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(NotMythology)Whatisthesignificancebehind InHindumythology,whatdoes"Shivling"mean?
theword"Shivling"? WhatdoestheShivlingdepict?

WhyistheShivlinginIndianmythologyshapedlike
12Answers that?Whatsignificancedoesithave?Isthereany
scientificreasoningbehindit?
DiyaVSharma,DoctoralResearcherInShaivism,ShaivaSiddhantaand
Vedanta/AdvaitVedanta WhydoweworshipthelingaofLordShiva?
Written55wago
Whatexactlyisthestorybehindthe"ShivaLinga"in
IntheNirgunSagunstateShivaisworshipedastheShivalingam(Contrarytotherumors theHindumythology?
spreadbyourIslamicbrothersthatShivalingamisthemalegenitalthefactisthat
Shivalingamhasadeepandscientifictheoryandphilosophy). Isshivlingameteoritestone?

Aglanceattherounded,elliptical,aniconicimageofShivalingamplacedonacircularbase
WhatisthecasteofLordShivaaccordingtoHindu
(knownasPeedam),whichisfoundintheSanctumSanctorum(Garbhagraha)inallShivatemples, mythology?
hasgivenrisetovariousinterpretations,withoutrealizingthescientifictruthsdiscoveredbythe
ancientHindusages.ThepracticeofworshippingShivaLingamastheholysymbolofLordShiva, IsHindumythologytrue?
hasbeenfromtimeimmemorial.
WhatisthestorybehindShivlingofLordShiva?How
TheworshipofShivaLingamwasnotconfinedtoIndiaandSrilankaonly.Lingamwasreferredto diditappearorcomeintoexistence?
PrayapasbytheRomanswhointroducedtheworshipofShivaLingamtoEuropeancountries.
ThestatutesofShivaLingamswerefoundinthearcheologicalfindingsinBabylon,acityof WhatisthesignificanceofsomanygodsinIndian
ancientMesopotamia.Further,thearcheologicalfindingsininHarappaMohanjodaro,which mythology?
yieldednumerousShivaLingamstatutes,havedisclosedtheexistenceofahighlyevolvedculture
longbeforetheAriyansimmigration.

