Shiva Linga Worship in India
Friends,
First of all let me tell you this article is of research nature and not meant to criticize any religious practices or to criticize the Lords we believe.
The Linga Worship as Lord Shiva perhaps is older form of worship than worship of God in the form of VISHNU. This superstitious form of phallic worship of God was adopted in many nations. As per Dr. Hodder " it is considered as the most ancient of superstitions of the human race which sprang up among the people of all nations and prevailed among them. It is older form of worship by the Indus people from 6000 BC to 2000 BC. During the excavation of the Indus Valley it was seen some polished stones in the form of Linga or Phallus and the female organ which suggests that the then people might be worshipping these sexual organs and that the Indus valley people might be worshipping the primitive form of Shaivism . This is also confirmed from the bull or bull like images found at the Indus valley excavation sites. This suggests that at the time of Indus valley civilization the people then, might have followed a primitive form shaivism. The TERMILOIS, who are the ancient Dravidians of India and who settled in North-western India, and thereafter moved to East and the Southern parts of India and who came before the Aryans around 7000 BC called HIM as Lord SHIVA, CHENPU , Shampu etc. says Sri V. JAYARAM. They spoke a language which was a sort of agglutinative language almost akin to TAMIL.
During Indus valley Civilization excavation some copper coins were also found in which it was engraved with a male figure with three faces, with a pair of horns on his head.. This figure was seated in yogic position on a pedestal. Few animals were also seen on both sides. Lord Shiva is also called as PASUPATHI. There is a vehicle also which is a BULL. The horns over the head and the animals on both sides and the BULL as vehicle, are possible depiction of Lord Shiva as Pasupathi. Almost during this period in Southern Mesopotamia worshipped a deity similar to the one we got from the site of excavation at Indus Valley Civilization, the seal of three headed God and a Goddess of Mountain whom we have named as PARVATHI. The sexual organs we got from the site of excavation at Indus Valley remind us that our forefathers gave more importance to fertility cult.
One Shiva Linga which is one of the oldest Shiva Linga and said to be 2200 years old can be seen in a small village in Chittor District. The place is called Gudimallam and the temple is known as PARASURAMESWARAM TEMPLE. In this, the idol is seen holding a ram in his right hand and a pot in his left hand which the villagers believe to be a toddy pot. The LORD is seen in JADADHARA FASHION. The villagers told me many stories which one can hear when he/she goes to the temple. From Ujjain few copper coins of 3rd century BC have similar resemblance of this deity. In Mathura Museum also one can see some coins of similar type but of 1st Century BC. People at GUDIMALLAM VILLAGE said that this Shiva Linga is important because it depicts all the three GODS (The God of CREATION, BRAHMA, at the root; the lord of PROTECTION VISHNU in the middle portion and Lord of DESTRUCTION, SHIVA at the uppermost portion, since without destruction creation is not possible.
I am yet to be convinced with this theory, as I believe In " ll एको देवः सर्व भूतेषु गूडःसर्वव्यापी सर्व भूतान्तरात्माकार्माध्यक्षः सर्वभूताधिवासः साक्षी चेतो केवलो निर्गुणश्च ll Swethaswatharaopanshad-VI-19-11
With the arrival of Aryans to India, the whole concept of Lord SHIVA is changed and LORD VISHNU became prominent. Even in our SANDHYA VANDANA we say " सर्व देवनमस्कारः केशवम् प्रतिगच्छति ll " Even Lord SHIVA's name was not shown anywhere in they changed to RUDRA and he was made a sub-ordinate god. रुद्र, चमक refers. The Word SHIVA is not referred to any GOD but only referred as purity. The VEDIC people did not like people who worshipped LINGAS but named HIM as a fierce GOD and named him as RUDRA. They also called Him as the father of the MARUTHS as lord of the destructive wind. Later on due to fear of torture by Lord SHIVA they made him as the healer and and giver of medicines, protector of cows from snake , sacrifice and upheld the name LORD SHIVA. ( I requet the readers to read the article written by Sri.SathGuru Sivaya Subramaniaswamy ). Even they equated him to Lord Vishnu by saying "ll शिवाय विष्णुरूपाय, शिवरूपाय विष्णवे ll "
