Time = Space Series. Part 15 – Shiva Lingam does not represent a Phallus

If there is one part in the series I want you to read and talk about it with your friends then it is this topic. If I ask you as to what Shiva Linga stands for then more than 99% of the responses would be that it represents a Phallus symbolizing the male sex organ / creative energy with the female sex organ / creative energy - Yoni as the base and both together representing inseparability and totality in the process of creation.

Nothing is more misunderstood and misquoted than this concept of Hinduism. Every idiot including me who has read few books about Hinduism thinks that they are experts of Indology / Vedic studies. The wisest of sages who gave us Vedas and Upanishads did not boast that it is their work. At the end of every work they acknowledged that they are telling us what they have been told by their ancestors. It is 155 trillion+ years of universal knowledge available today in the richest of the languages Tamil and Sanskrit. This cannot be accurately interpreted in a foreign language. Lest in the weakest of all languages - English.


The other contributing factor to this misunderstanding has been the Sanskrit language or should I say the richness of the language.

We have already noted that the same word can have multiple meanings. This is not limited to Sanskrit, but all the languages. For example,

§  Sutra means thread, Aphorisms (the ability to express something in terse and concise manner). Ex. Kama sutra – the most understood of all the sutras. Brahma Sutra – The thread of consciousness that runs in this universe – the most unheard of.

§  Artha in Sanskrit means “meaning” and “wealth”, we have already seen this. As in Vaak-Artha and Artha Sastra (the science of wealth management).

§  Same way Lingam means Symptom, Proof, Gender, Male sex organ etc. Hence it was very easy to get confused, associate the lingam with a Phallus and also to ignore the philosophy and the supreme science behind it. Even people who believed that it represented much more did not knew the philosophy and the science behind it. Let’s look at what it means.

I am going to request you to kindly refer to both the pictures below:

  

We have already seen that the subtle energy is takes the form of a square and the gross energy takes the form of a circle with an in-between state it takes the shape of a tetrahedron and octagon. Now look at the Shiva lingam from the top. Its base is always a square and the top is always a circle.

The manifestation process

Significance of Lingam

If I have to represent the process of evolution at all stages in one form, then i have to merge all the 3 shapes together and it naturally takes the shape of a Lingam with a round top. Shiva Linga captures the overall process of evolution in one form and shape - subtle to gross state – it encompasses every state of consciousness that is possible in this universe.

Why the figure above states that Square shape is Sattvic, circle is Tamasic and the in between state is Rajasic? Let’s understand the definitions of all the three qualities.

§  Sattvic represents the perfect state of balance. When it is subtle it is luminescent and in a perfect state of resonant non-vibration. The energy levels were perfect so that the resultant vibration is nil and it is in absolute balance.

§  Tamasic state represents a state where the height of evolution is reached and hence it is farthest away from the core. This is a different explanation from the usual ones available in the web and books. Let me explain this. The core is very subtle and the tamasic state is very gross and hence it is away from the core. Tamasic state then should be considered as the darkest state possible. Why?

o   Because the core is luminescent and if the gross state is farthest from the core hence it should be the darkest / more dark. This is the meaning behind the most famous statement ‘Tamasoma Jyothir gamaya”… take me from darkness (gross) to light (Subtle). If you have not understood this, read it again. Please!

o   There is no evolution possible beyond the Tamasic state and it has to devolve to reach its core / subtle state. This process is cyclic.

§  Rajasic is a state where the process of pulsation has resulted in a rotational force and hence things are set into action. This represents the evolution process and hence associated with action.

Then the natural next question is, if Shiva Lingam is associated with the entire spectrum of consciousness then we should see it associated with the elements and the light. Isn’t?

§  There is a story in Indian Purana that Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva discussed who is the most powerful among them. Lord Shiva challenged Brahma and Vishnu to reach his head and feet respectively. Brahma tried to find Shiva’s head and Vishnu tried to reach Shiva’s feet, both of them failed. Most of us would have heard the story but would not have understood the philosophical and scientific significance.

o   Lord Shiva in the form of Linga stood there as a PILLAR OF LIGHT. This pillar of light is the Brahma Sutra / light of consciousness which spanned from the center of the galaxy (Hiranyagarba) to every being & non-being in the Universe.

o   Brahma could not find the head because, Brahma is always associated with intelligence in Indian texts. He gave the supreme wisdom - the Vedas and stands for Intelligence. He could not reach Shiva’s head signifies that Intelligence will not take you to God. Intelligence as an energy is too gross and cannot reach the most subtle state of light.

o   Vishu  represents earthly life – Rajasic in character – this is the tetrahedron & octagon state. He could not reach Lord Shiva’s feet signifying you cannot reach the core through actions.

§  Lord Shiva in the form of Lingam is represented as one of the elements (Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space) in the Hindu temples.

If you read the following Upanishad quote, you can understand its EXACT meaning:

na karmaNaa na prajayaa dhanena tyaagenaike amRitatvamaanashuH 

pareNa naakam nihitam guhaayaaM vibhraajate yadyatayo vishanti 

 

Not by work, not by progeny, not by wealth, they have attained Immortality. Some have attained Immortality by renunciation. That which the hermits attain is laid beyond the heaven; yet it shines brilliantly in the (purified) heart.

And this quote also brilliantly articulates the luminescent nature of the Paramaanu:

na tatra (not there) suryo bhati  (sun shines)  na candra (moon does not) na tarakam (nor the stars)

nema vidyuto (nor the lightning) bhanti (shines) kuta ayam agnih  (how can fire shine)

tam (that)  eva (alone) bhantam (shines) anubhati (thereafter shines) sarvam (everything)

tasya bhasa (in that light) sarvam idam vibhati (everything shines)

The sun does not shine there, nor does the moon, nor the stars or the lightning, much less this fire (deepam). When He shines, everything shines after Him; by His light alone everything is illumined.   

The trick is to take the definition & meaning from Upanishads or any scripture and apply it to the God’s particle and the process of evolution and the yo! you would understand the science in it perfectly. Many a times the concept of God faith obscures our mind to look beyond and rationally think about it. It is not the problem of religion but our system of education which has ruined our thinking. Today the biggest challenge we have is to "Unlearn" than to learn.

So to conclude:

§  Shiva Lingam does not represent Phallus. To represent male and female totality and inseparability Hindus do have Arthanareeswara and it is not represented through Lingam.

§  Shiva Lingam represents the Pillar of Light and the entire spectrum of consciousness. From the most subtle to the most gross.

§  It represents an in-between Guna / EGG state (between un-manifest and manifest) and hence it is formless with a form. The best representation of supreme philosophy and primordial science that is ever possible within the limits of our consciousness & beyond. 

Check out the picture below which represents most of the aspects we have discussed so far.

I cannot help but pray that "May Lord Shiva help us all to understand him better.." J

As a wise man said, “Indians are the most ignorant about their rich past and scientific traditions.” Yet wish that this quote isn't any more wise!

Happy reading!

This diagram represents everything we have discussed so far. The central red line is the Brahma Sutra which runs from the center of Galaxy to the terrestrial forms. just correlate this with the Mayan Hunab Ku in the previous part.

This summarizes as to how Energy becomes matter, Subtle becomes Gross, Un-Manifest becomes manifest, how 8 becomes 9, and Square / Cuboid becomes a circle / Sphere. All represented in one formless form called SHIVA LINGAM.