THEPHILOSOPHICALCONCEPTOFSHIVALINGAM
ThewordShivalingamhasbeenderivedfromsanskritrootsShiva(Lord)+Lingam
(Mark/Chinha/Symbol).Hence,Shivalingamisthemarkoflordwithinitscreation.Everythingin
theworldarisesoutofadome/aball/apindi......beitatreewhichcomesfromaseedwhichis
round,achildwhichcomesfromacellwhichisround,allheavenlybodiesareround,theminutest
ofcellsareroundandourveryearthisround.Everythingbeingroundisamarkofthe
Lord/Shiva.SinceShivacantbecomprehended,weworshiphismarkorweworshibthewhole
BrahmmaninaShivalingam.Philosophically,ShivaLingamconsistsofthreeparts.Thebottom
partwhichisfoursidedremainsunderground,themiddlepartwhichiseightsidedremainsona
pedestal.Thetoppart,whichisactuallyworshipped,isround.Theheightoftheroundpartis
onethirdofitscircumference.ThethreepartssymbolizeBrahmaatthebottom,Vishnuinthe
middleandShivaonthetop.Thepedestalisprovidedwithapassagefordrainingawaythewater
thatispouredonthetop.TheLingamsymbolizesboththecreativeanddestructivepowerofLord
Shivaandgreatsanctityisattachedtoitbythedevotees.Thisdoesnotmeanothersshouldgivea
falsemeaningtotheimageofShivaLingam.
ItisunfortunateforsomecriticstohaveanimaginaryinventionontheimageofShivaLingamasa
maleorganandviewedwithobscenity,buthadconvenientlyforgottenhowaphalluscouldhave
appearedfromthebase.Moreover,sinceLordShivaisdescribedashavingnoform,itis
ridiculoustomaintainthatLingamrepresentsaphallus.ThisisthereasonwhySwami
VivekanandadescribedShivaLingamasthesymboloftheEternalBrahman,whena
GermanOrientalist,GustaOpperttracedittophallicism.SwamiVivekanandcitedAtharvaVeda
thattheworshipofShivaLingamwassunginpraiseofsacrificialpostadescriptionofthe
beginninglessandendlessoftheEternalBrahmanandrefuteditasanimaginaryinvention.
THESCIENTIFICCONCEPTOFSHIVALINGAM
HinduismdoesnotopposeScience.Itdoesnotevenopposeotherreligions.Scienceisa
continuingefforttodiscoverandincreasehumanknowledgeofthephysicalormaterialworld
throughexperimentandobservation.ButHinduismhastheforceofprovidinganswerstocertain
issuesthatSciencecouldnot.
TheLingamisshapedlikeaneggandrepresentstheBrahmandaorthecosmicegg.Therearetwo
typesofShivaLingam.Oneisablackmeteoriteeggshapedstone.Itissaidthatsuchastoneis
installedatKabbainMecca.Theotheroneismanmadeandissolidifiedmercury.Solidifying
mercuryisanancientVedicscience.
ShivaLingamrepresentsthetotalityoftheCosmosandtheCosmos,inturn,beingrepresentedas
aCosmicEgg.Againaneggisanellipsoiddepictingwithnobeginning,norend.
AglanceattheimageofShivaLingamshowsthereisapillarwiththreemarksandaDiscbeneath
itandsometimeswithacoilingcobrasnakearoundthePillarandshowsitsfangsabovethepillar.
ThetruthbehindthescientificresearchbytheDanishscientist,NeilsBohr,demonstratesthat
Molecules(thesmallestpartofeverything)madeupofAtomswhichconsistsofProton,Neutron
andElectron,allofwhichplayavitalpartinthecompositionofShivaLingam.Inthosedays
insteadofusingtheseEnglishwordssuchasProton,Neutron,Electron,MoleculesandEnergy,
theancientsagesemployedtheusageofthewordslikeLingam,Vishnu,Brahma,Sakthi(whichin
turnisdividedintoRenukaandRudrani),Sarppa,etc.asSanskritwasthedominantlanguagein

