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Did Mahabharata really happen? Is Mahabharata real?You are reading the most detailed analysis on historicity of MahabharataDid Mahabharata really happen? Is Mahabharata real? Mahabharata is always associated with Hinduism and has an immense impact on Hindus and their cultural traditions. Many people in India consider Mahabharata as real history and they quote events from the epic as true accounts of history. Therefore it has become a topic of debate, if the Mahabharata narrates the real history. We are trying to find answers to two questions here – Did Mahabharata really happen? Is Mahabharata real?Hoysaleswara Temple 12th century depiction of Mahabharata battleIf you ever try to find the answer by asking questions or surfing the internet, you will most likely get one side of the opinion. People of faith would say that it is indeed real and there not a shred of doubt that it is indeed our Indian history. Furthermore they claim they have real proof of Mahabharata and its historicity.On the other hand, people of scientific community and skeptics out-rightly reject it as history call it mythology. They however do not answer the question as to why does it have such a profound impact on Hindu Society.So where does the truth lie? Is Mahabharata a myth or reality?Mahabharata is not only an epic of faith for Hindus, as it is widely recognized. Other religions like Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism also have various associations with Mahabharata and is an integral part of these religions and culture.In a nutshell, anything that has some origin in India also has some association with Mahabharata. This in itself is a strong argument that part of the epic must to true to have this kind of impact on collective memory of such diverse societies.Bhagvat Geeta and its Significance in MahabharataArtist depiction of Krishna narrating Bhagvat Geeta to ArjunBhagvat Geeta which is one of the most well-known and important holy books in Hinduism is a part of Mahabharata.Bhagvat Geeta is said to be a documented narrative of god Krishna to Arjun to fulfill his moral obligation and fight in the war of Kurukshetra. If Mahabharata is not real then who wrote Geeta and what was the purpose?We have tried to answer some of the questions by first analyzing what are the available evidences from which it can be inferred that Mahabharata is real. I must tell you these are very strong facts and not mere faith based arguments.Let us now examine them. Let us observe the ‘Scientific proof of Mahabharata’Facts that support Mahabharata happened for realDPS Bali Indonesia Kuta. Statue of Arjuna, Krishna and Bima, introductory scene of Bhagavad Gita1. Records of Bharat dynasties and real historical lineageIt is mentioned in Aadiparva, the book of the beginning. Which is the first of eighteen books of the Mahabharata, chapter 62 about the records of the Bharat-Dynasty (interestingly the name of India ‘Bharat’ has the origin from it), and its lineage are recorded .More than 50 kings and their dynasties starting from king Manu have been presented in detail. A fictional tale as we know would hardly use 5-6 of them.Bharat childhood image artist depiction2. It is written as Itihas (History)In Mahabharata it is clearly written that it is an “Itihas’ (Sanskrit word for History). The words “Puraan” and “Itihas” were specifically coined by the ancient people to categorize the “ancient” and “recent” events. Both the words denote history that has occurred at different times. If the intention of the writer was to write a poem or a work of fiction, he would have stated it to be a “Mahakavya” (epic) or “Katha” (story) which was a tradition at that time.Cenotaph of Sage Vyas who wrote Mahabharata3. Description of modern world in ancient timesRead the description of Kaliyuga as mentioned in Mahabharata. Whatever Krishna predicted about future civilization in Kalyug (Modern Times) came true, but please note that these were not prophecies but are the part of Geeta. And remember – this was written thousands of years ago! Fiction? Unlikely because there are way too many corroborations and tallying circumstances for it to be fiction.Depiction of God Krishna4. Archaeological evidence of the lost city of DwarkaMarine archaeology while exploring the ancient submerged city of Dwaraka in Gujarat, uncovered further evidences in support of statements in the Vedic scriptures. An entire submerged city at Dwaraka, the ancient port city of Lord Krishna with its massive fort walls, piers, warfs and jetty has been found in the ocean as described in the Mahabharata and other Vedic literature.Dwarka Submerged city5. Real places mentioned in Mahabharata and archaeological evidenceHatinapur-The capital of Mahabharata kingdomMore than thirty-five sites in North India have yielded archaeological evidence and have been identified as ancient cities described in the Mahabharata. Copper utensils, iron, seals, gold & silver ornaments, terracotta discs and painted grey ware pottery have all been found in these sites. Scientific dating of these artifacts corresponds to the non-Aryan-invasion model of Indian antiquity.All places mentioned in Mahabharata are real places, all are identified and still exist with the same name. For instance, Hastinapur is in UP with multiple evidence of Mahabharata in Hastinapur. Indraprastha is the present day Delhi. Dwarka is located in Gujarat coast. Kurukshetra where the war actually happened is in present day Haryana very near to Delhi.Interestingly this is not limited to only India. The Kekaya kingdom is located in today’s Pakistan, Madra Kingdom is located in today’s Pakistan. Gandhara Kingdom is located in today’s Afghanistan. Kambojas Kingdom is located in today’s Iran. Parama Kamboja Kingdom is located in today’s Tajikistan.Recently researchers have found the city of Dwarka under the sea in the said place. Mahabharata cities are not limited to present day India because Mahabharata referred Indian subcontinent as Bharat.6. Progression from RamayanaMahabharata is a continuation from RamayanaMahabharata is a continuation of the dynasties from Ramayana and it has a well-established coherence in the chain of events. Even the relations between different kings and their dynasties in both the great “epics” match with each other.If both were mere “epics” written by two entirely different persons, at two different point in times, why would everything match to even minute details? Mahabharata occurs thousand of years after Ramayana. What is the need for the author of the Mahabharata borrow the same ideas and characters as those of the author of Ramayana?7. Astronomical referencesMahabharata is a continuation from RamayanaThe Udyoga Parva of Mahabharata narrates that, just before the War, Lord Krishna went to Hastinapur in the month of Kartika on the day when moon was at the asterism Revati.On His way to Hastinapur, Krishna took rest for a day at a place called Brikasthala, and on that day the moon was at the asterism Bharani. The day on which Duryodhana turned down all the efforts of Krishna and made the war inevitable, the moon was resting at the asterism Pushya.8. Myth of Aryan invasion theoryEuropean scholars brought the nomadic Aryan tribes, into India after 1500 BC. How could these Aryans create Sanskrit language, gain so much knowledge and write all these texts before 700 BC? Great Indian thinkers including Lokmanya Tilak, Sri Arbindo, and Dyanand Sarasvati rejected the European theory.9. Historical references that are trueMaurya, Gupta and Indo-Greek dynasties, are also recorded in our Purana. These dynasties are accepted only because they are also recorded by Greek historians. What about the dynasties that existed before the Greek historians?10. Famous Oppenheimer quoteOppenheimer great physicist mentions Hindu EpicThe architect of modern atomic bomb who was in charge of the Manhattan project was asked by a student after the Manhattan explosion, “How do you feel after having exploded the first atomic bomb on earth”. Oppenheimer’s reply for the question was, “not first atomic bomb, but first atomic bomb in modern times”. He strongly believed that nukes were used in ancient India.As he witnessed the first detonation of a nuclear weapon on July 16, 1945, a piece of Hindu scripture ran through the mind of Robert Oppenheimer: “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds”. It is, perhaps, the most well-known line from the Bhagavad-Gita, but also the most misunderstood.11. Flying vehicles and nuclear warBrahmastra is compared with modern nuclear weaponsThe Indian Epics, especially the MAHABHARATA, pick up the thread of the tale of devastation and destruction. Sanskrit scholars could not understand what was being described in the Epics until the dropping of the first atomic bombs on Japan happened. The effects of radiation poisoning also became clear.Now these details have been provided with details in Mahabharata. A details provided in Mahabharata can be roughly translated in English below:Flying a swift and powerful