18/19 December 2013 – meditation: Shiva manifested as a lingam of fire
Excerpt from Shiva PURANA
In Hindu mythology, the legends where Shiva plays a central role abound. Among the many aspects and manifestations of Shiva, His manifestation as a lingam of fire is among the most unusual and mysterious. The immemorial legend which makes us accessible fundamental spiritual teachings is contained in chapters 7-9 of the sacred text SHIVA PURANA. Here is described the divine intervention of Shiva in the battle for supremacy – the seemingly endless battle that was destroying the whole world – between Brahma, the creator of the universe and Vishnu, the preserver of it.
Wednesday, December 18 to Thursday, December 19, from 23.00 to 0.45, will be exemplified the meditation on “Shiva manifested as a lingam of fire.”
The music can be downloaded here
[To better understand the meaning of this myth, we provide some clarification. Brahma is the masculine (+), Vishnu is the feminine (-), and Shiva is the transcendent aspect, neutral (0), which allows both manifestation and transcendence of it. This neutral force that is invisible because it never manifests itself directly produces and resorbs both plus and minus, while integrating them into a whole; without it nothing can exist.]
Here is the excerpt from SHIVA PURANA describing the manifestation of Shiva as a lingam of fire:
On the battlefield, Brahma and Vishnu continued to fight to the death, pending the outcome of the confrontation between their supreme weapons, maheshvara and pashupata that they themselves had designed. The flames produced by the battle of the two armies were burning all the three worlds. Seeing the imminent destruction of the universe that would have been premature and would come at an inappropriate moment, the invisible presence of Shiva assumed the terrifying form of a huge column of fire that appeared between the two divine hypostases. And so the two armies engulfed by the flames of war, which were sufficient to calcine the whole universe were absorbed into this huge column of fire.
Seeing this amazing phenomenon that has neutralized their guns, the two gods in conflict have asked each other: “What is this amazing apparition? What is this column of fire that rose between us? It is beyond the scope of our sensory perception. We have to find its beginning and its end, to find out where its base is and where the top is!” Agreeing with this decision, the two heroes, proud of their bravery were immediately engaged in this research.
“There will be no result if we stay together,” said Vishnu and then, assuming the form of a boar, started to look down to the bottoms of the column of Light. Brahma took the form of a migratory bird (hamsa) and flew high looking for the column’s peak.
Crossing the lower worlds and going very far downwards, Vishnu failed to discover the basis of the huge column of fire. Completely exhausted in its wild form as a boar, he climbed back on the battlefield. Brahma also failed to find the top of this column, and he was returning to the starting point. Then Shiva, compassionate, manifested in the form of a divine being, revealing His infinite presence in that column. He spoke to them as follows (Chapter 9):
“I have two aspects: a manifested one and an unmanifested one. Nobody else has these two aspects, so no one else can be the Supreme Lord of the Universe. My nature is unmanifested when I am regarded as the Supreme Reality and manifested when I am viewed as the Sovereign of the universe. This infinite column of fire suggests my supreme and impersonal nature. This lingam will be my symbol and all of you will always adore it. My dear sons, this column of fire without beginning and without end will now be represented in a reduced form for the needs of ordinary perception and its worship. This symbol of the lingam will bring the bliss to the wise one.
Adoration of this symbol is the best way to get both endless happiness in this world and the ultimate spiritual perfection. It will remove all potential obligatory rebirths within the realm of illusion and ignorance, of any incarnated beings. Performing the spiritual ceremonies, making offerings or praying, everything that will be a spiritual practice in connection with this symbol will be a million times more efficient than without the reference to it.
If I will be adored in My supreme form as a lingam and if with this attitude towards the lingam will be performed all the other ceremonies and spiritual processes, it will surely be attained the five forms of liberation [known in the Indian tradition], respectively: to live in the same divine world as Me – salokya, to be always close to Me – samipya, to be entirely as Me – sarupya, to achieve the same divine powers as Me – sarishti and to be entirely identified with Me – sayujia. So you can all get the fulfillment of all your desires!
The symbol of lingam and Me, which I am thus symbolized, are not two different entities. The lingam is just My Absolute Being. It allows my worshipers to approach Me. Thus, it is always entirely worthy of worship.”
yogaesoteric
December 18, 2013