Shivalinga - Radiant pillar of fire

 

Story of Shivalinga from Shiva purana (Chapter 12  of Section 4 - Koṭirudra-Saṃhitā)

Shiva, smeared ashes all over his body standing there holding his penis, enters forest dāruvana, where many sages used to engross in meditation on Shiva. Shiva. The wives of the sages were extremely frightened while other women were excited and approached to shiva to hold his penis. On seeing Shiva engaged in such perverse activities the great sages got infuriated and refuse to recognise Shiva and cursed Shiva “You are acting perversely. This violates the Vedic path. Hence let your penis fall on the ground.”

Then the penis of Lord Shiva falls down instantly and started growing rapidly burnt everything in front. brahmā advised the sages to propitiate goddess Pārvatī and pray her to assume the form of the vaginal passage then Shiva's penis would become steady. And the sages performed the ritual as according to brahmā's advice. Pārvatī assumed the shape of a vagina and hold Shiva's penis in her vagina.

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However, Shvetasvatara Upanishad gives a different meaning to this word Siva Linga.

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Shivalinga is a Sanskrit word. It means 'symbol or representation of Shiva'. 'Lingam -लिङ्गम्' can only mean 'symbol/representation, but not penis.   "Shishna - शिश्न " means penis.

Shiva means auspicious/holy, a symbolical representation of brAhman. In the Swetasvatara Upanishad the word Lingam is used to state that brAhman has no conceivable sign.

Svetasvatara Upanishad 6.9

न तस्य कश्चित्‌पतिरस्ति लोके न चेशिता नैव च तस्य लिङ्गम्‌।

स कारणं करणाधिपाधिपो न चास्य कश्चिज्जनिता न चाधिपः॥

There is none in this world who is His master or who governs Him and there is nothing by which He can be identified. He is the cause of all. He is also the Lord of the jiva who is the lord of all the sense-organs. None is His creator and none is His controller.

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Shiva Purana (Chapter 7  of Section 1 - Vidyeśvara-saṃhitā) says that Shiva appeared in the form of the pillar of fire.

When a fierce battle is going on between Brahma and Vishnu, the formless Shiva appears in their midst as a magnificent pillar of fire. Lord Vishnu assumes the form of Varaha and goes down to find the source of the pillar of fire. Brahma in the form of a swan goes in search of the top of the pillar of fire.

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There was reference to the radiant pillar of fire in the Rigveda, which in brief is as follows.

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The Dasyas, who obstruct or steal the cows/water are called Panis (पणयः). Their leader is a demon named Vala. Vala lives in a cave, hole in the mountains. If the Panis steal the cows/water and hide them in the cave, it is the responsibility of Sarama, the divine messenger of the Gods, to find the trail of the cows/water.

Indra and Angirasa sages reach the dark cave following the trail given by Sarama to retrieve the cows/water. The Angirasa sages have to chant the true word/mantra. Indra enters the cave and breaks open the hill, vanquishes the Panis. The herds of cows/water (rays of the hidden sun) are driven upward from the dark cave/mountain.

The next story is that due to the divine radiance - ushas - उषस् (the herds of cows/water) that came out the dark cave/mountain stood like a radiant pillar in support of heaven.

Rig Veda 5.45.2

वि सूर्यो अमतिं न श्रियं सादोर्वाद्गवां माता जानती गात् ।

धन्वर्णसो नद्यः खादोअर्णाः स्थूणेव सुमिता दृंहत द्यौः ॥

As the sun splits the hill, the bright gomāta (ushas - उषस्), incarcerated in the dark cave emerges and expands. Hidden rivers flowed with broad banks. Heaven is firmly established like a firmly built pillar “.

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The Vala is probably the force that binds our mental faculties, and Sarama, who is said to be the divine messenger of the Gods, can be thought of as the "intuition/inner vision" of man. With the help of patriarchal gods or Angirasa sages, based on the strong mental power of Indra, we bring out the divine knowledge (cow/water) hidden due to ignorance, somewhere (in the dark cave) within us – perhaps the Kundalini Shakti in the mUlAdhAra (मूलाधार) chakra.

Heaven is firmly established like a firmly built pillar may mean the rising up of kundalini energy from the mUlAdhAra (मूलाधार) chakra to the sahasrAra (सहस्रार) chakra and wisdom/SELF REALISATION establishes.