Shivlinga: The Symbol of Power and Energy

People worship Lord Shiva in the form of linga from ancient times. Lord Shiva is one of the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh and even considered to be supreme lord. Various Devas and Dashavataras worship him in Hindu mythology.

Snow Shivlinga

The Nirakaar Roop of Lord Shiva

The Lingam symbolizes both the creative and destructive power of Lord Shiva. Mahadev is the only God who has both form “Sakaar Roop” who we can see and pray and also “Nirakaar Roop” like Shivling.

Puranas and scriptures in Hinduism narrate in detail why people worship Lord Shiv in the form of Linga. The Shivlinga appears before Lord Brahma and Vishnu in the form of a ‘pillar of fire’, which had no end and beginning. It is one among the many symbols of Brahman. Lord Ram, Parashuram and Krishna gave importance to Shivlinga by worshipping him.

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Lord Rama worshipping Shivlinga

Importance of Shivlinga

When the mind is clear and is without prejudice, we will realize that the Linga form of Shiva is the most innocent form of Brahman that our ancestors had realized. It is pure and they got it from pure nature. Many of the forms that we worship today are the reflections of our mind, which ego, society and education corrupts. It is not pure.

As per the epic Mahabharata,  ‘Know everything, which is male, to be Ishana, and all that is female to be Uma; for this whole world, animate and inanimate, is pervaded by these two bodies. Gods, seers, Gandharvas and Apsaras worship this form of Lord Shiva’ (Chapter 7, section 20, verse 22)

Shiv Purana definition of Shivlinga

The Shiva Purana describes the origin of the Lingam, known as Shivalinga. It is the one which has no beginning and no end. This is a cosmic pillar (Stambha) of fire, the cause of all causes.

Lord Shiva is emerges from the lingam. The Shivlinga is known as the cosmic pillar of fire. This proves his superiority over the gods Brahma and Vishnu. This is known as Lingodbhava. The Linga Purana also supports this interpretation of lingam as a cosmic pillar, symbolizing the infinite nature of Shiva.

Lingodbhava

According to the Linga Purana, the lingam is a complete symbolic representation of the formless Universe Bearer. The oval-shaped stone is the symbol of the Universe, and the bottom base represents the supreme Power that holds the entire universe in it.

Skanda Purana

“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 merge in the Linga itself.

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rs
rs
10 years ago

very informative

neetha
9 years ago

people will not know it, thank you for the information

Kamal Mehta Ksm
9 years ago

thx for the info. om namah shivay

Ritesh Sinha
8 years ago

Good article

Ritesh Sinha
8 years ago

Good article

Soumen Nandy
8 years ago

Good one

Abhishek Bansal
8 years ago

completly misguide, In sanskrit linga mean symbol. It is the symbol of shiva in pure meditational form without any ego.

Neel Jayaram
8 years ago

Nice article, its quite amazing to know that there are so many stories that many are not aware of. Adding one more rare story of God Shiva here. During the end of Krita – Yuga, because of the ignorance of the Deva, God Shiva made the whole world to come to a stand still.

Aruna Sundara
8 years ago

Detailed information is given. Thanks

Adya
Adya
8 years ago

Most of the people didn’t know about this fact of lord shiva . Thanks.

Vickey rajput
Vickey rajput
7 years ago

Dear frnds shivlinga is the real form of the god shiv ,,, shiv means the whole universe. Actually shivling is the image of the parampita paramaatma . God is only one . He is formless . He had not the form of his own . So he made three gods namely bramha,vishnu,and shankar.you can imagine god through meditation.it is said that if aatma have no form then how the param aatma should have form.he is also formless . The highest among all…..

vineet chauhan
vineet chauhan
7 years ago

Dear friends just worship lord with full devotion because reading many thing confuses our mind shiv is the only one the supreme one
HAR HAR MAHADEV

Anonymous
Anonymous
4 years ago

Completely wrong information is provided
What’s the reference for this meaning of shivlinga?

Anonymous
Anonymous
4 years ago

Bro just stop spreading these stories and chek out sanskrit meaning of linga that is symbol .