இலண்டன் சைவ மாநாடு (சிறப்புமலர்)
7வது சைவ மாநாடு இலண்டன்
Sutasamhita and several other Tamil works of great
reputation, and the Agamas devote volumes to the
excellence of Siva Linga. If one could have a
glimpse of the meanings of the several rites and
ceremonies performed at a Linga-Stapana, one
would be able to have a correct meaning of the
sacred Siva Lingam.
The Agamas again speak of seven kinds of
Linga, viz;- Gopuram, Sikaram, Dvaram, Prakaram,
Balipitam, Archalingam and Mulalingam. The Tower,
the dome, the gateway, the courtyard round the
temple, are all called Lingas as they represent
Siva-Sakti one way or the other, and are therefore
entitled to our veneration and worship. Are these all
to be called phallic symbols, I ask? It is again one
of the important doctrines of the Hindu religion that
we have to perform our worship of Guru, Jangamam,
and Lingam. The Lingam herein referred to is a term
which includes the various images of Siva which we
worship in our temples. Can we say that all these
images are phallic symbols? Surely it does not
require much research into the Hindu Sastras to
have a general idea of the meaning of Siva Lingam,
and it is not possible to conceive how the critics
came to make this unfounded and blasphemous
allegation againt our sacred object of worship which
is replete with sound and solemn significance.
It may be that a phallic emblem was considered
sacred by ancient Romans or Greeks. But Hindus
are neither Romans nor Greeks; and it is quite
unreasonable and uncharitable to charge the
Hindus with an idea for which they were in no way
responsible. Evidently the ancient Romans or
Greeks borrowed the Linga worship from
the Hindus, and in their debased ignorance put
a wrong construction on it, having misunderstood
the language used by the Hindus in describing
it. Are the Hindus to be taken to task on account of
an idiotic mistake committed by foreign nations?
2004
Explained in Puranas
If we refer to the Puranas, we find Siva Linga
being further explained. When Brahma and Vishnu,
in their arrogance, fought with each other for
supremacy, the Lord Paramesvara appeared in
their midst in the form of a flame whose beginning
or end they were unable to discover. This flame of
immeasurable effulgence is called Linga. His Linga
is said to represent the sacred fire of the Vedic
Yajnas, while the temples stand for the sacrificial
grounds. These temples again represent our hearts
or Hridaya, and our Lord is said to abide in our
hearts or Hridaya, and our Lord is said to abide in
our hearts in the form of a Linga or a glow of
effulgence, as the soul of our souls. Surely none of
these significances of Siva Linga has any reference
to phallic emblem, and 1 challenge our critics to
quote a single verse in any of our Sastras in support
of their unfounded allegation.
I think I have said enough to convince you
that the charge laid against our sacred object of
worship is as unfounded as it is blasphemous. If you
have a desire to be more fully informed of Siva Linga
you will do well to make a study of it under a
competent Guru, and you wil then be able to see
how the incomprehensible and indescribable Sivam
assumed this Linga form in order to make Himself
known to us, and how this Linga form comprises
in itself, in a very subtle manner, the most primordial
germ of the whole Jagat... in short how the unlimited
Sivam started a limitation to benefit the innumerable
souls. I hope, and I pray that you will all be benefited
by this. Maha Linga Siva Rupam.
171
Reproduced from the Light of Truth,
Vol. XIII, No.10 April 1913, pp.451-457.
7
வது
சைவ
மாநாடு
இலண்டன்
Sutasamhita
and
several
other
Tamil
works
of
great
reputation
and
the
Agamas
devote
volumes
to
the
excellence
of
Siva
Linga
.
If
one
could
have
a
glimpse
of
the
meanings
of
the
several
rites
and
ceremonies
performed
at
a
Linga
-
Stapana
one
would
be
able
to
have
a
correct
meaning
of
the
sacred
Siva
Lingam
.
The
Agamas
again
speak
of
seven
kinds
of
Linga
viz
;
-
Gopuram
Sikaram
Dvaram
Prakaram
Balipitam
Archalingam
and
Mulalingam
.
