The Significance of Lingodbhavam

In recent times, much to the delight of devotees, the Lingodbhavam has been revived. But how many care to look BEYOND the spectacle and ponder on the inner significance of what exactly the Lingam means as also its emergence from Swami? Bhagavan Baba has Himself explained those matters.

We reproduce below what He said way back in 1974, when there emerged a Lingam of a type very different from what we have been seeing in recent years. For a description of that Lingam and the significance of Lingodbhavam itself, let us go to the source!

“The manifestation of the Lingam is a part of My Nature. Spiritual scholars explain it as reminiscent of an epochal event in the past when Shiva challenged Brahma and Vishnu to gauge the height and depth of the Lingam Form He assumed. The two Gods failed and had to accept defeat – that is the usual folklore.

Truly speaking, however, the Lingam emerges as a result of prayer by devotees and Divine Grace. You have to recognise in this event a glimpse of Divinity and a sign of Infinite Grace. Just as Om is the sound symbol of God, the Lingam is the Form symbol or the visible symbol of God, the most meaningful, the simplest and the least endowed with the appendages of attributes.

Lingam means That in which this merges or dissolves. Eventually, all Forms have to merge in the Formless. Shiva is the Principle of the Dissolution of all Names and Forms, of all entities and individuals. Thus, the Lingam is the simplest sign or symbol of Emergence and Mergence.

Having had the unique good fortune of witnessing the emergence of the time-space-embodiment in the Linga-Form, I assure you that you are released from the bondage of birth and death. Recollect and relive the Ananda of that moment of Emergence, and meditate on the significance of the Linga-Form. This is an extraordinary chance that people seldom get, a chance that has been gained by you through the performance of Yajnas or Yagas or other elaborate rituals or as a result of years of arduous Sadhana.

When you are asked what happened at Prashanthi Nilayam, tell them that your life’s mission has been fulfilled, that you were able to witness the Lingodhbhavam, and see the Lingam which emerged during the auspicious hour. The Lingam, as you can see, is ten inches in circumference. It has within it, shining with native light, the Thrishuul (three-pronged spear) of Shiva, symbolising the three phases of Time — past, present and future — and the three dimensions of space-earth, sky and the nether regions, as mentioned by Me already.




Just as time changes constantly, in this Lingam too, as you can see even from where you are sitting, the colour of the Thrishuul inside the Lingam changes into a new one, every ten minutes. The handle of the Thrishuul demonstrates the One, of which the three are manifestations. This is the grand Mystery that has been revealed to you. You have witnessed the Divine Creation; you have seen the Divine Symbol; you have shared the Bliss. Out of the world’s population of many billions, you alone secured this fortune.

The Scriptures declare the Supreme One as splendorous and as Jyothi [Effulgence]. You have seen the splendour when the Lingam emerged; you have seen the triple Jyothi in the Lingam itself. No greater fortune can befall a man. Live hereafter as befits the recipient of this rare Grace.”


~ Baba

Sivarathri Discourse in 1974.