3. Shiva Lingam as Sexual Organ/s
Many Hindus believe that physically the Shiva lingam is the sexual union of Lord Shiva and the goddess Parvati where the lingam represents the phallus, and the yoni represents the vagina. Some of them believe that symbolically, it represents Purusha and Prakriti, while some of them look at it as a symbol of fertility. Also, some believe it is only the phallus of Lord Shiva, and Goddess Parvati has nothing to do with it. But why do they think so?
Before going forward, I would like to put forth the fact that phallic worship is found in many cultures all over the world.
1. Priapus is a god of fertility in Greek mythology whose symbol is an exaggerated phallus. He was considered to be the protector of domesticated animals, fruit plants, gardens, and male genitalia.
2. Hermes, the god of boundaries and exchange, is considered to be a phallic deity by association with representations of him on pillars featuring a phallus.
3. Min is an ancient Egyptian god of fertility and harvest who is depicted with an erect phallus.
4. The phallus and snake were symbols of Dionysus in ancient Greece and of Bacchus in Greece and Rome.
5. Kawasaki phallus festival, also known as The Shinto Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus), is held each year at the Kanayama Shrine in Kawasaki in Japan.
6. In Bhutan, Lama Drukpa Kunley used to hit demons over the head with his penis. Bhutanese believe that praying at Saint Drukpa Kunley's monastery could bless a childless woman with a child.
7. The Native Americans, such as the Mandan, had a phallic buffalo dance.
8. Some scholars believe that the great object of veneration in the Ark of the Covenant is a phallic emblem, a symbol of the preservation of the germ of life.
9. Freyr is a Norse god who is a phallic deity and represents male fertility and love.
10. Some stones are found in Mohenjo-daro that look like phallic stones.
There are many stories in the Hindu scriptures which proclaim that the Shiva lingam is a sexual organ/s.
1. The Story of Bhikshatana (Shiva Purana, 4.12):
Once upon a time, there was a forest named Daruvana. There were many sages, who were great devotees of Lord Shiva. One day, some of them went into the jungle to bring sacrificial twigs. To test their devotion, Lord Shiva assumed a very hideous form. He was stark naked and had smears of ashes all over his body. He came to the houses of his devotees, held his penis, and started showing all sorts of vicious tricks. The wives of the sages got scared at this sight, but the other women, excited and surprised, approached him. Some embraced him, and some held his hand.
Meanwhile, sages returned and were infuriated at this sight. Therefore, they cursed the Lord that his penis would fall on the ground. The curse was immediately fulfilled and the Lord’s penis fell, but that penis started moving randomly and burnt down everything that came in its path. It went to all the three worlds (Earth, heaven, and netherworld), and the people were distressed. After this also, they did not recognize Lord Shiva and went to Lord Brahma for help. He told them that the person they cursed was Lord Shiva, and the problem would not be solved until the penis became stationary. He also told them that only the goddess Parvati could do this.
Then, all gods propitiated the goddess Parvati, and she held Lord Shiva’s penis in her genitalia and the penis became static. When the phallus was stabilized, there was welfare throughout the world. Therefore, the people who worship Lord Shiva in this form become happy in all respects.
The same story with slight variations is mentioned in the Vamana Purana, Skanda Purana, and Matsya Purana, but the story in the Linga Purana is a bit different. According to the Linga Purana (1.29), the sages said harsh words to Lord Shiva but could not curse him because their power of austerity was ineffective against him. Lord Shiva disappeared from there then.
In the morning, all the sages with perplexed minds went to Lord Brahma and informed him about the incident. Lord Brahma told them that he was Lord Shiva to whom they spoke harsh words and told them to worship Shiva lingam and take penance. So, the sages took penance for a year, and then Lord Shiva forgave them and appeared in Daru forest again. Then, Lord Shiva told them that he took this hideous form to teach people not to ill-treat the ascetics even if they roam naked around.
The story in the Linga Purana sounds more logical because the sages in the Daru forest were ordinary beings. They did not have any divine powers. Therefore, they could not curse Lord Shiva. Also, the aim of the story in the Shiva Purana seems to be the propagation of the linga worship while that in the Linga Purana appears to tell people to respect the ascetics even if they are naked.
If we consider the Linga Purana to be more authoritative than the other Puranas in terms of the Shiva lingam, then the story of Bhikshatana is not related to the Shiva lingam.
