Durga Saptashati Anuradha Paudwal

The India Magazine of Her People and Culture

What Exactly Is A Shiva Lingam

A Shiva lingam is an aniconic representation of Lord Shiva. Hindus worship Lord Shiva mostly in the form of a Shiva lingam, but its meaning has been one of the most debated topics. There are mainly two groups; one believes it is a sexual organ and others believe it is not. They both give many different arguments in the support of their perspective. With the advent of science and technology, one more group has emerged which strongly believes that there is some sort of science behind the concept of Shiva Lingam. But what are the reasons behind this confusion? 1. There are some stories in the Hindu scriptures that depict it as a sexual organ while some stories say it is a column of fire. 2. Many different meanings of the words linga and yoni. 3. Ancient pillar/phallus worship. 4. Different practices of different Hindu sects. 5. The shape of a Shiva lingam. In February 2010, the encyclopedia Britannica removed a sentence about Shiva lingam from its article.“In temples and private shrines, Shiva is ... worshipped in the form of the lingam, or phallus, often embedded in the yoni, the symbol of the female sexual organ.”It is believed that it did so because of the pressure of Netizens, but I doubt that a website like Britannica would do so unless there is some valid reason behind it. When we talk about religion, the scriptures are of utmost importance. Therefore, in this book, I have sought refuge mainly in scriptures to determine what exactly a Shiva Lingam is, but I have also considered other things like archaeological evidence, logic, history, science, etc. I am sure that this book would not only answer what a Shiva lingam really is but also you would learn many new things about Hinduism.

Guru Charitra

Guru Charitra is one of the most revered scriptural texts of Hinduism. Containing the biographies of Lord Dattatreya, (Lord Bramha, Vishnu and Mahesh) and his subsequent incarnations Sripada Sri Vallabha and Sri Narasimha Saraswati, it clarifies several doubts on religious dogmas, rituals and doctrines through a conversation between the master and his disciple. This book, steeped in lofty Hindu philosophical ideas also portrays a picture of the social and economic condition of the medieval times in India, and the message conveyed by the numerous teachings of the Guru needs to be understood in the context of those days. Reading of this interactive account, written in simple and lucid language will give strength and encouragement to spiritual aspirants to continue with their sadhana (spiritual pursuit), enable them to overcome the various problems of modern day living and fulfil their inherent wishes.