Without the balance of these two energies creation is not possible. Thus whilst worshipping the Lingam we are simultaneously worshipping both the feminine and male divine.
It has been common in the west, and even with younger generations of Hindus to associate the Linga singularly and only with the male phallus. Here I would like to reiterate the points made above and highlight that Shiv is the paramyogi, the highest ascetic; one who has renounced all types of desire, who has conquered Kaamdev (the god of love) and burnt that very desire with the fires of His third eye. Thus Lord Shiva has no lust within himself, so there is no question of reducing this form of the Lord to only its crudest level - a sex symbol. Agreed, we must rejoice that the Lord is the source of life, that he is the source of all living and non living entities in its purest form, in that aspect we glorify Him. However, I think to see the Shiva Linga most prominently as simply a phallic symbol and nothing more is a gross misunderstanding, one must be aware of all other aspects it symbolises. (Here I would like to point out that this issue in itself is greatly disputed in the subcontinent, and that the connection of the Shiva Linga to phallic imagery is seen to have been brought about by foreign factors and influences).
Lastly, the Shiva Lingam takes form of an oval shape, seated within a base. The ovality is central to the Lingam and it is representative from the track of electrons around the nucleus, to the vastness of the orbit of planets around the sun. It is that oval/circular motion, that never ending cycle, that notion of eternality that is harnessed here. Going deeper still within the realms of mathematics and science, the notion of of the circle also holds immense meaning. On another tangent, in another sense it also represents the imagery of a singular explosion of energy (the Big Bang), to the destructive powers of this universe (black holes), to the very form of the entire universe itself. Indeed all material and spiritual connotations brought forth from the imagery of the circle/oval are all present within the Lingam.
For me it is here that the greatness of the Linga lies, it again refers to the nirakar aspect of the Lord. The oval shape of the Lingam is symbolic of the smallest of the small and the greatest of great; the all encompassing aspect of the Lord, that He resides in everything, everywhere, and indeed is all that which we see.
I would like to emphasis that these are only personal thoughts, and what is stated here is only skimming the surface on the Linga/Shiva tattva.
* A good article expanding on the concept of Shiva Linga: http://www.exoticindiaart.com/shivalinga.htm
** To delve into the devotions and religious symbolism surrounding this form of Shiva, I recommend reading the Lingashatakam.
@3 months ago with 6 notes#hindu #hinduism #lingam #linga #shiva #shiv #spiritual
