CHAPTER 11 INFORMATION ABOUT SHIVA LINGAM

Information About ShivaLinga

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 lingma.

Parartha Lingam

The following types of lingams are called as parartha Lingam

- Syambhu Lingam This type of Lingam comes out From earth.

- Gana Lingam This type of lingam is installed and

worshiped by Goddess Parvathi, Lord Ganapathi, and Lord

Subrahmanyam.

- Dhaiveka Lingam This type of lingam is installed and

worshiped by lord bramha and Vishnu.

- Aarida Lingam This type of lingam is installed and

worshiped by Rishis.

- Manushya Lingam This type of lingam is installed and

worshiped by human beings

Istha Lingam This lingam is installed by dedicated shiva devotees, who performs shiva puja with out having any food or water under the instructions of their Guru.

Urdva Retas, Hiranya Retas, Nidhana pataye namah these are all the names of Lord Shiva in Shiva Sahsram and Shiva Asthotram. We call him with this names because, he appeared as Lingodhbhavar murti in the form of a pillar of Fire, all the above names refer to flame and shiva lingam.

God is formless which is called formless. He is every thing so how can we give a form to such an infinte person. But for the benefit of Pashus he took the form of shiva lingam. Shiva Lingam is not a form but it is symbol which is called as Arupa Rupam.

All the deities wear Istha Lingam of their choice on their bodies. The lingams weared by each deities are as follows.

Vishnu	Indra Neelayamaya Lingam - Sapphire [Kousthubhamani] -
Bhrama	Chandrakanta Lingam [Sailamaya Lingam]
Indra	Manimaya Lingam
Sun	Tamramaya Lingam [Copper]
Chandra	Mukthi Lingam [Pearl]
Lakshmi	Srivriksha Lingam (Bilwa Vriksham)
Kubera	Hema Lingam (Gold)
Four Vishwadevtas	Arakota Lingam (Bronze)
Ashta Vasus	Kansya Lingam (Brass)
Ashwini Devtas	Partheeva Lingam (Mud)
Varun	Sphatika Lingam [Quartz]
Agni	Annamaya Lingam [ Rice ]
Niruti	Darujamaya Lingam [Teak Wood]
Pannagas	Pravaalamaya Lingam [Nagamani]
Rakshasas	Krishnaaya Samaya Lingam [Coal]
Pisachas	Seesha Lingam [Glass]
Guhyakas	Triloka Lingam {three metals including iron}
Saptamatrukas	Sarvalohamaya Lingam {all metals}
Chamundi	Saikata Lingam {Sand}
Durga Devi	Pishtamaya Lingam {made of flour}
Manonmani	Gandha Lingam {Sandalwood}
Saraswati	Doorva Lingam {medicated grass Lingam}
Srutis	Dadhimaya Lingam {Curd/Yoghurt}
Mantras	Aajya Lingam {pure Cow Ghee}
Maharshis	Kuusaagramaya Lingam {Darbhai}
Yama	Marakata Lingam {Emerald}
Gopakis	Navaneeta Lingam {Butter}
Angarakan (Mars)	Pagadapu Lingam {Coral}
Budhan (Mercury)	Pancharatna Lingam {Green Diamond}
Brahaspati {Guru}	Pushparaga Lingam
Sukran {Diamond}	Vajrapu Lingam
Saturn {Blue}	Neelamani Lingam
Rahu {Topaz}	Gomedhaka Lingam
Ketu {Lapis-Lazuli}	Vaidhurya Lingam

Various Types of Shiva Across India are as Follows

1. Aahtaloha Lingam
It is made of eight metals and cures one of the leprosy.

2. Vaidurya Lingam
It is made of a precious stone called vaidurya – lapis and protects one from the enemy’s arrogant prattle

3. Spatika Lingam
It is made of crystal and bestows fulfilment of all desires.

4. Padara Lingam
It is made of mercury and bestows inestimable fortune.

5. Trapu Lingam
It is made of tagara metal and makes one’s life free from enemies, if adored.

6. Ayasa Lingam
It is made of vitroil of sulphate and relieves one from the menace of enemies.

7. Seesa Lingam
It is made of lead and makes the adorer invulnerable to foes.

8. Ashtadhtu Lingam
It is made of minerals and bestows sarvasiddi – all super natural powers.

9. Navanita Lingam
It is made of butter and confers fame and wealth.

10. Durvakadaja Lingam Or Garika Lingam
It is made of a kind of grass – agrostis linaries and saves the adorer from untimely or accidental death.

