lingam
Noun: 1. A stylized phallic symbol representing the god Shiva in Hinduism: The lingam is a cylindrical or oval-shaped stone, metal, or clay object that is the primary aniconic representation and object of worship for the Hindu deity Shiva. It symbolizes creative energy, fertility, and the cosmic pillar of the universe.
The word lingam is used exclusively as a noun to refer to this specific religious object. It is typically found in contexts related to Hinduism, religious studies, art history, and descriptions of Indian temples.
- The central shrine of the temple houses a large black stone .
- In Shaivism, the is often placed within a (a symbol of the goddess Shakti), representing the union of cosmic principles.
- Devotees offered milk, water, and flowers to the during the morning prayers.
- Lingam Puja: Refers to the ritual worship () offered to a Shiva , which involves bathing it with various substances and chanting mantras.
- Jyotirlinga: Refers to the twelve most sacred and self-manifested () of Shiva located across India. Each is considered a "pillar of light."
- Linga: An alternative transliteration of the Sanskrit word लिङ्ग (liṅga), meaning "mark," "sign," or "characteristic." and are used interchangeably in English.
- Shivalinga: A compound term combining "Shiva" and "linga," explicitly meaning "the symbol of Shiva."
- Symbol of Shiva: This is a descriptive synonym, though it is less specific than .
- Phallic symbol: This is an anthropological or descriptive term focusing on its shape and symbolic association with generative power, but it may not capture the full theological significance in a Hindu context.
The lingam is not merely a phallic symbol in a simplistic sense. Within Hindu theology, it is a profound aniconic symbol representing the formless, limitless absolute (Brahman) as manifest in Shiva. It symbolizes the pillar of fire from which Shiva appeared, representing the unmanifest source of all creation. Its worship focuses on this abstract, cosmic principle rather than its physical form.
- the Hindu phallic symbol of Siva