Aikya Linga in Varanasi

Aikya Linga in Varanasi

The lingam (also, linga, ling, Shiva linga, Shiv ling, Sanskrit लिङ्गं, liṅgaṃ, meaning "mark", "sign", or "inference") is a representation of the Hindu deity Shiva used for worship in temples. In traditional Indian society, the linga is rather seen as a symbol of the energy and potentiality of the God.

The lingam is often represented alongside the yoni, a symbol of the goddess or of Shakti, female creative energy. The union of lingam and yoni represents the "indivisible two-in-oneness of male and female, the passive space and active time from which all life originates".

The Sanskrit term लिङ्गं liṅgaṃ, transliterated as linga, has diverse meanings and uses, ranging from mark, sign or characteristic to gender. Vaman Shivram Apte's Sanskrit[10] dictionary provides the many definitions:

A mark, sign, token, an emblem, a badge, symbol, distinguishing mark, characteristic
A false or unreal mark, a guise, disguise, a deceptive badge
A symptom, mark of disease
A means of proof, a proof, evidence
(In logic) The hetu or middle term in a syllogism
The sign of gender or sex
Sex
The male organ of generation
Gender (in gram.)
The genital organ of Śiva worshipped in the form of a Phallus
The image of a god, an idol
One of the relations or indications...which serve to fix the meaning of a word in any particular passage
(In Vedānta philosophy) The subtle frame or body, the indestructible original of the gross or visible body
A spot, stain
The nominal base, the crude form of a noun
(In Sāṅ. phil.) Pradhāna or Prakṛiti
The effect or product (that which is evolved out of a primary cause and itself becomes a producer).
Inference, conclusion
The Hindu scripture Shiva Purana describes in its first section, the Vidyeshwar Samhita, the origin of the lingam, known as Shiva-linga, as the beginning-less and endless cosmic pillar (Stambha) of fire, the cause of all causes. Lord Shiva is pictured as emerging from the Lingam – the cosmic pillar of fire – proving his superiority over gods Brahma and Vishnu. This is known as Lingodbhava. The Linga Purana also supports this interpretation of lingam as a cosmic pillar, symbolizing the infinite nature of Shiva. According to Linga Purana, Shiva लिङ्गं liṅgaṃ Shiva Lingam or Shiva Pindi is a complete symbolic representation of the formless Universe Bearer - the oval shaped stone is resembling mark of the Universe and bottom base as the Supreme Power holding the entire Universe in it. Similar interpretation is also found in the Skanda Purana: "The endless sky (that great void which contains the entire universe) is the Linga, the Earth is its base. At the end of time the entire universe and all the Gods finally merge in the Linga itself." In yogic lore, the linga is considered the first form to arise when creation occurs, and also the last form before the dissolution of creation. It is therefore seen as an access to Shiva or that which lies beyond physical creation. -Wikipedia.org