Lord Shiva is described as Brahman or Supreme Being who is
in-charge destruction in the cyclical process of creation, protection, and
destruction. Lord Shiva dissolves the Universe for the creation of new cycle
giving an opportunity for the unliberated souls to liberate themselves from the
Karma. He is a Lord of mercy and compassion protecting his devotees from greed
& lust bestowing them with boons and wisdom.
Lord Shiva cannot be symbolized in form, the general perception
for Lord Shiva’s appearance described in purana and various images. When a form
is given to Lord Shiva, he is identified in:
- The unclad body covered with ashes:
The unclad body symbolizes the transcendental
aspect of the Lord. Since most things reduce to ashes when burned, ashes
symbolize the physical universe. The ashes on the unclad body of the Lord
signify that Shiva is the source of the entire universe which emanates from
Him, but He transcends the physical phenomena and is not affected by it.
- Matted Locks:
Lord Shiva is the Master of yoga.
The three matted locks on the head of the Lord convey the idea that integration
of the physical, mental and spiritual energies is the ideal of yoga.
Rudra is another name of Shiva.
Rudra also means "strict or uncompromising" and aksha means
"eye." Rudraksha necklace worn by the Lord illustrates that He uses
His cosmic laws firmly - without compromise - to maintain law and order in the
universe. The necklace has 108 beads which symbolize the elements used in the
creation of the world.
- Ganga :
Ganga (river Ganges) is associated
with Hindu mythology and is the most sacred river of Hindus. According to
tradition, one who bathes in Ganga (revered as Mother Ganga) in accordance with
traditional rites and ceremonies on religious occasions in combination with
certain astrological events, is freed from sin and attains knowledge, purity
and peace. Ganga, symbolically represented on the head of the Lord by a female
(Mother Ganga) with a jet of water emanating from her mouth and falling on the
ground, signifies that the Lord destroys sin, removes ignorance, and bestows
knowledge, purity and peace on the devotees.
- The Crescent Moon:
Crescent moon is shown on the side
of the Lord's head as an ornament, and not as an integral part of His
countenance. The waxing and waning phenomenon of the moon symbolizes the time
cycle through which creation evolves from the beginning to the end. Since the
Lord is the Eternal Reality, He is beyond time. Thus, the crescent moon is only
one of His ornaments, and not an integral part of Him.
- Three eyes:
Lord Shiva, also called Tryambaka
Deva (literally, "three-eyed Lord"), is depicted as having three
eyes: the sun is His right eye, the moon the left eye and fire the third eye.
The two eyes on the right and left indicate His activity in the physical world.
The third eye in the center of the forehead symbolizes spiritual knowledge and
power, and is thus called the eye of wisdom or knowledge. Like fire, the
powerful gaze of Shiva's third eye annihilates evil, and thus the evil-doers
fear His third eye.
- Half-opened eyes:
When the Lord opens His eyes, a new
cycle of creation emerges and when He closes them, the universe dissolves for creation
of the next cycle. The half-open eyes convey the idea that creation is going
through cyclic process, with no beginning and no end. Lord Shiva is the Master
of Yoga, as He uses His yogic power to project the universe from Himself. The
half-open eyes also symbolize His yogic posture.
- Kundalas (two ear rings):
Two Kundalas, Alakshya (meaning
"which cannot be shown by any sign") and Niranjan (meaning
"which cannot be seen by mortal eyes") in the ears of the Lord
signify that He is beyond ordinary perception. Since the Kundalain
the left ear of the Lord is of the type used by women and the one in His right
ear is of the type used by men, these Kundalas also symbolize
the Shiva and Shakti (male and female) principle of creation.
- A snake (Vasuki Naga):
Is shown curled three times around
the neck of the Lord and is looking towards His right side. The three coils of
the snake symbolize the past, present and future - time in cycles. The Lord
wearing the curled snake like an ornament signifies that creation proceeds in
cycles and is time dependent, but the Lord Himself transcends time. The right
side of the body symbolizes the human activities based upon knowledge, reason
and logic. The snake looking towards the right side of the Lord signifies that
the Lord's eternal laws of reason and justice preserve natural order in the
universe.
- Var Mudra:
The Lord's right hand is shown in a
boon- bestowing and blessing pose. As stated earlier, Lord Shiva annihilates
evil, grants boons, bestows grace, destroys ignorance, and awakens wisdom in
His devotees
- Trident (Trisul) :
A three-pronged trident shown
adjacent to the Lord symbolizes His three fundamental powers (shakti) of
Will (iccha), action (kriya) and knowledge (jnana). The
trident also symbolizes the Lord's power to destroy evil and ignorance.
- Damaru (drum):
A small drum with two sides
separated from each other by a thin neck-like structure symbolizes the two
utterly dissimilar states of existence, unmanifest and manifest. When a damaru is
vibrated, it produces dissimilar sounds which are fused together by resonance
to create one sound. The sound thus produced symbolizes Nada, the cosmic sound
of AUM, which can be heard during deep meditation. According to Hindu
scriptures, Nada is the source of creation.
- Kamandalam:
A water pot (Kamandalam) made
from a dry pumpkin contains nectar and is shown on the ground in front of
(centre) Shiva. The process of making Kamandalam has deep spiritual
significance. A ripe pumpkin is plucked from a plant, its fruit is removed and
the shell is cleaned for containing the nectar. In the same way, an individual
must break away from attachment to the physical world and clean his inner self
of egoistic desires in order to experience the bliss of the Self, symbolized by
the nectar in the Kamandalam.
