Shri mahaperiyava on shivaratri
SHRI MAHAPERIYAVA ON SHIVARATRI
In all Siva Temples, on the western wall of the, 'Garba Graha' or 'sanctum sanctorum', you will find a statue of, 'Lingodbhava Murthy', meaning, 'form arising out of linga'.
Lingodbhava Murthy, is one of the sixty four forms of Siva, such as, Vrushabaruder, Ardhanareeswarar, Hariharar, Natarajar, Kaamari, Bairavar, Dakshinamurthy, Somaaskandar, Bikshanadanar, Oordvathandavar, Jalandarasura Samhaarar, Kaala Samhaarar and so on.
That is the form, on the rear / western wall, in which we find the outlines of a Linga, within which is sculpted another figure, whose head and feet are not seen. Below is a Varaha form and above is the Hansa form. Who is this 'Lingodbhavar'? (In some temples, this spot may be occupied by a statue of Maha Vishnu). Whenever and wherever, Sri Rudra Abhishekam is done, by pouring oblations over a Siva Linga statue, traditionally, the following sloka is chanted:-
apathala nabhah sthalaantha buvana brhmaanda maavispurath
jyothih spaatika linga mouli vilasath poornendu vantamruthai :
asthokaplutham ekam asam anisam rudranuvakan japan
dyaayeth eepsitha siddhaye (a)druthapadam vipro bhishincheth sivam
The sloka says, that we should do 'abhishekam', to the brilliant 'Spatika Linga', that is spread from the nether worlds to limitless expanse of the skies. Spatika is a naturally occuring crystal. Crystal has no colour. Whatever is kept behind it, it will reflect that colour. It is spotless. If you keep a green leaf behind it, the whole Linga will seem green. Same with a red flower. It is as though reflecting our mental make up. It is transparent, pure, open as the primordial thing.
As said in the sloka, on its head is 'poornendu', meaning, total full moon. When Siva is in 'sakala roopa', with all body parts, then He has a thick matted hair, known as 'Jadha'. Then He has the Ganga river and the third night sliver of the crescent perched on the jadha. Then He is known as 'Chandramouli'. But when He is, 'nishkala tattva' as a Linga, without any form, He has the full moon on his head, from which the nectar of Amruta flows. Yogis, meditate on the 'effulgent light', in the thousand petalled lotus, in the Chandra Mandala, in the peak of their head. Jyotir Linga is representative of the entire cosmos. Abhishekam to the Linga is paying obeisance to the whole orderly, harmonious, systematic universe. The above sloka says all this.
All the 'Brhmaanda', or cosmic egg, is Siva Linga, says Sri Rudram. Sri Rudram says, that everything in the universe, good and bad, is the form of Siva. Why is the Lingam spherical? For a sphere, there is no head or tail; no start or end. Lingam shows that Sivam is without an origin or finish. Instead of being a perfect sphere, it is ellipsoidal. The universe is also ellipsoidal. The Solar system collectively and all the planets in it individually are all similarly ellipsoidal! When the sloka says 'Brhmandam aavispurath', it is borne out to be true, by modern science of Astronomy.
We think of some relative and feel happy. The happiness is greater when you see the person. Similarly, if Siva comes in a recognizable form, it will be more thrilling. Only Gnanis can understand the formless form of the Almighty God. Common people would rather prefer even the primordial truth in some form. That is why, instead of being the shapeless shape of Siva Linga, He shows the 'Lingodbhava Murthy', within the Linga! Even here, He has no top or bottom, no start or end!
He stood as an effulgent light, of enormous immesureable proportions, on Siva Rathri night, as Jyotirlinga, extending beyond the skies, in all directions. Vishnu, went down in to the Earth, looking for the lower end of the phenomenon, as Varaha, the digger. (The boar has this capability to dig deep, looking for roots.) Brahma, flew up looking for the top of the head of the Jyotirlinga, in the form of a Swan or Hansa. Neither of them could reach the end. The Swan came back and bluffed. As per belief, this is the reason that there is no Temple for Brhma the Creator!
The idea behind Vishnu and Brhma, not finding the ends, is not to decry their capabilities, but to indicate that the "formless is limitless". This is also to indicate that, what could not be traced by Brhma and Vishnu, cannot be approached by 'pride and prejudice'!
But that formless, limitless Siva is easily pleased. One of His names is 'Aasutosh', meaning,easily satisfied. On the night of 'Maha Siva Rathri', let us think deeply, repeatedly, that we are in Him!
(Source: Deivathin Kural, Volume 1)
Courtesy:
Periva.org
Source: Sage of Kanchi
Venkatesan Ramadurai
