Linga, ṅg, ṅg, Limga: 51 definitions
Introduction:
Linga means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, the history of ancient India, Marathi, Hindi, biology. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
Images (photo gallery)
(+61 more images available)
In Hinduism
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Source: Wisdom Library: Ṣaṭshasra-saṃhitṅg (लिङ्गा):—One of the twelve ṇa associated with Gola, the sixth seat of the ṣṭԲ-. According to tantric sources such as the Śrīmatottara-tantra and the Gorakṣasaṃhit (Kdiprakaraṇa), these twelve ṇa are represented as female deities. According to the Ṣaṭshasrasaṃhit however, they are explained as particular syllables. They (e.g. ṅg) only seem to play an minor role with regard to the interpretation of the Devīcakra (first of five chakras, as taught in the ܲᾱ峾ٲ-ٲԳٰ).
: Archaeological Survey of India: Śaiva monuments at Paṭṭadakal (śaivism)ṅg (लिङ्�).—T worship of ṅg on the earth is the fruit of a quarrel between Brahm and Viṣṇu. Episodes on how and why there was a quarrel between the two great gods and how that is the root cause for ṅg to descend for worship by living beings on the earth, are narrated mainly in the ṅgpurṇa and Śܰṇa.
: McGill: The architectural theory of the Mnasra (shaivism)ṅg (लिङ्�).—T ṅg is understood as the “semi-iconic image of Śiva�, because of its form and nature as falling somewhat between the iconic and the aniconic. ṅg literally means “phallus�, and has undeniable phallic connotations even in its abstract iconographic form as a cylindrical shaft; as noted above, sometimes the five faces of Sadś are also carved on the shaft.
: Shodhganga: The saurapurana - a critical study (shaivism)ṅg (लिङ्�) refers to the “symbol of Śiva�.—One remarkable contribution made by the Śaivas to the conception and worship of the Supreme Deity is the representation of Śiva in the form of a Symbol called ṅg, The very idea of ṅg implies that it is the seed or source of all derivative existences. It is that in which all diversities remain dissolved or undifferentiated or potentially present and from which they are originated. All existences are unified in ṅg which is the ultimate ground and final end of phenomenal beings.
: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditionsṅg (लिङ्�) refers to “sectarian marks�, according to the Mlinīvijayottaratantra, chapter 18 (“appropriate conduct of the accomplished Yogin�) verses 18.74-81 (as quoted in the Tantrloka verse 4.213-221ab).—Accordingly, “[...] And as regards the performance or non-performance of vows, etc., and entrance into sacred places, etc. [i.e., ṣeٰ, īṻs, and upaīṻs], the observance of rules of action, and (those rules associated with) initiatory name, initiatory lineage, or the like [i.e., according to the lodge and the like of the initiate], whether the form, sectarian marks, and so on be one’s own or another’s [i.e., ṅg�貹ū貹ṅg徱]—nothing is prescribed here regarding these, nor, contrariwise, prohibited. [...]�.