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thoseperiods.
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AccordingtoHinduism,thePillarisdescribedasthecolumnoffirewhichrepresentsthethree SignIn
GodsBrahma,VishnuandMaheshwarawhiletheDiscorPeedamrepresentsSakthi.TheDiscis
shownwiththreeridges,encarvedatitsperiphery.
SHIVALINGAMINPURANASANDITSSCIENCEANDMYTHOLOGY
SageVyasa,theauthorofmahabharata,mentionsthatLordShivaissmallerthanthesubatomic
particlelikeProton,NeutronandElectron.Atthesametime,healsomentionsLordShivais
greaterthananythinggreatest.Heisthecauseofvitalityinalllivingthings.Everything,whether
livingornonliving,originatesfromShiva.Hehasengulfedthewholeworld.HeisTimeless.He
hasnobirth,nodeath.Heisinvisible,unmanifest.HeistheSouloftheSoul.Hehasnoemotion,
sentimentorpassionatall.ThereisamysteriousorindescribablepowerintheShivaLingamto
induceconcentrationofthemindandhelpsfocusonesattention.ThecontentsofsageVyasais
corroboratedwiththeinstanceofthatArjunafashionedaLingamoutofclaywhenworshipping
LordShiva.Similarly,inRamayanathatbeforecrossingtoSriLanka,Rama,LakshmanaandSita
fashionedaShivaLingamatRameswaramforworshippingLordShivaandalsothatRavanacould
notlifttheLingamafteritwasplacedonthegroundbythesmallboy.Theseinstancesshowthat
Godmaybeconceptualizedandworshippedinanyconvenientform.Itisthedivinepowerthatit
represents,isallthatmattersandhereweseethatbothArjunainMahaBharathaandRamaand
SitaworshippingLordShivaasNirgunaBrahmanortheformlessSupremeBeing.
SHIVALINGAMANDATOMTHEPLAYOFELECTRON,PROTONANDNEUTRON
Theoutcomeofthescientificresearchisthattheworldcameintoexistencewiththeformationof
Molecules.AccordingtoScience,twoatomsmakeoneMolecule.Thevalencyofmolecules
indicatesthecombinationoftheatoms.
Itisessentialtohaveaclearideaofthestructureofanatomaccordingtothefindingsofthe
Danishscientist,NeilsBohr.,thenatureofwhichisgivenbelow.
AnatomismadeupofProton,NeutronandElectron.
Neutronsdonothaveachargeandsowouldcontinueoninastraightline.
ThenucleusofanatomiscomposedofpositivelychargedProtonsandneutrallycharged
Neutrons.Almostallthemassofanatomisinitsnucleus.Thenucleusistheverydenseregion
consistingofProtonsandNeutronsatthecentreofanatom.
Electronsarenegativelychargedandsowouldbedeflectedonacurvingpathtowardsthepositive
plate.
Butthewholeatomiselectricallyneutralonaccountofthepresenceofequalnumberofnegative
electronsandpositiveprotons.
Theelectronsrevolverapidlyroundthenucleusincircularpathscalledenergylevel.Theenergy
levelsarecountedfromcentreoutwards.
Eachenergylevelisassociatedwithafixedamountofenergy.
ThereisnochangeinenergyofElectronsaslongastheyhelprevolvinginthesameenergylevel
andtheatomsremainstable.
TheBohrmodelshowsthattheelectronsinatomsareinorbitsofdifferingenergyaroundthe
nucleus.ItislikeplanetsorbitingtheSun.
AnexaminationoftheimageofShivaLingaminthecontextofBohrmodel,woulddemonstrate
thepuzzlingtruththatBrahmahascreatedtheworld.ThebehaviourofProton,Electron,
NeutronandEnergyarewelldemonstratedbyShivaLingam.
VishnusignifiesProtonwithpositiveelectricalcharge.
MaheshasignifiesNeutronwithnoelectricalcharge.
BrahmasignifiesElectronwithnegativeelectricalcharge.
SakthiisEnergy.SakthiisatypeofenergyfieldrepresentedbyaDisc.
ShivaLingamrepresentstheatomicstructure.AccordingtotheRishis,ShivaandVishnuare
presentintheLingam.InSanskrit,thethreelinessignifymultiple.Intheatomicstructure,there
areProtonsandNeutronswhicharesurroundedbyfastspinningElectrons.
SakthiisrepresentedbyaDiscinovalshapewiththreeridgescarvedatitsperiphery.Sheis
EnergyandplaysavitalroleintheUniverse.
IfonelookattheportraitofVishnu,alotusisdepictedasarisingfromthenavelofVishnuand
Brahmaisshownasseatedonthelotus.LotussignifiesEnergywhichhastheforceofattraction.
ThestemofthelotuscanbendbecauseofitsflexibilitysignallingthatBrahmamovesaround
Vishnu.ThisisamessagethatElectronisattractedtoProtonbecauseoftheoppositeelectric
charge.
Moreover,NeutronisdepictedasShivawhichhasnochargeatall.Thenucleusoftheatomalso
containsneutrons.NeutronsareaboutthesamesizeasProtons,buthavenoelectriccharge.
NeutronsareboundverytightlyintheatomsnucleuswiththeProtons.Whentheatomsnucleus
containsasmanyNeutronsasProtons,theatomisstable.
Similarly,theancientsagesprovidedtheideathatwhenShivaisnotdisturbedandseparated,he
remainscalm.ShivaremainscalmbecauseSakthitakestheformofRenuka.Theenergywhich
formsthemoleculesisdenotedbyitsvalency,whichinSanskritisRenuka.Renukaisone
producesRenuormolecule.Twoatomsmakeonemolecule.HenceancientHindusagesbrought
theideaofSakthiasShivaswifeandaspartofShivaanddancesaroundShivathroughout.
However,whenNeutronisdisturbedandseparatednaturaldisasteroccur,whichsignifythat
ShakthiturnsouttobeaterrorknownasRudrani(Kali)performingdestructivedance,signalling
naturaldisaster.
TheactualproducerofmoleculesisElectronwhichsignifiesBrahma.Modernphysicsshowsthat
Electronsaresharedbetweentheatomstoformamolecule.ThereforetheHinduconceptthat
BrahmacreatedtheearthisinconformitywithScience.
YogaasaformofLingam