Vimana (Aircraft) hurled a single projectile Charged with all the power of the Universe. An incandescent column of smoke and flame as bright as ten thousand Suns rose in all its was an unknown weapon, an iron thunderbolt, a gigantic messenger of death, which reduced to ashes.The Entire race of the Vrishnis and thr Andhakas….the corpses were so burned as to be unrecognizable. Their hair and nails fell out, pottery broke without apparent cause and the birds turned white. After a few hours all foodstuffs were infected. To escape from this fire, the soldiers threw themselves in streams to wash themselves and their equipment.12. Real places with evidences that correlates with MahabharataOne of the good examples is a place, a few kilometers from Gwalior, Morena (M.P.), India, where mother of Pandavas the heroes of Mahabharata, Kunti invoked the Mantra given by Maharishi Durvasa and summoned Surya Bhagwan (Sun God) who appeared on a seven horsed chariot.The dazzling heat of the chariot and the horses melted the rock, leaving imprints on the rock. A picture showing the same.Chariot and the horses melting the rock13. The enormity of details providedMahabharata has enormous details more than what ancient people can manageThe Mahabharata is the longest known epic poem and has been described as “the longest poem ever written”. Its longest version consists of over 100,000 shloka or over 200,000 individual verse lines (each shloka is a couplet), and long prose passages. About 1.8 million words in total, the Mahabharata is roughly ten times the length of the Iliad and the Odyssey combined. (Source: Wikipedia)In today’s world of smartphone and computers it may seem easy to maintain coherence with a large amount of data. Consider this in ancient times, where there was no Ctrl+F to search through the enormous documents, maintain consistency and infer stories and cite references.14. Physics in MahabharataGod Krishna showing his divine appearance-Did Mahabharata really happenWhether it is time travel, quantum mechanics or gravity all find some mention in Mahabharata!One of the very first time travel stories recorded in history appears in the Mahabharata. The story follows a king, his daughter, and their search for a perfect suitor.Revati was the only daughter of King Kakudmi, a powerful monarch who ruled Kusasthali, a prosperous and advanced kingdom under the sea. Thinking no one could prove to be good enough to marry his beautiful daughter, Kakudmi took Revati with him to Brahmaloka, the home of Brahma, to ask the god’s advice about finding a suitable husband for her.Brahma was listening to a musical performance when they arrived, and so they waited patiently until the performance was finished. Finally, King Kakudmi humbly bowed and made his request:“O Brahmâ! To whom shall I betroth this daughter? I have come to you to ask on this point I have searched for many princes and seen also a good many of them and none of them is to my liking and so my mind is not at rest.”Brahma laughed at the foolishness of the King.“O King! The princes that you thought would become the bridegroom of your daughter, all died; their sons and grandsons and their friends even have all passed away.”Time, as God Brahma goes on to explain, runs differently on different planes of existence. During the time they had waited in Brahmaloka to see him, 27 chatur-yugas, had passed on Earth.Everything that Kakudmi had and owned, his friends and family, his sons and wife, his armies and treasures, had vanished with the time that had passed.The King and his daughter were overcome with astonishment and grief for everything they had lost, but Brahma comforted them, and recommended a worthy husband currently on earth: Balarama, the twin brother of Krishna.I know this is as close as it gets to explain the relative nature of time or time travel to make it simple.15. RadioactivityRadioactivity finds a similar mention in MahabharataThere are many claims of radioactivity like in Jodhpur which is at least 710 Km distant from the war of Kurukshetra. Radioactivity has been quoted as one of the scientific argument presenting evidence at different places in India including giant unexplained crater near Bombay.Now these are very strong arguments for Mahabharata to be a real history. We examined each of the points and the facts are presented belowFacts that do not support Mahabharata happened for real1. The Enormous scale of destruction is not possibleMahabharata war destruction, artistic depictionFour million dead during the war of Kurukshetra is documented in Mahabharata. While scientific studies estimate the world population to be around 115 million in 1000 BC. If Mahabharata has to be validated as history it has to have occurred before 4000 BC, remember we have good historical records from 5000 BC onward. The world population estimate at that time is about 7 to 28 million in the whole world.In addition, the fact that only 12 people survived the war. Out of 4 million only 18 people surviving is in itself a miracle, add to that the fact that the righteous (Pandavas) were all surviving and rest 4 were the Kauravas or the not so righteous opponent.Strength of the armies mentioned in Mahabharata can be found belowPandava (the righteous brothers) Kauravas (the opponent)7 Akshauhinis153,090 chariots and chariot-riders153,090 elephants and elephant-riders459,270 horses and horse-riders765,450 infantry(total 1,530,900 soldiers)11 Akshauhinis240,570 chariots and chariot-riders240,570 elephants and elephant-riders721,710 horses and horse-riders1,202,850 infantry(total 2,405,700 soldiers)Akshauhinis described in the Mahabharata as a battle formation consisting of 21,870 chariots (Sanskrit ratha); 21,870 elephants; 65,610 horses and 109,350 infantry as per the Mahabharata2. Astronomical references are cyclic in natureHave you heard about the number of years it will take to see similar lunar eclipse. How do they estimate that?It is because astronomical data is cyclic in nature and repeats itself every thousands if not hundreds of years, and below are the predictions for the date of MahabharataP. V. Vartak calculates a date of 16 October 5561 BCE using planetary positions.P. V. Holey states a date of 13 November 3143 BCE using planetary positions and calendar systems.Aihole inscriptions give the date of Kurukshetra war around 3102 BCE.K. Sadananda, based on translation work, states that the Kurukshetra War started on 22 November 3067 BCE.B. N. Achar used planetarium software to argue that the Mahabharata War took place in 3067 BCE.S. Balakrishna concluded a date of 2559 BCE using consecutive lunar eclipses.R. N. Iyengar concluded a date of 1478 BCE using double eclipses and Saturn+Jupiter conjunctions.P. R. Sarkar estimates a date of 1298 BCE for the war of Kurukshetra.V. S. Dubey claims that the war happened near 950 BCEIf one event has so many different predictions for date with a range that exceeds a range of 4500 years. One thing can therefore be said about the event. You did not have good references for the date! Astronomical dating premise is certainly ruled out.3. Aryan theory is not ruled out by historians.Purana themselves have elaborate details about Aryan ‘immigration’ which would be the right word to use. This theory has not be ruled out by historian and has enough archaeological evidence to support it.4. Ancient Nuclear war theory is disapprovedAncient Nuclear Explosion TheoryBefore I get into the details we must understand why people keep referencing that an ancient atomic bomb was indeed used in Mahabharata, (including our friends from Ancient Aliens series) in the form of a weapon called Bramhastra’ The exact translated version of the text is given belowVaishampayana said: “When the thirty-sixth year (after the battle) was reached, the delighter of the Kurus, Yudhishthira, beheld many unusual portents. Winds, dry and strong, and showering gravels, blew from every side.Birds began to wheel, making circles from right to left. The great rivers ran in opposite directions. The horizon on every side seemed to be always covered with fog. Meteors, showering (blazing) coals, fell on the Earth from the sky.A single projectile charged with all the power in the Universe… An incandescent column of smoke and flame as bright as 10,000 suns, rose in all its splendor… It was an unknown weapon, an iron thunderbolt, a gigantic messenger of death which reduced to ashes an entire race.The corpses were so burned as to be unrecognizable. Their hair and nails fell out, pottery broke without any apparent cause, and the birds turned white.After a few hours, all foodstuffs were infected. To escape from this fire, the soldiers threw themselves into the river.The Sun’s disc, O king, seemed to be always covered with dust. At its rise, the great luminary of day was shorn of splendour and seemed to be crossed by headless trunks (of human beings). Fierce circles of light were seen every day around both the Sun and the Moon. These circles showed three hues…There seems to be an eerie reference to the atomic bomb explosion and radioactivity. Right? But