2. The Curse of Bhrigu (Padma Purana, 6.255):
One day, on Mount Mandara, all the great sages had assimilated for a sacrificial session. After the session, they discussed who is the greatest among the trinity, but they could not come to a consensus. Therefore, they requested Sage Bhrigu to meet the trinity and find who possessed the pure sattva guna, would be friendly to Brahmins and would be a holy place and favor for Brahmins.
Then along with Vamadeva, Sage Bhrigu went to Mount Kailash to meet Lord Shiva. When they reached there, Nandi told them that Lord Shiva was sporting with Goddess Parvati and could not meet them. He also spoke harsh words to them and threatened them in their lives. Still, Sage Bhrigu waited there for many days, but he could not meet Lord Shiva. Therefore, the infuriated sage cursed Lord Shiva saying, “Since he, arrogant due to the company of a woman, thinks lightly of me, he shall have the form of a clitoris. Approached (i.e., overcome) by vice he slights me, a brāhmaṇa! Reduced to an impious state, he will not be adored by brāhmaṇas. Therefore, all the food, water, flowers, and oblations offered to him will undoubtedly be useless.”
In another version of this story in the Bhagavata Purana (10th canto, Ch. 89), when Sage Bhrigu went to meet Lord Shiva, the Lord wished to embrace him, but the sage refused to do so and called him a deviant heretic. This infuriated Lord Shiva and he wanted to kill him, but the goddess Parvati intervened and pacified him. In this story, there is no mention of the curse to Lord Shiva.
In both versions of the story, we can see that Lord Shiva was not at fault. In the first version, he was not aware that Sage Bhrigu was coming to meet him, and even if he was, he must have known the purpose behind it was not good. In the second version, the sage insulted him first. Also, the curse given by the sage did not fulfill completely because Lord Shiva is worshipped in his imagery form also!
3. The Story from the Tantric Texts.
Goddess Parvati takes the form of Goddess Kali to kill an Asura named Raktabija, but even after killing him, she continues to be angry and gods fear she would destroy the three worlds. Therefore, to pacify her, Lord Shiva lies dormant as a corpse among the dead. Kali does not see him and steps on him. After realizing what she has done, she feels sorry for it and tries to arouse him, but he does not. He lies dormant until she sits on him, arouses him, and forces him to copulate. Unaware of the arrival of the sages, they continue to copulate. Seeing that, sages decide to meditate on Lord Shiva in that form. Therefore, the Shiva lingam actually represents reverse copulation. It means it is the view inside of the womb of Goddess Shakti.
In another version of this story, Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu came to meet Lord Shiva for some emergency. The guard tried to stop them, but they pushed him aside and entered the room where they saw Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati were in a compromised position. They should have returned that moment, but the problem was very severe, so they decided to wait. Lord Shiva did not pay heed to them, and they continued to stand there for hours. They felt offended and cursed Lord Shiva that he would be remembered for his sexuality. Therefore, people started worshipping Lord Shiva in the form of the lingam and yoni.
The story of reverse copulation explains why the Shiva lingam is in this form, but the Tantric texts are considered less authoritative than the Puranas.
Archaeological Evidence:
1. Parasurameswara Temple in the Gudimallam Village:
Image 3.1 – Lord Shiva Standing on the Shoulders of Apasmara
Image Credit: Wikipedia (licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0)
The Shiva lingam in the Parasurameswara Temple in the Gudimallam village is considered to be the oldest (between 3rd to 1st centuries BCE) to date.
This Shiva lingam is clearly portrayed as the phallus of Lord Shiva in which the standing image of Lord Shiva is inscribed, and he is standing on a demon/dwarf. It does not have a peetham. It is not the rare one in this form. Many other Shiva lingams are clearly in the shape of a phallus.
Image 3.2 - Ekmukha linga
Image Credit: Philadelphia Museum of Art
Image 3.3 - Ekmukha linga – Aghapura, Rajasthan (1st century AD)
Other lingams found in different parts of India that resemble a phallus:
The common point in all these Shiva lingams is that none of them has a peetham. The people who believe that it is a phallic symbol of Lord Shiva consider them as one of the strongest pieces of evidence.
