Crescent Star and Lingam

 Crescent, Star and Lingam

Crescent and a Star is a mysterical symbol of many religions throughout the world. In varna the r and m makes the mantra रं ram, the seed mantra of Manipur chakra of Kundalini. It is the  ँ of 🕉. 

In Shaivism the trik Shiva Shakti and Bidu are the base of the entire existence. Shiva and Shakti are the Light and manifestation (प्रकाश-विमर्श), the dot is a jada in asylum of Chiti (Shakti) get connected with Shiva. 

Crescent 🌙 and star ⭐️ might be an astronomical union of moon and venus or some day when the world had seen some important event. But in spiritual world 🌙 and ⭐️ together makes story of creation as both are the materials of the creation of this world. The crescent is the causal cause Chiti and the dot star is the material cause, and the presiding lord of both is Shiva, invisible. 

The Maya is not an illusion but a mother from whose womb the world is created. In that meaning the crescent is Maya and the star-dot is the first sound Nada from which all the elements and the visible world is created. 

The Shivlinga in a temple is a symbolic presentation of the cosmos as Jyotirlinga and the bottom base (yoni) represents the Chiti-Shakti that holds the universe. It’s also seen as a union of Purusha (masculine) and Prakriti (feminine). In Shankhya, it represents the subtle body the linga sharira of the creation. The Shiva-linga had origins in the idea of Yupa-Stambha or Skambha of the Vedic rituals, where the term meant the sacrificial post which was then idealized as the eternal Brahman. The Linga may be symbolising the flow of vital energy upward. It’s a cosmic pillar. The creation is a play of Shiva and Shakti, therefore, it has been symbolised as idol to worship. In Jainism the crescent represents the Shiddha Shila the abode of the souls and in Shaivism Lord Shiva adorns crescent moon on his forehead. Moon and Venus together represents the love the true form of the mother of creation. 

It is interesting to note here that Rub in Arabic means quarter (1/4) and hizb means group. It means that the existence is 1/4 of the one whole whose 3/4 part is invisible or unmanifested. Shaivism considers the visible world as 1/4  (विश्वमय) of the One whole Shiva whose 3/4 (विश्वोर्तीर्ण) is invisible. 

The creation begins with the desire-vibration of Param Shiva from which the first element Shiva (first vibration) descents. Shiva with second element Shakti (his vimarsha) variance as Sadashiva (first sprout) that further descents as Ishvara, Shuddh Vidhya and so on upto the earth as the 36th element. The universe of अहम् इदम् is made of 36 elements which is nothing but a manifestation of Param Shiva. 

As Shiva is absolute and Shakti his manifestation, the Shakti has two forms cool (सोम-moon) and hot (अग्नि-Sun). When the fire enters into the Soma, the Nada begins, the vibration generated which are the building blocks of the cosmos. It is shabda brahma, the Sadashiva. 

In geometry the dots form a line, similarly the original dot (मूल बिंदु) of creation Sadashiva is called Ambika (Shanta), the परावाक्, the Nada 🕉.  The Nada forms a triangle of Vama, Jayeshtha and Raurdri; the power of इच्छा, ज्ञान, क्रिया and the पश्यन्ति, मध्यमा and वैखरी respectively. It further moves on to form polygon (8 sides), tetradecagon (14 sides), polygon, hexadecagon (16 sides), three circles and a square. It is called the Sri Chakra. They represent the 8 Agni-chakras of Kundalini (mooladhar, swadhishthan, manipur, anahat, shakini, agya, guru, sahasrar). It generates Matrika-varnas (letters) of eights groups: one of vowels and seven of consonants. Each petal of the lotus of each chakra represents each varna. Param Shiva thus manifest into 36 elements of the cosmos from Shiva to earth. 

With this introduction, when you visit a Lord Shiva Temple or a Shakti temple and see its sanctum sanctorum in polygon or other shapes, 🕉, or sri yantra worshipping or mantra chanting, or see signs 🌙, ⭐️ and Rub el Hizb of other religions, observe them carefully. They are telling you the story of creation, symbols of worshiping, connect you with the divine power of the Almighty who has a power to bless you, protect you and make your good fortune.

Knowledge destroys all ignorance. Knower-the Self is the final destination. Thou art That.

Punamchand 

10 May 2022