sivalingam significance

June 2, 2001

Significance of the Shiva Lingam

The non antrhropomorphic Lingam form of Shiva is what is held in reverence in

temples all over the sub continent. The Lingam is a symbol. It is a symbol of

that which is invisible yet omnipresent. It is hence a a visible symbol of the

Ultimate Reality which is present in us (and in all objects of creation ).

The Shivalingam denotes the primeval energy of the Creator.It is believed that

at the end of all creation, during the great deluge, all of the different

aspects of God find a resting place in the Lingam; Bhrama is absorbed into the

right, Vishnu to the left and Gayatri into the heart. The Shivalingam is also a

representation of the infinite Cosmic Column of fire, whose origins, Vishnu and

Bhrama were unable to trace

Legend has it that Parvati fashioned a Shivalingam with a fistful of sand at

Kanchipuram and worshipped Shiva; this lingam is known as the Prithvilingam,

denoting the primordial element earth. Shivalingams in several temples are

swayambus, or that which appeared on their own, or that which is untouched by a

chisel. On the other hand, there are temples where the Shivalingam is carved out

of stone and installed. The highly polished Shivalingams of the Pallava period

bear several stripes, as in the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram

Nandi, the bull is depicted facing the sanctum in all Saivite temples,

symbolizing the human soul Jeevatma yearning for realizing its oneness with

Paramatma, the ultimate reality.

Typically, the processional bronze images of Shiva are those of Somaskanda,

Chandrasekhara, Bhikshatana and Nataraja. Although in most Shiva temples, the

central shrine enshrining the Shivalingam is of the greatest importance, the

Nataraja shrine is of greater importance at Chidambaram, the Somaskandar -

Tyagarajar shrine is of greater significance at Tiruvarur.

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