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When Kama has aroused Shiva by shooting him with the arrow of Fascination, Shiva resolves to marry Parvati in order to cure himself of the disease born of desire. He says, 'I burn day and night because of Kama. I will find no peace without Parvati. The symbolism which expresses this cure is that of the "Linga with the Yoni", Shiva with Parvati, the linga , with the yoni, and fire and water - three images of satisfaction on the levels of the myth, the cult and they symbol - combine in Gayatri's curse of Shiva:
When you are in the Pine Forest, the sages will become angry and curse you, saying 'Kapalika, you lowly creature, you wish to carry off our women. Therefore that linga which you are so proud will fall upon the ground.' Deprived of your virility by the sages' curse, tortured you will seek consolation from your wife on the banks of the Ganges.
The sages cursed Shiva's linga to fall to the earth, and it burnt everything before it like a fire. Never still, it went to the underworld and to heaven and everywhere on earth. All creatures on earth were troubled, and the sages went in desperation to Brahma, who said to them, 'As long as the linga is not still, there will be nothing auspicious in the universe. You must propitiate Devi, so that she will take the form of the Yoni, and then the linga will become still. The honoured Shiva, and he appeared and said: 'If my linga is held in the yoni, then all will be well. Only Parvati can hold the linga, and then it will become calm.' They propitiated him, and thus linga-worship was established.
Those doubting that the linga have phallic associations, have
not far to look.
The Gudimallam linga. c.100BC. |
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| Linga over the ages a) 100BC, b) ? 200AD, c) 436AD, d) ?400AD,
e) 600AD, f+g) 650AD, h) 681AD, i) 733AD, j) 918AD, k) 1025AD,
l) recent
The Trombay Atomic reactor bears a remarkable |
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