The Twelve Jyotirlingas (Literary Background, Location, Historical Background and Photographs) - Softcover

Shanti Lal Nagar

9788171103294: The Twelve Jyotirlingas (Literary Background, Location, Historical Background and Photographs)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 8171103294 ISBN 13: 9788171103294

Publisher: Parimal Publication Pvt. Ltd., 2008

Language: English
Pages: 56 (Throughout in Full Color Illustrations)
About the Book

Siva worshiped as a column standing erect which generally rises out of a yoni or a pitha that serves as a pedestal in the temples dedicated to Siva. Etymologically speaking the word linga of Pratima Laksanam and Suprabhedagama highlights the same idea rather more elaborately thus:

All animate and inanimate world gets absorbed in the time of cosmic dissolution the true function of this power is associated with Mahesvara which brings the final residue and becomes instrumental of recreation as well.

In the union of Siva and Sakti both are typified in the cosmic emblem. In the union of the two the whole creation emerges. The two main parts of linga the upper and the lower are said to represent the sky and the earth in whose lap the whole creation is evolved and they represents Siva and Siva respectively.

The Markandeya Purana testifies that Siva and Visnu are the creators of the universe and they together form Ardhanarisvara aspect of Siva. This is an allusion to the Haryardha form of Siva in which the female generative principle is identified as Visnu. The male and female aspects are inseparable and are ever found together in the conmic evolution in Haryardha form of Siva. The Same idea in a brief manner is projected by the symbolical representation of Linga and yoni. The linga purana states that pradhan i.e. the nature is called the Lingam the one who sustains the Linga and that the pedestal or the pitha of the linga is Mahesvara himself.

A more express allusion of the generative power of the linga and yoni the emblem of Siva cult is found in the Visnu Purana wherein we are told that Brahma asked Rudra born out of his anger to divide himself into two male and female forms which ultimately resulted

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