1

Significance of Siva Linga

>I would like to know the origin and significance of the Siva Linga. >As far as my knowledge goes:
>The bhraman (paramatma) is supposed to be deviod of form or attributes. >The Siva linga is also
deviod of form (arupa svarupam) and is therefore >representative of the bhraman (siva in particular).
>I would like to know if this interpretation is correct.

Shiva is both "with and without attributes". Thus the linga has a form, but still reminds one of the
formless. Other interpretations have also been given, like shiva is the Brahmaanda and so on. He is
called by the Tamil saints as being both "uruvam" and "aruvam" ie, saguna and nirguna. The shiva
puraana explains that though shiva is nirguna, he appears as saguna for the non- realized. This is the
same tattva explained in the "chidambara rakachiyam". In Chidambaram, the Lord is represented as
nataraaja and the lingam there is called the akasha lingam. The lingam is usually covered and when the
priest lifts the cover, there is nothing inside! It's significance is that when the maya (represented by the
cover) is lifted shiva shines as the nirguna brahman (the "attribute-less").

It is extremely important for people to consider how consciousness or the linga can create "attributes"
or versity in this world.

As far as the orgin goes, you can refer to the shiva puraana for the story. He appeared as the linga
when vishnu and brahma were arguing who was superior (lingodbhava muurti). The place where this
happened was thiruvaNNaamalai, where the column of fire (GYaanaagni) condensed as the mountain.
I believe that the story can also be found in the skanda purana. A small idol describing this is a
common feature in many shiva temples in Tamil Nadu.

Where is Thiruvanamlai ? In my own Shiva Purana, the notes at the bottom seem to mention Kasi. But
regardless, seems that the idea of consciousness was demonstrated to the vaishnav and Brahma
philosophers. An interesting detail is that Vishnu bored into the earth to find the bottom of the lingam,
perhaps oking at the fundamentals of how consciousness could support the World, and Brahma flew
towards the heaven, perhaps looking at the aplications of consciousness. This story is told both in
Shiva Purana and Brahma Purana.

Srila Prabhupada said: Siva lingam is symbolic representation