there is nothing remotely like this story in any archaeological publications.Archaeological information about the excavations of Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa, and other Indus Valley sites is widely available online and in print, and there is simply no such thing as radioactive skeletons or skeletons in large numbers or holding hands or sprawled in any way that the archaeologists saw reason to print.Furthermore, the vast majority of radioactive isotopes produced in a nuclear blast have extremely short half lives measured in seconds, hours, or days, and are reduced to safe levels very quickly.Those that pose the greatest threat to human health are Cesium-137 and Strontium-90, which have half lives of 30 and 28 years, and so even these would have been reduced to well below the natural background levels thousands of years ago.Other long-lived isotopes are produced by nuclear explosions, but at much lower amounts.Note that despite the atomic destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, no harmful radiation persists today in either city. Put together all the radiation data, and we know for a fact, with no doubt, that any claims of modern radiation in India proving a prehistoric nuclear war are false. So we have good reason to regard the entire story with great skepticism.So how about this giant unexplained crater near Bombay? Lonar Crater — which is some 775 kilometers southeast of Jodhpur, even farther away — is indeed a real crater. Rim to rim it measures about 1.8 km. It is blasted out of thick layers of volcanic basalt, deposited over the plateau 66 million years ago. If the crater was indeed formed by a nuclear blast 8-12,000 years ago, dating techniques should make this easy to determine.For a long time, the accepted age of Lonar Crater was 52,000 years; far too old to have been part of this alleged nuclear war. This had been determined by thermo- luminescence dating, which tells us when the sample was last molten. But two newer measurements, using argon-argon radiometric dating instead, found older dates of 570,000 years and 656,000 years, with non-overlapping margins of error.5. The submerged part of Dwarka is a post-Mauryan siteRemains of the underwater city of Dwarka PhotoThe comparative study of surrounding sites indicates that the date of the structures of Dwarka may be between Historical period and late medieval period. The paper reviews the earlier hypothesis about the identification and dating of these structures in light of new evidences from the recent underwater explorations.It is very difficult to say the findings are from ancient age and do not meet the criteria as per Lord Krishna’s Dwarka narration and as per Purana and other ancient texts.According to ancient Sanskrit literature, Lord Krishna founded the holy city of Dwarka, which subsequently got submerged under sea. Marine archaeological explorations off Dwarka have brought to light a large number of stone structures, which are semicircular, rectangular and square in shape in water depth ranging from inter tidal zone to 6 m.They are randomly scattered over a vast area. Besides these structures, a large number of varieties of stone anchors have been noticed along the structures as well as beyond 6 m water depthHence it nowhere corroborates with the ancient Dwarka city narrative6. Fictional stories with real settings are commonWith all due respect to the epic, there are multiple instances of fictional stories using real settings, places and people. These are easy examples to understand. A Few of them that I can mention here is Marvel comics Character ‘ Captain America’ and we all know about Harry Potter, right!7. Fictional stories do sometimes predict technologies not yet available to themThe Cable Guy (1996) in this film starring Jim Carrey as a disturbed cable guy who tries to make friends there is a scene that predicted future with creepy accuracy. Jim’s character screams in the rain how every American will have a mix of cable TV, computer, and phone all in one. He even says you will play Mortal Kombat with a friend in Vietnam, predicting online gaming and Google TV at the same time2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) Many consider it the greatest space movie ever made. The Oscar-winning masterpiece by Stanley Kubrick has turned out to be the cinematic equivalent of Nostradamus since it predicted not one or two things about the future but several, including tablet computing, the International Space Station, space tourism, and Siri—yes HAL, we’re talking about you. (One of the most fascinating movie villains of modern cinema is this evil voice-controlled computer in 2001: A Space Odyssey.)WarGames (1983) This awesome eighties film that gave us a young, fresh-looking Matthew Broderick? Well, this silly, low-budget flick predicted hacking and cyber warfare during a time when the Internet as we know it, didn’t even exist. Quite impressive if you think about it: Matthew Broderick as the first hacker in pop culture, no?8. Archaeology and evidence about the Mahabharata does not correlateArchaeological explorations and excavations at various places which are mentioned in the Mahabharata like Hastinapura, Kurukshetra, Panipat, Tilpat, Baghpat, Mathura, and Bairat, have given evidence of a pottery called Painted Grey Ware, which goes back to c. 1000 BCE .This shows that these sites were inhabited around this time, and the nature of the remains suggests that the people who lived here shared a pastoral and agricultural living.There is another sort of evidence from Hastinapura: The Matsya and Vayu Puranas state that during the reign of king Nichakshu (fifth king in the Puranas. There is a strong local tradition that the Purana Qila in New Delhi marks the place where Indraprastha, the capital of the Pandavas, once stood.Purana Quila could be the old Indraprastha?Shams Siraj Afif’s Tarikh-i-Firuz Shahi (14th century) states that Indraprastha was the headquarters of a Pargana (district).A 14th century stone inscription found in Naraina village in west Delhi also mentions Indraprastha.The 16th century Ain-i-Akbari of Abul Fazl states that Humayun’s fort was built at the place where Indraprastha, capital of the Pandavas, was located long ago.In fact, till the end of the 19th century, there was a village called Indarpat inside the fort walls.Excavations carried out at the Purana Qila between 1954 and 1971 revealed several archaeological levels ranging from the 4th century BCE to the 19th century CE.The discovery of a few stray pieces of PGW indicated the possibility that an older settlement was located somewhere nearby. However, there is no way of knowing for sure whether this settlement had any connection with the Mahabharata.9. Enormity of the details provided, long chain of lineage and physicsI must say that I could not find any evidence that can provide you with answer as to how it was done. All we can say is that, it is a brilliant epic with unprecedented creativity and literary skills.But we have a precedence where we did not know how pyramids of Egypt were built and it looked quite impossible for ancient people to have created a structure of that proportion. Now we fully understand how ingenious our ancestors were and how they built them!So one day we may also find the answer to above questions.So is Mahabharata fact or fiction, Did Mahabharata really happen?We are trying to verify the truth of the narrative here, not the setting itself. The way to verify a narrative will be to:1. Remove any poetic license, hyperbole and religious faith here.2. Seek credible independent sources which document the narrative with evidence3. Find archaeological evidence, artifacts and documentation that can be clearly traced back to the events of the narrativeWe don’t have very strong evidence for Mahabharata as of today on the given parameters. Our evidence available till date establishes.It is an iron age narrativeIt was set in a universe that has no bearing on scientific reality as we know it – magic and demigods were an integral part of the narrative with various supernatural (believed to be at present) powers and events.The authors, redactors, and the re-tellers of the epics may have changed the original story, clearly demonstrating that they were aware of the fictional nature of these stories; refer to Jain and Buddhist text which have competing narratives.The usual things provided as evidence have mostly been falsifiedThe Indus Valley civilization was strictly Bronze Age and had nothing to do with the epicsThe Gulf of Khambhat has been officially dismissed by the Govt. of India, and their funding revoked and research erasedThe submerged part of Dwarka was a post-Mauryan siteIn fact all geographical locations associated with the epics are strictly post-Buddha and largely PuranicSo is Mahabharata real, did Mahabharata really happen as we know today? We have presented positive evidences that points to the fact that it is a work of fiction inspired by real incidents and perhaps real people. However the narrative is full of fantasies with no evidence to substantiate the facts and therefore not “real”.As it is often said “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence”Without a shred of doubt Mahabharata is the greatest epic written but the entire narrative cannot be said to be real, based on the present evidences and facts available.Image Source:GoogleReference & FootNotes:https://indianyug.com/did-mahabharata-really-happen/