The
Tower
the
dome
the
gateway
the
courtyard
round
the
temple
are
all
called
Lingas
as
they
represent
Siva
-
Sakti
one
way
or
the
other
and
are
therefore
entitled
to
our
veneration
and
worship
.
Are
these
all
to
be
called
phallic
symbols
I
ask
?
It
is
again
one
of
the
important
doctrines
of
the
Hindu
religion
that
we
have
to
perform
our
worship
of
Guru
Jangamam
and
Lingam
.
The
Lingam
herein
referred
to
is
a
term
which
includes
the
various
images
of
Siva
which
we
worship
in
our
temples
.
Can
we
say
that
all
these
images
are
phallic
symbols
?
Surely
it
does
not
require
much
research
into
the
Hindu
Sastras
to
have
a
general
idea
of
the
meaning
of
Siva
Lingam
and
it
is
not
possible
to
conceive
how
the
critics
came
to
make
this
unfounded
and
blasphemous
allegation
againt
our
sacred
object
of
worship
which
is
replete
with
sound
and
solemn
significance
.
It
may
be
that
a
phallic
emblem
was
considered
sacred
by
ancient
Romans
or
Greeks
.
But
Hindus
are
neither
Romans
nor
Greeks
;
and
it
is
quite
unreasonable
and
uncharitable
to
charge
the
Hindus
with
an
idea
for
which
they
were
in
no
way
responsible
.
Evidently
the
ancient
Romans
or
Greeks
borrowed
the
Linga
worship
from
the
Hindus
and
in
their
debased
ignorance
put
a
wrong
construction
on
it
having
misunderstood
the
language
used
by
the
Hindus
in
describing
it
.
Are
the
Hindus
to
be
taken
to
task
on
account
of
an
idiotic
mistake
committed
by
foreign
nations
?
2004
Explained
in
Puranas
If
we
refer
to
the
Puranas
we
find
Siva
Linga
being
further
explained
.
When
Brahma
and
Vishnu
in
their
arrogance
fought
with
each
other
for
supremacy
the
Lord
Paramesvara
appeared
in
their
midst
in
the
form
of
a
flame
whose
beginning
or
end
they
were
unable
to
discover
.
This
flame
of
immeasurable
effulgence
is
called
Linga
.
His
Linga
is
said
to
represent
the
sacred
fire
of
the
Vedic
Yajnas
while
the
temples
stand
for
the
sacrificial
grounds
.
These
temples
again
represent
our
hearts
or
Hridaya
and
our
Lord
is
said
to
abide
in
our
hearts
or
Hridaya
and
our
Lord
is
said
to
abide
in
our
hearts
in
the
form
of
a
Linga
or
a
glow
of
effulgence
as
the
soul
of
our
souls
.
Surely
none
of
these
significances
of
Siva
Linga
has
any
reference
to
phallic
emblem
and
1
challenge
our
critics
to
quote
a
single
verse
in
any
of
our
Sastras
in
support
of
their
unfounded
allegation
.
I
think
I
have
said
enough
to
convince
you
that
the
charge
laid
against
our
sacred
object
of
worship
is
as
unfounded
as
it
is
blasphemous
.
If
you
have
a
desire
to
be
more
fully
informed
of
Siva
Linga
you
will
do
well
to
make
a
study
of
it
under
a
competent
Guru
and
you
wil
then
be
able
to
see
how
the
incomprehensible
and
indescribable
Sivam
assumed
this
Linga
form
in
order
to
make
Himself
known
to
us
and
how
this
Linga
form
comprises
in
itself
in
a
very
subtle
manner
the
most
primordial
germ
of
the
whole
Jagat
...
in
short
how
the
unlimited
Sivam
started
a
limitation
to
benefit
the
innumerable
souls
.
I
hope
and
I
pray
that
you
will
all
be
benefited
by
this
.
Maha
Linga
Siva
Rupam
.
171
Reproduced
from
the
Light
of
Truth
Vol
.
XIII
No.10
April
1913
pp.451-457
.