TRUE SIGNIFICANCE

Siva worship does not require the exact image of Siva as depicted in the hymn of Holy Scripture, but it prefers a bright symbol of Divinity widely known as "Siva-Lingam"!

[paragraph continues] What is Lingam? We must think deeply and make out its real explanation. Lingam means sign or symbol. Worship of Such Divine Symbol is a current usage amongst all nations of the world. The Hindus worship Lingam, the Bouddhas, Stupa, the Mahomedans, a Blue Stone Pulpit in Kaba and the Christians a Cross Staff; thus almost every great nation worships a Divine symbol of whatever shape it may be. The modern historians are of opinion that the Buddhistic Stupa or Pagoda was transformed into Siva Lingam by mighty influence of Acharya Sankara. But actually the worship of Siva Lingam is being practised by the Hindus from unknown pre-historic time. We find the origin of its history in the last chapter of 'Dharma Samhita' of 'Siva Maha Puranam' that when the world was totally destroyed and there was nothing but unending flood of water and three original representations of Godhood namely Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra, Brahma and Vishnu requested Rudra most fervently for recreation of the universe. Rudra gladly consented and immersed Himself in a long deep meditation. Some thousand years being passed in this way and

finding no possibility of creation by Him, Vishnu asked Brahma to perform the task, who finished it instantly. Rudra then rose from the meditation and finding everything already created by Brahma, because fired with wrath and at once attempted to destroy. At this Brahma and Vishnu came before Him and extinguished His wrath by entreaties, and singing long prayer ire His praise. Easily pleased He was gladdened instantly with that and with the request of Brahma and others, He threw off His fiery vigour produced through wrath unto the Sun, who got the splendid illumination to light up the world. The Divine Vigour of God Siva, placed thus in the Sun is worshipped thrice a day by all as Gavatri, Savitri and Saraswati. Thereafter Siva who secured endless life seeds for the creation through long meditation, put off the Lingam or Symbol which is the stock of life-seeds and threw it down on the earth. Thus being thrown off it began to expand both downward and upward and made unbearable horror to the world. Vishnu went downward and Brahma upward to get two ends of the same but being utterly unsuccessful were staying quite unhappy. At this