Shiva's Transcendence and Formlessness
Original Text: "Shiva is signless (sexless), without color, taste, or smell, beyond word and touch, without quality, changeless, motionless. (Linga Purana 1.3.2-3)"
Expanded Interpretation:
Signless (Sexless): Shiva transcends all dualities and distinctions, including gender. This signifies the ultimate non-dual nature of Shiva, who embodies both masculine and feminine aspects yet is beyond them.
Without Color, Taste, or Smell: These attributes indicate Shiva's transcendence over the physical senses and the material world. Shiva exists beyond the sensory experiences that define the material plane.
Beyond Word and Touch: Shiva cannot be fully comprehended or described through language or physical contact. This emphasizes the ineffable nature of the divine, which eludes human understanding and expression.
Without Quality (Nirguna): Shiva is beyond the three Gunas (qualities) of Sattva (goodness), Rajas (passion), and Tamas (ignorance). This denotes a state of absolute purity and transcendence, unbound by the attributes that characterize the created universe.
Changeless and Motionless: Shiva represents the eternal, unchanging reality amidst the ever-changing cosmos. This immutability highlights the divine as the constant, stable foundation of all existence.
The Concept of Linga
Original Text: "Basic nature is thus called the linga. The owner of the linga is supreme divinity. (Linga Purana 1.17.5)"
Expanded Interpretation:
Basic Nature as Linga: The term "linga" symbolizes the fundamental essence or core nature of the universe. In this context, it represents the formless source from which all forms arise. The linga is a representation of the ineffable, abstract principle underlying all creation.
Owner of the Linga as Supreme Divinity: Shiva, as the possessor of the linga, is identified as the supreme divinity. This emphasizes Shiva's role as the ultimate reality, the source, and the substratum of all that exists. The linga serves as a symbol of Shiva's omnipresence and omnipotence, encapsulating the divine's transcendence and immanence.
Philosophical Implications
These passages from the Linga Purana reflect profound philosophical and theological concepts in Hinduism:
Non-Dualism (Advaita): The description of Shiva aligns with the Advaita Vedanta philosophy, which posits that the ultimate reality (Brahman) is formless, changeless, and beyond all dualities. Shiva, as described here, is synonymous with Brahman, the non-dual consciousness that pervades all.
Transcendence and Immanence: While Shiva is portrayed as beyond all attributes and sensory experiences (transcendence), the linga symbolizes Shiva's immanence in the world. This dual aspect allows devotees to relate to the divine both as the formless absolute and as a presence within the universe.
Symbolism of the Linga: The linga is a potent symbol in Shaivism, representing both the creative and dissolutive aspects of the divine. It embodies the unity of the manifest and unmanifest, the seen and the unseen, the known and the unknown.
Mystical Experience: The attributes (or lack thereof) ascribed to Shiva suggest a mystical experience where the divine is encountered as an ultimate reality that transcends ordinary perception and cognition. This points to a spiritual journey beyond the material and intellectual towards direct, experiential knowledge of the divine.
In summary, these passages from the Linga Purana convey the profound and abstract nature of Shiva, emphasizing the deity's transcendence over all physical and mental attributes and positioning Shiva as the ultimate reality behind the cosmos. The linga serves as a powerful symbol of this formless, supreme divinity, bridging the gap between the transcendent and the immanent.
Related
Story of Shivling
Worship of Linga
On Shiva and Shivling – Brahma Kumaris
Why is Siva worshiped in the form of Shivling?