- Nandi:
The holy Bull: is associated with
Shiva and is said to be His vehicle. The bull symbolizes both power and
ignorance. Lord Shiva's use of the bull as a vehicle conveys the idea that He
removes ignorance and bestows power of wisdom on His devotees. The bull is
called Vrisha in Sanskrit. Vrisha also means dharma (righteousness). Thus a
bull shown next to Shiva also indicates that He is the etemal companion of
righteousness.
- Tiger skin:
A tiger skin symbolizes potential
energy. Lord Shiva, sitting on or wearing a tiger skin, illustrates the idea
that He is the source of the creative energy that remains in potential form
during the dissolution state of the universe. Of His own Divine Will, the Lord
activates the potential form of the creative energy to project the universe in
endless cycles.
- Cremation Ground:
Shiva is sitting in the cremation
ground signifies that He is the controller of death in the physical world.
Since birth and death are cyclic, controlling one implies controlling the
other. Thus, Lord Shiva is revered as the ultimate controller of birth and
death in the phenomenal world.
The Lingarupam of Lord Shiva is in 32 known types:
S. No
|
Type of Lingam
|
Lingam Property/Material
|
Quality of Lingam & Healing powers
|
1
|
Ashtaloga Lingam
|
Ahsta – Eight, in Hindi; It is made of Eight Metals
|
Cures Leprosy
|
2
|
Vaidoorya Lingam
|
Made of precious stone called Vaidooryam(Chrysoberyl / Cat’s Eyes in English; Lehsunia in Hindi) – Lapi
|
Protects the adorer from enemy’s arrogance
|
3
|
Spatika Lingam
|
Crystal
|
Fulfillment of one’s wishes
|
4
|
Padarasa Lingam
|
Padarasa/Padarasam(in Tamil) – Mercury
|
Blessed with inestimable fortune
|
5
|
Trapu Lingam
|
Tagaram metal
|
Makes one’s life free from enemies
|
6
|
Ahasa Lingam
|
Vitriol of Suphate
|
Relieves one from the menace of enemies
|
7
|
Seesa Lingam
|
Lead
|
Makes the adorer invulnerable to the foes
|
8
|
Ashtadhatu Lingam
|
eight dhatu (metals) – Gold, Silver, Copper, Zinc, Lead,
Tin, Iron, Mercury
|
Adorer attains Sarvasiddhi (all super natural powers)
|
9
|
Navaneetha Lingam
|
Pure Butter
|
Adorer confered to fame and wealth
|
10
|
Durvakadaja Lingam or Garika Lingam
|
A kind of grass called Agrostis Linearis,
|
Protects the adorer from accidental death
|
11
|
Karpura Lingam
|
Kapur/Camphor
|
Grants the adorer
with liberation
|
12
|
Avskanta Lingam
|
Magnet
|
confers Siddhi - super natural powers
|
13
|
Mouktika Lingam
|
Ashes obtained by burning pearls
|
Confers auspiciousness and fortune
|
14
|
Suvarna Lingam
|
Gold
|
confers Mukti - deliverance of Soul from
body
|
15
|
Rajita Lingam
|
Silver
|
Confers fortune.
|
16
|
Pittala Linam or Kamsya Lingam
|
Brass and Bell metal
|
Confers the release of soul from body.
|
17
|
Bhasma Lingam
|
Bhasma means Ash
|
Worshipper avails desirable merits
|
18
|
Guda Lingam or Sita Lingam
|
Jaggery or sugar
|
Worshipper is conferred with blissful life that is as sweet as Jaggery
|
19
|
Vamsankura Lingam
|
Tender bamboo Leaves
|
Confers a long line of genealogy
|
20
|
Pishta Lingam
|
Rice and Flour
|
Blessed with Education
|
21
|
Dahdhidhughda Lingam
|
Milk and Curd on separating the entire quantity of water
|
Blessed with prosperity and happiness
|
22
|
Dhanya Lingam
|
Dhanyam means grains
|
Blessed with abundance of grain production
|
23
|
Phala Lingam
|
Fruits
|
Blessed with abundance of fruit production
|
24
|
Dhatri Lingam
|
Amla (Phyllanthus emblica)
|
Bestowed with liberation
|
25
|
Gandha Lingam
|
Chandanam (sandal wood paste), three parts of Kumkumam and
two parts of musk
|
Blessed with Shivasayujyamukti - merging Jeevatma
with Paramatma when one is consciousness. The cycle of birth and death comes
to an end
|
26
|
Pushpa Lingam
|
various kinds of fresh, fragrant, multi-coloured flowers
|
Adorer blessed with kingship and acquisition of land
|
27
|
Gosakru Lingam
|
dung of brown coloured cow
|
Adorer will be blessed with wealth, if he worships that
Lingam.
|
28
|
Valuka Lingam
|
Fine sand
|
Confers the status of Vidhyakara, belonging to one of the
denominations of worshipful angels, besides Shiva Sayujya Prapti.
|
29
|
Sitakhanda Lingam
|
Sugar candy
|
Blesses the adorer with robust health and disease free
easy life
|
30
|
Lavana Lingam
|
Salt mixed with the powder of Hartal and Trikatukala
|
Blesses the adorer with Vasikaranasakti -- the power
that subdues other with the help of spells and charms.
|
31
|
Tilapista Lingam
|
Paste of Gingely seeds
|
If worshipped, the desires of the adorer are fulfilled
|
32
|
Yavagodhumasali Lingam
|
rice, maize and wheat flour
|
Confers Sntana Prapti (blessing of child) in addition to
wealth
|
