It has been suggested that Shiva lingham stones be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

Somnath Jyotirlinga

The Lingam (also, Linga, Shiva linga Sanskrit लिङ्गं liṅgaṃ, meaning "mark," or "sign,") is a symbol for the worship of the Hindu god Shiva. While its origins are debated, the use of this symbol for worship is an ancient tradition in India extending back to the early Indus Valley civilization. Image File history File links Please see the file description page for further information. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Lingam. ... Linga may mean: Lingam, phallic symbol of Shiva. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... The Sanskrit language ( , for short ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ... Hinduism (known as in modern Indian languages[1]) is a religious tradition[2] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... Shiva (IAST: , also spelled Siva; Hindi, Shiv) is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. ... Taken during a Hindu prayer ceremony on the eve of Diwali. ... The Indus (सिन्‍धु नदी) (known as Sindhu in ancient times) is the principal river of Pakistan. ...

Etymology

The Sanskrit term लिङ्गं liṅgaṃ, transliterated as linga has many meanings, generally as a mark, sign, or characteristic.^[1][2] It has a number of specific uses in Sanskrit that are derived from this general meaning. Vaman Shivram Apte's dictionary gives seventeen definitions of the term, including these examples: The Sanskrit language ( , for short ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ...

• The image of a god
• A symptom or mark of disease
• A spot or stain
• A means of proof, a proof, evidence
• The effect or product which evolves from a primary cause
• The concept of grammatical gender
• The phallus

An example of the use of the word linga in general Sanskrit usage to represent the concept of "sign" occurs in this passage from the Bhagavad Gita: ‹ The template below (Expand) is being considered for deletion. ...

kair liṅgais trīn guṇān etān | atīto bhavati prabho || 14.21 ||

This is translated by Swami Gambhirananda as "O Lord, by what signs is one (known) who has gone beyond these three qualities?"^[3] and by Winthrop Sargeant as "By what marks is he recognized, Who has transcended these three qualities, O Lord?".^[4] In this quotation the word liṅgais is the instrumental plural form of liṅga, so liṅgais means "by marks" or "by signs".

An example of use of the word linga as a technical term in philosophy is given in this passage from the Sāṃkhya-Kārikā which describes the role of attributes in recognition of objects perceived by the senses:

Perception is the ascertainment of objects [which are in contact with sense-organs]; inference, which follows on the knowledge of the characteristic mark (liṅga) [i.e., the middle term] and that which bears the mark...."^[5]

The term lingam is sometimes used synonymously for shivalingam, a specific type of icon or altar representing the god Shiva.^[6] Shiva (IAST: , also spelled Siva; Hindi, Shiv) is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. ...

Lingam as a symbol of Shiva

A. L. Basham says that linga have been found in the Harappan remains, and provides these comments relating to the antiquity of the symbol: Location of Harappa in the Indus Valley. ...

"... Shiva was and still is chiefly worshipped in the form of the liṅga, usually a short cylindrical pillar with rounded top, which is the survival of a cult older than Indian civilization itself.... The cult of the liṅga, at all times followed by some of the non-Āryan peoples, was incorporated into Hinduism around the beginning of the Christian era, though at first it was not very important."^[7]

Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami explains in the lexicon section of his book, Dancing with Shiva, that "Shivalinga is the most prevalent icon of Shiva, found in virtually all Shiva temples. It is a rounded, elliptical, aniconic image, usually set on a circular base, or peetham. The lingam is the simplest and most ancient symbol of Shiva, especially of Parasiva, God beyond all forms and qualities. The Peetham represents Parashakti, the manifesting power of God. Lingas are usually of stone (either carved or naturally existing, swayambhu, such as shaped by a swift-flowing river), but may also be of metal, precious gems, crystal, wood, earth or transitory materials such as ice. According to the Karana Agama (6), a transitory Shivalinga may be made of 12 different materials: sand, rice, cooked food, river clay, cow dung, butter, rudraksha beads, ashes, sandalwood, darbha grass, a flower garland, or molasses." This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Look up icon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Parasiva is the aspect of Siva, the Absolute which is beyond human comprehension and is beyond all attributes. ... Pithe or Piţha are a kind of sweet cuisine of Bengal region — Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal. ... This article is about the Hindu religious concept. ... Swayambhu (also spelt Svayambhu) means self-manifested, and refers to Hindu murthis which are considered to be self-manifestations of the deity. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Butter is commonly sold in sticks (pictured) or blocks, and frequently served with the use of a butter knife. ... Binomial name (Roxb. ... The branches of a young sandalwood tree found in Hawaii Sandalwood is the fragrant wood of trees in the genus Santalum. ... Darbha grass (also called kusha and kusa) is a type of grass which is used in Hindu rituals. ... Look up garland in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Molasses or treacle is a thick syrup by-product from the processing of the sugarcane or sugar beet into sugar. ...

Furthermore, there are instances in Hindu lore where a rock or pile of sand has been used by heroic personages as a Lingam or symbol of Shiva. For example, Arjuna fashioned a lingam of clay when worshipping Shiva. Thus, it is argued, too much should not be made of the usual shape of the Lingam. This view is also consonant with philosophies that hold that God may be conceptualized and worshipped in any convenient form; the form itself is irrelevant, the divine power that it represents is all that matters. For other uses, please see Arjun. ...

Hindu interpreters often use the underlying meaning of "sign" or "mark" for the Sanskrit word linga as the basis for their commentaries. For example:

• The name Lingam appears as a name of Shiva in the Shiva Sahasranama where it is translated by Ram Karan Sharma as "(Identifiable as) a symbol of the origin of the Universe."^[8]

• Bansi Pandit, in his book, Hindu Dharma said, that "Shivalinga means "Shiva symbol."

• Swami Sivananda, said that "Linga means a mark, in Sanskrit. It is a symbol which points to an inference. When you see a big flood in a river, you infer that there had been heavy rains the previous day. When you see smoke, you infer that there is fire. This vast world of countless forms is a Linga of the omnipotent Lord. The Siva-Linga is a symbol of Lord Siva. When you look at the Linga, your mind is at once elevated and you begin to think of the Lord." [1]

Western commentators often use the concept of "male generative organ" as the basis for their interpretations. For example: - - *Monier-Williams provides one definition for lingam as: "The male organ... esp. that of Siva worshipped in the form of a stone or marble column..."^[9]. - - *Gavin Flood's An Introduction to Hinduism refers to the worship of Shiva "in his form as the Śiva liṅga or 'icon' found in most Hindu temples. The linga represents a phallus..."^[10] The Shiva sahasranama is the Shaiva sahasranama (list of thousand names of God), contained in the Linga Purana. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Swami Sivananda Saraswati (Sep 8, 1887—Jul 14, 1963), was a Hindu spiritual leader and a well known proponent of Yoga and Vedanta. ...

Interpretations

Some of the information in this article or section may not be verified by reliable sources. It should be checked for inaccuracies and modified to cite reliable sources. Please discuss this issue on the talk page.

1008 Lingas carved on a rock surface. Photograph is taken at the shore of the river Tungabhadra, Hampi, India

In Hindu Dharma, Bansi Pandit explains that "Shivalinga consists of three parts. The bottom part which is four-sided remains under ground, the middle part which is eight-sided remains on a pedestal and 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 top by devotees. The linga symbolizes both the creative and destructive power of the Lord and great sanctity is attached to it by the devotees." Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (816x612, 152 KB) Summary (photographed by self) Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (816x612, 152 KB) Summary (photographed by self) Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Tungabhadra is a river of southern India. ... Hampi (Kannada: ಹಂಪೆ, Hampe in Kannada) is a village in northern Karnataka, on the banks of the Tungabhadra River in India. ...

In Veerashaivism, Siva divides from His Absolute state into Linga (Supreme Lord) and anga, individual soul, the two eventually reuniting in undifferentiated oneness. There are three aspects of Sivalinga.^{[citation needed]} Virasaivism is a religious movement of Hinduism in India. ...

