What is Shiva Lingam?
“Lingam”
is one of the most misunderstood motifs of Hinduism. It has been
subject to such a bad smear campaigning by Westerners, especially
missionaries, which even Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as a
stylized phallic symbol. The expression ‘linga’ in the Agama context
signifies ‘symbol’ (chinha). Derived from the root ‘ligi gatyau’, it
refers to movement, and words having been movement as
their
etymological meaning have also connotations of knowledge (‘sarve
gatyarthah jnanarthah’). Linga therefore means that by which the Divine
is cognized or approached (‘lingyate jnayate anena iti lingam’).
The Agama texts also bring out another valid explanation for the word
‘linga’: linga in its primary sense is broken up into ‘ling’ (to
dissolve, to get merged, to destroy) and ‘ga’ (to emerge, to go out).
Linga is so called because all phenomena are dissolved in Siva at the
time of cosmic dissolution, and it emerges from Siva once again at the
time of creation. (Ajitagama, 3, 16-17).
Thus Shiva Linga represents the mark of the cosmos.
Swami Vivekananda gave by far the best rebuttal to Western claims that
it might be a symbol of phallic worship, by giving proof from the vedas.
Swami Vivekananda gave a lecture at the Paris Congress of the History
of Religions in 1900 during which he refuted the statements of some
Western scholars that referred to Shiva linga as phallic worship.
Vivekananda’s words at the congress were in connection with the paper
read by Mr.Gustav Oppert, a German Orientalist, who tried to trace the
origin of the Shalagrama-Shila and the Shiva-Linga to phallicism. To
this Vivekananda objected, adducing proof from the Vedas, and
particularly the Atharva-Veda Samhita, to the effect that the
Shiva-Linga had its origin in the idea of the Yupa-Stambha or
Skambha—the sacrificial post, idealized in Vedic ritual as the symbol of
the Eternal Brahman.
Swami Sivananda, also explains why equating
Siva Lingam with the phallus is a mistake. According to him, “This is
not only a serious mistake, but also a grave blunder. In the post-Vedic
period, the Linga became symbolical of the generative power of the Lord
Siva. Linga is the differentiating mark. It is certainly not the
sex-mark. You will find in the Linga
Purana:
“Pradhanam prakritir yadahur-lingamuttamam; Gandhavarnarasairhinam sabda-sparsadi-varjitam”—
The foremost Linga which is primary and is devoid of smell, colour,
taste, hearing, touch, etc., is spoken of as Prakriti (Nature).”
Bana lingam (One kind of Shiva linga )The Bana Lingam is a most Sacred
Symbol and Divine Energy Tool, both in the ancient and in this modern
world. The Bana Lingas are Swayambhu Shiva Lingas that have taken shape
in the Sacred Narmada River, in the Central Western part of India. This
is why the Bana Lingams are also known as the Narmada Banalingas or
Narmadeshwar Shiva Lingas.The Narmadha Bana Lingas became very famous
throughout the world, after the film “Indiana Jones and the Temple of
Doom” was screened : this is the very same Sacred Stone that they were
searching for .The story:There is a story narrated in
Aparajita-pariprchchha (205, 1-26) about the origin of the bana-lingas
and their association with the Narmada river. Siva wanted to destroy the
‘tri-pura’, which had been obtained as a boon by the arrogant demon
Banasura, and he let go a fiery dart from his great bow ‘pinaka’. The
dart broke the three ‘puras’ into tiny bits, which fell on three
spots:1, on the hills in Sri-kshetra (of unknown identity),2, on the
peaks of Amarakantaka in the Vindhya ranges, and3, on the banks of the
holy river Narmada. The bits that fell in these places soon multiplied
into crores,. each bit becoming a linga. As they formed part of the
possession of Banasura, they were called Bana-Lingas.
Science:It is the considered view of many researchers and geologists
that the unique composition of the Narmadha Shiva Lingas was due to the
impregnation of it’s rocky river-sides and the rocks in the river bed,
14 million years ago by a large meteorite that crashed into the Narmada
River. The fusion of the Meteorite and the Earthly Minerals has spawned a
new and unique type of Crystalline Rock with extraordinary energetic
qualities – the Narmada Bana Lingam. The bana Lingas contain Crypto
Crystalline Quartz (masses made up of either fibrous or granular
aggregates of tiny, microscopic Quartz Crystals) and a Gemstone material
called Chalcedony (with an iron oxide and geothite inclusion) alongwith
Basalt and Agate – this unique composition coupled with elliptical
shape has a precise resonance in alignment with our Energy Centers or
Chakras and are used for thousands of years as Divine Energy Generators
for Cleansing, Healing and for Meditation. The Narmada Bana Lingas are
quite strong and the hardness is a 7 on the Moe’s Scale, one of the
highest frequency vibration rates of all stones on earth. The vibration
of bana linga is said to be perfect for purification purpose.
Thus Matsya-Purana (Chap. 165-169), truly said drinking the water from
this river (Narmada) and worshipping Siva (Bana Lingam) will secure
freedom from all states of misery
Courtesy :: Global Hinduism
Source: Ask Anything on Hinduism/Sanathan Dharma