There is an interesing story about the birth of Lord DHARMA SHAASTHA where in it is stated " ll शिववीर्यसमुत्भूतंश्रीनिवास तनुत्भवं शिस्किवाहनुजं वन्दे शास्तारं प्रणामाम्यहं ll The meaning goes like this Dharma Shaastha is Born out of the semen secreted by Lord shiva on Lord Maha Vishnu on his body. Such a lord who is the brother of Lord Subramania, to thee I prostrate. This shows also the fusion between Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu .In Maha Bhagavatha where in it is stated “ ll सोऽनुव्रज्यातिवेगेन गृहीत्वानिच्छतींस्तर्यं, क्लेशबन्ध उपानीय बाहुभ्यां परिषस्वजे l सोपगूढा भगवता करिणी यथा, इतस्ततः प्रसर्प्पन्दी विप्रकीर्णशिरोरुहा l आत्मानं मोचयित्वाङ्ग ! सुरर्षभभूजान्तरात्, प्राद्रवत् सा पृथुश्रोणी माया देवविनिर्म्मिता ll Bhagavatham 8th Skandha; Slokas 28 to 30. In the same Skanda Sloka 32 it is said “ ll तस्यानुदहावतो श्चस्कन्दामोघरेतसः, शुष्मिणो युथपस्यैव वासितामनु धावतः l In sloka 33 it is said “ ll यत्र यत्रापतन्मह्याम् रेतस्तस्य महात्मनः, तानिरूपस्य हेम्नश्चक्षेत्राण्यासन् महीपते ! ll However in Shreemath Maha Bhagavatham I do not find anywhere written that Dharma Shaastha was born out of this union. Even in “NARAYANEEYAM” we cannot get it. It is probable that Aryans never wanted to show that Lord Shiva is a God. Further Phallus worship was hated by Aryan Tribes. Everywhere they tell LORD MAHA VISHNU is the ultimate GOD.
However Adi Shankarara, the 8th century ,CE Hindu philosopher.. started “Panchayatana puja is the system of worship ('puja') in the Smarta sampradaya of Hinduism. It consists of the worship of five deities: Shiva, Vishnu, Devi, Surya and Ganesha. Depending on the tradition followed by Smarta households, one of these deities is kept in the center and the other four surround it. Worship is offered to all the deities. The five are represented by small murtis, or by five kinds of stones, or by five marks drawn on the floor – From Wickipedia
Whatever it may be, we have to admit that Lord Shiva in Hinduism is popularly worshipped in the form of Linga, even now, is the truth. Most probably it must be an attempt to give the formless GOD a form by the early tribes in India as in other places in the world, which the Learned tribes, later negated by saying that the only GOD is Lord Vishnu. The early tribes as in all over world believed in Nature as God. LINGA in Sanskrit means SIGN (குறி) and it represents the beginning of creation. Lord Shiva can never be separated from Shakthi. It is the nature which makes all to procreate.
There is a Story in LINGA PURANA which is given in the Web. I reproduce it, for information of all :-
“One story in connection with the Shiva linga is found in the Linga Purana. It describes that once Lord Brahma, the god of creation, and Lord Vishnu, the God of protection, engaged in an argument on who was greater. When those two great gods were fighting between themselves, Lord Shiva appeared as a huge pillar of fire that spread across the universe. He told Brahma and Vishnu that whoever finds the head or foot of his form of flame would be considered greater. Then Brahma took the form of a swan and set out to reach the top of the flame. Vishnu took the form of a boar to seek out the foot of the fire. But in spite of their efforts, they could not succeed in finding the limits. They realized their mistake and the peerless greatness of Lord Shiva. This shows how Shiva cannot be approached through ego, but responds with love to those who surrender to him. In this pastime, Lord Shiva appeared in the form of the fiery lingam for their benefit. So they were considered blessed with additional insight for worshiping that oldest form of him. This form of Shiva who appeared from the flame is called Lingodbhava. This story is found in the Shiva Purana and other texts.
“The lingas in the temples are often formed in three parts. The lowest part is the base square called the Brahmabhaga or Brahma-pitha, which represents the creator Brahma. The next part in the middle is the octagonal Vishnubhaga or Vishnu-pitha, which signifies Lord Vishnu the sustainer. Both of these parts form the pedestal. The top cylindrical portion is the Rudrabhaga or Shiva-pitha, which is also called the Pujabhaga since this is the worshipable part. The top portion is also meant to symbolize the projecting flame of fire. This flame also represents the destructive aspects as well as the preserving power of God. Probably this might be to resurect Hinduism which was overtaken by Buddsm.(PRR)
Both are written by Stephen Knapp.
I conclude with the following verse which I have taken from Sri. Viswanathashtakam.
“ ll गङ्गातरङ्ग रमणीय जटाकलापं
गौरीनिरन्तरविभूषित वामभागम् l
नारायणप्रियमनंगमदापहारं
वाराणसीपुरापतिं भज विस्वनाथम् ll “
Regards and Namaskarams to all
P.R.RADHAKRISHNAN