Let's travel from Indian arena of ScienceANCIENT INDIAMaharishi Kanad- He is supposed to be the first person to give the concept of atom. It was Kanada who originated the idea that anu (atom) was an indestructible particle of matter. An interesting story states that this theory occurred to him while he was walking with food in his hand. As he nibbled at the food in his hand, throwing away the small particles, it occurred to him that he could not divide the food into further parts and thus the idea of a matter which cannot be divided further came into existence. He called that indivisible matter anu, i.e. molecule, which was misinterpreted as atom. He also stated that anu can have two states — absolute rest and a state of motion.200 BCE-Jainism calls atom Paramanu which can neither be created nor destroyed. It is eternal, i.e., it existed in the past, exists in the present and will continue to exist in the future. It is the permanent basis of the physical existence. The entire physical existence is composed of these ultimate atoms.Charaka- He is the author of the Charaka Samhita, which has survived in the Bower Manuscript dated to around 4th century. However, the manuscript is believed to be an edition by Dṛḍhabala, the original work by Charaka is a few centuries older. The Charaka Samhita is one of the two foundational text of Ayurveda, the other being the Sushruta Samhita. The Charaka Samhita contains 120 adhyayas (chapters) divided into eight parts. There were 8 main chapters in this book. There had been 120 sub chapters of which they all in total had 12,000 shlokas and description of 2,000 medicines. There were cures for diseases related to almost every body part of human body and all medicines had natural elements without any chemicals to cure the diseases.Madhav-Kara-Madhava (or Madhava-kara) was a 7th-century or early 8th-century Indian physician who wrote the Rug-vinischaya, also known as the Madhava Nidana, which soon assumed a position of authority. In the 79 chapters of this book, he lists diseases along with their causes, symptoms, and complications. He also included a chapter on smallpox (masūrikā).Nagarjuna-Nagarjuna also taught the idea of relativity; in the Ratnāvalī, he gives the example that shortness exists only in relation to the idea of length. The determination of a thing or object is only possible in relation to other things or objects, especially by way of contrast. He held that the relationship between the ideas of "short" and "long" is not due to intrinsic nature (svabhāva). This idea is also found in the Pali Nikāyas and Chinese Āgamas, in which the idea of relativity is expressed similarly: "That which is the element of light ... is seen to exist on account of [in relation to] darkness; that which is the element of good is seen to exist on account of bad; that which is the element of space is seen to exist on account of form." According to Frank John Ninivaggi, Nagarjuna was also a practitioner of Ayurveda. First described in the Sanskrit medical treatise Sushruta Samhita, of which he was the compiler of the redaction, many of his conceptualisations, such as his descriptions of the circulatory system and blood tissue (described as rakta dhātu) and his pioneering work on the therapeutic value of specially treated minerals knowns as bhasmas, which earned him the title of the "father of iatrochemistry".Sushruta- Sushruta was an ancient Indian surgeon commonly credited as the author of the treatise Sushruta Samhita. He is dubbed as the "founding father of surgery" and the Sushruta Samhita is identified as one of the best and outstanding commentary on Medical Science of Surgery.The Sushruta Samhita, in its extant form, in 184 chapters contains descriptions of 1,120 illnesses, 700 medicinal plants, 64 preparations from mineral sources and 57 preparations based on animal sources. The text discusses surgical techniques of making incisions, probing, extraction of foreign bodies, alkali and thermal cauterization, tooth extraction, excisions, and trocars for draining abscess, draining hydrocele and ascitic fluid, removal of the prostate gland, urethral stricture dilatation, vesicolithotomy, hernia surgery, caesarian section, management of haemorrhoids, fistulae, laparotomy and management of intestinal obstruction, perforated intestines and accidental perforation of the abdomen with protrusion of omentum and the principles of fracture management, viz., traction, manipulation, apposition and stabilization including some measures of rehabilitation and fitting of prosthetic. It enumerates six types of dislocations, twelve varieties of fractures, and classification of the bones and their reaction to the injuries, and gives a classification of eye diseases including cataract surgery.Vagabhata-Vagbhata was a disciple of Charaka. Both of his books were originally written in Sanskrit with 7000 sutra. According to Vagbhata, 85% of diseases can be cured without a doctor; only 15% of diseases require a doctor.Sushruta, one of the earliest surgeons, Charaka, a medical genius, and Vagbhata are considered to be "The Trinity" of Ayurvedic knowledge, with Vagbhata coming after the other two. According to some scholars, Vagbhata lived in Sindh around the sixth century. Not much is known about him personally, except that he was most likely to have been a Buddhist, as he makes a reference to Lord Buddha in his writings, and his sons, grandsons, and disciples were all Buddhists. It is also believed that he was taught Ayurvedic medicine by his father and a Buddhist monk, named Avalokita.Aryabhatta(Special Mention)- His major work, Aryabhatiya, a compendium of mathematics and astronomy, was extensively referred to in the Indian mathematical literature and has survived to modern times. The mathematical part of the Aryabhatiya covers arithmetic, algebra, plane trigonometry, and spherical trigonometry. It also contains continued fractions, quadratic equations, sums-of-power series, and a table of sines.The Arya-siddhanta, a lost work on astronomical computations, is known through the writings of Aryabhata's contemporary, Varahamihira, and later mathematicians and commentators, including Brahmagupta and Bhaskara I. This work appears to be based on the older Surya Siddhanta and uses the midnight-day reckoning, as opposed to sunrise in Aryabhatiya. It also contained a description of several astronomical instruments: the gnomon (shanku-yantra), a shadow instrument (chhAyA-yantra), possibly angle-measuring devices, semicircular and circular (dhanur-yantra / chakra-yantra), a cylindrical stick yasti-yantra, an umbrella-shaped device called the chhatra-yantra, and water clocks of at least two types, bow-shaped and cylindrical.MEDIEVIAL INDIAMadhava of Sangamagrama- Madhava of Sangamagrama (c. 1340 – 1425) and his Kerala school of astronomy and mathematics developed and founded mathematical analysis. The infinite series for π was stated by him and he made use of the series expansion of \arctan x to obtain an infinite series expression, now known as the Madhava-Gregory series, for \pi. Their rational approximation of the error for the finite sum of their series are of particular interest.Nilkantha Somayaji- In 1500, Nilakantha Somayaji of the Kerala school of astronomy and mathematics, in his Tantrasangraha, revised Aryabhata's elliptical model for the planets Mercury and Venus. His equation of the centre for these planets remained the most accurate until the time of Johannes Kepler in the 17th century.Sadiq Isfahani- The scholar Sadiq Isfahani of Jaunpur compiled an atlas of the parts of the world which he held to be 'suitable for human life'. The 32 sheet atlas—with maps oriented towards the south as was the case with Islamic works of the era—is part of a larger scholarly work compiled by Isfahani during 1647 CE. According to Joseph E. Schwartzberg (2008): 'The largest known Indian map, depicting the former Rajput capital at Amber in remarkable house-by-house detail, measures 661 × 645 cm. (260 × 254 in., or approximately 22 × 21 ft).'COLONIAL ERAC.V.Raman-In 1917, Raman resigned from his government service after he was appointed the first Palit Professor of Physics at the University of Calcutta. At the same time, he continued doing research at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), Calcutta, where he became the Honorary Secretary. Raman used to refer to this period as the golden era of his career. Many students gathered around him at the IACS and the University of Calcutta.On 28 February 1928, Raman led experiments at the IACS with collaborators, including K. S. Krishnan, on the scattering of light, when he discovered what now is called the Raman effect.Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose-His major contribution in the field of biophysics was the demonstration of the electrical nature of the conduction of various stimuli (e.g., wounds, chemical agents) in plants, which were earlier thought to be of a chemical nature. These claims were later proven experimentally. He was also the first to study the action of microwaves in plant tissues and corresponding changes in the cell membrane potential. He researched the mechanism of the seasonal effect on plants, the effect of chemical inhibitors on plant stimuli and the effect of temperature. From the analysis of the variation of the cell membrane potential of plants under different circumstances, he hypothesised that plants can "feel pain, understand affection etc."Bose was the first to use a semiconductor junction to detect radio waves, and he invented various now-commonplace microwave components. The first remarkable aspect of Bose's follow up microwave research was that he reduced the waves to the millimetre level (about 5 mm wavelength). He realised the disadvantages of long waves for studying their light-like properties.Satyendra Nath Bose- He is best known for his work on quantum mechanics in the early 1920s, providing the foundation for Bose–Einstein statistics and the theory of the Bose–Einstein condensate. Known for Bose–Einstein condensate,Bose–Einstein statistics,Bose–Einstein distribution,Bose–Einstein correlations,Bose gas,Boson,Ideal Bose equation of state,Photon gas.Information Source: Wikipedia

SIR. THE LINGUM AND YOUNI IS A SYMBLE OF CREATION OF HUMAN BEING WITHOUT THESE NO CREATION BY HUMAN,ANIMAL AND EVEN ALL THE LIVING THINGS IN THIS WORLD. EVEN TREES DOES SEX , IF YOUR FOUND THOUSAND OF FEMALE TRESS WITHOUT A MALE TREE NO FRUIT, NO FLOWER WILL RAISE IN THIE WORLD WHICH CANNOT BE SEEN BY THE HUMAN EYES EVEN THE FISH AND ALL OTHER LEAVING CREATION IN SEA,OCEAN DOES SEX.WITHOUT THESE TWO NO CREATURE AND ALL LEAVING THINKS CANNOT BE SPREADED .NOW THE ARTICLE WHICH QUOTED BELOW HAS BEEN COLLECTED AND PRESENTED TO THE READERS FOR THEIR KNOWLEGE.In the Nirgun-Sagun state Shiva is worshiped as the Shivalingam (Contrary to the rumors spread by our Islamic brothers that Shivalingam is the male genital the fact is that Shivalingam has a deep and scientific theory and philosophy).A glance at the rounded, elliptical, an-iconic image of Shivalingam placed on a circular base (known as Peedam), which is found in the Sanctum Sanctorum (Garbhagraha) in all Shiva temples, has given rise to various interpretations, without realizing the scientific truths discovered by the ancient Hindu sages. The practice of worshipping Shiva Lingam as the holy symbol of Lord Shiva, has been from time immemorial.The worship of Shiva Lingam was not confined to India and Srilanka only. Lingam was referred to ‘Prayapas’ by the Romans who introduced the worship of Shiva Lingam to European countries. The statutes of Shiva Lingams were found in the archeological findings in Babylon, a city of ancient Mesopotamia. Further, the archeological findings in in Harappa-Mohanjo-daro, which yielded numerous Shiva Lingam statutes, have disclosed the existence of a highly evolved culture long before the Ariyan’s immigration.THE PHILOSOPHICAL CONCEPT OF SHIVALINGAM-The word Shivalingam has been derived from sanskrit roots Shiva (Lord) + Lingam (Mark/Chinha/Symbol). Hence, Shivalingam is the mark of lord within its creation. Everything in the world arises out of a dome/a ball/ a pindi......be it a tree which comes from a seed which is round, a child which comes from a cell which is round, all heavenly bodies are round, the minutest of cells are round and our very earth is round. Every thing being round is a mark of the Lord/Shiva. Since Shiva cant be comprehended, we worship his mark or we worshib the whole Brahmman in a Shivalingam. Philosophically, Shiva Lingam consists of three parts. The bottom part which is four-sided remains underground, the middle part which is eight-sided remains on a pedestal. The top part, which is actually worshipped, is round. The height of the round part is one-third of its circumference. The three parts symbolize Brahma at the bottom, Vishnu in the middle and Shiva on the top. The pedestal is provided with a passage for draining away the water that is poured on the top. The Lingam symbolizes both the creative and destructive power of Lord Shiva and great sanctity is attached to it by the devotees. This does not mean others should give a false meaning to the image of Shiva http://Lingam.It is unfortunate for some critics to have an imaginary invention on the image of Shiva Lingam as a male organ and viewed with obscenity, but had conveniently forgotten how a phallus could have appeared from the base. Moreover, since Lord Shiva is described as having no form, it is ridiculous to maintain that Lingam represents a phallus. This is the reason why Swami Vivekananda described Shiva Lingam as the symbol of the Eternal Brahman, when a German Orientalist, Gusta Oppert traced it to phallicism. Swami Vivekanand cited Atharva Veda that the worship of Shiva Lingam was sung in praise of sacrificial post – a description of the beginning less and endless of the Eternal Brahman and refuted it as an imaginary invention.THE SCIENTIFIC CONCEPT OF SHIVALINGAM-Hinduism does not oppose Science. It does not even oppose other religions. Science is a continuing effort to discover and increase human knowledge of the physical or material world through experiment and observation. But Hinduism has the force of providing answers to certain issues that Science could not.The Lingam is shaped like an egg and represents the ‘Brahmanda’ or the cosmic egg. There are two types of Shiva Lingam. One is a black meteorite egg-shaped stone. It is said that such a stone is installed at Kabba in Mecca. The other one is man-made and is solidified mercury. Solidifying mercury is an ancient Vedic science.Shiva Lingam represents the totality of the Cosmos and the Cosmos, in turn, being represented as a Cosmic Egg. Again an egg is an ellipsoid depicting with no beginning, nor end.A glance at the image of Shiva Lingam shows there is a pillar with three marks and a Disc beneath it and sometimes with a coiling cobra snake around the Pillar and shows its fangs above the pillar. The truth behind the scientific research by the Danish scientist, Neils Bohr, demonstrates that Molecules (the smallest part of everything) made up of Atoms which consists of Proton, Neutron and Electron, all of which play a vital part in the composition of Shiva Lingam. In those days instead of using these English words such as Proton, Neutron, Electron, Molecules and Energy, the ancient sages employed the usage of the words like Lingam, Vishnu, Brahma, Sakthi (which in turn is divided into Renuka and Rudrani), Sarppa, etc. as Sanskrit was the dominant language in those periods.According to Hinduism, the Pillar is described as the column of fire which represents the three Gods – Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara while the Disc or Peedam represents Sakthi. The Disc is shown with three ridges, encarved at its periphery.SHIVALINGAM IN PURANAS AND ITS SCIENCE AND MYTHOLOGYSage Vyasa, the author of mahabharata, mentions that Lord Shiva is smaller than the sub-atomic particle like Proton, Neutron and Electron. At the same time, he also mentions Lord Shiva is greater than anything greatest. He is the cause of vitality in all living things. Everything, whether living or non-living, originates from Shiva. He has engulfed the whole world. He is Timeless. He has no birth, no death. He is invisible, unmanifest. He is the Soul of the Soul. He has no emotion, sentiment or passion at all. There is a mysterious or indescribable power in the Shiva Lingam to induce concentration of the mind and helps focus one’s attention. The contents of sage Vyasa is corroborated with the instance of that Arjuna fashioned a Lingam out of clay when worshipping Lord Shiva. Similarly, in Ramayana that before crossing to Sri Lanka, Rama, Lakshmana and Sita fashioned a Shiva Lingam at Rameswaram for worshipping Lord Shiva and also that Ravana could not lift the Lingam after it was placed on the ground by the small boy. These instances show that God may be conceptualized and worshipped in any convenient form. It is the divine power that it represents, is all that matters and here we see that both Arjuna in Maha Bharatha and Rama and Sita worshipping Lord Shiva as Nirguna Brahman or the formless Supreme Being.SHIVALINGAM AND ATOM-THE PLAY OF ELECTRON, PROTON AND NEUTRON-The outcome of the scientific research is that the world came into existence with the formation of Molecules. According to Science, two atoms make one Molecule. The valency of molecules indicates the combination of the http://atoms.It is essential to have a clear idea of the structure of an atom according to the findings of the Danish scientist, Neils Bohr., the nature of which is given http://below.An atom is made up of Proton, Neutron and