The beauty of Sanatan dharma is to have cohesive living with nature. God makes us to born from the nature, made us out of Pancha boothas - Earth, water, fire, Akasha and Air and finally we merge with the endless nature called - Paramatma.
The essence of Pancha Bhoota Lingas refers to five temples dedicated to Shiva, each representing a manifestation of the five prime elements of nature: earth, water, fire, air, and space. Aum Namah Shivaya Mantra represent according to these five Tatva.
1) Earth/ Prithivi Lingam Ekambareswarar Temple, Kanchipuram
2) Water /Appu Lingam (Jambu Lingam) Jambukeshwarar Temple, Thiruvanaikaval, Thiruvanaikaval, near Trichy
3) Agni Lingam (Jyothi Lingam) Arunachaleswara Temple, Thiruvannamalai
4) Vayu Lingam; Kalahasti temple Kalahasthi, (near Tirupati) Andhra Pradesh
5) Aagaya /Akasha Lingam; Thillai Natarajar Temple, Chidambaram
The yogis of this land created many tools for human beings to reach their ultimate nature. The magnificent temples of the south are the most obvious and powerful of these tools. The impact of their energies has a lasting presence that stays with an individual long after leaving the space.
Shiv Linga is a representation of an object or an emotion. The word Linga is used with reference to a Symbol, interference or Prakruthi (nature ). It is called so, because at the time of dissolution, along with the 5 elements of the nature (cosmic), the entire world merges into the Linga and originates from it again, at the time of creation.
According to the Shaiva sect, Shiva is the Diety of all, that is Creation, Sustenance and Dissolution. Only in the concept of Trimurthi, Shiva is the Diety of Dissolution. Shiva Linga is five faced; The face facing the East is called Vishnu. That facing the West is called Brahma. That facing the South is called Shiva. That facing the North is Rudra. The 5th face points upwards and that is towards Spiritual Progress.
These temples were not created as places of worship, but as energized spaces that touch a human being at the most fundamental level. Purifying these five elements within the human system can bring about vibrant states. This creates tremendous possibilities.
Ekambareswarar Temple ( Earth/Prithvi); Kanchipuram, TN
One of the most ancient in India, this temple is said to exist prior to 600 AD. The element consecrated here is Earth. Legends speak of how Parvati, the consort of Shiva worshipped him in the form of a a Lingam improvised out of sand (Prithivi Lingam), under a mango tree. The neighboring Vegavati river overflowed and threatened to engulf the Shiva Lingam and that Parvati (or Kamakshi), embraced the Lingam, and Shiva, touched by the gesture materialized in person and married her.
Jambukeswarar Temple (Water/Jala); Thiruvanaikaval, TN
Said to be built in the Chola period, the the temple compound houses the Jal Linga( Water). Tales speak of how two devotees of Shiva were born under the influence of a curse as a white elephant and a spider. The elephant worshipped Shiva with flowers and water brought in its trunk while the spider worshipped the Lingam by spinning a web on top, to protect it from falling leaves. The elephants worship would destroy the spiders web, and the spiders web amounted to desecration in the eyes of the elephant leading to animosity between the two, eventually leading to the death of both. Owing to their devotion, they both achieve salvation eventually by the grace of Shiva.
Arunachaleswara temple at Tiruvannamalai, TN
Represents the 3rd element of pancha bootha called Agni or fire. When Lord Vishnu and Brahma were trying to find the moolathara of Jyothi Swaroopa of Lord Shiva both of them travelled towards opposite directions. Brahma as Anna Pakshi towards the sky and Maha vishnu as Varaha underneath the earth. To signify the event, during the month of Karthiga Pournami thithi, a large fire atop the hills of arunachaleswara is lid representing the endless and formless Jyothi of Lord Mahadeva. This is called Maha Deepam.
The Jyothis Swaroopa of Lord Mahadeva represents the oneness and limitless nature of Paramathma in the form of fire. For thousands of years several rishis and Tamil Siddhars did penance in that area. Lord Ramana Maharishi, Seshadri Swamigal, attained self realization there. Siddhar Arunagirinathar did penance there, and he was saved by Lord Skandha, when he tried to commit suicide from one of the Gopuram at the temple.