• Ishtalinga, personal form of Siva, in which He fulfills desires and removes afflictions -- God as bliss or joy;
• Bhavalinga, Siva beyond space and time, the highest divine principle, knowable through intuition;
• Pranalinga, the reality of God which can be apprehended by the mind.

The soul(anga) merges with Siva(Linga) by a progressive, six-stage path called shatsthala and this is called Shunyasampadane- earning eternal nothingness. Shatsthala The concept of Shatsthala or six Phases/States/Paths is pivotal to the Lingayat philosophy. ... Shunyasampadane are collected works of various Veerashaiva saints. ...

According to Swami Dharmananda^[11] who is a master of Yoga there is a mysterious power in the Linga, its shape has been designed to induce concentration of the mind. Just as the mind is focused easily in crystal-gazing, so also the mind attains one-pointedness, when it looks at the Linga. That is the reason why the ancient Rishis and the seers of India have prescribed Linga for being installed in the temples of Lord Shiva.^[12] Statue of Shiva performing Yogic meditation Yoga (Devanagari: योग) is a group of ancient spiritual practices originating in India. ...

The great warrior Arjuna in epic Mahabharata worshipped Linga for acquiring Pashupatasthra, great vedic scholar Ravana in epic Ramayana worshipped Shiva to present his mother Atmalinga, legendary rishi Markandeya and numerous rishis spread across timezones have worshipped the simplest looking Linga. Rishis used to leave all materialism to attain spirituality and a lump of soil in forest was what was required to worship and meditate. Scientifically from Lingayatism or Veerashaivism it helps one relate to cosmic energy through meditation of Istalinga worshipped by keeping it on palm.^[13] For other uses, please see Arjun. ... For the film by Peter Brook, see The Mahabharata (1989 film). ... A depiction of Ravana, Hindu rakshasa King of Lanka In Hinduism, Ravana; sometimes transliterated as Raavana or Ravan or Revana) is the principal antagonist of Rama in the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. ... For the television series by Ramanand Sagar, see Ramayan (TV series). ... Markandeya was an ancient Indian rishi (sage), and a devotee of Shiva and Vishnu. ... In Hinduism, the Rishis are sages and/or seers who heard the hymns of the Devas; and then wrote them down as Vedic scriptures. ... Lingayatism or Veerashaivism is a Hindu religious sect in India. ... Virasaivism is a religious movement of Hinduism in India. ...

Naturally occurring lingams

Some of the information in this article or section may not be verified by reliable sources. It should be checked for inaccuracies and modified to cite reliable sources. Please discuss this issue on the talk page.

A lingam at Amarnath in the western Himalayas forms every winter from ice dripping on the floor of a cave and freezing like a stalagmite. It is very popular with pilgrims. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Amarnath is one of the most famous of Hindu temples, dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in Jammu and Kashmir, Republic of India. ... Perspective view of the Himalaya and Mount Everest as seen from space looking south-south-east from over the Tibetan Plateau. ... The Witchs Finger in the Carlsbad Caverns A stalagmite (from the Greek stalagma (Σταλαγμίτης), drop or drip) is a type of speleothem that rises from the floor of a limestone cave due to the dripping of mineralized solutions and the deposition of calcium carbonate. ...

There is a great connection in marking the forces of nature to be worshipped. The following description has various forms of nature being worshipped as Linga. “Natural” redirects here. ...

The Vedas speak of the Ashta Murthys’ (forms) of Lord Shiva. Sarva, Bhava, Rudra, Ugra, Bheema, Pasupathi, Mahadeva, Eashana are the eight Murthys of Shiva. Puranas explain the Adhistanas for these eight forms, which are Sarva for earth, Bhava for water, Rudra for fire, Ugra for wind, Bheema for space, Pasupathi for yajamana, Mahadeva for moon and Eashana for Sun. Shiva is also called Pasupathi i.e. Lord Shiva with his enormous grace on the Jeeva means pasu, cuts the Pasa or the string and makes it move free to join him with devotion. In this way, his name Pasupathi is more meaningful. Each of the following Kshethras (places) in India & Nepal connected to the Lord ’s eight forms, so that the devotee can know clearly how the ancient puranas took care to locate these places both geographically and spiritually. Shiva, Brahma puranas are the main sources . The Vedas (Sanskrit: वेद) are a large corpus of texts originating in Ancient India. ...