Shaiva (शै�, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.
Shilpashastra (iconography)
: Google Books: Elements of Hindu iconographyṅg (लिङ्�).—Śiva is worshipped in a number of anthropomorphic forms, as also in the symbol of ṅg. ṅgs are broadly divided into two classes, namely:
- calaṅg (the movable ṅgs),
- acalaṅg (the immovable ṅgs).
To the latter belong class belong the large and heavy stone ṅgs which are permanently set up in the central shrines of Śiva temples.
ṅgs are almost always set up in pedestals known as the 辱ṇḍ or īṻ. These may be square, oblongular, octogonal, elongated octagon, hexagon, elongated hexagon, duodecagon, elongated duodecagon, 16-sided, regular or elongated, circular, elliptical, triangular and semi-circular in plan.
: archive.org: Catalogue of Pancaratra Agama Texts (shilpa)ṅg (लिङ्�) refers to the “aniconic form�, whose iconographic details are discussed in chapter 31 of the Ādikṇḍa of the Ჹⲹśīṣaṃh: a large Pñcartra Āgama consisting of roughly 6500 verses dealing primarily with architecture, temple-building and consecration rituals and iconography.—Description of the chapter [ṅg-ṣaṇa]: The iconographic details of the ṅg-are given here in detail (1-23a).
: Red Zambala: Hindu Icons and Symbols | TrinityŚiva, is primarily worshiped through the abstract symbol of the ṅg—the phallus which is depicted standing in a base which encircles and holds it—the yoni or the womb. The ṅg ejaculates the seed (īᲹ) of the spatial universe into the yoni which is the matrix of all manifestation.
: Archaeological Survey of India: Śaiva monuments at Paṭṭadakal (ś貹)ṅg (लिङ्�).—According to Ajitamahtantra (thirty-sixth 貹ṭa) “Śiva should be represented standing in the middle of the ṅg, with three eyes, four arms, red color, a serene face, adorned with all ornaments, wearing the mesh-headgear (Ჹṭmܰṭa), having Moon and Gaṅg (in his hair) on his right and left respectively, wearing serpents, and datura flowers on his right and left, so that in the middle of the ṅg he is visible without feet at the bottom and the top of the head being visible. Or one third of that should be visible. At the top and base of the ṅg one should make Brahman in the form of a ṃs and Viṣṇu with the head of a boar. Brahman and Viṣṇu should be made standing, their hands should be joined into a cup(ñᲹٲ), on the right and left of the ṅg� (śloka 207-211).
It is stated in the ṇg that one-fifth part of the ṅg should be left on the top and at the bottom respectively without any sculpture.... The colour of the figure of Śiva should be red, that of Viṣṇu black and that of Brahman golden yellow.
: McGill: The architectural theory of the Mnasra (iconography)ṅg (लिङ्�).—In Mnasra chapter LII, ṅgvidhnam, “Composition of ṅg�, the options of deriving height of ṅg, the semi-iconic image of Śiva (usually the principal پṣṭ, “consecrated image�, in a Saiva temple) number seven. They are:
- from the breadth of the adytum of the temple;
- from the door;
- from the width of the temple;
- from the height of the base of the temple;
- from the height of the main pillar;
- according to hasta, cubit;
- from the body of the ⲹᲹԲ, patron or “c1ient�.
These lists of options display an “instrumental� nature, primarily as a means of procuring the height of the image.
: Shodhganga: The significance of the mūla-beras (ś貹)ṅg (symbol of Śiva) refers to one of the several “attributes� (ܻ) or “accessories� of a detiy commonly seen depicted in Hindu iconography, defined according to texts dealing with ś貹 (arts and crafs), known as ś貹śstras.—T ś貹 texts have classified the various accessories under the broad heading of ܻ or karuvi (implement), including even flowers, animals, and musical instruments. The other miscellaneous articles found as attributes in the hands of the deities are, for example, ṅg.
: Shodhganga: The saurapurana - a critical study (shilpa)ṅg (लिङ्�) (in shape) is like the part of a short round coloumn rounded at the top and fixed in a raised round base of a paticular shape, that is open on the northern side. Since God is beyond name and form and since we can’t conceive of an abstract principle like Him, without the aid of concrete symbols, a rounder surface is perhaps the nearest approach to him. The Purṇas indicate the custom of establishing such ṅgs at holy places; and in that case the ṅg bears the name of the person who has established it, with the word īś or īś attached at the end e.g. Śukreśvara established by Śukra, Brahmeśvara by Brahm, Vyseśvara by Vysa, Dakṣeśvara by Dakṣa etc.

Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, ś貹śstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.
Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)
: ISKCON Press: Glossary1) ṅg (लिङ्�).—Phallic symbol which is used in the worship of Lord Śiva.
2) ṅg (लिङ्�).—T subtle body: mind, intelligence and false ego.

Vaishnava (वैष्णव, vaiṣṇava) or vaishnavism (vaiṣṇavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu�).
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index1a) ṅg (लिङ्�).—A term for mahat.*
- * Vyu-purṇa 102. 21.
1b) A term for Jīva.*
- * Vyu-purṇa 102. 101.
1c) Origin of; came out of a ball of ever-burning fire and grew and grew; Viṣṇu and Brahm undertook to find out its beginning and the end. It was all effulgence. They found it impossible and prayed to Śiva who initiated them into mheśvaram bala.1 Establishment of the cult in the presence of Śiva and the sages; is Jīva, mahat; leads to kaivalya;2 found in Godvarī;3 worship of at Benares relieves one of rebirth;4 its size for installation in the palace depends on the measurement of the palace; nine varieties are distinguished. The technique of the making of a Linga is furnished in detail. It may be of gems, spaṭika, of stone, earth, or wood.5
- 1) Brahmṇḍa-purṇa II. 26. 21 to the end; 27. 30-101; Vyu-purṇa 55. 21-61.
- 2) Brahmṇḍa-purṇa IV. 3. 22, 56-9, 79.
- 3) Matsya-purṇa 22. 57.
- 4) Ib. 154. 350; 185. 57.
- 5) Ib. 263. 1, 11, 25.
ṅg (लिङ्�) refers to the most sacred object of worship in Śaivism, according to the 10th century ܰܰṇa: one of the various Upapurṇas depicting Śaivism.—T ܰܰṇa mentions the different types of ṅgs as Svayambhū-ṅg which showed it-self in a natural way, the Pratiṣṭhita-ṅg which is established or installed with proper mantras; Rasa-ṅg, Bṇa-ṅg, Svarṇa-ṅg, Śil-ṅg etc. Certain ṅgs are called Jyotirṅgs and they are said to be twelve in number such as Viśveśvara, Ratneśvara at Vrṇasī, Mahkla at Ujjayinī etc. The ṅgs described in the ܰܰṇa are discussed in chapter VI of this work under īٳ.

