In India the shivalingam (Shiva’s penis) can be seen in many temples protruding from the yoni (vagina) of Goddess Parvati!
Lingam and Yoni are the male and female sexual organs respectively. Hindus worship these !!! :rolleyes:.
Frankly its weird 
What is the symbolic meaning?
What exactly does this mean?
Hello!
Rolleyes about what beliefs and icons various religions hold as sacred or meaningful opens doors you might normally want to keep shut unless you are willing to place your faith’s particular view of the universe up for discussion and ridicule.
Goodbye!
Um, how about some enlightening comments? I don’t know a thing about this, but I’m certainly interested, as is our first-time poster. Anyone have something constructive to add?
I agree with astro, it’s best to tread carefully when referring to the religious beliefs of others… I suspect you didn’t mean to be offensive, though, so I’ll hazard a response. I’m over at a friend’s place and can’t get at any references or such, so I’ll have to try to respond from memory and hope I don’t mangle it too terribly.
Growing up in wesetrn culture it seems strange for us to regard sex as anything but profane. Other cultures don’t necessarily share this same view, though. Shiva is, among other things, a god of creation and life, and sex and sexual organs are as natural and holy a symbol of creation and life as birth is. We sometimes tend to think of birth as a sacred and holy event, as in the birth of Christ, but of sex itself as profane and godless. Other cultures sometimes have a different view of the process and view it as a symbol of life.
Following is the text I further found on Google Groups: soc.religion.hindu
The pedestal on which it is mounted is called the Yoni
Pitham which represent the organ of shakthi, the consort of shiva.
However, it would be a grave mistake to assume that people are
worshiping the sexual organs per se.
It is actually shiva and shakti who are being worshiped. In any temple, with the Linga, Lord shiva is invoked into the Linga by means of the appropriate mantras and after that there is no distinction between the Linga and Lord shiva.
The mantras and procedures can be found in the Agama-s. The representation is only to show that shiva along with shakti is the origin or the source of the world.
The normal sexual act produces children and the creative power of shiva and shakti combined produces the whole universe.
Frankly, vInq, I am a Hindu, and I think I could get you the information you wanted; but, frankly, vInq, I’m a little annoyed at the way you have put your question and instead of giving you an answer what I really feel like doing is mocking your religious background with a rolling of the eyes and estimations of its weirdness.
Frankly, vInq, it’s good to be curious, but you need to learn to be a little more mature with regard to how you express yourself in a public place.
How do you think non-Christians might feel when they drive past a church near me?
On the front is a three story tall mosaic of some guy nailed to a piece of wood while a soldier jabs a spear into a bloody wound on his side. :eek:
I always found it weird that Christian held sacred the image of an instrument of torture and execution…
…Though, I think the cross as sacred image dates back to pre-christian Celts. For the Church it was just a case of fortutidous barrowing.
Rob
acsenray and all other Hindus and Indians
My apologies if I annoyed anyone the way I have posted the question.
I neither intended any offence nor any mockery of any religious beleifs.
I am not frequent to newsgroups or message boards, may be that is why I used the smileys incorrectly or the language in the post.
I will try my best to learn to be more mature and careful while expressing myself in public place, especially with such sensitive issues.
What do you suppose Hindus think of a religion that ceremonially drinks the blood of God Incarnate? Different strokes, vInq.
Well spoken, vInq!
Welcome to the SDMB.
Following is some more information explaining (partially) meaning/significance of ShivLingam
It was edited from web page: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Atlantis/3425/page144.htm
In theology terms there are ICONIC representations of God (like a picture of Jesus)
but… then there are ANICONIC images of God…
so jewish star of david is an ANICONIC image…
Shiva Lingam is also an AN-ICONIC image of god
there are many levels of meaning of Shiva Lingam…
mathematically,… the shape is called PARABOLA which is an infinite mathematical shape
which always focuses everything that comes into it,… to one central point…
on a different level… the shivalingam represents the male reproductive organ (phallus)…
(which is a meaning of lingam)… and it is seated in female organ (yoni)…which is the base of the lingam
but… just like christians have trinity… three in one,… father, son, spirit…
so…hindus see three primary aspects of God,… a trinity… but… essentially ONE…
WELL… hindu trinity,… is creator (bramha)… preserver (vishnu) destroyer (shiva)…
existence depends on birth and death… (with sustainance, preservation in between)…
Shiva is always depicted as a Yogi in meditation… and an ascetic (who abstains from all pleasures)…
Lingam in Sanskrit basically means ‘sign, mark, token’ (in this case, it refers to the sign of manhood). Yoni in Sanskrit refers to the entire female reproductive system, including womb as well as vulva and vagina.