The following forms or forces of nature are worshipped in their primal form only without any special idols representing them. “Natural” redirects here. ... Primal is an action Video game developed by ESCEE Cambridge. ...

1. Sarva :- Bhoomi Linga, Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu. It is in Shiva Kanchi Kshetra, where the Lord is in the form of Kshiti Linga in the Ekamra tree ( Aamra ( Mango in Sankrit) tree, which yield only one fruit per year). Parvathi worshipped this form first. There is no Abhisheka done with water at this shrine, jasmine oil is used instead. The Devi’s name here is Kamakshi. All the desires of the devotees are fulfilled with her gracious eyes.
2. Bhava :- Jala Linga, Tiruvanaikoil, (Jambukeswaram), Tamil Nadu. This temple is located on the outskirts of Trichy, where Lord Jambukeswara is seated and showers all his blessings to his devotees. This Kshethra is called Jambhukeswara Kshetra, also known as Jala Linga. The devotees can see from the outside of Garbha Gruha the water bubbles coming out from Panipetham. There is a Jambu tree, which is very old and very big. The legends say Lord Shiva wanted to stay here along with the Jambu tree. So the devotees treat this tree as sacred as the Lord.
3. Rudra:- Agni or Thejo (Divine Light) Linga, Tiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu – Arunachaleswara. In Tiruvannamalai, Lord Shiva is seated in the form of Thejolinga. The whole mountain appears to be a Linga. As a result of Parvathi’s great penance, a sharp spark of fire came from Arunachala and took shape as Arunalinga.
4. Ugra:- Vayu Linga, Sri Kalahasti, Andhra Pradesh. The Sri Kalahasteeswara temple is situated on the banks of Swarna Mukhi River in Sri Kalahasti. Spiritually elevated souls only can see that there is a strong wind blowing around the Linga. Bhakta Kannappa story is connected to this temple. Even animals got salvation by worshipping this Lord. Three animals – Cobweb (Sree), Kala (snake), Hasthi (elephant) prayed to God with utmost faith and devotion and attained Moksha. One can see the symbols there on the Shiva Linga even today
5. Bheema:- Akasha Linga, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu. This Kshetra is on the banks of Cauvery. We don’t see any Murthy in the temple Garbha Gruha. The puranas speak of this Kshetra very highly. No one can see the Lord’s Murthy, except the highest spiritual souls. There is a space in the Garbha Gruha and many Abharanas are decorated and the devotees assume the God is seated there. A very beautiful Nataraja murthy is in outer Garbha Gruha for worship and for the satisfaction of the devotees.
6. Pasupathi:- Yajamana(Lord) Linga, Kathmandu, Nepal. In Nepal, Pasupathinadha Kshetra is famous and the Lord here is in human form. The devotee can see the God up to his waist only. The Murthy is decorated with Gold Kavacha always. Nobody can enter into the Garbha Gruha except the Archaka (not even the King of Nepal). Many devotees from all over the globe pray to this Lord with highest devotion and get their wishes fulfilled.
7. Mahadeva:- Chandra Linga, West Bengal. Chandra natha Linga is situated in West Bengal 34 miles away from Chatagav City. Many sacred thirthas surround this Kshetra. Devi purana lauded this Kshethra greatly.
8. Eashana:- Surya Linga, Konark Temple, Orissa. This Kshetra is in Orissa state near Puri Jagannath Kshetra. Konark is now in ruins and the temple is in fragments and now, devotees can’t see any God or Goddess here. The legend says that Sri Krishna’s son Samba suffered once from leprosy and was cured by worshipping the Sun God and the Linga here and since then this Kshetra became a remedy center for all diseases. Even in these days the worship is going on with same faith and devotion.