Many sculptures in Hindu temples are inspired by the stories in the Hindu scriptures. These kinds of Shiva lingams might be inspired by a story that is mentioned in the Mahabharata.
The Story of Self-Castration by Lord Shiva (Mahabharata 10.17):
Once Lord Brahma asked Lord Shiva to create creatures. To do so, Lord Shiva jumped into the water and practiced austerities for a long time, but he did not create anyone, as he was sensible of the defects of the living creatures. After waiting for a long time, Lord Brahma created another creator, a Prajapati, and asked him to create creatures. He jumped into the water and created creatures, but the creatures were hungry and ran toward him to devour him. He asked for the help of Lord Brahma, and Lord Brahma created herbs, plants, and vegetables for the creatures as their food. The creatures then procreated and increased in number.
When Lord Shiva came out of the water, he saw that diverse kinds of creatures had been created and that they had multiplied by their own energy. Seeing this, he became angry and tore his penis and threw it on the Earth, where it stood up just as it was. When Lord Brahma asked him why he tore his penis, he told him that since someone else had created the creatures, then what would he do with that. He then went back to the mountains to practice austerity.
From the above story, we can say that Shiva lingams in the Gudimallam village and at other sites shown above are inspired by this story. Actually, this story is more of a symbolic nature. It implies that Lord Shiva has won over his sexual desire. If we take this story literally, then it implies that Lord Shiva does not have a phallus, but if we read the story of the birth of Lord Kartikeya (that happened after the creation) in which it is mentioned that Lord Shiva had sex with his consort implies that either the above story is symbolic or Lord Shiva regrew his phallus!
In the Ramayana (Ramacharitmanas), it is mentioned that Lord Rama and Ravana were both devotees of Lord Shiva and they used to worship him in the form of a lingam, but there is no painting or sculpture available of it, but it is believed that the shape of the Shiva lingam at that time was the same as the contemporary. The one at Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameshwaram is believed to be brought by Lord Hanuman from the Himalayas. Its shape (even if we assume that it is not the original one) is the same as that of other commonly worshipped ones.
There is no mention of a Shiva lingam in the Valmiki Ramayana which is the original version, but it says that Lord Rama was a devotee of Lord Shiva. Also, the story of Baidyanath Jyotirlinga mentions that Lord Shiva gave Atmalinga to Ravana. Although, Ramacharitmanas is less authoritative than it, many Hindus believe that Lord Rama and Ravana both worshiped Lord Shiva in the form of a Shiva lingam.
The Shiva lingam in the Kedarnath Temple is pyramid-shaped.
Image 3.4 – Pyramid-shaped Shiva Lingam
Image Credit - Vanamalishram
Kedarnath is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas and is a swayambhu Shiva lingam and therefore is considered more sacred than the lingam in the Gudimallam village. The lingam found during the excavation of Harappa (Fig. 2.1) is much older than one in the Gudimallam. Also, there are very few Shiva lingams in the clear shape of a phallus. Therefore, we can say that it was not the most commonly worshipped kind.
4. Shishnadeva in the Vedas:
In the Rigveda, there is a mention of a Shishnadeva. For a long, scholars have differed on what the exact meaning of this word is.
Following are the meanings of it:
The word “shishna” also means tail, and deva means god. Therefore, it could also mean “a god with a tail,” like Lord Hanuman.
The Sanskrit experts like Yaska (grammarian) and Sayana (a Sanskrit Mimamsa scholar) translated it as “a lewd person”. Therefore, this meaning carries more weight than others. Let us see the verses where this word appears (Rigveda, 7.21.5).
1. Na Yataba Indrajujuburno Na Bandana Sharbistha Vedyabhih.
Sa Shardhadaryo Visunasya Janotarma Shishnadeva Api Gukhabrutam Nah.
Meaning: No evil spirits have impelled us, Indra, nor fiends, O Mightiest God, with their devices. Let our true God subdue the hostile rabble: let not the lewd approach our holy worship.
Scholars believe that the meaning of the above verse is logical only if we translate the word Shishnadeva as lewd.
2. Sa Bajam Yatapaduspada Sant Saryata Pari Yadat Sadhyin
Arnaba Yachhatadurasya Yedoghnanshishnadeon Abhi Barpasa Bhoot (Rigveda 10.99.3).