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HinduismisdeeprootedinthepracticeofYogaandmeditation.AccordingtoHinduism,Yoga
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referstotheintegrationorunionofapersonsownconsciousnesswiththeSupremeRealityorin SignIn
otherwordsCosmicConsciousness.
YogawasoneofthegreatestgiftsprovidedbytheworshipofLordShivatotheworldand
receivedbypeoplefromallwalksoflifeamidstdiversity.TheconceptofYogabegantosurface
withtheexcavationsofstonesealsfromthearcheologicalfindingsoftheIndusValleycivilization
andtheMohenjaderoHarappacivilization.TheVedasweretherevelationsoftheancientsages,
receivedthroughyogicmeditationduringtheperiodoftheIndusValleycivilization.
Theinitialformintheexistenceisageomatrixsurface,knownasellipsoid.AccordingtoYogic
tradition,Lingamisaperfectellipsoid.Thefirstformofcreationisanellipsoid.Apparentlythe
finalformbeforedissolutionisalsoaLingam.Moderncosmologistsareoftheviewthatthecore
ofeverygalaxyisintheformofellipsoid.Yogaalwaysmaintainsthatthefirstandfinalformisa
Lingam.Ifapersonmeditates,his/herenergieswillnaturallytaketheformofLingam.Asthefirst
andfinalformbeforedissolutionisalsoaLingam,Lingamisconsideredasagatewaytothe
beyond.InHinduism,LordShivaisconsideredastheSupremeTruth.
ThereisanotherscientifictruththatwaterpoureddownontheLingamisnotconsideredasholy
waterorTheerthamasitiscalled.ShivaLingamisconsideredtobeanatommodel.Thereis
radiationfromLingamasitismadeoutofatypeofgranitestone.Graniteisasourceofradiation
andreportedtohavehigherradioactivitytherebyraisingsomeconcernsabouttheirsafety.
Graniteissaidtohaveformedaslavaormoltenrockcooledandsolidifiedoverthousandsoreven
millionsofyears,containnaturallyoccurringradioactiveelementslikeradium,uraniumand
thorium.PerhapsthisisthereasonthatancientHindusagesadvisedtheirdisciplesnottotouch
waterthatispoureddownontheLingam.Thesageswereawarethattherewillberadiationfall
outifsomeaccidentsoccurandthatisthereasonthatShivaTempleswerebuiltclosetothe
vicinityofsea,ponds,rivers,tanksorwells.Perhapsthismaybethereasonwhythesefive
IshwaramtempleswerebuiltaroundthecoastofSriLanka,thoughThondeeshwaramwas
submergedinseaonaccountofthemovementofthetectonicplates.EvenlakeManasrovaris
situatedatthebaseofMt.Kailash.
ItisunfortunatethattheTruthofthegreatworkdonebytheancientHindusages
aremisinterpretedbycitingsomeversesintheVedas,butwearefortunateto
witnessthatthepracticesandliteraturewereleftaslegacy.Itisaconsolation
thatrecentscientificdiscoverieshaveshownthatthefindingsoftheancient
Hindusagesweremeaningful

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RelatedQuestions MoreAnswersBelow

InHindumythology,whatdoes"Shivling"mean?

WhatdoestheShivlingdepict?