The Bijileshwar Mahadev^[14](incidence of Vasishta in Rigveda) absorbs lightening and breaks into pieces, is then restored by butter every 12 years. Sarva is a sanskrit word meaning all or everything. ... Bhoomi is a music group based in Kolkata, India. ... Kanchipuram or Kancheepuram (also sometimes Conjeevaram) is the name of a temple town and district in Tamil Nadu, Indias southernmost state. ... Shree Kamakshi, Ramnathi Devasthan, Goa, India. ... Bhava is the Sanskrit and Pāli word for being or becoming, from the root bhÅ« to be, to become. Synonyms: 有 Cn: yÇ’u; Jp: u; Vi: hữu Tibetan: In Buddhism, bhava means the continuity of life and death, conditioned upon grasping (upādāna), the desire for further... Jala can refer to two things: Jala, Nayarit, a municipality in Mexico. ... It is a famous Shiva temple near Tiruchirapalli, India and adjacent to the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam. ... Rudra (Sanskrit: रुद्रः) (Howler) is a Rigvedic God of the storm, the hunt, death, Nature and the Wind. ... Chinese (Wu Xing) Japanese (Godai) Earth (地) | Water (æ°´) | Fire (火) | Air / Wind (風) | Void / Sky / Heaven (空) Hinduism (Tattva) and Buddhism (MahābhÅ«ta) Vayu / Pavan — Air / Wind Agni / Tejas — Fire Akasha — Aether Prithvi / Bhumi — Earth Ap / Jala — Water Bön New Zealand Agni is a Hindu and Vedic deity. ... Tiruvannamalai Tiruvannamalai (திருவண்ணாமலை in Tamil) is a town in the state of Tamil Nadu in India situated 185 km from Chennai/Madras. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Chinese Wood (木) | Fire (火) Earth (土) | Metal (金) | Water (æ°´) Japanese Earth (地) | Water (æ°´) | Fire (火) | Air / Wind (風) | Void / Sky / Heaven (空) Hinduism and Buddhism Vayu / Pavan — Air / Wind Agni / Tejas — Fire Akasha — Aether Prithvi / Bhumi — Earth Ap / Jala — Water In Hinduism, Vayu (Sanskrit वायु (properly transliterated as Vāyu), also known as Vāta वात, Pavana पवन, or Pr... Kalahasti temple is a famous Siva temple, and is said to be the site where Kannappa, one of the 63 Saivite Nayanars, was ready to offer his last remaining eye to cover blood flowing from the Siva linga before the Lord stopped him and granted mukti. ... Kannapa, a tribal hunter, was a devoted follower of Lord Siva and one of the 63 Nayanars. ... Akasha is the Hindi/Sanskrit word meaning aether in both its elemental and mythological senses. ... This article is about the town in Cuddalore district. ... Shree Pashupatinath (श्री पशुपतिनाथ) is an important Hindu name for Lord Shiva. ... Coordinates: , Country Nepal Regional Authority Kathmandu Metropolitan City Government  - Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala Area  - City 50. ... Mahadeva may refer to : Shiva and Vishnu - two gods in Hinduism Mahadeva (Buddhism) - a Buddhist monk and founder of the Mahasanghika school in about 320 BCE. Mahadeva - the name of an undertaker and a recipient of the Chief Ministers gold medal from the city of Bangalore, India Category: ... This article is about the Hindu moon deity. ... , West Bengal (Bengali: পশ্চিমবঙ্গ Poshchimbôŋgo) is a state in eastern India. ... It has been suggested that Shri Vidya be merged into this article or section. ... In Hinduism, Surya (Devanagari: सूर्य, sÅ«rya) is the chief solar deity,one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wife Aditi[1] ,in Nordics Tyr he is said to be the son of Dyaus Pitar. ... This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ... , Orissa   (Oriya: ଓଡ଼ିଶା), is a state situated on the east coast of India. ... Puri can mean: Puri, a city in the Indian state of Orissa, which is famous for the Jagannath temple and the serene beaches located there . ... This article is about the Hindu deity. ... This article is about the Hindu God. ... Vasishtha, in Hindu mythology was chief of the seven venerated sages (or Saptarishi) and the Rajaguru of the Suryavamsha or Solar Dynasty. ... The Rigveda (Sanskrit , a compound of praise, verse[1] and knowledge) is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns dedicated to the gods. ...