Srikalahasteeswara Temple (Air/Vayu), Kalahasti, AP
In Chittoor district of AP, at kalahasti, the vayulingam, in the Sanctum sanctorium you can see the lamp flickering indicating the presence of air. It is the site where Kannappa Nayannar, a hunter and a devotee of Shiva is believed to have plucked his eyes to offer it to the linga. Here Shiva and Parvathi are worshipped as Srikalahastishwar and Gnanprasunambika.
The history states that a spider (Sri), a snake (Kala), and an elephant (Hasti) used to worship Lord Shiva in the town to attain Moksha. Therefore, during the Pallava period in the 5th century, the Srikalahasti Temple was built by Krishnadevraya, the king of the Vijayanagara Empire. Legends also speak of how Vayu Deva or the Wind God offered his obeisances to the linga here and performed penance to appease Shiva who later appeared and granted him boons.
The temple is also regarded as Rahu-Ketu kshetra and Dakshina Kailasam. This is the only temple of India which remains open during Solar and lunar eclipses, while, other temples remain closed. Kalahasti temple is so famous for its Rahu-Ketu pooja. It is believed that performing this pooja will save the people of all the astrological effects of Rahu and Ketu.
Nataraja Temple, (Ether/Akash); Chidambaram, TN
The Chidambaram temple was consecrated by Maharshi Patanjali and enshrines Akasha or absolute stillness. It houses Shiva as the Lord of Dance, or Nataraja. One of the most significant aspects of Shiva, Nataraja represents the exuberant dance of creation, which self-created itself from eternal stillness. However, the main deity is just an empty space.
These are all colossal establishments and they were created thousands of years ago. There was no machinery, trucks or cranes, but they worked for a couple of generations on these temples with a single-minded purpose. These people dedicated their whole life, they lived and died to create these temples because it meant so much to them.
Southern India has seen countless successful attempts to encapsulate divinity through a complex process of consecration, wherein Ellipsoidal forms or Lingas (usually of Black Granite) are transformed into radiating pulsating energy forms making a divine possibility available to everyone in the vicinity of these spaces. The peninsula of Southern India is home to one of the most unique and powerful forms of mysticism.
The various yogic practices and sadhanas are essentially geared towards Bhuta Shuddhi or Elemental cleansing to provide wellbeing of the body and mind, make the human mechanism a stepping stone for a larger possibility and ultimately liberate one from the cycle of life and death.
According to ayurveda and Yoga, Pancha Bhoota are associated with overall health of human being. Any disorder in human body indicates imbalance of one or more of these elements. The three Dosha have subtle positive essences which control the mind and body function; Vata - Vayu, Akash - Prana, Pitta - Agni, Jal/Apas - Tejas, Kapha- Prithvi and Jal/Apas - Ojas.
According to Yoga, the aim of sadhana is to have mastery over oneself. Pancha Bhoota Stalam is representation of pancha bhoota for yogic practice. People used to move from one temple to another and do sadhana on particular basic element. The seven Chakras in the human subtle body are associated with these five elements.
1. Muladhara Chakra- Prithvi - Stability, Support
2. Swadhishthan Chakra- Jal- Joy, Well-being
3. Manipura Chakra- Agni- Wisdom, Power
4. Anahata Chakra- Vayu-Compassion
5. Vishuddha Chakra- Akash - Trust, Creativity
6. Ajna Chakra- Akash- Knowledge, Intuition, Dignity
7. Sahasrara Chakra- Akash- Oneness
Vastu shastra emphasizes on the placement of five elements in specified direction and the balance of these elements determines the condition of the associated structure.
1. Akasha - East- Expansion, enhancement
2. Vayu - West- Movements, joy, happiness
3. Agni- South- Power, confidence, fame
4. Jal - North- Spirituality, ideas, thoughts, healing
5. Prithvi - Center, DiagonalStability, peace and harmony
Each of the five finger in human beings is also associated with a particular element, so this means the energy associated with the appropriate element can be channelized through various hand mudras.
Akash (Space)- Astral body- Middle Finger
Vayu (Air)- Air- Index Finger
Agni (Fire)- Body - HeatThumb
Jal (Water)- Water (incl blood)- Little Finger
Prithvi (Earth)- Flesh, bones & organs- Ring Finger
Mysterious Akash Rekha
Authored by Anadi Sahoo
