About the Book
Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 40. Chapters: Adhyatma Ramayana, Agni Purana, Bhagavata Purana, Bhavishya Purana, Brahmanda Purana, Brahma Purana, Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Brihaddharma Purana, Devanga Purana, Devi-Bhagavata Purana, Ganesha Purana, Garga Samhita, Garuda Purana, Kalika Purana, Kalki Purana, Kapila Purana, Kurma Purana, Laxmi Puran, Linga Purana, Markandeya Purana, Matsya Purana, Mudgala Purana, Naradiya Purana, Narasimha Purana, Padma Purana, Paramatman, Periya Puranam, Sahyadrikhanda, Samba Purana, Saura Purana, Shivarahasya Purana, Shiva Purana, Skanda Purana, Vamana Purana, Varaha Purana, Vayu Purana, Vishnudharmottara Purana, Vishnu Purana, Yuga Purana. Excerpt: The Linga Purana is one of the major eighteen Puranas, a Hindu religious text. The extant text is divided into two parts, comprising 108 and 55 chapters respectively. These parts contain the description regarding the origin of universe, origin of the linga, and emergence of Brahma and Vishnu, and all the Vedas from the Linga. In this Purana, Shiva directly tells sometimes the importance of worship of Linga and the correct rituals to be followed during the puja of the linga. The Padma Purana categorizes Linga Purana as a Tamas Purana (Purana of darkness or ignorance). "The distinctive sign through which it is possible to recognize the nature of someone is called a linga." (Shiva Purana) "Shiva is signless, without color, taste or smell, beyond word and touch, without quality, changeless, motionless." (Linga Purana) This unmanifest being can be perceived only through his creation, which is his sign or linga. The existence of the unqualified substratum is known and worshiped only through this sign. The linga, the giver of life is one of the shapes which represents the nature of the shapeless. "Shiva as the undivided causal principle is worshiped in the linga. His more manifest aspects are represented in anthropomorphic images. All other deities are part of a multiplicity and are thus worshiped as images." (Karapatri, "Shri Shiva Tattva," Siddhanta). "The symbol of the Supreme Man (purusha), the formless, the changeless, the all-seeing eye, the linga. The symbol of the power that is Nature, generatrix of all that exists is the yoni." (Karapatri, "Lingopasana-rahasya," Siddhanta) "Because she is the source of development, Nature (prakriti) is compared to a womb. The womb is Nature, basis of all. He is the giver of enjoyment. There is no other giver." (Shiva Purana) The linga is the universal fecundator and as such is fundamentally one. But for each form of existence there is a different womb to be fecundated. Thus the different species are spoken of as yonis. The Purana
