The most common object of devotion in Shiva shrines is the
lingam. Its origins can be traced to primitive stone symbols as
far back as the neolithic period. Symbols such as these can be
seen at pre-Aryan sites at Mohenjo-daro and Harappa. The lingam
denotes the male creative energy of Shiva – the fixed or
immovable qualities (dhruva) or the fundamental form
(mulavighara). The lingam is often combined with the primary
symbol of female creative energy, the yoni, the latter forming
the base of the image with the former rising from its centre.
This serves as representation of the creative union that
procreates and sustains the life of the universe. Lingam and
yoni, Shiva and his goddess, symbolize the antagonistic yet co-
operating forces of the sexes. The Origin of The Lingam The myth
of “The Origin of The Lingam” (lingobhava) opens with the
primeval situation – no universe, only water and the starless
night of the lifeless interval between dissolution and creation
– all the seeds of subsequent evolution rest dor