Everything about Linga Purana totally explained
Linga Purana, one of the major eighteen
Puranas, a
Hindu religious text, is divided into two parts. These parts contain the description regarding the
origin of universe, origin of the
linga, and emergence of
Brahma and
Vishnu, and all the
Vedas from the Linga. In this Purana,
Shiva directly tells sometimes the importance of worship of Linga and the correct rituals to be followed during the
puja of the linga.
Outline
- First part of this Purana describes the origin of the Linga, and details the process of its worship. It has also sections on the creation of the cosmos; immolation of Kama; marriage of Shiva; description of Surya and Soma; and description of Varaha and Narshimha avatars of Vishnu.
- Next part describes the prominence of Lord Vishnu, and the emergence of Brahma as the creator of the cosmos. It has several other accounts, including various aspects of Shiva
- Part three of the Linga Purana contains the description of the seven islands, Mount Meru and other prominent mountains. It also has an account of Brahma assigning divinities to various deities, including the radiance of the Surya.
- The next part has several accounts, including the account of Dhruva as the supreme devotee; origin of different deities; details of dynasties of Aaditya and Yadu; Andhak’s ascendancy to the position the lord of Ganas; annihilation of the demon Jalandhar; and the origin of Ganesh.
- The contents of the last part include the story of Upamanyu; significance of certain mantras; importance of gurus; different types of yoga; and procedure for installation of linga.
"The distinctive sign through which it's possible to recognize the nature of
someone is called a linga." (Shiva Purana)
"Shiva is signless (sexless), without color, taste or smell, beyond word
and touch, without quality, changeless, motionless." (Linga Purana)
This unmanifest being can be perceived only through his creation, which is
his sign or linga. The existence of the unqualified substratum is known and
worshiped only through this sign. The linga, the giver of life
is one of the shapes which represents the nature of the shapeless.
"Shiva as the undivided causal principle is worshiped in the linga. His more
manifest aspects are represented in anthropomorphic images. All other
deities are part of a multiplicity and are thus worshiped as images."
(Karapatri, "Shri Shiva Tattva", Siddhanta).
"The symbol of the Supreme Man (purusha), the formless, the changeless,
the all-seeing eye, the linga. The
symbol of the power that's Nature, generatrix of all that exists is the
yoni." (Karapatri, "Lingopasana-rahasya", Siddhanta)
"Because she's the source of development, Nature (prakriti) is compared
to a womb. The womb is Nature, basis of all. He is
the giver of enjoyment. There is no other giver." (Shiva Purana)
The linga is the universal fecundator and as such is fundamentally one.
But for each form of existence there's a different womb to be fecundated.
Thus the different species are spoken of as yonis. The Puranas speak of
8,400,000 different kinds of beings or yonis.
There can be no creation without the relationship of the opposites. There
could be no creation from Shiva alone, or from Nature alone. The union of
a perceiver and a perceived, an enjoyer and the enjoyed, of a passive and
active principle, is essential for creation to take place.
Transcendent manhood is the immanent cause of creation; transcendent
womanhood is the efficient cause. There can't be procreation without such union
and there can't be divine manifestation without their cosmic equivalent.
It is only through understanding the symbolism of the linga and yoni that
we can begin to apprehend the mysteries of creation.
Further Information
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