Meaning: On the most auspicious path, he goes to battle he toiled to win heaven's light, full fain to gain it. He seized the hundred-gated castle's treasure by craft, unchecked, and slew the lustful demons.
Here also the meaning ‘lustful’ makes sense.
If we assume that Aryans came to India between 2000 and 1500 BCE, Indus valley civilization ended around 1300 BCE, the Rigveda was composed around 1200 BCE, and some objects that look like a Shiva lingam are found during the excavation of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, then the word Shishnadeva meaning a phallus god also makes sense. There is also a mention of a tribe called Siva in the Rigveda (7.18.7). So were the people of the Siva tribe phallus worshippers?
But this theory is debatable. Also, Shishnadeva can mean “a god with a tail.”
Therefore, we can say that most probably the word Shishnadeva mentioned in Rigveda is not related to the Shiva lingam, but we cannot completely deny it also.
5. Pashupati Seal from Harappa:
Image – The Famous Pashupati Seal
In 1928-29, ASI discovered the Pashupati seal in Block 1, Southern Portion of the DK-G area of Mohenjo-daro at a depth of 3.9 m below the surface. This seal is carved in soapstone and measures 3.56 x 3.53 cm, and has a thickness of 0.76 cm. It depicts a human figure in a meditation pose. It is surrounded by six animals, viz. an elephant, a tiger, a buffalo, a rhinoceros, and two deer (One deer is in the broken part of the seal).
An archaeologist, John Marshall, identified it with proto-Shiva. He gave the following reasons to corroborate his hypothesis:
“My reasons for the identification are four. In the first place, the figure has three faces and that Siva was portrayed with three as well as with more usual five faces, there are abundant examples to prove. Secondly, the head crowned with the horns of a bull, and the Trishula are characteristic emblems of Siva. Thirdly, the figure is in a typical yoga attitude, and Siva was and still is, regarded as a maha yogi—the prince of Yogis. Fourthly, he is surrounded by animals, and Siva is par excellence the "Lord of Animals" (Pasupati)—of the wild animals of the jungle, according to the Vedic meaning of the word pashu, no less than that of domesticated cattle.”
He also wrote, “The lower limbs are bare and the phallus (urdhva-medhra) seemingly exposed, but it is possible that what appears to be the phallus is in the reality the end of the waistband” (Marshall 1931: 52-56).
Let us take these reasons one by one.
A. The figure has three or four faces.
Many scholars do not agree with this assumption. A professor of Indian studies, Doris Srinivasan, has postulated that the lateral projections are cow-like ears rather than faces. According to her, the two extra faces could be reinterpreted as possible ears, and the central face has predominant bovine features. She has drawn similarities between the central figure of seal 420 and other artifacts from the Indus Valley, such as the horned mask from Mohenjo-daro, the terracotta bull from Kalibangan, and the depiction of a horned deity on a water pitcher from the archaeological site of Kot Diji. She has also noted that the yogic posture of the figure is repeated on several other seals and sealings, some of which indicate that the figure receives worship. Based on these observations, she suggests that the figure of seal 420 could be a divine buffalo-man.
Lord Shiva is also known as Panchanana (one with five faces). The form of Lord Shiva having three faces is less popular. Lord Brahma is depicted as having four faces in the Hindu scriptures. Lord Shiva is not depicted as having four faces. Therefore, this point is doubtful.
B. The head is crowned with the horns of a bull and a Trishula.
The horns of a bull are smooth and not serrated mostly, unlike the horns shown in the seal, but the horns of a buffalo are serrated. Also, a buffalo is shown in the seal and not a bull.
Image – The horns of a bull
Hindus never depict their deities with horns on their heads. In fact, they depict Asuras with them. In the seal, there is no Trishula. It is just the headdress that looks like it. Trishula is a weapon of Lord Shiva and not something that he wears on his head.
All these things point out that the bull is in no way associated with the seal but a buffalo is. Hence, this argument does not stand.
C. The figure is in a typical yoga posture.
The posture is a combination of Padmasana and Baddha Konasana while Lord Shiva is typically depicted in a Padmasana posture.
Image - Lord Shiva in Padmasana
Credit: Gururaj Malekar (licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0)
But still, we can’t deny here that the posture looks similar to that of Lord Shiva.