Shivling (6543m) is also a mountain in Uttarakhand (the Garwhal region of Himalayas). It arises as a sheer pyramid above the snout of the Gangotri Glacier. The mountain resembles a shivling when viewed from certain angles, especially when travelling or trekking from Gangotri to Gomukh as a part of a traditional Hindu pilgrimage. For the general concept of Shivling, see Shivling. ... , Uttarakhand (Hindi: उत्तराखंड), known as Uttaranchal from 2000 to 2006, became the 27th state of the Republic of India on November 9, 2000. ... Goumukh, terminus of the Gangotri glacier (lower right in image, behind prayer flag) Gangotri Glacier is located in Uttarakhand, India in a region bordering China. ...

See also

• Hindu iconography
• Lingayatism

• Yoni

Over the millennia of its development Hinduism has adopted several icons that are imbued with spiritual meaning based on either the scriptures or cultural traditions. ... Lingayatism or Veerashaivism is a Hindu religious sect in India. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

Notes

1. ^ Vaman Shivram Apte. A Practical Sanskrit Dictionary. pp. 816-17.
2. ^ Monier-Williams. A Sanskrit-English Dictionary. p. 901. view page online
3. ^ Swami Gambhirananda. Bhagavadgītā. With the commentary of Sankaracarya. (Advaita Ashrama: Calcutta, Fourth Reprint 1997) ISBN 81-7505-150-7.
4. ^ Sargeant, Winthrop. The Bhagavad Gītā. (State University of New York Press: Albany, New York, 1994). ISBN 0-87395-830-6.
5. ^ Quotation from the 'Sāṃkhya-Kārikā as translated in: Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan and Charles A. Moore. A Sourcebook in Indian Philosophy. (Princeton University Press: Princeton, New Jersey, 1957; Twelfth printing 1989) ISBN 0-691-01958-4. p. 428.
6. ^ Monier-Williams. A Sanskrit-English Dictionary. p. 901. view page online
7. ^ Basham, p. 308.
8. ^ Sharma, p. 301.
9. ^ Monier-Williams. A Sanskrit-English Dictionary. p. 901.
10. ^ Flood, Gavin. An Introduction to Hinduism. (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, 1996). ISBN 0-521-43878-0. p. 151.
11. ^ Swami Dharmananda. Swami Dharmananda. Retrieved on 2007-02-12.
12. ^ Shiva Linga. Swami Dharmananda. Retrieved on 2007-02-12.
13. ^ Concept of God in Veerashaivism. Veerashaiva Samaja of New York(VSNY). Retrieved on 2007-01-12.
14. ^ Bijileshwar. www.tourtravelworld.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-16.

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 12th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 16 is the 47th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

• Basham, A. L. The Wonder That Was India: A Survey of the Culture of the Indian Sub-Continent Before The Coming of the Muslims, Grove Press, Inc., New York (1954; Evergreen Edition 1959).
• Schumacher, Stephan and Woerner, Gert. The encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and religion, Buddhism, Taoism, Zen, Hinduism, Shambhala, Boston, (1994) ISBN 0-87773-980-3
• Ram Karan Sharma. Śivasahasranāmāṣṭakam: Eight Collections of Hymns Containing One Thousand and Eight Names of Śiva. With Introduction and Śivasahasranāmākoṣa (A Dictionary of Names). (Nag Publishers: Delhi, 1996). ISBN 81-7081-350-6. This work compares eight versions of the Śivasahasranāmāstotra. The Preface and Introduction (in English) by Ram Karan Sharma provide an analysis of how the eight versions compare with one another. The text of the eight versions is given in Sanskrit.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

lingam