Finding the hidden god

In Kashmir literature Shiva and his consort appear in different forms and are known by different names. For readers in yoga, Shiva is aadi yogi means first yogi. To understand for humans, he is subjective not objective.

All around us, we see constant change: births and deaths, leaves and trees falling and growing, world changing. Everything is changing. Matter and Energy are constantly inter-converting. Matter becomes Energy, Energy becomes Matter. Or is all this happening naturally? Is there some Force behind all change? Above all, is there something permanent behind? Yes, there is Something. And that is Skambha. Skambha means “fulcrum”. The fulcrum of creation.

That fulcrum was seen as an infinite sheet or pillar of divine light. And that very Skambha is represented as the Shiva linga. When you worship the Shiva linga, you are worshipping the Source, ground, foundation, basis of everything: the universes, Brahma, Vishnu, Devi, everything. That is the deep significance of Shiva linga.

The Atharva Veda [10th Adhyaya] has a great hymn: The hymn of Skambha. There the questions are asked: “What is the basis or ground of everything? Who is doing all this transformation? What is the source?” The answer is skambha

skambhé lokā?? skambhé tápa? skambhé 'dhy r?tám ā?hitam

skámbha tvā? veda pratyák?am índre sárva? samā?hitam 10.7.29

In the 11th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna shows his cosmic Form to Arjuna and informs him how everything is constantly coming and going and behind everything is the Source. This is skambha.

In order to explain cosmic change, and creation, Shiva Purana gives the simple story of Brahma and Vishnu. Once the Creator Brahma and Preserver Vishnu were discussing ideas. Suddenly there appeared a huge pillar of brilliant light. Brahma and Vishnu decided to find out what this pillar was. Brahma went upwards in the form of a Swan. Vishnu went down in the form of a boar. However much they tried, they could not find the beginning or end of this pillar of light. Then they realised that it was Rudra or Shiva, the Gracious, the source of liberation.

So when you worship Shivalinga, you are worshipping the source, the Foundation, the Basis, of everything. Linga means “pratika, pratima, sanketa”. Shiva means the source of Supreme Bliss. When you meditate and worship Shiva linga, you are directly worshipping Skambha, upon Whom all this is happening. Therefore continue your adoration of Shiva without fear, without shame, without doubt.

Shiva has been worshipped in known history for at least 50000 years. It has a solid, firm, steady foundation.

Skambha means the fulcrum. Two children sit on the seesaw and play. One goes up another comes down. The same thing is happening in the universe always. Death and birth, breaking and forming, continue constantly. Some power is at the base of all this, constantly doing all this. That is Kala or Rudra, represented as the skambha in cosmic form, and as shivalinga in physical form. It is cosmic energy.

All this is explained in the Skambha sutra of the Atharva Veda. There are about 30 mantras which explain the source of all manifestation, the basis or ground and the power behind constant change. It is Skambha, represented as shiva linga

Credit : Lessons learned from Sri Sri Swamiji ( Rishikesh Ashram)