D. He is surrounded by animals and Siva is par excellence the "Lord of Animals.”
Among these animals, the tiger and the elephant can be associated with Lord Shiva because he is known to wound the skin of an elephant/tiger around his waist. A buffalo can also be associated with him as mentioned in the story of Kedarnath Temple. Therefore, this argument is valid.
E. The figure is ithyphallic.
Mr. John Marshall just raised a doubt that the person in the seal could be ithyphallic, but many scholars (including Hindus) considered it as ithyphallic and wrote their theses and books based on this. The Pashupati seal is very small in dimensions. Therefore, it is hard to distinguish if it is a rope, a snake, a dhoti knot, or a phallus.
Therefore, we cannot say certainly that the person in the Pashupati seal is ithyphallic or not.
Many scholars have raised doubt over the gender of the person in the figure, but from looking at the figure, especially at the chest, it appears as if he is a male.
There are a few lingams found during the excavation of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro sites and also the sign of Swastika, which is a major Hindu symbol, is found during the excavation, but it is also possible that the lingam and the Swastika do not have any connection with the Pashupati seal.
Therefore, we can say that although some pieces of evidence point to it being proto-Shiva, we cannot be 100% sure about this. Also, it is not clear whether the figure is ithyphallic or not.
6. Symbols associated with Lord Shiva:
Some symbols associated with Lord Shiva are believed to be sexual symbols.
If we look for sex in everything, then we start seeing sexual symbols everywhere. Another example of this is the peacock feather worn by Lord Krishna. According to a story, this peacock feather was gifted to him by the king of peacocks as Gurudakshina (teacher fee), but some people look at it as a symbol of a female sexual organ!
The four symbols mentioned above are related to the story of Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean).
The Story of Samudra Manthan:
When gods and demons started to churn the ocean of milk to get Amrita (elixir of life), the first thing that appeared from the sea was Halahala (poison). This poison was so deadly that it could destroy all creation. Therefore, gods and demons requested Lord Shiva to help them. Lord Shiva accepted their request and started drinking the Halahala. Seeing this, snakes also started drinking the poison to help him and became poisonous in the process. Therefore, as a token of appreciation, Lord Shiva wears a snake named Vasuki around his neck. Also, wearing the snake provides cooling relief to him.
If the poison had spread in the body of Lord Shiva, it would have been very painful for him. Therefore, Goddess Parvati stopped the poison from entering his body and let it accumulate in his throat. But because of this poison, Lord Shiva’s body is always hot, and he is always in agony. Therefore, Hindus offer water and milk to Lord Shiva as it reduces his pain.
They apply sandalwood paste to the Shiva lingam. The sandalwood paste provides coolness to the skin. Devotees pour ghee, honey, and curd onto the Shiva lingam. Ghee and honey are also known to have soothing properties and decrease the burning of the skin. Curd is also known to be useful in skin irritation.
Bel leaves also have anti-inflammatory properties that are used extensively in his worship. The Datura is a poisonous fruit that helps reduce the poison in his body.
Therefore, most of the things that are offered to Lord Shiva either soothe his pain and cool off his burning body or reduce the effect of the poison that he is carrying in his throat. That is why whenever devotees offer any of these things to him, he gets pleased and blesses them. For the same reason, Lord Shiva carries a moon on his forehead as the coolness of the moon soothes his pain. The water/milk dropping from the vessel hung over the Shiva lingam also keeps his body cool all the time.
Agricultural Symbols:
In ancient India, agriculture was the major occupation of people. Many of the things associated with Lord Shiva are useful in farming.
Nandi or bull is a symbol of power. Lord Shiva is considered the most powerful god. Also, a bull is very useful for farmers. According to a legend, Lord Shiva sent Nandi for the help of farmers. Therefore, the bull is considered a sacred animal. Once in a year, Hindus worship bulls and give them rest to express gratitude toward them. Snakes eat mice and help farmers. Water is essential for farming. Dairy is a good side-business for farmers.
Therefore, we can say that associating those symbols with sex is the wrong notion.
Overall, some things point to the Shiva lingam being a sexual organ, while some things imply the opposite. Most of the old lingams (found so far) look like a phallus. Therefore, it is also possible that originally it was a phallus but afterward, stories were created to attach some spiritual meaning to it.
For many Hindus, who look at the Shiva lingam as sexual organs, it is a symbol of fertility. Humans love their children more than anything, and a child comes into this world after the sexual union