Shiva-Linga Made of Crystal

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Carved out of a piece of fine crystal, this tiny Shiva-linga is unique in its lustre. Not a mere medium, a Shiva-linga in crystal, more than a form a form’s illusion, or the aggregate of all forms – manifest or unmanifest, reveals the pith of Shaiva mysticism that perceives all forms as being without a form, and formlessness being the progenitor or the mother of all forms. No sooner than the eye reaches this crystal artifact, in its dazzle not merely its own form – the manifest ‘linga’, begins melting, but even this formlessness begins multiplying myriad times and every time there evolves a new form. This unity of duality is the crux of the Shaivite thought and the essence of this crystal icon. In Shaivite thought, all forms are perceived as dissolving and disappearing in Shiva who is the ultimate ‘linga’ and it is in him as ‘linga’ that all forms become manifest, that is, both, the ‘form’ and the ‘non-form’ – ‘to be’ and ‘not to be’, are the aspects of Shiva who manifests as ‘linga’. A Shiva-linga in crystal is the truest manifestation of Shiva for as in Shiva, in this crystal linga too all forms, even its own, dissolve and disappear, and innumerable, manifest, and this mystic transformation continues incessantly, the same as in Shiva.

The Shaivite tradition perceives Shiva as both, ‘sakara’ – one with a form, and ‘nirakara’– one without a form, and while a humanized icon – an anthropomorphic image, represents his ‘sakara’ aspect, a linga-icon – Shiva’s most prevalent image, his ‘nirakara. The Shiva Maha Purana has used the term ‘ber’ for Shiva’s ‘sakara’ form, and ‘linga’, for ‘nirakara’. Shaivism asserts that all forms proceed from formlessness which suggests that form is the inherent character of ‘non-form’. Hence, Shiva-linga – the ‘nirakara’ or the ‘non-form’ aspect of Shiva, is often conceived with anthropomorphic features, usually a face – in any number, mostly one, three or five, but even more. Such images are known as ‘mukha-linga’ – a phallus with a face. Not that discovering a face-form in a tiny crystal Shiva-linga, as is this artifact, was a challenging feat, the artist, it seems, must have considered it as irrelevant for this formless entity – this Shiva-linga in crystal, already reveals innumerable forms in its mere dazzle – its formless aspect.

This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of literature and is the author of numerous books on Indian art and culture. Dr. Daljeet is the curator of the Miniature Painting Gallery, National Museum, New Delhi. They have both collaborated together on a number of books.

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