Why linga is worshipped

Siva alone is Niskala nameless and formless since He is identical with supreme Brahman. The symbols of Linga and Yoni , are much older. Philosophical meanings , have been assigned to these Symbols , by different Civilizations ,at different times.

Will Durant , has studied these aspects in his book--The History of Civilizations. Carl Jung — the Psychologist,has studied the meanings of different Religious Symbols and their inspirational values.

One explanation,that I heard in a religious discourse ,linked it to the Adwaita Vedanta. Adwaita , means literally-- not Two. The Linga is the sybol of one. The cross section is a circle ,representing zero.

The word "Lingam" or "Linga" means "Symbol. Sivalingams are found in both Saiva and Vaishnava Temples. Mostly, it is either a circular base part with a cylindrical upright stump in the centre or a square with a cylindrical upright stump at the centre.

In both cases, combined figure symbolizes "the Middle Path. It is the Buddhist Dhamma. Actually both Siva and Vishnu are the imaginary creations based on Buddha and his Preaching!

To understand this, one must have a thorough knowledge on Symbolization and Symbolization of Buddha and Buddhism.

Vishnu holds a conch by his left hand and rotates a circular disc by his right forefinger. What do these two symbolize severally and jointly? Our "learned" will come with something told in Puranas!

A conch makes sound that could be heard by everyone without any discrimination. Therefore a conch could symbolize making a public announcement or preaching something to all. Now the question arises as what is preached by Vishnu. The answer is given by the rotating circular disc. A circular disc rotated by the forefinger symbolizes the Middle Path. Therefore Vishnu is a person who preached the Middle Path to all. Again a question arises as what type of person Vishnu is. Vishnu has a "U' mark placed symmetrically above his nose.

This also symbolizes Middle Path. Buddha was the only person who adhered to the Middle Path and preached all to practice the Middle Path. Therefore Vishnu is an imaginary creation based on Buddha and Buddhism!

Likewise Siva also carries a hand drum, Tri-suula and burning flame. He has Triple stripe on his forehead. Hand drum sumbolizes preaching something to all. Tri - Suula has its two outer limbs curved outside pointing the opposite directions. The muddle one is straight. Therefore Tri - suula symbolizes the Middle Path. Burning flame symbolizes light or Enlightenment. The Triple stripe also symbolizes the Middle Path. Thus, Siva is also an imaginary creation based on Buddha and Buddhism.

So the Sivalingams could be placed in bith Saiva and Vaishnava Temples. According to Hindu Science the hiranyagarbha or the cosmic golden egg came from infinite Shiva Lingam. Now coincidentally the modern scientists are referring an image of our Universe which is exactly the mirror image of hiranyagarbha cosmic egg or Shiva Lingam. Shiva Lingam represents the shape of entire cosmos. Science confirms that the Universe might be oval shaped.

Vishnu and Brahma are both contained inside the Lingam, but we cannot see them, in particular not The Brahma.

According to these scientific and religious researches of that website, it results clear why Shiva appeared in the form of Linga. Hence the other Gods worship themselves as reflection into Him and see Him as the Universe from where they are coming from.

Someone here in a previous answer intelligently stated that Time is not knowable really, and that's why our time calculations are always delusional. And also Universe scientifical by the partial Western science, so re-explained with big calculations and headhaches proofs it is Timeless. That would be like saying that the Supreme Brahman, before the creation of realities, first thought of a human reproductive organ, how is that sensible? Many temples consecrated spaces were also built to exhibit this sacred union without reluctance or insecurity.

He who adoreth any image of the Phallic emblem of that high-souled God always obtain great prosperity by that act. Sign up to join this community.

The best answers are voted up and rise to the top. Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group. Create a free Team What is Teams? Learn more. Why is Shiva primarily worshipped in a linga form? Ask Question. Asked 7 years, 4 months ago. Active 1 month ago. Viewed 50k times. Why is Shiva primarily and uniquely worshipped in the linga form? Improve this question.

Say No To Censorship IMHO linga is representative of the totality of God, that is, the fullness of God and His completeness, all of which are aspects of the linga.

I'm just speculating here: Ishvarah refers to this complete God or Supreme Being, since Ishvara has become synonymous with Lord Shiva in recent times, these forms of linga have become associated with Lord Shiva, and obviously sectarian beliefs would prevent other devotees to depict their form of God in the same way. Shiva was preached as destroyer only. Shivites depicted him in form of Penis Linga with thought that he is creator too. Shiva creates, Shiva Destroyes — fatherazrael.

Shivalinga is the form of God in its totality, the only, what Hindus call paramasivam, male and female energy in constant orgasm, it is an expression, shivalinga and Shiva are different. If you are satisfied with one of the answers, consider accepting it.

Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. Improve this answer. Be Happy Be Happy When there was no beginning and end then how can you say it was in Linga Form? It could be a cyclone, Road, Try anything but not linga — Ali Adravi.

First of all the real name is not Shiva Linga, The real name is Jyotirlingam. Shiva Linga is also a representation of pineal gland present in Epithalamus, near to the center of the brain. It is also the cosmic form of fire. According to Hindu Mythology, initially, when the creation is yet to begin, there goes an argument between Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu for who is the best. Lord Mahadev appears as a small column of fire between them which goes on extending both upwards and downwards.

In the Shvetavastra Upanishad, Shiva is without doubt Brahman, the cosmic consciousness. With this association, Vedism transformed into what is now known as classical Hinduism. It was a transformation that ensured that Vedic ideology survived the Buddhist and Jain onslaught. The Vedic gods, such as Indra and Agni, were sidelined.

All attention was given to Shiva and Vishnu, forms of godhead, whose story was told and retold and finally compiled in Sanskrit chronicles known as the Puranas. The middle ages saw great rivalry between Shiva-worshippers and Vishnu-worshippers.

The theme is reversed in the Vishnu Purana and the Matysa Purana. So great was the rivalry that Vishnu-worshippers wore vertical caste marks while Shiva-worshippers wore horizontal caste marks; Vishnu-worshippers painted their house with vertical strokes while Shiva-worshippers painted their houses with horizontal strokes; Vishnu-worshippers kept the Tulsi in their house while Shiva-worshippers kept the Bilva plant.

People who worshipped Vishnu refused to marry or dine with those who worshipped Shiva. There were, of course, many attempts at reconciliation such as the cult of Hari-Hara, the simultaneous worship of Vishnu and Shiva, that become popular around the fifteenth century. Even the sixteenth-century classic, Tulsi Ramayana, makes an overt attempt to show that Shiva and Vishnu are one and the same Godhead that cares for humanity.

Today, the rivalry between Shiva-worshippers and Vishnu-worshippers is not very evident except perhaps in the temple complexes of Tamil Nadu and in the traditions of the Iyers and the Iyengars.

The concept of Shiva constructed by sacred stories, symbols and rituals is quite different from the idea of Vishnu.

Shiva is always a reluctant groom whom the goddess has to force into marriage. Vishnu, on the other hand, is surrounded by women. As Rama, he protects them. As Krishna, he flirts with them. While Shiva is associated with snow-capped mountains and caves and crematoriums, Vishnu is associated with meadows and rivers and battlefields. Whereas Shiva surrounds himself with dogs, bulls, ashes, skulls, animal skins and narcotics, Vishnu is found amid cows, horses, silks, flowers, pearls, gold and sandal paste.

Shiva does not want to be part of society; Vishnu, on the other hand, establishes the code of conduct for society. In temples, Vishnu is visualised as a king. His anthropomorphic image is bedecked with gold and devotees can see him only from afar.

Shiva, on the other hand, is enshrined in open temples. Devotees are free to walk in and pour water on the oval stone or cylinder that represents him. Vishnu is offered butter and sweets, Shiva is given only raw milk. Hence, one shall eschew everything and install the unchanging Linga. If one worships it, it is as good as worshipping everything installed assiduously.

Thus as every God is present in the Linga, it is highly auspicious to worship Linga. Trinities are situated in Linga and it is also stated in the next chapter ie.

Lord Brahma resides at the root, Lord Vishnu in the middle. The lord of all unborn Pasupati in the form of Rudra resides at the top. At the end of time the entire universe and all the Gods finally merge in the Linga itself. It is therefore seen as an access to Shiva or that which lies beyond physical creation. It is related with the inseparable relation of Shiva and Shakti and linga form represents it.

The relationship of Uma and Maheswara is like that of word and meaning. The beloved of Shiva Uma is in the form of words.

The moon crested Lord Maheswara is in the form of meaning of those words. So, just as meaning is formless and it gets manifested through words. In the similar way formless Shiva gets manifested through Shakti.

The same chapter also states:. There is mutual dependence between Shakti and Shaktiman. There is no Shakti without Shiva and no Shiva without Shakti. The inseparable relationship of Shiva and Shakti is also shown by image or idol form of ArdhaNarishwara. However Linga form is the only form which establishes the word-meaning relationship.

It is because formless Shiva gets manifested in Linga form through the base of Shakti. It is shown in Linga Purana [part 2 chapter 47]:.

The Devotee shall clean Linga along with the pedestal and then devoutly install it. It shows that Nirguna Shiva gets manifested as the base of Shakti.

So as it represents the Nirguna aspect, Shiva Purana [Videysavara samhita chapter 5] states:.