Lord Shiva is a central figure in Hinduism, he is worshipped in the form of a Shivling.

 

The worship of Shivling is bound to invite the grace of Lord Shiva and beautify your life. And as the scriptures say, there is no greater wealth than winning the God's grace such is the significance of worshipping shivling. Shiva is worshipped every minute and every day, but Mondays are considered more auspicious for Shivas worship.

Though Shiva is a central figure in Hinduism, he is worshipped in the form of a Shivling. The sage Bhrighu cursed Shiva so that he could only be worshipped in this form. This curse came about when Bhrigu tried to visit Shiva but was turned away by Nandi, the gatekeeper, because Shiva and Parvati wished to be left alone.

The word linga literally means “mark” or “characteristic” and it represents the “formless divine” (Pattanaik). Since the linga is just a simple shape, it may be interpreted to take any form. Since Shiva contains all forms, he cannot take just one. Lingas can also be used in the form of a small oval. It can also represent the pillar of fire that Shiva emerged from when he claimed supremacy over the rest of the trimurti. 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; Brahma is absorbed into the right, Vishnu to the left and Gayatri into the heart.

Shivling or Shiva lingam connects a devotee with the Supreme Being. The lingam is the symbol of Lord Shiva and the lingam puja helps the devotee in understanding Lord Shiva. The Lord cannot be described but still we say he is without a beginning and an end and is without a form. It is difficult for a devotee to understand this formless nature. Therefore Lord Shiva appeared in the form of Jyotirlinga before Brahma and Vishnu. The Lingam thus is a symbol of Lord Shiva. Each Lingam puja, step by step, takes the devotee to the eternal truth – that he/she is part of the Supreme Being.

There are numerous advantages of worshipping the Shivling. It is believed that the worship of Shivling provides all the benefits equal to worshipping Lord Shiva at any Jyotirlinga Temple.!

Hara Hara Mahadev ~ Om Namah Shivaya ~ Shubh Somvaar !