The secret of worshiping the formless (Linga) and corporeal Deities of Lord Shiva

                      Jai mahadev

              Shiv puran katha

 The sages asked Sutji-

 Hey Sutji! You have told the three means of hearing etc. as the means of liberation. A person who is incapable of listening etc. can become free by relying on which means.

 Sut ji said -- Hey Shaunak! One who is not able to perform the rituals of these three means of hearing, kirtan and meditation, he can cross the world ocean by establishing Lord Shankar Linga and idol and worshiping it daily. The men and women who worship Lord Shankar in Shivlinga or Shivmurti, perform all the work daily with devotion, from invocation to immersion, even if they do not perform the rituals of Shravan etc., they attain success by the pleasure of Lord Shiva.

 Rishi Gan said--- Gods are worshiped everywhere in idols only, but why is Lord Shiva worshiped everywhere in both idol and linga?

 Sut ji said--- O sages! This question of yours is very sacred and wonderful. Only Mahadev can be the speaker in this matter. No man can render it accurately.

 Whatever Lord Shiva said about this subject and what I heard from the mouth of the Guru, I will describe in the same way.

 Only Shiva has been called Nishkal (formless) because of making Brahma cry.

 Because of being beautiful, he has also been called Sakal (Corporeal). That's why they are both gross and perfect. Because of Shiva being formless, the base linga of his worship has also been found to be formless. That is, Shivling is the symbol of the formless form of Shiva.

 Similarly, due to Shiva being gross or corporeal, he is worshiped in the form of an idol. That is, the corporeal idol of Shiva is the symbol of his corporeal form. He is the Supreme Soul called Brahm only because of being gross and unintelligent (corporeal with all body size and formless without body size).

 This is the reason why everyone always worships Lord Shiva both in the form of Linga (formless) and in the corporeal form.

 Apart from Shankar, the existence of other gods and the Brahmaswaroop of Sadashiv is proved by the essential Upanishads of the Vedas. There Lord Shiva has been rendered with the element of Pranav Omkar.

 Similarly, in the east, on the Mandarachal mountain, Saint Kumar, the son of Brahma questioned Nandikeshwar.

 Sanat Kumar said oh God! Apart from Shiva, in the worship of all other deities, idols are often seen and heard in large numbers everywhere. Only in the worship of Lord Shiva, both Linga and Ver (idol) are worshipped. Yes, tell me.

 Nandikeshwar said -- O sinless Brahma Kumar! No answer can be given to your question by people like us. Because it is a confidential matter. Whatever Lord Shiva has told about this subject, I say it in front of you Shiva devotees. am. Lord Shiva is Brahma Swaroop and Nishkal formless; That's why Nishkal Linga is used in his worship. The entire Vedas are of the opinion that they are Sakal i.e. corporeal form. Worship is also popular.

 Apart from Shankar, due to being alive and Saguna in other deities, in the opinion of Vedas, their worship is valid only in the form of an idol. Similarly, at the time of the appearance of the deities, their complete corporeal form appears, while in the darshan of Lord Sadashiv, both corporeal and formless are attained.

 Shiv Puran- Chapter-5.