WhyistheShivlinginIndianmythologyshapedlikethat?Whatsignificancedoesithave?Is
thereanyscientificreasoningbehindit?

WhydoweworshipthelingaofLordShiva?

Whatexactlyisthestorybehindthe"ShivaLinga"intheHindumythology?

Anonymous
Written184wago

I'veansweredasomewhatsimilarquestions.Perhapsitwouldhelp.

WhatistheoriginofShivLingaworship?

Hinduismbeingoneofthepaganreligions,incorporatespracticesofthissort.Inphysical
terms,theLingam(Tamil),Ling(Sanskrit)denotestheerectmalereproductiveorgan.Ithasa
basecalledYoniwhichdenotesthefemalereproductiveorgan.ThetwolegendsasfarasIknow
Ishallrevealwithbriefdetails.

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ThestoryofMahashivarathri:

TwoofthetriadsofHinduGods,BrahmaandVishnuwerehavinganastydisputeastowhois
morepowerful.Witnessingthehorrifyingfightitevolvedinto,theothergodsaskedShivato
intervene.LordShivathereforeappearedbetweenthemassumingtheformofaflaming
Lingam(thephallicsymbol)andchallengedthequarrelingGodstofindtheAadhi(Beginning)
andtheAntha(End)ofit.Themagnitudeofitscaredthelords.However,theydecidedtofind
anendofiteach.LordBrahmatooktheformofaswanandflewskywardandLordVishnutook
theformofaboarandheadedtotheland.Evenaftertraversingwhatseemedlikeamillion
miles,theywereunabletolocateeitheroftheends.

BrahmacameacrossaKetakifloweronhiswayandexhaustedashewas,hemadetheKetaki
flowertoassenttotheliethatLordBrahmahadseenthetopofthecosmiccolumnwherethe
flowerhadpreviouslyresidedandconfrontedthistoLordVishnu.Atthatmoment,thecentral
partofthecolumnsplitopenandLordShivarevealedhimself.EnragedbyBrahma'sfalse
claim,hecursedthathewillhavenotemplesandtherefore,hewillnotbeworshipedHealso
punishedtheKetakiflowerbydeclaringittobeunfitasanofferingforworship.

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LordShivaendedthefightexplainingthatbothBrahmaandVishnuwerebornoutofhimand
thatthethreeofthemhadadistinguishedpurpose(creation,preservationanddestruction)and
itisnotsensibletoargueaboutthesupremacyofeachotheraseachofthemwereequally
essentialforthecosmicroutine.

Sinceitwasonthe14thdayinthedarkfortnightofthemonthofPhalgunathatShivafirst
manifestedhimselfintheformofaLinga,thedayisextremelyauspiciousandiscelebratedas
MahashivaratrithegrandnightofShiva.

StoryaspertheShivaPurana:

TotestthedevotionofthesagesintheforestofDaaruk,LordShivacameintheformofan
Avadhooth(anakedman)holdinghispenis.Thewivesofsomesageswerebewilderedwhoran
awayatthesightandtheotherwiveswereratherexcitedandapproachedtheLord.Whenthe
greatsagessawtheAvadhoothengrossedinperverseactivitieswiththeirwives,theywere
infuriatedandcursedthathisphallusshouldfallontheground.Asperthecurse,theLingam
felldownandbeganburningeveryplaceitwentto,whichincludedtheEarth,the
Paathaalam/Paathaal(underworld)andtheSwargam/Swarg(heaven)

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UnabletocomprehendtheShivaMaayam,thesagesandgodsapproachedLordBrahmawho
repliedthataguest(evenintheformofanAvadhooth)shouldbetreatedwithrespect.Asthe
sageshadcursedhiminsteadofrespectinghim,theLingamwouldnotbecomestationarywhich
bodesbadforallthethreeworlds.ThesolutionwhichLordBrahmathenrevealedwasthatthe
godsandsageshadtopropitiategoddessPaarvathiandpleadhertoassumetheformofYoni
soitcouldholdtheLingam.