Electron.Neutrons do not have a charge and so would continue on in a straight line.The nucleus of an atom is composed of positively charged Protons and neutrally charged Neutrons. Almost all the mass of an atom is in its nucleus. The nucleus is the very dense region consisting of Protons and Neutrons at the centre of an atom.Electrons are negatively charged and so would be deflected on a curving path towards the positive plate.But the whole atom is electrically neutral on account of the presence of equal number of negative electrons and positive protons.The electrons revolve rapidly round the nucleus in circular paths called energy level. The energy levels are counted from centre outwards.Each energy level is associated with a fixed amount of energy.There is no change in energy of Electrons as long as they help revolving in the same energy level and the atoms remain stable.The Bohr model shows that the electrons in atoms are in orbits of differing energy around the nucleus. It is like planets orbiting the http://Sun.An examination of the image of Shiva Lingam in the context of Bohr model, would demonstrate the puzzling truth that Brahma has created the world. The behaviour of Proton, Electron, Neutron and Energy are well demonstrated by Shiva Lingam.Vishnu signifies Proton with positive electrical charge.Mahesha signifies Neutron with no electrical charge.Brahma signifies Electron with negative electrical charge.Sakthi is Energy. Sakthi is a type of energy field represented by a Disc.Shiva Lingam represents the atomic structure. According to the Rishis, Shiva and Vishnu are present in the Lingam. In Sanskrit, the three lines signify multiple. In the atomic structure, there are Protons and Neutrons which are surrounded by fast spinning Electrons.Sakthi is represented by a Disc in oval shape with three ridges carved at its periphery. She is Energy and plays a vital role in the Universe.If one look at the portrait of Vishnu, a lotus is depicted as arising from the navel of Vishnu and Brahma is shown as seated on the lotus. Lotus signifies Energy which has the force of attraction. The stem of the lotus can bend because of its flexibility signalling that Brahma moves around Vishnu. This is a message that Electron is attracted to Proton because of the opposite electric charge.Moreover, Neutron is depicted as Shiva which has no charge at all. The nucleus of the atom also contains neutrons. Neutrons are about the same size as Protons, but have no electric charge. Neutrons are bound very tightly in the atom’s nucleus with the Protons. When the atom’s nucleus contains as many Neutrons as Protons, the atom is stable.Similarly, the ancient sages provided the idea that when Shiva is not disturbed and separated, he remains calm. Shiva remains calm because Sakthi takes the form of Renuka. The energy which forms the molecules is denoted by its valency, which in Sanskrit is Renuka. Renuka is one produces Renu or molecule. Two atoms make one molecule. Hence ancient Hindu sages brought the idea of Sakthi as Shiva’s wife and as part of Shiva and dances around Shiva throughout. However, when Neutron is disturbed and separated natural disaster occur, which signify that Shakthi turns out to be a terror known as Rudrani (Kali) performing destructive dance, signalling natural disaster.The actual producer of molecules is Electron which signifies Brahma. Modern physics shows that Electrons are shared between the atoms to form a molecule. Therefore the Hindu concept that Brahma created the earth is in conformity with Science.Yoga as a form of LingamHinduism is deep rooted in the practice of Yoga and meditation. According to Hinduism, Yoga refers to the integration or union of a person’s own consciousness with the Supreme Reality or in other words Cosmic Consciousness.Yoga was one of the greatest gifts provided by the worship of Lord Shiva to the world and received by people from all walks of life amidst diversity. The concept of Yoga began to surface with the excavations of stone seals from the archeological findings of the Indus Valley civilization and the Mohenjadero-Harappa civilization. The Vedas were the revelations of the ancient sages, received through yogic meditation during the period of the Indus Valley civilization.The initial form in the existence is a geomatrix surface, known as ellipsoid. According to Yogic tradition, Lingam is a perfect ellipsoid. The first form of creation is an ellipsoid. Apparently the final form before dissolution is also a Lingam. Modern cosmologists are of the view that the core of every galaxy is in the form of ellipsoid. Yoga always maintains that the first and final form is a Lingam. If a person meditates, his/her energies will naturally take the form of Lingam. As the first and final form before dissolution is also a Lingam, Lingam is considered as a gateway to the beyond. In Hinduism, Lord Shiva is considered as the Supreme Truth.There is another scientific truth that water poured down on the Lingam is not considered as holy water or Theertham as it is called. Shiva Lingam is considered to be an atom model. There is radiation from Lingam as it is made out of a type of granite stone. Granite is a source of radiation and reported to have higher radio activity thereby raising some concerns about their safety. Granite is said to have formed as lava or molten rock cooled and solidified over thousands or even millions of years, contain naturally occurring radioactive elements like radium, uranium and thorium. Perhaps this is the reason that ancient Hindu sages advised their disciples not to touch water that is poured down on the Lingam. The sages were aware that there will be radiation fall-out if some accidents occur and that is the reason that Shiva Temples were built close to the vicinity of sea, ponds, rivers, tanks or wells. Perhaps this may be the reason why these five Ishwaram temples were built around the coast of Sri Lanka, though Thondeeshwaram was submerged in sea on account of the movement of the tectonic plates. Even lake Manasrovar is situated at the base of Mt.Kailash.It is unfortunate that the Truth of the great work done by the ancient Hindu sages are misinterpreted by citing some verses in the Vedas, but we are fortunate to witness that the practices and literature were left as legacy. It is a consolation that recent scientific discoveries have shown that the findings of the ancient Hindu sages were meaningful.HAR HAR MAHADEV72.3k Views · View Upvoters · Not for ReproductionYour response is private.Is this answer still relevant and up to date?YesNoRelated QuestionsMore Answers BelowWhat is the real meaning of Shiva linga in Hinduism?Is Shiva-linga a phallic symbol?Why is there so much hate between Hindus and Muslims in India?Why do we worship the linga of Lord Shiva?Who is the mother of Lord Shiva?Dharma Somashekar, brain laundryAnswered Jul 10, 2014 · Author has 305 answers and 1m answer viewsIhave answered this several times , but since it keeps repeating i am reposting.If ONE is looking for the meaning of the SHIV LINGA that is found IN the TEMPLES, the right place to look for answers would be the Temple itself.Bodhyana suthra Mahanyasa , section: Shiva archna (shiva worship)The shloka states“Deho devalaya ProkthahaJeeva Shiva SanathanahaThejathe Agjana nirmalyam“SO HUM” Bhavena Poojayee”The body is the Temple, The life within is the SHIVARemoving your ignorance and coming to an understanding, that, I AM THAT, should be ones WORSHIP.Thus the HUMAN BODY forms the Architectural base of a Hindu temple.Below is a clear cut explanation of a TEMPLE in the (HINDU) temple architecture.THE SEX ORGAN in the temple architecture is represented by the "Dwaja stamba"as Male, altar of ego and " bali peeta" as female.( see the placements in picture above ) also notice the placement of Ajna chakra on top of the forehead )(here i am explaining just the SHIV-LING part)The Shivling is placed in the “Garba gudi” sanctum of the temple which signifies the head .…the gopuram on the garba gudi (sanctum) is made of a thousand layers , signifying the skull layering (sahasra, thousand lotus petals )…HUMAN Pineal GlandThe Pineal Gland (in the MIDBRAIN ) known as the master gland, is responsible for all the chemical producing glands in the body ( Like Shiva runs the whole Bramhanda ).Pineal gland runs the whole body called "Pindanda"This Pineal Gland is what we see in the form of a SHIVLING.At the physical level it works as Master gland responsible for the production of Amruth , Somras (serotonin, pinoline melatonin, and DMT5).One finds the Shiv-ling placed in the DARK sanctum of the temple.Medical science says, Pineal gland is productive, only in total darkness.