Miniature Shivlings at home.

[Brishti]

Namaskar,

So I have a few miniature clay shivlings at home (all under 4 or 5 in). I have had them for about a year, until I heard that keeping shivlings at home is not a good idea.
But would this apply to a tiny ceramic (not stone) shivling?

My little brother loves ceramics, and he makes little shivlings and puts them in our home, he also made a little yoni as well. I dont want to tell him that we shouldnt put them inside the home, I dont want to discourage his interest in Shiva.

But at the same time, I do not want to do something wrong and cause bad luck for my family and home.
Please tell me if its wrong to keep mini ceramic shivlings.

Dhane Vad.

[Brishti]

Um is there anyone who can help me out with this?

[Eastern Mind]

Namaskar,

So I have a few miniature clay shivlings at home (all under 4 or 5 in). I have had them for about a year, until I heard that keeping shivlings at home is not a good idea.
But would this apply to a tiny ceramic (not stone) shivling?

My little brother loves ceramics, and he makes little shivlings and puts them in our home, he also made a little yoni as well. I dont want to tell him that we shouldnt put them inside the home, I dont want to discourage his interest in Shiva.

But at the same time, I do not want to do something wrong and cause bad luck for my family and home.
Please tell me if its wrong to keep mini ceramic shivlings.

Dhane Vad.

Vannakkam: I'm not sure where you got this information. Many people keep lingams in their shrine rooms. I can't speak for all Hindus, and some may have a problem with it, but I don't think they are a majority.

You can't really do anything 'wrong'. Against better judgement, perhaps.

Aum Namasivaya

[McKitty]

Vanakkam,

I don't see any problem too if you are keeping small lingams....I remember reading somewhere that it wasn't auspicious to keep lingam at all, but I don't trust this. Shiva is the auspicious one, so why keeping Him at home should be not auspicious ?
And even with that, these lingams are not intended for worship, as long as they are not disrespected or broken, there is no problem at all

Just my opinion

Aum Namah Shivaya

[ShriBala]

Namaskar. Shiva lingas are for collective and individual worship. Why would anyone, unless they have 'intellectual' issues with it, not keep them in their pooja rooms?

Disclosure: we do have 2 lingas which came to us in a very curious way. We keep it in our pooja rooms and maintain lots of strictness from our sides: in terms of hygiene and purity. The same applies to the Shalagrams , symbols of worship of Lord Hari, given to us by our ancestors. Both co-exist without any evil/hard times befalling us.

Mahadeva is a very kind god, so if your little brother makes the lingas out of love, why would He object?

[ShivaFan]

Namaste

I have to be careful in giving a personal opinion on this question, because I am in no position of authority on such matters in any way.

But, I think some of these things are what we call in the West "urban myths" or "village myths" or "folk tales". What do I mean by this?

Well, it wouldn't surprise me that if research was done on the matter, that it is found that there were no temple priests in the village of Lal Khutapour in 1847 who, one day, decided to tell all devotees of Shiva "let the entire community know, that we declare upon right tradition that it is bad luck to have mini Shiva Lingams in your home!" .... It just didn't happen that way.

And it wouldn't surprise me, that upon an investigation of the matter by those who would know how to investigate such matters (if such Sherlocks do or have ever existed), they find that in fact three village ladies by the nicknames of Broom Girl, Water Girl and Candle Girl were together at the well and talking about the evil eye that "got Dancer Girl" because "she ate a snapper bug thinking it was a red chili". "Oh, that's nothing," said Broom Girl. "Did you hear what happened to Chapati Girl? She put Shani Dev on her shrine, and now she has bad luck!"

"That's not true!" said Water Girl. "I have Shani Dev in my house, you just think you are smart because you don't like my new oil lantern. Anyway, Chapati Girl has bad luck because her brother is always causing trouble and playing dice, and he drinks tawdy! Anyway, you have mini Shiva Lingams and that's bad luck!"

"No it's not!" shouts Broom Girl.

"Yes it is!" shouts Water Girl.

Now shouting is starting, just as Hubblebubble put down his hooka pipe and says to Barber Man, "What are those women shouting about?"

"Something about bad luck if you put mini Shiv Lingas in your house..." says Barber Man. Hubblebubble says he is going home to tell his wife about the bad luck.

That was in the year 1847 CE when these events happened. Soon Hubblebubble's wife was telling others about the bad luck. Pretty soon there was 28 people in the village who were experts not only on this bad luck, but other bad luck also. Such as eating a snapper bug thinking it is a chili.

Most of the village never believed the new bad luck. But enough did. In fact just enough to pass on this tid-bit of wisdom to the next generation.

Pretty soon, it was all over Bihar and even the United Provences. Well, not all over. But just enough.

Actually, I might have been a victim of "urban myths", "village myths" and "folk tales" myself. About a year or more back, my wife tells me, "You cannot have Nataraj in you home.". Why, I ask? "Because ... It is ... Not proper (or something)".

And since actually, I recalled something about that, something I heard, from, can't remember, yes, that one should not have Nataraj in your home, well, I took it at face value. Hmmmm, must be true.

Today, I now think this is absurd. Of course you can have Nataraj in your home, just like anything else you must of course show respect to the Murti. There may be perhaps a lot of people who will tell you otherwise. Well, just enough. Everything of value needs It's own proper respect, how this is done may vary. But that does not mean you should not bring value, divine, into your house. If you do not know the value of a corn flower blue sapphire from Afghanistan, and toss it with your marbles on the floor of your house, then perhaps you should not have such a gem. But if you know the value, then by all means.

IMO.

Om Namah Sivaya

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakam ShivaFan: I'm more cynical than you when it comes to origin of urban myths affecting Hinduism. I think there are forces (atheist, Abrahamic etc.) that perpetrate these myths with full intent of 'divide and conquer' or to weaken our faith. For certain people, faith and superstition aren't all that far apart, unfortunately.

We need to be wary of such trickery. I for one, admit to being naive on some of it, especially for things like spotting trolls on here.

Aum Namasivaya

[Anirudh]

Namaste,
When Bhakta Prahallada was asked whether Vishnu exist in a pillar, he said yes. True to his faith Nrsimha emerged from the pillar. If Bhagwaan exist everywhere then why should we doubt our own faith.
I fully agree with Shiva Fan and Eastern Mind. These kind of myths were introduced intentionally and in some cases out of ignorance.

I have seen a peculiar practice in southern India. As per that newly married couples won't be allowed to visit Vishnu temple because Vishnu in the form Sree Krishna had many wives while Shiva gave his half of the body to Parvati.

I belive that when we encounter these sort of irregularities, should analyze before blindly following it. There is also another myth that KaaLi in her Ghor swaroop should not be kept in your altar.

My personal choice is bigger and deadly Moorthis. Like for eg. Nrsimha piercing the demon with his fingers, Maa KaaLi in her ruthless form. Only one reservation. keep the place clean.


Off the topic:
Even if you cannot keep the place clean due to unavoidable reasons keep your mind clean, when you pray. Remember Bhagwaan is everywhere. If your mind is clean, you can see him in dirt as well.