Introduction : Subject Matter - I

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1 Course - Bachelor of Performing Arts (Dance) Year - II Paper Name - Indian Mythology Paper No.- II Lecture No.- 8 Lecture Title - Aniconic Form of Shiva in Ancient Indian Texts Introduction : Hello Viewrs, Today's lecture will be on Lord Shiva -the great god, the god of gods in Indian Mythology. Shiva is the god who is worshiped in anthropomorphic form as well as in aniconic form. The word Lingam in Sanskrit means Symbol. Shiva Lingam, therefore, means symbol of Shiva and is considered most sacred by Shaivite. Shiva Linga is a rounded, elliptical, aniconic image that is usually sat on a circular base. Shiva is generally worshipped in aniconic as well as anthropomorphic form. The worship of Linga as Shiva according to most scholars, especially from the West arises from the worship of phallus. The phallic cult has been traced to very ancient times, its origin, however, being still involved in mystery whatever may be the origin of linga worship there is no doubt that it has come to be recognized like the Vaishnavite saligrama a perfect symbol of the formless. Subject Matter - I The ritualistic treatise categorizes different classes of lingas. The Vamana Purana, Shiva Purana, Skanda Purana, Matsya Purana, Vishvasara attributes the origin of Shiva linga to the curse of sages leading to the separation of and installation of the Phallus on earth. The Skanda Purana mentions, The sky is the shaft and the earth is its pedestal; all gods dwell in the linga; since there, it receives the name linga. The Shiva Purana classifies the linga in two groups i.e. the moveable and the immovable lingas. Chola Lingam (Moveable lingam) may be kept in the shrine of ones own home for worship or prepared temporarily with materials like sand, clay, dough or rice & dispensed with after the worship. It can also be worn on the body as a pendent in the necklace etc. Achala Lingams (fixed) are installed in the temples and are un-moveable, once they are installed. There are rigid rules for Achala Lingam. Usually such lingams are made of black stones. A Shiva lingam is generally made up of stones, marbles or metals. It has three distinct parts, which are considered as portions of Brahma, Vishnu & Shiva. Lower part represents Brahma, the middle Vishnu and the upper represents Shiva. Shiva lingam represents all the three powers in one Supreme Shiva. According to the Suprabhedagama the sthavara-lingas are classified into nine divisions, namely:

2 - Svayambhu - The Purva - The Daivata - The Ganapatya - The Asura - The Sura - The Arsha - The Rakshana - The Manusha - The Banalingas There are numerous lingas, which are mentioned in the Makutagama. Ninetysix lingas are noticed in detail. These ninety-six lingas types are based on the proportion, shape of the head and the shape of the pitha (vedi). The Makutagama explains four classes of the sthira lingas, namely, the Daivika, the Arshaka, the Ganapatya and the Manusha lingas. The Kamikagama recognizes that the sthavara lingas are divided into six classes The Svayambhu, the Daivika, the Arshaka, the Ganapatya, the Manusha and the Banalingas. Banalinga, a stone found in nature, in the bed of the Narmada river in Madhya Pradesh. It is called Svayambhu linga (self existent) as it is discovered in nature. The Narmada River where the Banalinga stones are found has been mentioned by Ptolemy and the author of the Periplus. The epics & Puranas refer to it frequently. The Rewa khand of Vayu Purana and the Rewa khand of Skanda Purana are devoted to the Narmada river. The Banalinga, as a divine aniconic symbol for worship, is held in reverence by the Shaivites and Smartha Brahmini. There is a chapter in definition or rather characteristics of lingas in the Kamika agama in chapter 62. It says linga could be made of clay, wood, metal or stone. Some are found in gems too. The lingas made of clay fall into two categories as lingas of unburned clay or burnt clay. The terracotta lingas are intended for abhicara worship i.e., destruction of enemies. The text proceeds to enumerate, the materials, the sources from where these could be obtained, the type of wood that could be used, the nature of stone suitable for linga & the different proportions for Brahma bhaga, Vishnu bhaga and Rudra bhaga. One chapter deals with mukha lingas, which are meant for bestowing enjoyment (bhukti) or salvation (mukti). Mukha lingas are classified as - Eka-mukha lingas - Trimukha lingas

