The Shivalingam and Its Worship

The Shivalingam (lingam for short) is an ubiquitous representation of God in Hinduism. It is as prevalent a form of worship as is Lord Ganesha. The worship of the lingam can be found in all the sects of Hinduism. Even in the Vaishnava sect, lingam worship is present as Ishwara instead of Shivalingam. In all the other sects of Hinduism the lingam is called Shivalingam.

Shivalingam means the mark of Shiva; lingam means mark or symbol. The Shivalingam or Ishwara represents God in His/Her third Aspect of Parabrahman. In this Aspect God is absolutely transcendent. So transcendent that this Aspect of God is aloof from existence, yet mysteriously connected. The transcendence of Parabrahman limits the experience of Parabrahman to the depths of meditation–in the state of nirvikalpa samadhi. Thus one cannot experience Parabrahman through worship or in ordinary consciousness as one can the other two aspects of God. Yet the Shivalingam is an object of worship. The place for the Shivalingam in worship is more a symbolic reminder to the devotee about his or her ultimate goal of life–that is to Realize God; one gains full realization of God only after realizing God as Parabrahman through nirvikalpa samadhi.

However the symbolic aspect of the Shivalingam does not mean that its worship is also merely a symbolic gesture. Instead when the Shivalingam is worshipped one draws the attention of Paramatma, God's first Aspect, Who then showers His or Her Grace through the image. The form of Paramatma that the lingam represents depends in the temple the lingam is in or the yantra under the lingam.

The most common lingam is a natural or carved oval stone. It can be any type of stone, however the most prized material for lingams are cyrstals. According to the Agamic Scriptures, crystals are the most effective conduit of God's energies. This is why most deities in temples are made of either granite or marble, as these rocks are natural crystal composites. The shape of the lingam is also not necessarily oval, it can be round and cylindrical or even cylindrical with squared sides. Basically any roundish rock or sculpted earth can be used as a 'mark of God' for worship. In many stories saints and sages will make lingams for worship out of mud. Many temples in India today are places where a holy person once worshipped an earthen lingam.

Lingam worship dates back to the beginning of Hinduism. It can be considered the first deity of worship before all the other forms of Paramatma appeared. The temples in ancient Hindu cities such as Mohenjodaro and Harappa in the Indus valley housed the Shivalingam and deities of Goddess Shakti. The Shivalingam can be found in just about all orthodox Hindu temples. Even non-Saivite temples will have a lingam in their main sanctum albeit hidden under or behind the main deity. The worship of the Shivalingam is most prominent among the Vira Saivites, a sub-sect of Saivism. According to their teachings devotees must have a Shivalingam on his or her person at all times. Thus they wear a small, usually quartz crystal, shivalingam on a simple thread necklace or on an armband.