LordBrahmaalsostatedthatapotshallbeplacedoveritandwaterfromholycentersshallbe
pouredintothepotalongwiththesproutsofDoorvaaandbarleyinvokedwithVaidikMantras.
SothepeniswasheldinthevaginathusshallbedrenchedinwaterwithShatRudriyaMantras.
TheShivaLingamthenshallbepropitiatedwiththeofferingsofsandalpaste,fragrantflowers,
incense,foodofferings,holyhymnsandBhajans.

Thuspleased,LordShivatellsthegodsandsagesthatiftheLingissupportedbytheYoni,it
willbepacifiedatanycostandthatnowomanotherthanPaarvathicanholdhisphallus.

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Whyweworshipthesymbolicrepresentation:

ItistheLingam(withtheYoni)thatcreateslife.Thispowerharnessedproperlyyieldspure
creativeenergy.Itisthisenergywhichwhensubduedproperlyleadstotheawakeningofthe
Kundaliniinmen.Allthesageswhoreachedthestageofenlightenmentinitiallycontrolledand
redirectedthepowersoftheLingamwhichleadsonetowardsunbridledpowerinthedomainof
spirituality.Asforthewomen,theyworshiptheLingamforattainingagoodsuitorandforthe
wellbeingoftheirbetterhalf.

NOTE:
Theremaybevariationsintheabovestoriesandnotionsmentionedabove.Let'sjustsaythisis
whatIpersonallyknow
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DharmaSomashekar,brainlaundry
Updated182wago

IFthequestionisinreferencetotheSHIVLINGfoundintheTEMPLEs,ihaveansweredthat,
andirepeat,...butifyouarelookingforthemeaningoftheWORD"LING"itmeans....
gender..asSthreeling=femaleandpullling=male.,inalmostAllindianlanguages..hence
somepeoplerelateitwiththegeniticorgans.

IfONEislookingforthemeaningoftheSHIVLINGAthatisfoundINtheTEMPLES,theright
placetolookforanswerswouldbetheTempleitself.

ThereisaclearcutexplanationofaTEMPLEinthe(HINDU)templearchitecture.

HUMANBODYformstheArchitecturalbaseofaHindutemple.

{THESEXORGANinthetemplearchitectureisrepresentedbythe"Dwajastamba"asMale,altar
ofegoand"balipeeta"asfemale.}
(seetheplacementsinpictureabove)alsonoticetheplacementofAjnachakraontopofthe
forehead)

BodhyanasuthraMahanyasa,sectionshivaarchna(shivaworship)
shlokastates

DehodevalayaProkthaha

JeevaShivaSanathanaha

ThejatheAgjananirmalyam

SOHUMBhavenaPoojayee

ThebodyistheTemple,ThelifewithinistheSHIVA
Removingyourignoranceandcomingtoanunderstanding,that,IAMTHAT,shouldbeones
WORSHIP.


TheShivlingisplacedintheGarbagudisanctumofthetemplewhichsignifiesthehead.the
gopuramonthegarbagudi(sanctum)ismadeofathousandlayers,signifyingtheskulllayering
(sahasra,thousandlotuspetals)

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HUMANPinealGland

ThePinealGland(intheMIDBRAIN)knownasthemastergland,isresponsibleforallthe
chemicalproducingglandsinthebody(LikeShivarunsthewholeBramhanda).Pinealglandruns
thewholebodycalled"Pindanda"

ThisPinealGlandiswhatweseeintheformofaSHIVLING.
AtthephysicallevelitworksasMasterglandresponsiblefortheproductionofAmruth,Somras
(serotonin,pinolinemelatonin,andDMT5).

OnefindstheShivlingplacedintheDARKsanctumofthetemple.
Medicalsciencesays,Pinealglandisproductive,onlyintotaldarkness.

(ThatisthereasonRishiesdidthapasincaves

.(AjnaChakrathirdEYE)
(seetheLingam,inthecenterofbelowpicture).

