Shiva Linga is the sign of universe

A “linga” is a “form or symbol”. A “shivalinga” is therefore a “form or symbol” for Maheshwara. And since Maheshwara is just a function of the organizing principle of the ultimate truth, the brahman, the shivalinga is “form or symbol” for the “formless” or Nirguna Brahman. It is in three parts - the lotus base represents the function of creation, the pedestal represents that function which upholds and sustains, and the emerging egg, the Hiranyagarbha, represents the function that maintains the cycles of birth, dissolution and rebirth, all held together by “force”. In our traditions, these functions are simply referred to as Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva/Shakti. The shivalinga thus captures the moment of creation, the original divine conception, the birth of the universe. Not surprisingly, even the basic building block of the universe, an atom of hydrogen, comprises three disparate particles/waves of tremendous energy (the power of a nuclear bomb), held together by a strong “force”.

If one imagines that the Universe is like a balloon, we can symbolically say that shiva linga is an organic shape which represents the Universe, similar to many rock formations from the earth. But Shiva Linga is modelled on Kailas mountain. Whatever the mysteries, real or exaggerated, may be, this mountain has not been scaled by anybody. The ancient Indians may have discovered something special about Kailas. The mountain is a part of Himalayan mountain range. The whole climate of India is effected by the range, and possibly greatly by Kailas. Thus it is possible that the ancients attributed some greatness and adopted symbol for Shiva Linga. The concept of Shiva was already in Vedas.

An interesting fact is that the basic elements like earth, water, fire and air has two extreme properties. Calmness and violence. Earth is considered as mother providing food to all; a calmness. Sometimes, violent earthquakes happen, which cause destruction to mankind. Similarly Shiva was also conceived to be calm as the Kailas. In Hindu scriptures, Shiva has a violent form called Rudra. Based on the Vedas on Upanishads, the ancient Rishis conceived that in Universe and all its parts, there is some inner potential, which too exhibits a property of stillness and at times very dynamic. So it is easy to comprehend that a Shiva linga conceived as representing Kailas represents stillness.

But Shiva, as such is described also as having a third eye, which if opened, causes destruction. It is noteworthy that all the nuclear reactors in this world have the shape of shiva linga. In a nuclear reactor too, if the energy is not extracted in a controlled manner, it can cause unimaginable destruction. You can understand the horrors of disaster which happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan when atom bombs were deployed in the last days of WW II. Another coincidence is that Shiva linga is seen in almost temples with a constant water supply from the top.

The exterior of nuclear reactors also is continuously supplied by heavy water. The coincidences of Shiva Linga and a nuclear reactor are noted only with respect to current knowledge of science. That Rishis thought of it similarly cannot be proved. Yet, Shiva linga can be conceived as a symbol, image or idol which can help a human worshipping it to achieve peace and realise that there is a inner potential in him/her too which is very powerful. The power that is in him/her can also be destructive, but the effort to realise peace holds on to the fact, that if the power is used for the benefit of mankind, it is better channelised than using it for destruction.

A Shiv Ling symbolises The Universe. What does a Ling means? A Ling is a Sanskrit word which means Sign in English. Like we say Stree Ling for Female and Purush Ling for Male in Hindi. So Shiv Ling means a Sign of Shiv. Now what actually is a Sign of Shiv? As Shiv is one and only supreme creator of this Universe, this whole Universe is his sign only. From Vedsaar Shiv Stavah by Adi Shankaracharya.

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Translation: O Lord of The Whole World! The Whole Universe comes into being through your Ling Swaroop. (Jyotirling shown to Vishnu & Brahma). Hey Shankar! Hey Vishwanath! This Universe resides in you only after coming into existence. And it dissolves in you only in the end. So Mahadev! Only you and you are The Creator, The Guardian and The Destroyer. This is because Shiv is the creator, mentor and destroyer of billions and billions of such Universes within a fraction of second. He can not be known through Knowledge or Vedas or Scriptures. He can only be known by true and selfless love.

Linga in Sanskrit means “sign” or “indication” and is used as an indication of gender (pu-ling, stri-ling). In actual fact it is the phallus of Lord Shiva and it is situated in the yoni (uterus) of mother Parvati. (Shiva Mahapurana, Koti Rudra Samhita Chapter 12) It is quiet obviously the most appropriate symbol of creation. How else would you picture the origin of beings? An old and bearded God in the sky touching the finger of Adam? Seriously! Every living being in the world comes from the union of Lingam and Yoni. No, for those devout theists out there! God does not create living beings - we propagate ourselves through sex!

For all those on this forum that don’t know the facts of life — Every single human being is generated in his father’s testicles as sperm cells, and when he has intercourse with the mother — the sperm is squirted out through his penis into his mother’s vagina — the sperm then swim up into the uterus and meet up with the ovum. Thus are human beings created. God doesn’t play any part in this cycle. Hindus in their natural brilliance took this wonderful cycle and used it as the most natural symbol of the projection of the Universe into being by Lord Shiva.

Now some people are well known for their cognitive dissonance - regarding sex (which every living creature enjoys) as something dirty and the genitals as something shameful to be hidden and covered. So for them the concept of using genitals or sex to symbolise the Divine is a complete anathema. Whereas us Hindus are not at all ashamed of the scientific facts of life and embrace and celebrate life as it really is. So we decorate our temples with figures of copulating couples, naked men and women and orgies of ecstasy.

? ??? ?????? ???? Ling a Sanskrit word which literally means the source of creation. Don't confuse it with organ of procreation. For example, to create fire if we use wood then we say that the linga of fire is wood and if the fire is created by oil then we say that the ling of fire is oil. Similarly, if we produce electricity using water turbines then we say that the Linga (the source of creation) is water, if produced using fire then it's Linga is fire. Everything in this creation has a Linga (a source of creation). If I were to ask you what is the Linga of air?

What is the Linga of water? I know the chemical composition of water but how is water created? No human in history or present has been able to produce even a drop of water in existence. Water already exists, we merely use it, utilise it and analyse it. This is our total knowledge of water. I also know that water exists in different forms and I know by changing temperature using fire I can change the state of water to ice or steam but I cannot in any way create even a single drop out of nothing. Shiva is not a person who is living somewhere in this creation. Shiva is the ultimate expression / state / manifestation of consciousness which has no further divisibility, he is the Shunya, the state which people call Samadhi, becoming one with the supreme state of consciousness.

A non-existent existence. Existence beyond names and forms. Shiva is neither a he nor she. Shiva is beyond gender. Assigning a gender to Shiva is like assigning a gender to Sunlight. Sunlight is neither male nor female, its pure light. But for our convenience to discuss and understand Shiva I’m assuming Shiva as a personality. First of all please read the Shloka and it's translation carefully. It's the nectar of all the Vedas. If you are denying the words of Vedas then there is no other proof available in this Universe. But, in the Shiv Mahapuran also, Sadashiv is the Parabrahma and he created Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra who is the God of Destruction. Om Namah Shivay