3 - Chaturmukha lingas The text also speaks of types of lingas called Pundarika, Visala, Srivatsa. Satrumardana lingas Worshipping Pundarika lingas bestows fame, Vishala bestows great wealth, Srivatsa gives all prosperity is obtained by Satrumardana The Daivika lingas have their own shapes. They may represent the shape of a flame, or resemble a pair of hands in anjali mudra. They may appear with elevations & depressions, deep hollows & scars resembling tanka & sula. The Ganapa lingas are in the shape of the fruits like cucumber, citron or palm etc. Such lingas are set up by ganas. The Arsha lingas are spheroidal in shape and these are worshipped by rishis. The Manusha lingas are set up by human hands according to the rules of Agamas, These man made lingas are of five varieties- Ashtottarasata linga Sahasra linga Dhara linga Mukha linga Saiveshtya linga 1. Ashtottarasata linga - Adorned with 108 miniature lingas, which are carved on the puja bhaga of the suredhya linga. They are produced by cutting four equidistant horizontal deep lines on the surface. At right angles to these are parallel to the axis of the linga are to be carved twenty-seven deep lines. 2. Sahasara linga - Is exactly like Ashtottarasata linga but with further divisions. 3. Dhara lingas - The puja bhaga has vertical fluted facets ranging from five to sixty four in number. lingas. The Suprabhedagama prescribes 5, 7, 9, 12, 16, 20, 24 & 28 facets for Dhara The Kamagama explains only 16 facets. The Vishnudharmottara points that the upper portion of the linga should be round, middle portion octagonal and that near the brahmapitha square. These portions are called Fire appeared from the cosmic water and from this flame linga Shiva emerged to claim supremacy over Brahma and Vishnu.

4 The ancient scripture Linga Purana says that the foremost Linga is devoid of smell, colour, taste etc.(linga Purana 1.3,2-3(415)) In the Post-Vedic period, the Linga became symbolical of the generative power of Lord Shiva. Three kinds of linga are described in the Brihat Vaivarta Purana. These three lingas are called Svambhuva (self-existing), Bana linga (got from a certain river and Saila Linga (made of stone) and these are also respectfully called Vyakta, Avyakta, and Vyakt Avyakta. It is believed that Vyakta gives us Salvation, Avyakta gives wordly happiness, and Vyakt Avyakta gives both. Subject Matter - II Shiva Purana states, The Basic Nature (Pradhana) is thus called the linga. The owner of the Linga is supreme divinity. It further narrates, The root of the linga is the signless. The linga itself is Unmanifest-Nature (Avyakta). Thus Shiva himself is sexless. The sun is envisaged as the progenitor of the worlds, hence its symbol is that of procreation, says Shiva Purana. (Shiva Purana, 1.16,105.(420)) The Rupamandana, an iconographic text of 15th Century A.D., gives interesting details about three, one and four faced Mukhalingas. In a one-faced linga, the face should be depicted in front and in a three faced one, the back face is absent. In a fourfaced linga, the Western face is white, the northern red, the southern black & terrific, white, eastern face has the colour of well-kindled fire. In some of the Agamas, there are references to installation of lingas representing devotees. The Shivajananabodha, a text of great authority in Tamilnadu, states the devotee merges with Shiva in the final stage- sivena aikyam gatah in Sanskrit. The Vamana Purana states that there was a great linga beneath a banyan tree by the side of which stood Parvati in the form of linga. The Purana says goddess Parvati in linga form was always present by the side of the great linga which means that there were two lingas one representing Shiva and the other representing Parvati by its side. There was always a sacred tank near that place, called Rudrakara acting as Sarva tirtha, abode of all sacred waters. The Kena Upanishad showed Uma Haimavati was the embodiment of knowledge appearing as a shaft of flame. The Mayamata says that the number of the facets in Brahma-bhaga, the Vishnu bhaga and the Rudra bhaga should be 4,8 and 16; 8,16 and 32 or 16,32 and 64 respectively. Types of Lingas The lingas can be divided as - Plain linga - Sahasra linga - Mukha linga - ek, dvi, chatur