(AjnaChakrathirdEYE)
(seetheLingam,inthecenterofbelowpicture).

ThepictorialthapobangiofShivaisanindicator,thatwhenonemeditates,(THAPAS)itenhances
theproductionofthesechemicals,whichultimatelyopenstheGyanaChakshu(THIRDEYE)
meaning,oneaccessestheKNOW
ALLdimension

(medicalsciencecallsitneurotransmitters,onaphysicallevel)

SHIVAinTHAPOBANGI

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(ThapasisNOTmediationihaveusedtheclosestword)

Thelanguagetranslationscanbemany,butsincethesubjectwearetryingtounderstandisIN
THETEMPLEtheanswercomingfromtheTEMPLEshouldbetakenasmoreapt.
BUT
HinduismbeingaFREEschoolofthought,allkindsofexplanationsareallowedtoBE.however
derogatory..IthasNEVERtakenitasanoffence.BUTtolerateditasanIndividualsapproach.,(
for,one,seesonlywhat,onesmindreflects.)peoplewiththesamebentofmindwillopttolearn
fromit.

JustshowstheFREEDOMofexpressionthatexistsintheculture.
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MonajiAvinash,filmdirector
Written110wago

LingamisoneofthemostmisunderstoodmotifsofHinduism

LingamisoneofthemostmisunderstoodmotifsofHinduism.Ithasbeensubjecttosuchabad
smearcampaigningbyWesterners,especiallymissionaries,whichevenMerriamWebster
dictionarydefinesitasastylizedphallicsymbol.TheexpressionlingaintheAgamacontext
signifiessymbol(chinha).Derivedfromtherootligigatyau,itreferstomovement,andwords
havingbeenmovementastheiretymologicalmeaninghavealsoconnotationsofknowledge
(sarvegatyarthahjnanarthah).LingathereforemeansthatbywhichtheDivineiscognizedor
approached(lingyatejnayateanenaitilingam).

TheAgamatextsalsobringoutanothervalidexplanationforthewordlinga:lingainitsprimary
senseisbrokenupintoling(todissolve,togetmerged,todestroy)andga(toemerge,togo
out).LingaissocalledbecauseallphenomenaaredissolvedinSivaatthetimeofcosmic
dissolution,anditemergesfromSivaonceagainatthetimeofcreation.(Ajitagama,3,1617)
ThusShivaLingarepresentsthemarkofthecosmos.

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SwamiVivekanandagavebyfarthebestrebuttaltoWesternclaimsthatitmightbeasymbolof
phallicworship,bygivingprooffromthevedas.

SwamiVivekanandagavealectureattheParisCongressoftheHistoryofReligionsin1900
duringwhichherefutedthestatementsofsomeWesternscholarsthatreferredtoShivalingaas
phallicworship.Vivekanandaswordsatthecongresswereinconnectionwiththepaperreadby
Mr.GustavOppert,aGermanOrientalist,whotriedtotracetheoriginoftheShalagramaShila
andtheShivaLingatophallicism.TothisVivekanandaobjected,adducingprooffromtheVedas,
andparticularlytheAtharvaVedaSamhita,totheeffectthattheShivaLingahaditsorigininthe
ideaoftheYupaStambhaorSkambhathesacrificialpost,idealizedinVedicritualasthesymbol
oftheEternalBrahman.
SwamiSivananda,alsoexplainswhyequatingSivaLingamwiththephallusisamistake.According
tohim,Thisisnotonlyaseriousmistake,butalsoagraveblunder.InthepostVedicperiod,the
LingabecamesymbolicalofthegenerativepoweroftheLordSiva.Lingaisthedifferentiating
mark.Itiscertainlynotthesexmark.YouwillfindintheLinga