(That is the reason Rishies did thapas in caves. ( Ajna Chakra third EYE)( see the Lingam ,in the center of below picture).The pictorial thapo bangi of Shiva is an indicator, that when one meditates,(THAPAS) it enhances the production of these chemicals, which ultimately opens the Gyana Chakshu (THIRD EYE) meaning, one accesses the KNOWALL dimension(medical science calls it neurotransmitters, on a physical level)SHIVA in THAPO BANGI(Thapas is NOT meditation; i have used the closest word)The language translations can be many, but since the subject we are trying to understand is IN THE TEMPLE so the answer coming from the TEMPLE should be taken as more appropriate.55.8k Views · View UpvotersYour response is private.Is this answer still relevant and up to date?YesNoIshita Roy, Hinduism is an Indic religion of federal natureUpdated Jan 23 · Author has 246 answers and 1.7m answer viewsOriginally Answered: What does a Shivlinga represent?Lingam in Sanskrit literally means symbol, and is sometimes used in the specific connotation as 'symbol of gender' i.e. genitalia.Prajwal Renukanand's answer is a valid and accepted explanation, and is quite in line with a long tradition of fertility worship, particularly the worship ofPriapic Deities all over the world.Edit - Further proof: The oldest Shiva lingas available to us belong to the Kushana period, and they are unambiguously phallic. There is no question whatsoever that it represents a penis.See for yourself - no analysis necessary:The oldest extant Shivalingas in the world - (left) Gudimallam, Mathura and puncha mukhalinga from Bhita (Allahabad). Source:http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.i...Sivalinga near Kankali Tila, Mathura. Spotted red sandstone. First century A.D. Mathura Museum No. 83.3 Source: http://en.unesco.org/silkroad/si...Pay close attention to the anatomically correct portrayal of the linga, and the fact that an actual male member has been carved at the bottom of thelinga at Bhita (Allahabad).That being said, the portrayal of the linga and the worship and connotation of the linga underwent certain changes over time, which we must also consider.Chapter 5 of The Emergence and Development of Brahmanism in Thailand with Special Reference to Iconography of Brahmanical Deities, a thesis by Wannapat Ruangsup, is an excellent source which traces the development of Lingam iconography across India and South East Asia.So whereas the concept of lingam began as phallic, alternate, non-anatomical meanings and representations of the lingam are also extant.One such representation is the Banalinga, in which the wider meaning of Lingam is used. This is most popular in the region surrounding the River Narmada, which is said to be the origin of Lingam worship.The River Narmada leaves a deposit of naturally oblong/cylindrical rocks in its wake, which the locals grind and polish into shivalingas. Their explanation runs as follows:A Banalinga is an oblong stone stuck into the ground exactly halfway along its length. The visible, above ground portion symbolizes Shakti, the manifest principle of Godhead. The invisible underground portion symbolizes Shiva, the unmanifest principle of Godhead. This Shivalinga therefore depicts both Shiva and Shakti and their inseparable spiritual bond. The U-shaped base here is simply explained as a way to drain the milk/water offered to the lingam.This explanation is also popular in the regions south of the Narmada basin, where temples frequently house lingas symbolizing not only Shiva/Shakti but also the nine planets and other deities. The most popular of these planet lingas is the idol in Shani Shinganapur, Maharashtra. The Shiva linga is differentiated here by the presence of Nandi.136.7k Views · View UpvotersSwati Sharma, Media lies, and we know it.Answered Aug 28, 2016 · Author has 96 answers and 322.5k answer viewsThe following answer describes perfectly what is the meaning of Shiva Linga:Diya V Sharma's answer to What exactly is the story behind the "Shiva Linga" in the Hindu mythology?I just want to point out some additional facts.ALL our saints and sages like Swami Vivekananda and Swami Sivananda and scholars like S. N. Balagangadhara have been telling us in their lectures and books that to translate ‘linga’ as ‘phallus/penis’ is INCORRECT translation.According to Swami Vivekananda, the explanation of the Shalagrama-Shila as a phallic emblem was an imaginary invention.Swami Sivananda also categorically stated that to think that the Shiva lingam represents the phallus is a mistake.Even the present day spiritual Gurus like Sadhguru Jaggi vasudev say the same thing."What is the significance of Shiva Linga" -Some more references which give the meaning of Shiva Linga:According to Linga Purana, the lingam is a complete symbolic representation of the formless Universe Bearer - the oval shaped stone is resembling mark of the Universe and bottom base as the Supreme Power holding the entire Universe in it.There is a richa (hymn) in Atharva Veda about a sacrificed post - theYupa Stambha or Skambha—idealized in Vedic ritual as the symbol of the Eternal Brahman. This is the origin of Shiva Lingam puja.Similar interpretation is also found in the Skanda Purana: "The endless sky -that great void which contains the entire universe - is the Linga, the Earth is its base. At the end of time the entire universe and all the Gods finally merge in the Linga itself."Also in Shiva Puran itself, the meaning of Shiva linga is described as the formless representation of Lord Shiva.Nowhere in the entire gamut of Vedic texts does it appear that Shiva Linga is a penis etc. Neither does any of our own Sanskrit scholars or saints say so.Then how did we arrive at this interpretation? The answer is obvious. German and other so-called scholars like Gustav Oppert, etc. gave factually incorrect interpretation to our scriptures. These self-professed scholars of Sanskrit translate Vedic texts with wrong intent and knowledge. Like I have pointed out elsewhere too, the Vedic Sanskrit is very different from the modern day Sanskrit. The likes of Jeaneane Fowler and David James Smith have intentionally/unintentionally misinterpreted our texts and symbols according to their whims and fancies.The bitter irony is that even when our own Sanskrit pundits and scholars argue and prove them wrong, we still follow the incorrect English translations. Famous example: At the Paris Congress of the History of Religions in 1900, Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa’s follower Swami Vivekananda argued that the Shiva-Linga had its origin in the idea of the Yupa-Stambha or Skambha—the sacrificial post, idealized in Vedic ritual as the symbol of the Eternal Brahman. This was in response to a paper read by Gustav Oppert, a German Orientalist, who traced the origin of the Shalagrama-Shila and the Shiva-Linga to http://phallicism.So just like the incorrect translation of 33 type of Gods/Deities is popular as 33 crore Gods/Deities became popular (note my answer to that as follows) - similarly - Shiva linga’s incorrect translation has been made popular.Swati Sharma's answer to What is the reality of Hinduism? Did all the 33 crores Gods ever exist?Don’t you guys think that it is time we reclaim our heritage and culture…16.1k Views · View UpvotersRami Sivan, Hindu PriestAnswered Feb 17 · Author has 734 answers and 918.9k answer viewsThe LINGAM is one of the most regularly asked questions in Quora - people - Hindus and Non-Hindus seem to be fascinated by it. The legend of its origin (there are actually quiet a number of different legends regarding its origin) from the Shiva Purana goes like this:–The Rishis said:“O Suta by the grace of Vyasa you are all-knowing. Nothing is unknown to you therefore we ask you if their is any other reason in the world for the worship of the Linga than what you have already told us?”“It is said that Parvati the beloved of Siva takes the form of a bana or arrow — kindly tell us the reason for that.”Suta Suta:— “O brahmins I heard the narrative from Vyas, please listen http://attentively.In ancient times there was a forest called Dāruvana in which lived some brahmin devotees who were always engaged in the worship of Lord Siva. One day when they had gone to the forest to collect fire-wood, Lord Siva, with the intention of bestowing his grace and benevolence on the forest dwellers, took the form of Nilalohita — of a deformed appearance and arrived at their settlement. He was naked and radiant, with ashes covering his body. He stood there holding his penis (lingam) in his hand performing all sorts of unsavoury acts.The wives of the sages were horrified at this appearance of Lord Siva. Some of them became extremely aroused and nervously approached him. Some of them embraced him, others held his hands. These women were engrossed in struggling with one another.Suddenly the Rishis returned. They were aggrieved and angered by what they saw, being over-powered by the maya of Lord Siva! ’Who is he?’ they asked, but when he refused to speak the rishis said:— “Since you are following an evil path which is contrary to the Vedic usage, may your penis (lingam) fall off!!Suta said:— having uttered this curse the amazing lingam of Lord Siva fell to the earth — like a blazing rod. Wherever it went it burnt the place. It went to heaven, the nether regions and the earth, but it could not remain stationary.All the people, the Rishis and the gods were distressed and unhappy