Shiva's Sorrow
Glimpse into unfathomable tattva of Shiva Linga
Kalika Purana has a beautiful extollation of Lord Shiva in the for of Shiva Linga. Worship of Lord Shiva in the form of Linga bestows tremendous blessings. Foremost among all the blessings is that it can confer tremendous peace. Shiva Linga is the closest conceptualisation of the form that bridges the manifest and the unmanifest. However this passage of kalika Purana provides insight into further nuances.
It is after demise of Sati Devi, Lord Shiva is subjected to unfathomable sorrow. Grief suspends Lord Shiva into a sense of denial, which gradually transforms into the rage that results in the decapitation of Daksha. Rage then transforms into incalculable grief. In this grief, he is roaming the worlds with Ma Sati's body on his shoulders. It is then Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma summon Lord Shani (Saturn) , and with the help of Mahamaya, they manage to separate Ma Sati's body from Lord Shiva by cutting into pieces. This results in unmatta bhava in lord Shiva, almost intoxicated state resulting from sorrow. In this mood of unbearable grief, he turns into the form of Linga! This results in the arresting of all of the manifest universe. Because Shiva is verily the source of all existence. If he turns immutable, then all existence ceases to be. All Godly forces cease to be. All the Gods come together as Lord Brahma exhorts them to extoll Lord Shiva and pray to him to adorn his form that confers moment / spanda back to the manifestation.
This episode gives an opportunity for poignant reflection, that when one is drowned in grief, a deep depression, the vitality of all life is arrested. Thus by worshipping Shiva in the form of Linga, we seek his blessings to unfurl harmonious movement back to our existence. There can be juxtaposing reflection too, where agony and pain becomes unbearable, it becomes necessary to be absorbed in the state of Peace - hence we can observe that in the verses, Lord Shiva is repeatedly referred to as Shantha Murthy - embodiment of Peace - in the form of Linga.
Sharing below this beautiful verse from Kalika Purana
अनादिमध्यसंसरयोगविद्याय शमभावे।
नम: शिवाय शान्ताय ब्रह्मणे लिंगमूर्तये ।।
We salute Shambhu, who is without beginning, creation and existence and knowable only through meditation.
We pay our obeisance to Shiva who is Brahma, free from passion and in the shape of the Linga.
जटिलाय गिरीशाय विद्याशक्तिधरायते ।
नम: शिवाय शान्ताय ब्रह्मणे लिंगमूर्तये ।।
We pay our obeisance to Girisha, the wearer of the matted hair, powerful with the power of knowledge , who is Brahma, free from passion and in the shape of the Linga.
ज्ञानमृतान्थसमपुरनशुद्ध्द्द देहांतराय च ।
नम: शिवाय शान्ताय ब्रह्मणे लिंगमूर्तये ।।
We salute Shiva whose body and mind are completely purified by the nectar of knowledge, Who resides within himself, who is Brahma, free from passion and in the shape of the Linga.
आदिमध्यंताभूताय स्वभावनालादीप्थऐ ।
नम: शिवाय शान्ताय ब्रह्मणे लिंगमूर्तये ।।
We salute him, who is in the form of creation ,. preservation and destruction, who blazes like the fire, who is Brahma, free from passion and in the shape of the Linga.
प्रलयनवसंताय प्रलयस्थितिहेतवे ।
नम: शिवाय शान्ताय ब्रह्मणे लिंगमूर्तये ।।
We salute him, who is in the ocean of deluge ( after annihilation of the worlds ), who is the cause of dissolution and existence, who is Brahma, free from passion and in the shape of the Linga.
य: परेभ्य: प्रस्तस्मात पराय परमात्मने ।
नम: शिवाय शान्ताय ब्रह्मणे लिंगमूर्तये ।।
We salute him, who is Supreme, greater than the Supreme and the Supreme soul himself, who is Brahma, free from passion and in the shape of the Linga.
ज्वालामालावृतांगय नमस्ते विश्वरूपिणे ।
नम: शिवाय शान्ताय ब्रह्मणे लिंगमूर्तये ।।
We salute him, whose body is adorned by the garland of blazing fire, who is the entire universe, who is Brahma, free from passion and in the shape of the Linga.
ओम नमः परमार्थाय ज्ञानदीपाया वेधसे ।
नम: शिवाय शान्ताय ब्रह्मणे लिंगमूर्तये ।।
We salute him, who is the highest object to be sought, illuminated by the knowledge, the creator, who is Brahma, free from passion and in the shape of the Linga.
नमो दाक्षायणीकान्त मृड नर्व महेश्वर ।
नमस्ते सर्वभतेष प्रसाद भगवन्छिव ।।
O Siva ! Thou art husband of Dakshayani, Mrda, Sarva, Mahesvara, lord of the creatures , oh lord ! Be pleased to us.
सशोके त्वयि लोकेशे चेष्टमाने महेश्वर ।
सुरा समाकुला: सर्वे तस्मछोकं परित्यज ।।
O Mahesvara ! If you, the lord of the world, doth move in grief, all the Gods become perturbed, therefore, give up thy sorrow.
नमो नमस्ते भूतेष सर्व करणकारण ।
प्रोसीद रक्ष न: सर्विस्त्यज शोकं नमोस्तुते ।।
Oh lord of the creatures! Thou art the cause of all the causes, we salute thee, be pleased with us, give up thy sorrow, do protect all of us.