Purana:
PradhanamprakritiryadahurlingamuttamamGandhavarnarasairhinamsabdasparsadi
varjitamTheforemostLingawhichisprimaryandisdevoidofsmell,colour,taste,hearing,
touch,etc.,isspokenofasPrakriti(Nature).
Banalingam(OnekindofShivalinga)TheBanaLingamisamostSacredSymbolandDivine
EnergyTool,bothintheancientandinthismodernworld.TheBanaLingasareSwayambhuShiva
LingasthathavetakenshapeintheSacredNarmadaRiver,intheCentralWesternpartofIndia.
ThisiswhytheBanaLingamsarealsoknownastheNarmadaBanalingasorNarmadeshwarShiva
Lingas.TheNarmadhaBanaLingasbecameveryfamousthroughouttheworld,afterthefilm
IndianaJonesandtheTempleofDoomwasscreened:thisistheverysameSacredStonethat
theyweresearchingfor.Thestory:ThereisastorynarratedinAparajitapariprchchha(205,126)
abouttheoriginofthebanalingasandtheirassociationwiththeNarmadariver.Sivawantedto
destroythetripura,whichhadbeenobtainedasaboonbythearrogantdemonBanasura,andhe
letgoafierydartfromhisgreatbowpinaka.Thedartbrokethethreepurasintotinybits,which
fellonthreespots:1,onthehillsinSrikshetra(ofunknownidentity),2,onthepeaksof
AmarakantakaintheVindhyaranges,and3,onthebanksoftheholyriverNarmada.Thebitsthat
fellintheseplacessoonmultipliedintocrores,.eachbitbecomingalinga.Astheyformedpartof
thepossessionofBanasura,theywerecalledBanaLingas.

Science:Itistheconsideredviewofmanyresearchersandgeologiststhattheuniquecomposition
oftheNarmadhaShivaLingaswasduetotheimpregnationofitsrockyriversidesandtherocks
intheriverbed,14millionyearsagobyalargemeteoritethatcrashedintotheNarmadaRiver.
ThefusionoftheMeteoriteandtheEarthlyMineralshasspawnedanewanduniquetypeof
CrystallineRockwithextraordinaryenergeticqualitiestheNarmadaBanaLingam.Thebana
LingascontainCryptoCrystallineQuartz(massesmadeupofeitherfibrousorgranular
aggregatesoftiny,microscopicQuartzCrystals)andaGemstonematerialcalledChalcedony(with
anironoxideandgeothiteinclusion)alongwithBasaltandAgatethisuniquecomposition
coupledwithellipticalshapehasapreciseresonanceinalignmentwithourEnergyCentersor
ChakrasandareusedforthousandsofyearsasDivineEnergyGeneratorsforCleansing,Healing
andforMeditation.TheNarmadaBanaLingasarequitestrongandthehardnessisa7onthe
MoesScale,oneofthehighestfrequencyvibrationratesofallstonesonearth.Thevibrationof
banalingaissaidtobeperfectforpurificationpurpose.

ThusMatsyaPurana(Chap.165169),trulysaiddrinkingthewaterfromthisriver(Narmada)and
worshippingSiva(BanaLingam)willsecurefreedomfromallstatesofmisery

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2/21/2017 (NotMythology)Whatisthesignificancebehindtheword'Shivling'?Quora

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Written185wago

Thelingam(also,linga,ling,Shivalinga,Shivling,Sanskrit,liga,meaning"mark",
"sign","inference")isarepresentationoftheHindudeityShivausedforworshipintemples.The
lingamisoftenrepresentedalongsidetheyoni,asymbolofthegoddessorofShakti,female
creativeenergy.Theunionoflingamandyonirepresentsthe"indivisibletwoinonenessofmale
andfemale,thepassivespaceandactivetimefromwhichalllifeoriginates".Thelingamandthe
yonihavebeeninterpretedasthemaleandfemalesexualorganssincetheendofthe19thcentury
bysomescholars,whiletopracticingHindustheystandfortheinseparabilityofthemaleand
femaleprinciplesandthetotalityofcreation.

forfurtherreference:Lingam
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