What is Lingam

 What is Lingam

Lingam Consits of two Words Lim and Gam.  Lim means all objects comes to an end and remains stagnant at one place. Gam means the place of recreation. Limgam is a symbol this auspicious swarupam belongs to Lord Shiva.

Sivalingam: Sivalingam literally means the body of Siva. Next to the symbol of AUM, it is perhaps the most potent, powerful and popular symbol in entire Hinduism. In almost all the Siva temples, worship is generally made to Sivalingas only. Very rarely we come across his images in the sanctum sanctorum of any Siva temple. A Sivalingam is usually a round or cylindrical and protruding object. The cylindrical part is held firmly by a circular base.

On the physical plane, the object resembles the male sexual organ, suggestive of the creative power of Siva. The circular base resembles that of the female, suggestive of his consort Parvathi. Physically a Sivalingam is a phallic symbol, representing the male and female sexual organs in a state of conjugal bliss. Mentally it symbolizes the union of mind and body. Spiritually it represents the union between Purusha and Prakriti, the highest principles of the manifest universe.

The Sivalingam is also symbolic of the Supreme Self. It is verily Maheswara Himself, the Highest Self and the Lord of the universe. In this aspect it has three parts. The lower part represents Brahma. The middle part, which is octagonal in shape, represents Vishnu. The upper part, which is cylindrical in shape, represents Rudra and is also called Pujabhaga since it receives the actual offerings of milk and other substances.

Shiva lingam is Trimurthy Swaroopam, Top Cylidrical portion is Lord Shiva,  middle portion is Vishnu and the base is Bramha.Worshiping Shiva Lingam means worshioing all the three gods together.There are two varities of lingams, Parartha Lingam and Istha lingam

Shivling at Amarnath – a natural masterpiece

Shivling at Amarnath – a natural masterpiece 

Among many wondrous things happening around legends related to Hindu beliefs is the famous Shivling at Amarnath Temple, Pahalgam in Kashmir.

The man made shivlings are made with a variety of materials in addition to black stone and brown stone. The shapes depend upon the rituals carried out by the locals and their understanding of the lingam. However, the snow shivling in Amarnath continues to draw the devout to see the lingam. It is believed that it believed to be as old as the hill!  

This lingam forms in the cave temple, and can be seen only during certain months of the year. It is a snow stalagmite. Water drops falling from the roof to the base of the cave over a period of time freezes and takes the shape of a lingam. It baffles everyone by its striking resemblance to natural shivlings worshipped by Hindus elsewhere in the world.  In addition to the main shivling two other lingams are formed next it.

The two are believed to represent Lord Ganesh and Shivji’s  consort, Goddess Parvati.   

Lingam

Lingam essentially represents the Shivlingam, of Lord Shiva, the Hindu deity.  

 

There is a lot of debate over the centuries what after all lingam represents: phallus or the representative feature of spiritual propensity of the Hindus. Today the lingam is worshipped as an object of cosmic (divine) energy rather than creative energy or a sexual symbol.

 

Lingam is loosely taken as a mark or symbol.  According to ancient vedic literature Lingam has no smell, taste or color and generally perceived as the nature itself. Lingam is likened to an cosmic egg representing the cosmic energy signifying the union of male and female powers.

 

Lingam is the sum total of Truth, Knowledge and infinity – सत्य, ज्ञान and अनन्त. The lingam has three parts: ब्रह्म पित, विष्णु पित and शिव पित.