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Originally Posted by ajay00
Even in the Puranas too, you can see the Shivalingam being a cosmic pillar of light, especially Shivapuranas, supporting the vedic interpretation as put by Vivekananda.
Later interpolations came up in the Puranas distorting this given fact.
The Jyotirlinga stories in the Puranas are metaphorical stories created to impart wisdom to the masses who lacked the intellectual depth required to realise the deep philosophy within. That is all.
Jyoti means light and Linga means mark, thereby the term means mark of light.
The Shivalingam is a personalised aspect of Brahman,namely Saguna Brahman.
As per Hinduism, Brahman is of the nature of pure consciousness.
Prajñānam brahma - Brahman is pure consciousness (Aitareya Upanishad 3.3 of the Rig Veda)
And enlightened sages like Ramakrishna and Ramana had pointed out the nature of Brahman in these sayings....
'It has been revealed to me that there exists an Ocean of Consciousness without limit. From It come all things of the relative plane, and in It they merge again. These waves arising from the Great Ocean merge again in the Great Ocean. I have clearly perceived all these things.' - Ramakrishna
“The Self (pure consciousness) is self-luminous without darkness and light, and is the reality which is self-manifest." - Ramana Maharshi
There the sun does not shine, nor the moon, nor the stars, nor does the lightning flash, what to speak of fire! Because of Thy Light all is illumined. With His shining everything shines. - Mundaka Upanishad
Brahman is the Light of lights.
He is Self-luminous.
He is Supreme Light.
He is ultimate light.
He is an embodiment of Light.
By His Light all else shines. ~ Brahmarahasya Upanishad
The self-luminous nature of God is also described in other religious scriptures as well, as mentioned in this thread of mine...
http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/sh...d.php?t=127748 |
Yes, you are 100℅ correct.
Now excuse me while I go and pay homage to Lord Shiva AS Shankar... More precisely, AS Yogeshwara.... As the being who taught all of the occult knowledge to mankind.. Especially to the Sapta Rishis and the Sanat Kumaras through silence and the Gyan/Chin mudra... Who instructed Matsyendranath to write the Tantras... Who took human form as Lakulisha... Who appeared as the Avatar of Sharabha to destroy Narsimha Deva... Who destroyed Prajapati Daksha's sacrifice due to his incessant arrogant insolence.
Whatever his name is (he has never objected to me calling him "Shiva", put it THAT way), he is the one I worship.
Besides, whose explanation sounds more "plausible"? A billion ignorant/illiterate people who agree with me? Or a million (or so) educated and wise people who do not? I think I'll take my chances with the masses AND follow my heart at the same time.
JAI SHIVA SHANKAR!
HARA HARA MAHADEV!