Decoding Shiva Lingam by Ramapada Acharjee

 

Decoding Shiva Lingam

A lingam in Sanskrit means a sign, symbol or mark.

"Lingam" is additionally found in Sanskrit texts, such as Shvetashvatara Upanishad, and others texts with the meaning of "evidence, proof" of God and God's existence.

For any sign we need to -

1. Understand the correct meaning of that and

2. We should avoid making too many convoluted meanings which may cover the simple straight message or the actual meaning of the symbol.

Any attempt of performing rituals while being ignorant of this inherent message will do no good to the people. Pouring water or milk on Linga won't bear fruit unless we are aware of its significance.

Shiva Linga is a Sign of both Nirakar (formless) Brahman that supports the entire Universe and the Sakar Swaguna Brahman.

Atharva Veda refers to pillars, which can hold or fortify any structure. A pillar symbolizes the existence of the ultimate Truth or formless Brahman (nirakar Bhramha). In a sense a pillar corresponding to a Shiva Linga, supports the Swaguna Brahma or all of our 33 Crores Hindu Gods. When a German Orientalist, Gusta Oppert traced and concluded Shiva Linga as obscene as phallicism, Swami Vivekananda cited Atharva Veda that the worship of Shiva Lingam was sung in praise of sacrificial post – a description of the beginningless and endless of the Eternal Brahman's imaginary invention.

Another explanation suggests, that the Purush (Conciousness or Linga), is rested and surrounded by Prokriti ( Yoni shaped Energy or the Universe) but Purush is Untouched, Still and Unaffected despite this evitable union. This is the reason we should respect or revere Wisdom or Purush. Consciousness is undisturbed, despite being, in right at the middle of Sansara, without any form of  Anger, Jealousy or being bothered by any other Ripu. Remaining as distinct, although being entirely merged, in the Nature, is something Tantra teaches us, which is nothing but being engaged or making an Union, without losing the self identity or the pure consciousness.

When we take birth, Pancha Kosha/ Maya ( earth, water, fire, air and vacuum) surrounds our Atma or Consciousness. But this Body's attachment with Sansara is inevitable, but the great philosophy of Shiva Linga, teaches us to remain tranquil in the midst of the commotion and sea of the emotions.

In India, religion is born out of Philosophy ( Phil = Knowledge). A probe always precedes in Hinduism rather than it suggesting us to blindly believe it first. Fallacy is, that the questioning, again harps on, being non judgemental.

The identity of self and it's relationship with the ultimate Truth the Para Brahman is metaphysically explained broadly under 3 theories -

Sriman Madhva said: “Man is the servant of God”, and established his Dvaita philosophy.

Srimad Ramanuja said: “Man is a ray or spark of God”, and established his Visishtadvaita philosophy.

Sri Sri Sankara said: “Man is identical with Brahman or the Eternal Soul: and established his Kevala Advaita philosophy.

The Dvaitin wants to serve the Lord as a servant. He wishes to play with the Lord. He wishes to taste the sugar-candy.

A Visishtadvaitin wants to become like Lord Narayana and enjoy the divine. He does not wish to merge himself or become identical with the Lord. He wishes to remain as a spark.

 A Jnani (jnana = knowledge) merges himself in Brahman. He wishes to become identical with Brahman. He wants to become the sugar-candy itself.

People have different temperaments and different capacities. So, different schools of philosophy are also necessary.

Other Considerations

Scientists now have confirmed that Nothingness ( black hole/ anti matter) is something from which  the  Universe is manifested from. Again this entire universe fuses back to nothingness. The gateway to this creation and the destruction is an ellipsoid shape of a Galaxy that is created at the very first, out of nothingness. An ellipsoidal shape can retain perennial energy and if we look at it a little closely, Shiva Linga is of a similar ellipsoid shape, which represents a similar gateway, we talked about earlier.

In vedic scripts, infinity was denoted by an oval shaped sign, we can relate this shape, with the infiniteness concept hidden in the oval shape of a Shiva Linga.

When Michael Faraday did the EM Flux experiment, he sent an electric current through a copper coil wound against a Ferrous material Cylinder and the Magnetic Flux were generated. Across Shiva Linga we see the highly conducting Copper snake winding it from bottom to top that resembles of such an arrangement.

Atma without body is direction less - for existence, Atma needs a body. If we look at the Shiva Linga from an aerial view, it looks like a dot (dimensionless and directionless ). To render a direction to it, the tapered side of the Yogi shaped pedestal, attaches the North direction to the system.

Shiva killed Tripurashura, a Daemon who used to rule all 3 Puras, Swarga, Martya and Patal. Metaphorically they represent body, mind and property. When these 3 get destroyed, any sign of life (think of ECG) vanishes, and there remains 3 parallel horizontal straight lines which is essentially the symbol of Lord Shiva.

Some says, that the Lingam, is shaped like an egg, and represents the ‘Brahmanda’ or the cosmic egg.

10,000 Years..across the Globe..

The Romans introduced the worship of Shiva Lingam (Prayapas - they used to call it) to the European countries. The statutes of Shiva Lingams were found in the archeological findings in Babylon, a city of ancient Mesopotamia. Further, the archeological findings in Harappa-Mohanjo-daro yielded numerous Shiva Lingam statutes, which disclose the existence of a highly evolved culture long before the Aryan’s immigration.

According to The Annals of the Four Masters, an ancient document written by Franciscan Monks between 1632-1636 AD, a Siva Linga like stone was brought to Ireland by the Tuatha Dé Danann – supernaturally gifted people. Tuatha Dé Danann means children of Goddess Danu, and as per vedic connection Danu/Sati was the daughter of King Daksha who married Shiva.

Throughout Vietnam many ancient Shiva Lingas have been found, dating back to thousands of years.

Archaeologists have found a statue of Nandi, the sacred bull, that carried the Hindu god Shiva, in Yogyakarta in Indonesia.

6000 year old Shivalinga in a cave named Sudwara in South Africa and it is made of hard granite stone was found by the Archeological Surveys.

Between the 2nd and 7th centuries BC, northern Italy was known as Etruria. In the Etruscan Museum at the Vatican in Rome, meteoric stones mounted on carved pedestals were found which resembles Shiva Lingam.

The trident of Roman God Neptune, is also an emblem of Lord Shiva. Neptune is seen standing on an entity, Shiva is also seen at times standing upon ignorance, illusion, or maya, unaffected by the illusory energies.  Neptune’s hand is raised in a calming gesture, similarly Shiva’s hand is raised which signifies abhaya or giving blessings and represents sthiti, or preservation and protection.