The linga or lingam (Sanskrit for
“symbol”) is the symbol of the god Shiva and the form in which he is
most commonly worshipped. The phallic symbol is the main object of
worship in Shaivite temples and homes throughout India and the world.
The linga is a simple stylized phallus
that nearly always rests on pedestal of a stylized yoni, or female sex
organ. Together, the linga and yoni represent the power of creative
energy and fertility.
History of the Shiva Linga
Scholars believe that the linga was
revered by some non-Aryan peoples of India since antiquity, and short,
cylindrical pillars with rounded tops have been found in Harappan
remains.
The Vedic Aryans appeared to have
disapproved of linga worship, but literary and artistic evidence shows
that it was firmly established by the 1st–2nd century AD.
The linga’s form began to be
conventualized during the Gupta period, so that in later periods its
original phallic realism was to a considerable degree lost. Types of
Lingas Lingas range from temporary versions made of sandalwood paste
or river clay for a particular rite to more elaborate ones of wood,
precious gems, metal, or stone. There are precise rules of proportion to
be followed for the height, width, and curvature of the top.
Variations include the mukhalinga, with
one to five faces of Shiva carved on its sides and top, and the
lingodbhavamurti, a South Indian form that shows Siva emerging out of a
fiery linga to demonstrate his superiority over Vishnu and Brahma.
Some lingas are topped with a cobra, symbolizing the kundalini chakra located at the base of the spine (see Kundalini Yoga).
The most revered lingas are the
svayambhuva (“self-originated”) lingas, which were made directly from
light without human assistance. Nearly 70 are worshipped throughout
India and are places of pilgrimage.
Rituals of the Shiva Linga In the
primary religious ritual of devotees of Shiva, the linga is honored with
offerings of flowers, milk, pure water, fruit, leaves and rice.
