In common parlance; the imminent universal process of NAMASMARAN and realizing the true SELF; by billions; and the holistic renaissance - the individual and universal blossoming - a changing contingent without a regimentalized uniform pattern; is the will of God!

1. HEALTH
ENLIGHTENMENT
AND
LINGA POOJA
DR.
SHRINIWAS
KASHALIKAR

2. The stories from Linga Purana about the fight for supremacy
between Vishnu and Brahma; are symbolic and should never be
taken verbatim. I should not look at and think of; in a vulgar
manner; the worship of linga as “a vestige of primitive, barbaric
culture of phallus worship”, due to my own intellectual or
cultural limitation.
Lingapooja; even if it is of the phallus and vagina, which signify
the procreation and symbolize the creation; is in essence;
remembering, reorienting and reestablishing one’s true nature.
Since such remembrance of one’s true self is almost impossible;
or at least may not be easy for every one; the ritual of
worshipping the form of linga has become a part of culture.
From the essence of the following two shlokas;
1. Lnigm chinnhenumane cha sankhyokta prakrutavapi
Sivamurti visheshe cha mehanepi napusakam
2. Layam gacchanti bhootani samhare nischalam yatha
srushtyakale punah strshtim tasmat lingamudahrutam
There are three basic phenomena in the universe viz. formation,
maintenance and destruction. This is similar to anabolism,
catabolism and metabolism. From the Adwait philosophical
point of view, these transitions are mere contingents and the
substratum of these, or the field SHIVA; is beyond time. The
form of SHIVA is lingam.

3. Specific days and specific places appear to be conducive to this
realization of one’s true self and hence there are places of
JYOTIRLINGA in as much as there are specific days called
MAHASHIVARATRI.
The scholars of astrology can shed more light on this.
In short; DHARMA is that, which holds together the
orchestration of the universe in harmony throughout millennia.
Hence it is essential to appreciate the root of every tradition and
remove the cobwebs of sectarian illusions and resultant strife,
hatred, prejudice, antipathy and contempt; or sectarian pride.