LINGA_POOJA_DR._SHRINIWAS_JANARDAN_KASHALIKAR

LINGA POOJA

DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

The stories from Linga Purana about the fight for supremacy between Vishnu and Brahma; are symbolic and should never be taken verbatim. I should not look at and think of; in a vulgar manner; the worship of linga as “a vestige of primitive, barbaric culture of phallus worship”, due to my own intellectual or cultural limitation.

Lingapooja; even if it is of the phallus and vagina, which signify the procreation and symbolize the creation; is in essence; remembering, reorienting and reestablishing one’s true nature.

Since such remembrance of one’s true self is almost impossible; or at least may not be easy for every one; the ritual of worshipping the form of linga has become a part of culture.

From the essence of the following two shlokas; 1. Lnigm chinnhenumane cha sankhyokta prakrutavapi Sivamurti visheshe cha mehanepi napusakam 2. Layam gacchanti bhootani samhare nischalam yatha srushtyakale punah strshtim tasmat lingamudahrutam There are three basic phenomena in the universe viz. formation, maintenance and destruction. This is similar to anabolism, catabolism and metabolism. From the Adwait philosophical point of view, these transitions are mere contingents and the

substratum of these, or the field SHIVA; is beyond time. The form of SHIVA is lingam.

Specific days and specific places appear to be conducive to this realization of one’s true self and hence there are places of JYOTIRLINGA in as much as there are specific days called MAHASHIVARATRI. The scholars of astrology can shed more light on this.

In short; DHARMA is that, which holds together the orchestration of the universe in harmony throughout millennia.

Hence it is essential to appreciate the root of every tradition and remove the cobwebs of sectarian illusions and resultant strife, hatred, prejudice, antipathy and contempt; or sectarian pride.