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>Subject : Swami Vivekanand on origins of Shiva Linga (part 1 of 2)
Couple of netters (IDD 8/28/96) said Reuter's description of Shiva lingam
given by a Moslem reporter Sheik Mushtaq though insensitive may not be
off the mark. This is an excellent example of how distortions about Hindu
symbolims are spread, supported and condoned. It is said that Shiv lingam
a phallic symbol, signifies worship of fertility in Hinduism, is theory
however is unfounded. Here are Swami Vivekanand's thoughts on the origin
of Shiva Lingam. If these posters or Reuters claim to know more about
Hinduism than him, then I have no argument.
Let us look at some obvious problems with this theory. First of all Shiva
or Rudra, in Hindu pantheon represents the destructive aspect of God. So
why would a symbol of destructive aspect be shown by a symbol of (pro)
creation or fertility ? Hinduism is replete with symbols, so to assume
that the rishis ran out of symbols hence chose symbol of creation for
destructive aspect of God, is illogical. Thus it does not make sense.
Secondly, if phallus is representitive of sex, even then the theory
runs into trouble again. Because Hindu scriptures describe Shiva as the
destrotyer of Madan who is also known as Manmath or Kaamdev, the God of
sexual allurement. So why would Lord Shiva's symbol, linga be considered
as representing phallus ? Again, this interpretation does not make sense.
A logical explanation comes from Swami Vivekananda.
At the Paris Congress on the History of Religions, Swami Vivekananda was
an invited speaker. At this congress Vivekananda said that the worship
of Shiva Linga originated from the famous hymn in the Atharva Veda
Samhita sung in the praise of the 'Yupa Stambha', the sacrificial post.
In that hymn a description is found of the 'beginingless and endless'
stambha or 'skambha' and it is shown that the said skambha is put in
place of the eternal Brahman. Afterwards the Yajna (the sacred fire) and
its flames gave place to the conception to the brightness of Shiva's
body. Yajna's smoke was symbolized as Shiva's dark matted hair, the Soma
plant used in the Yajna was symbolized as Shiva's blue throat, the ashes
of the Yajna became the ashes applied to Shiva's body and the ox that
used to carry on its back the wood for the Yajna, was conceptualized as
the carrier or Vaahana of Shiva. Just so, the Yupa Skambha, in time was
symbolized as the Shiva Linga and was deified to the high Devahood of
Shri Shankara. In Atharva Veda Samhita, even the sacrificial cakes
are also extolled along with the attributes of the Brahman.
(concluded in Part 2)
>Subject: Swami Vivekanand on origins of Shiva Linga - Contd.(part 2 of 2)
In the Linga Purana, the SAME hymn from Atharva Veda Samhita is expanded
in the shape of stories meant to establish the glory of 'beginingless and
endless' nature of Skambha and the superiority of Mahadeva (Lord Shiva).
THE EXPLANATION OF SHIVA LINGA AS PHALLIC EMBLEM WAS BROUGHT FORWARD IN
THE TANTRIKA LITERATURE OF BUDDHISM by the most thoughtless and was
forthcoming in the most degraded times, those of downfall of Buddhism in
India. (The Complete Works of Swami Vivekanand, Mayavati Memorial Edition,
Adwaita Ashram Publ, Calcutta, 5 th reprint, Vol.4, 1992, pp. 422-425)
Literally, in Sanskrit,Shiva means auspiciousness & Linga means a symbol.
Shiva also means one in whom the whole creation sleeps after dissolution,
and Linga also means exactly the same thing. Thus Shiva (and Linga) is
what is there after the destruction of all the creation, and before the
begining of the next cycle of creation. Hence it is symbol of auspicious-
ness and of 'that' which is beginingless and endless, the God himself.
(Symbolism in Hinduism, ed. R.S.Nathan, Central Chinmay Mission Trust
Publication, Mumbai, 1989 pp.74-75).
Of course in the recent past, another example of distortion of Hindu
scriptures by Buddhist Jataka stories was displayed in the Sahamat
exhibitions. Here, Sahamat "a progressive" organization quoted Buddhist
Jataka version of Ramayana where in it claimed Shri Ram married his
sister Sita. The source of mischief of course was the erroneous
interpretation and translation of word 'Janak'. In Ramayan, Ram wedded
Sita, Daughter of King Janaka, where in 'Janak' was the title of the King
of Mithila took upon coronation. Valmiki Ramayan describes Sita's father's
name to be Shiradhwaj. Ramayan describes 21 ancestors of Shiradhwaj while
Vishnu Puran lists names of 32 more genrarions after him, all of whom took
the title Janak on ascending the throne of Mithila. Now the word Janaka
also means father, and the Jatakas misinterpreted, above episode in
Ramayan to mean Ram wedded Sita, daughter of father (meaning his sister).
Thus the creation of another mischievous interpretation.
Lastly, even Sigmund Freud himself has said, "some times a cigar is just
a cigar" which his followers would do well remembering when trying to
provide genitocentric interpretations of religious symbols, particularly
when higher meanings are described in the scriptures many times.
