What is Shiva Lingam?
The Sanskrit word ‘Lingam’ means symbol. Thus the literal meaning of Shiva Lingam is the symbol of Shiva. The Supreme Shiva doesn’t have a form and every form is his form. The Shiva Lingam represents him, the Supreme Shiva¸ who is formless. The way when we see a smoke, we infer the presence of fire, the moment we see Shiva Lingam we immediately visualize the existence of the Supreme Shiva.
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 Gods 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 gets Sayujya Moksha (eternal company of Shiva).
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:- 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 that help us to know, recognize any event or matter as stated above.
It has been a common myth that Shiva Lingam represents male genital organs. This is not only false, misleading but also base less. Such misinterpretations are done in recent times and popularized to make it common, when Indian literatures actually came into hands of foreign scholars; Britishers and Muslims. They relied on extracting simple meanings of major Vedic terms used in daily life without addressing rightful context. It was difficult to interpret the language, a word may have different meaning depending on the mis-contrued understanding. Some of the easy interpretation may be misleading. And such misinterpretation may actually be welcome by skeptics, if you want to find the defects in somebody else’s faith. Lingam means formless, Shiva Lingam is state of God just before manifestation of Universe.
This misunderstanding is 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 s*x mark. While the actual meaning of male genital is “shishna” in Sanskrit.
Let us know what Lingam means as per The Lingam Purana:
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)
Meaning:
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.
Forms of Shiva Lingam
Shiva Lingam is worshiped in two common forms – Chala (Moveable) Lingam and Achala (Non-Moveable or Fixed) Lingam.
Scientific Reason of Pouring Milk on Shiv Lingam
Shiv Lingams are placed at the most pious place, garbh griha, in temple. At this location, there is tremendous amount of positive energy flowing all around. Hindus visit the temples not just to respect Gods but also to energize themselves with positive energies.
When milk is poured on the Shiv Lingam to do दुग्ध अभिषेक (milk abhishek) the flow of positive energy starts getting accumulated towards Shiv Lingam so a person who is devotee of Bhagwan Shiv when is closer to the Shiv Lingam and bathes Shiv Lingam with दुग्ध स्नान he accepts the flow of positive energy into his body. Milk is very good conductor of positive energy. Milk of Indian cow when poured on Shiv Lingam reciting mantras- ॐ नमः शिवाय – strengthens mind, body and inner consciousness of a person.
Milk is gift of Bhagwan to us, trees, food, air …infact everything is given by Bhagwan. When we all took birth, we all were naked…what did we bought to this world, what is our contribution to keep this world running…. nothing….because we all are negligible, we are staying alive at the mercy of Bhagwan. Who are we to question that pouring milk on Shiv Lingams is wastage of milk and instead should be feed to poor people. Are we owning the milk, trees, places, earth or anything offered for free by Bhagwan. No … then who gave us right to only question Vedic values which are based on scientifically driven principles. And not question on evil practices of other religion, whose evil anti-Vedic god likes to feed on the blood of innocent goats, cows, camels and buffalos – wherein till date billions of innocent animals are killed just to appease this anti-God satan – killing animals is more evil or pouring milk on Shiv Lingams. Think over it; its easy to bash our core Hindu values which is based on Dharma but very hard to rebut with same vigour about other adharmis because they are very violent and likes terrorism. The moment we start respecting our traditional values and become aggressive. All these satanic people and their terrorism will cease to exist.
Kaaba Shiv Lingam Hindu Temple
Update: Terrorist and ISIS member Abu Turab Al Mugaddasi seconding the thought that Mecca is indeed Vedic pilgrimage made this statement recently “If Allah wills, we will kill those who worship stones in Mecca and destroy the Kaaba. People go to Mecca to touch the stones, not for Allah.”