at that time. They all betook themselves to Brahma for refuge.Brahma said to them:— All of you are well aware of everything and still you engage in deplorable acts! Who can save themselves after picking a row with Lord Siva? Shouldn’t one welcome a guest who arrives at lunch-time? A rejected guest carries away the merits of the householder while leaving his demerits behind!If this Lingam is not established somewhere in the 3 worlds there will never be any peace. So this is what you should do. Start praying to mother Parvati and ask her to take the form of the yoni (uterus or vagina). And then pray to lord Siva to insert his phallus (Lingam) firmly there. Parvati in the form of a yoni and an arrow will form the pedestal, wherein the phallus shall be installed with Vedic mantras.Having done all that Brahma said, Lord Siva became exceedingly pleased and said to them:— “Apart from Parvati no woman could ever contain my Lingam. When she holds my Lingam peace is established everywhere. With the peaceful establishment of the Lingam peace and welfare abounded. By worshipping this Lingam worldly happiness is achieved as well as the best in the after-life!”Siva Mahapurana, Koti Rudra Samhita chapter 126.8k Views · View Upvoters· Answer requested by Arjun ReddyNaga Ganesan (நா. கணேசன்), Dr. N. Ganesan, Houston, writes on ancient Tamil, Hinduism, IndologyAnswered Jan 15, 2016Origins of Lings worship:Gharial god and Tiger goddess in the Indus valley, Some aspects of Bronze Age Indian Religion, 2007https://archive.org/stream/IVCReligionByNagaGanesan2007/IVC_religion_by_Naga_Ganesan_2007#page/n0/mode/2upA Dravidian Etymology for Makara - Crocodile, 2011https://archive.org/stream/MakaraADravidianEtymology2011/Makara_a_Dravidian_etymology_2011#page/n0/mode/2upIn March 2016, Proceedings of 16th World Sanskrit Conference will be published in Bangkok, Thailand. In it, the following paper of mine discusses the Tamil country's early religion derived from IVC crocodile deity.Indus Crocodile Religion as seen in the Iron Age Tamil NaduAbstract: This article is about some aspects of Indian religion in the Post-Harappan period providing a link to the Indus Valley Civilization seen in its Bronze Age seals. The meaning of the anthropomorphic axes found in the Indo-Gangetic doab plains of the Second Millennium BC as a ritual symbol of a Makara (crocodile) god will be presented. The characteristic fish sign pointing to the Dravidian language spoken by the elite Harappans has long been explored from the days of Fr. H. Heras, SJ. However, the importance of crocodiles in IVC culture is recently coming to light (A. Parpola, 2011). When this Crocodile cult disappears and gets forgotten in North India, it appears as large monolithic sculptures in the megalithic South. An interpretation of the Tamil Brahmi inscription at Tirupparaṅkuṉṟam, near the ancient Pandyan capital Madurai, discovered by History department, Pondicherry University will be offered as mentioning the crocodile god and his spouse. The Aśvamedha sacrifice on the banks of a Water Tank was performed for a crocodile as evidenced in Pāndyan Peruvaḻuti and Chera coins. Graffiti symbols from Sāṇūr and Sūlūr as linguistic sign for the crocodile deity, and the crocodile couple in Adichanallur burial urn (500 BCE) along with the battle-axe bearing great god in Sangam poetry will be used to illustrate the prevalence of the crocodile based religion until the Early Sangam period. The first stone sculpture made in south India at such places as Mottur, Udaiyarnatham, - monumental in size, over ten feet tall -, in the Iron Age will be linked to the earlier metallic Anthropomorphic Axes in the Yamuna-Gangetic doab, found in many Post-Harappan Ochre Colored Pottery sites of North India. The lecture will include etymology of Dravidian names such as Viṭaṅkar, Nakar, Ghaṛiāl, Makara, Karā for the three species of Indian crocodiles. Finally, an interpretation of Gudimallam Viṭaṅkar (Liṅgam) as Varuṇa, rather than as Śiva assumed by earlier scholars like A. K. Coomaraswamy, is offered. In the subsequent Pallava period, development of Tantric Śaivism includes the tantric term Viṭaṅkar applied more broadly for the forms of Śiva like naked Bhikṣāṭana and Somāskanda.N. Ganesan, PhDHouston, Texas, USAhttps://www.amazon.com/review/R1...42.3k Views · View UpvotersAjay Joshi, Wannabe Guru (2016-present)Updated Sep 11, 2016 · Author has 310 answers and 163.6k answer viewsSome people have written answers to suggest that the Shivalinga never had a phallic origin. I have a few questions for them.If the Shivalinga is not a phallic symbolA. Why is the Shivalinga also always accompanied by a yoni ?B. Why were the older shivalingas such accurate images of the phallus.? .. (as can be seen in the pictures in Ishita Roys answer ). The same is true of the Shivalinga in the kamakhya temple in Assam.C. If the Shivalinga was meant to be just a “chinha” (sign) of Shiva , why was this specific form chosen ? Why not his trishul/ trident or numerous other symbols associated with Shiva ?D. If “chinha” is a synonym for Linga, why do we not call it Shivachinha ?E. Where else in ancient Indian religious texts is the word Lingam” used to refer to a chinha / mark ?F. The symbol for the question-mark “?”, is called prashna-chinha in Sanskrit and Hindi. Why don’ we call it prashna-linga ?I am not aware of any of my Islamic brothers having spread any rumours. The problem seems to be more with my Hindu brothers (and sisters) who for some unknown reason are so defensive on this issue that they put forward all kind of unsupported arguments.Further , if as pointed out by you, numerous older cultures had phallic symbols, what is wrong with the Shivalinga being earlier a phallic symbol that later transformed to something else ?Finally this forced connection in equating the sanskrit word “linga” with a chinha .. is it a part of your original thinking or have you copy/ pasted it from somewhere. ?To me it is very clear that the shivalinga (with the accompanying yoni) originated as a symbol of creation and fertility. It might not have been a part of the Vedic culture to begin with and likely had a tribal/ non-Vedic origin. When Shiva (who himself is a non-Vedic god) was later absorbed into the Vedic culture, the shivalinga was also absorbed and over a period of time its concept transformed from a simple phallic symbol to the more cerebral “pillar of the universe”.2.9k Views · View UpvotersSaurabh Singh Karchuli, Pricing Analyst at CeX (2012-present)Answered Oct 4, 2016The first two answers here by Mrs Divya Sharma Nd Ms Ishita roy r perfect explanation just wanted to share some lights on two things here:-why do we people since older times prefer linga from narmada river, it's bcoz Narmada is the oldest existing river in the world(I know most of people doesn't know this or will disagree with me) and there used to be no life on earth earlier until black meteorites(original shivlingam, one of them WAS at mecca, one was at somnath for wic ghazni came, those times in India gold was everywhere) came down in Narmada basin it were these meteorites which contained DNA strands which later gave birth/created life on earth.The more clear reason for applying water on lingam constantly was to keep it cool, stable as these stones were not originally from earth highly energetic Nd with some elements not originally from earth(makes it unstable)Nd it was tough to manage them properly, Nd hence sages also prevented people to drink water coming down from lingam.This is the why Original shivlingam posses enormous power(energy fields) Nd were worshipped Nd cherished throughout the world over.I feel pitty for people who r Indian yet have written that linga denotes penis, that's the thing half truth is worse than a lie, understand the religion first which is Santana dharma(people nowadays call it Hinduism) Hindu was basically person from hind(India) another example hindukush mountains, hind mahasagar,etc.mind it Hindus never opposed any religion neither denied any immigrants to India, we accepted all faiths (Jews have taking refuge here since 3000 yrs, where they have been constantly being driven out or hated in most parts of the world, 2nd mosque built on this planet was in India still here at Kerela)To these peoples I would humble request not to propagate there own thoughts or there own theory unless you know the real truth(wikepidea is not truth for me it's being manipulated multiple times like our Hindu texts Purana, epics to suit some set of capitalist bunch heads)2.8k Views · View UpvotersRelated QuestionsWhy is Lord Shiva in the form of linga?What is it like to be born in a Brahmin family in India?What are some amazing stories from Hindu mythology?Is it right to touch a Shiva Linga?Why is Lord Shiva depicted as linga?Can I keep Shiva linga in home? If not, is there any scientific reason behind that?Epics of India: What is the significance of Shiva linga?Is there a Shiva Linga in Mecca - Madina?Is Lord Krishna a myth?Was Hanuman married in Hindu mythology?Still have a question? Ask your own!