11. Karpura Lingam
It is made of camphor and bestows emancipation.

12. Ayaskanta Lingam
It is made of magnet and confers siddhi – super natural powers.

13. Mouktika Lingam
It is made of the ashes obtained by burning pearls and confers auspiciousness and fortune.

14. Suvarana Lingam
It is made of gold and confers mukti -- deliverance of soul from body.

15. Rajita Lingam
It is made of silver and confers fortune.

16. Pittala Lingam Or Kamsya Lingam
It is made of an alloy of brass and bell metal and confers the release of soul from body.

17. Bhamsa Lingam
It is made of ash and confers all desirable merits.

18. Guda Lingam Or Sita Lingam
It is made of jaggery or sugar and confers blissful life when adored.

19. Vamsankura Lingam
It is made of the tender leaves of bamboo, and confers a long line of genealogy.

20. Pishta Lingam
It is made of rice flour and blesses the adorer with education.

21. Dhadhidhugdha Lingam
It is made of milk and curd, on separating the entire quantity of water, and blesses the adorer with property and happiness.

22. Dhanya Lingam
It is made of grain and blesses bumper crops to the adorer.

23. Phala Lingam
It is made of fruits and blesses the owner of orchards with good crops of fruits.

24. Dhatri Lingam
It is made of a kind of acid fruit – phyllanthus Emblica and bestows liberation.

25. Gandha Lingam

It is made of three ingredients -- four parts of sandal paste, three parts of kumkumam and two parts of musk. Size determines the quantity and cost to be put in, but the ratio remains constant. If worship is made to that sandal paste lingam, one gets blessed with Sivasayujyamukti - merging of his jivatma into the Paramatma. Then the cycle of birth after death comes to dead end.

26. Pushpa Lingam
This is made of various kinds of fresh, fragrant, multi-coloured pleasant flowers. It blesses the adorer with kingship and acquisition of land.

27. Gosakru Lingam
It is made of the dung of brown coloured cow. The adorer will be blessed with wealth, if he worships that lingam.

28. Valuka Lingam
It is made of fine sand and the worship confers the status of Vidhyadhara, belonging to one of the denominations of worshipful angels, besides Sivasayujyaprapti.

29. Yavagodhumasalij Lingam
It is made of rice, maize and wheat flour, and if adored, it confers santanaprapti in addition to wealth.

30. Sitakhanda Lingam
It is made of sugar candy and blesses the adorer with robust health and disease free easeful life.

31. Lavana Lingam
It is made of salt mixed with the powder of Hartal and Trikatukala. It blesses the adorer with Vasikaranasakti -- the power that subdues other with the help of spells and charms.

32. Tilapista Lingam
It is made with the paste of gingili seeds. The desires of the adorer are fulfilled, if worshipped.

LINGA PURANA Was compiled by Lord Bramhma was consits of how the universe is created, the tales of lord Shiva, how to Perform puja to lord shiva.

The day of the deities last for a full period when the sun is towards north equator known as uttarayanam, the night of deities last for a full period when the sun is towards south equator which is know as Dhakshinayanam.

One year of the deities is equal to 30 years of humans. There are four yugas. Theduration of each yuga is measured on the basis of divine years. The yugas are divided into Kalpas.

Satya yugam is equal to 40,000 divine years which is equal to 12,00,000 human years ( 40,000 X 30).

Treta yugam is equal to 80,000 divine years which is equal to 24,00,000 human years (80,000 X 30).

Dwariyugam is equal to 20,000 divine years which is equal to 6,00,000 human years (20,000 X 30).

Kaliyagam is equal to 60,000 divine years which is equal to 18,00,000 human years (60,000 X 30).

The period of each Yuga given here is exclusive of the periods of Sandhya (evening) and Sandhyansh (part of evening.)

Lord Brahma commences creation at the fag end of night and all his creations exist for the whole day. When the night descends, everything is annihilated. This is the time when Kalpa ends.

As the initial phase of creation Bramha created trees mountains and immovables and humans as his seventh creation. First Bramha Created his ManasaPutras Sanak, Sanandan. Then he created nine supreme sages

Marichi, Brihgu, angiras, pulastya, pulaha, krathu, dhaksha, atri, and vasistha.