5 - Panch mukha The symbolism of the various forms of the God is described in the Vishnudharmottara as well as in the Mahabharata. According to the text Sadyojata stands for Earth, Vamadeva represents water, Aghora depics the symbol of light, Tatpurusha symbolizes wind and Isana is the symbol of Sky. The Mahabharata points that the eastern face is for maintaining order, the northern face is meant for conversation, the western face gives happiness to the creatures and the southern (Rudra) face is for the destruction of the world. Summary: T.A. Gopinatha Rao holds that the Shiva lingas represent phallic emblem, From the description of the Manusha lingas, it is easy to see that the symbol represents a phallic emblem, of which the part projecting above the pitha is the representation of the membrum virile and the Brahma sutra makes the nut from the shaft and the rounded top completes its likeness of the human phallus, designed to fix the linga firmly in the pedestal of the component parts of the pitha that slab of stone with a square hold in which the square portion of the linga fits in and which forms the lower member of the pitha, prevents its notion the second slab with an octagonal hold in it and which is the second or upper member of the pitha restricts the vertical notion of the linga. The illustrations & drawings of T.A.Rao do not resemble to human phallus. It seems that to describe all linga worship, as worship of the phallus is patently wrong. The Linga of the Universe- The shapeless is represented through many symbols such as ether, the pillar of light and the Universe s egg. All these refer to Shiva Mahadeva s manifest and united to his power. Skanda Purana describes space is the light, the earth, the altar. In it dwell all the Gods. The Cosmic Egg represents Totality. The Universe appears like an egg divided into halves, sky and earth. This shape is called a sign a linga. In the sacrificial Fire emerges a form of a linga, an auspicious light (Shiva Jyotis). The arrow (Bana linga) is taken as the symbol of the number 5 because of the five arrows of the God of love through which he perturbs the five senses. The arrow linga is represented with five faces. The Shiva principle is the axis of manifestation developing from the point limit (bindu), the centre of the Universe. Shiva Purana explains, In the middle of the lower subtle center of the body, said to be the triangle of desire- knowledge- action, stands this self-born linga, shining like a thousand suns. Purusha and prakrti are one and exist only in relation to each other. It is in their undivided state, the stage when the sign (linga) is one with the signless (alinga), which is called the Supreme-sign (Maha-linga). Svayambhu, the self-born represents the Supreme sign. Conclusion:

6 The Shiva lingam is considered divine phallus, containing within it the seed of the universe. From it all life is created. There are thousands of lingams all over India. The most important are twelve in number. As given in the Saloka of Shiva Purana. Saurashtra Somanatham cha, Sri Saile Mallikarjuna, Ujjanyinyam Mahakalam, Omkare Malamleshwara, GHimalaye to Kedaram, Dakinyam Bhimashankara, Varanasyam cha Vishweshwam, Tryambakam Gautameethate, Paralyam Vaidyanatham cha, Nageshaam Darukavane, Sethu bande Ramesham, Grishnesam cha Shivalaya, This is the famous sloka given in the Shiva Purana. These 12 famous Jyotrlingas are mentioned in the Dwadasa Jyotirlinga stotra. These are known as Dwadasa Jyotirlinga shrines also enshrining Shiva in the form of a Jyotir where God appeared in the form of light (Jyoti) lingam. Puranas say that Shivas presence exist in these shrines. At the root is Brahma, in the middle, Vishnu, lord of the three worlds; above is the fierce Rudra, the great God, the eternal giver of peace, whose name is the sacred syllable AUM. The altar of the linga is the Great Goddess; the linga is the Maheshvara, explains Linga Purana ( , (440)) Thank You