Linga

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The linga or lingam (n., Sanskrit लिङ्ग liṅga , lit. 'sign', 'symbol') is the - mostly iconic , i.e. non-pictorial - symbol of the Hindu deity Shiva . Hindus see in the lingam not only the creative but also the sustaining and destructive power of Shiva.

mobile Shiva linga with yoni

Origin and meaning

According to a legend about the origin of the lingam, a violent dispute broke out among the chief Hindu gods over the question of which of them was the highest; a huge pillar of fire appeared in the sky. Brahma flew into the air in the form of a wild goose to make out the upper end; Vishnu dived into the depths of the sea in the form of a boar with the same intention; however, both did not achieve their goal. Then the column suddenly took shape and opened: Shiva appeared in it and all the gods worshiped him as the highest god.

Science usually associates the Shiva-Linga with the male creative power of Shiva and interprets him as a symbol of the phallus ; in western neotantra the term is even used synonymously with " penis ". However, it is controversial among religious scholars whether the symbolism of a pre-Hindu stone cult is more involved, i.e. the linga is not primarily a phallus but a stone.

In some tantric directions of Hinduism, parenthood of the divine, the creative power associated with it and thus also sexuality are of central importance. Shivaite writings, however, emphasize the formlessness of the divine and therefore Shiva is seldom worshiped by his believers in anthropomorphic form, but mainly in his emblem, the literal translation for Linga.

to form

eight-faced lingam in Mandsaur

Lingams can be of different sizes; historical as well as modern lingas are mostly made of black or dark stone and are almost always monolithic . There is the cylindrical or columnar Svayambhu Lingam (single, literally: "self-sustaining") and the three-part Linga with a kind of base. In temples one usually finds the three-part, a combination of the linga and the yoni , which forms the upper part of the base. The yoni is often understood as the feminine principle of the divine and, as a counterpart to the phallus-like linga, interpreted as the feminine gender. As with all symbolism in Hinduism, it is also true here that no explanation is equally valid for all believers. The various "holy scriptures" deal with this question, the Puranas as well as scriptures of the tantric philosophy.

Another division distinguishes between Acala-Lingas , which stand firmly on one place and the mobile Cala-Lingas . The latter can stand in the house temple or even - made at short notice, for example from sand or clay - be destroyed again after the rite. Acala lingas made of stone, which are installed in the temple, consist of three parts: The upper, cylindrically shaped third is Rudra-Bhaga and this part is worshiped. The Rudra-Bhaga stands for Shiva in his destructive aspect. The middle, sometimes octagonal part, Vishnu-Bhaga , represents the sustaining principle, while the square lower part, Brahma-Bhaga , represents the creative force. The two lower parts form the base.

According to archaeological finds, an unknown deity (perhaps Rudra or another pre- Vedic form of Shiva) was worshiped in its aniconical form as a lingam in pre-Vedic times. Later the form of the naturalistic cult image (phallus with indicated acorn) and the single-sighted lingas (with attached head) appear (e.g. in Bhumara ). Multi-faced lingams are very rare (e.g. in the Chaumukhnath temple in Nachna or in the Pashupathinath temple in Mandsaur ). Lingam reliefs (e.g. in Kalinjar ) are unusual and extremely rare .

Adoration

Brahmin in Shivapuja

In the rite, “pure” substances such as ghee , sandalwood oil, milk or water are poured over the linga and conveyed into a bowl or outside via the collecting basin of the yoni. These ritually pure substances are prasad , i. H. "Divine" and pure food; it is distributed to the believers for their feeding and blessing.

Places of worship

According to different folk traditions, there are around seven to twelve important natural sanctuaries in India , each with a linga formed by nature, such as in a cave in Amarnath in the Himalayas , where an ice column forms and disappears again in certain cycles. These places are popular pilgrimage centers. The holiest places of the Shivaites, the Jyotirlingas , are scattered all over India. But other lingams or their fragments are also worshiped in many places in the country (e.g. in Murudeshwara )

Great lingams

The largest (preserved) Shiva lingam with a height of about 5.5 m and a diameter of about 2.30 m is located in the Bhojeshvara temple in Bhojpur (Madhya Pradesh) . The lingam in the Matangeshvara Temple in the temple district of Khajuraho measures about 2.53 meters high and about one meter in diameter. Although large Shiva statues are being erected in many cities in India today, there are also a few brick lingams (e.g. in Ratlam ).

Quote

It is interesting how the first Protestant missionaries from Germany perceived Linga in India and described the people who stayed at home. In the Halle reports from Tranquebar in 1714 one said the following:

“Lingum is a figure among them who presents the membrum virile and faemininum, if they (which shamefully) revere as something divine. Because such a lingum is in the innermost chamber of the pagodas, carved out of stones, which the Bramans venerate daily with sacrifices and many worship ceremonies. Later on, such a lingum is often used in freyen Oertern or Häyen; which is also carved out of square stones. But some have made it very small out of stone or crystal, and always wear it around them, either in hair on their head or wrapped in a handkerchief around their necks. "

- Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg : "The Fourteenth Continuation", Hall 1715

literature

  • Anneliese and Peter Keilhauer: The Imagery of Hinduism. The Indian world of gods and their symbolism. DuMont, Cologne 1986, pp. 145 f. and p. 167 ff., ISBN 3-7701-1347-0
  • Swami Harshananda: Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madras 1987, ISBN 81-7120-110-5 .
  • Julius Rosenbaum : History of the lust epidemic in antiquity together with detailed studies of the Venus and phallic cults, brothels, Νοῦσος ϑήλεια of the Scythians, paederasty and other sexual excesses of the ancients presented as contributions to the correct explanation of their writings . 7th edition, H. Barsdorf, Berlin 1904, pp. 59-64 ( Lingamkultus ).

Web links

Commons : Linga  - collection of images, videos and audio files