The Purana (पुरा�, purṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
Samkhya (school of philosophy)
: Shodhganga: Prakrti and purusa in Samkhyakarika an analytical reviewṅg (लिङ्�, “mark of anything�).—T existence of avyakta can be inferred on the basis of vyakta. For this reason, vyakta is called ṅg (mark) of the inference of avyakta. So, the term ṅg is used here in the sense of Գܳ貹첹 or hetu (mark). Though to infer ܰṣa, ṛt (Բ) is used as a ṅg, still ṛt is not a ṅg for the inference of itself. That is what is indicated by Vcaspati in saying �ṅgm Բsya�. Here, the term ṅg has been used to denote the Գܳ貹첹 of Բ. How the vyaktas are used as ṅg for the inference of Բ is narrated in Sṃkhyakrik 15.

Samkhya (सांख्य, Sṃkhya) is a dualistic school of Hindu philosophy (astika) and is closeley related to the Yoga school. Samkhya philosophy accepts three pramanas (‘proofs�) only as valid means of gaining knowledge. Another important concept is their theory of evolution, revolving around prakriti (matter) and purusha (consciousness).
Vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar)
: Shodhganga: Vaiykaraṇabhūṣaṇasra: a critical studyṅg (लिङ्�).—Gender which is accepted by the Grammarians as one of the five meanings of a nominal stem.
: Wikisource: A dictionary of Sanskrit grammar1) ṅg (लिङ्�).—Sign or characteristic mark; generally the mute letter prefixed or suffixed to roots, affixes, or augments and their substitutes with a specific purpose; cf. किंचिल्लिङ्गमासज्य वक्ष्याम� (kiṃcilṅgmsajya vakṣymi) M. Bh.on I.1.1 .7, अवयव� कृतं लिङ्� समुदायस्� विशेषक� भवति (avayave kṛta� ṅg samudyasya viśeṣaka� bhavati) M. Bh. on P.I.3.62 . 5;
2) ṅg.—Proof, evidence (प्रमाण (ṇa)); the word is often used in the Paribhșendușekhara and other works in connection with a rule or part of a rule quoted as an evidence to deduce some general dictum or Paribhș;
3) ṅg.—Gender; cf. लिङ्� स्त्रीलिङ्गपुंलिङ्गनपुंसकानि (ṅg strīṅgpuṃṅgnapuṃsakni) Kś. on P. II. 3. 46; cf. also प्रातिपदिकग्रहणे लिङ्गविशिष्टस्यापि ग्रहणम� (پ貹徱첹grahaṇe ṅgviśiṣṭasypi grahaṇam). Par. Śek.Pari.71. The gender of a word in Sanskrit language does not depend on any specific properties of a thing; it simply depends on the current usage; cf. लोकाश्रयत्वाल्लिङ्गस्य (lokśrayatvlṅgsya) which is often quoted in the Mahbhsya; cf. M. Bh. on P. II. 1.36, II.2.29, II.4.12, IV. 1.3, V.3.66, V.4.68, VIII.1.15. For details see Mahbhșya on P.IV.1. 3 where after a long enlightening discussion the definition संस्त्यानप्रसव� लिङ्गम� (saṃstynaprasavau ṅgm) is given.

Vyakarana (व्याकर�, vykaraṇa) refers to Sanskrit grammar and represents one of the six additional sciences (vedanga) to be studied along with the Vedas. Vyakarana concerns itself with the rules of Sanskrit grammar and linguistic analysis in order to establish the correct context of words and sentences.
Nirukta (Sanskrit etymology)
: Shodhganga: The saurapurana - a critical study (nirukta)ṅg (लिङ्�) is said to have the idea of merging.—According to Nirukta (4.19) the word ṅg means “lustful�.—As everything gets merged in it it is called ṅg. It is pointed out that the fusion of the symbols of Śiva and Śakti, namely the penis and the vagina, is called ṅg. Another etymology of the word is that the ṅg is so called because it makes the lina or avvakta that is Śiva, known.
In a passage of the ܰܰṇa, Nrada asks Brahm as to what is called ṅg; then Brahma gives the definition of ṅg:
“That form of Mahdeva which is Unmanifest (avvakta) is called ṅg; it is bliss (ԲԻ岹) and beyond all nescience (tamasa� para�). By the ṅg Śaṃkara is Liṅgī�.
Nirukta (निरुक्�) or “etymology� refers to the linguistic analysis of the Sanskrit language. This branch studies the interpretation of common and ancient words and explains them in their proper context. Nirukta is one of the six additional sciences (vedanga) to be studied along with the Vedas.
Ayurveda (science of life)
: gurumukhi.ru: Ayurveda glossary of terms1) ṅg (लिङ्�):—A distinguishing mark or a feature, attribute, or trait; that’s points towards a co-relation
2) Penis

Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.
Yoga (school of philosophy)
: Google Books: Croaking Frogs: (Yoga)ṅg (लिङ्�) refers to the “penis� representing one of the sixteen vital centres of the body (i.e., ), according to the Jyotsn 3.73 (Cf. Gorakṣaśataka 14 and Svtmrma’s Haṭhapradīpik 3.72).—In Haṭhayoga, refers to a vital point of the body, a seat of vital function. Jyotsn verse 3.73 cites a passage attributed to Gorakṣa listing the s as [e.g., ṅg (penis), ...]. The Haṭhapradīpik refers to sixteen s but does not name them or explain what they are. The Gorakṣaśataka also refers to sixteen s as something the Yogī should be familiar with, but does not name them.

Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as sanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).
Kama-shastra (the science of Love-making)
: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (kmasūtra)ṅg (लिङ्�) (Cf. ṅgtva) refers to the “penis�, according to the Kmasūtra of Vtsyyana and Jaśodhara’s commentary called the Jayamaṅgal .—Accordingly, “[Commentary on verse 7.2.2]:—‘about to practice sex�: at the beginning of the sexual act. This is at the start [of the sexual act]. Even if the passion is weak with regards to sex because the penis is inert (stabdha-ṅgtva), first ‘her genitalia�, i.e. her vulva, should be rubbed with his hand, should be stimulated with the ‘elephant trunk� [method]...�.

Kamashastra (कामशास्त्र, 峾śٰ) deals with ancient Indian science of love-making, passion, emotions and other related topics dealing with the pleasures of the senses.
Pancaratra (worship of Nryaṇa)
: archive.org: Catalogue of Pancaratra Agama Texts1) ṅg (लिङ्�) or ṅgmudr refers to one of the 37 Mudrs (hand-gestures) described in chapter 7 of the վṣṇܲṃh: a Sanskrit text written in 2600 verses which covers typical Pñcartra topics through a narrative dialogue between Aupagyana and Siddha Sumati.—[Cf. the chapter ܻ-ṣaṇa].
2) ṅg (लिङ्�) or ṅgmudr refers to one of the 81 Mudrs (hand-gestures) described in chapter 2 of the Ṛṣirtra section of the Բٰܳṃh: an encyclopedic Sanskrit text written in over 3500 verses dealing with a variety of topics such as yoga, temple-building, consecration ceremonies, initiation and dhanurveda (martial arts).—[Cf. the chapter ܻ-ṣaṇa].
: University of Vienna: Sudarśana's Worship at the Royal Court According to the Ahirbudhnyasaṃhitṅg (लिङ्�) refers to “signs� (i.e., ‘omens that indicate the performance of an aggressive ritual by the enemy�), according to the Ahirbudhnyasaṃhit, belonging to the Pñcartra tradition which deals with theology, rituals, iconography, narrative mythology and others.—Accordingly, “An abnormal modification caused by a aggressive ritual against Kings, occurring at the improper time, dreadful and all-reaching, is characterized by the these signs: [...] [the King] is so deluded that he himself forgets the dos and don’ts; in a dream he sees himself with a shaven head and clad in a dark blue garment, travelling towards the southern direction on a cart pulled by a donkey; from such and other signs (ṅg�itydiṅgir) he should understand that the enemy is performing a aggressive ritual�.

Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pñcartra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.
Vastushastra (architecture)
: Shodhganga: Elements of Art and Architecture in the Trtiyakhanda of the Visnudharmottarapurana (vastu)ṅg (लिङ्�) refers to one of the hundred types of Temples (in ancient Indian architecture), according to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurṇa, an ancient Sanskrit text which (being encyclopedic in nature) deals with a variety of cultural topics such as arts, architecture, music, grammar and astronomy.—It is quite difficult to say about a definite number of varieties of Hindu temples but in the Viṣṇudharmottarapurṇa hundred varieties of temples have been enumerated. For example, ṅg. These temples are classified according to the particular shape, amount of storeys and other common elements, such as the number of pavilions, doors and roofs. [...] The Viṣṇudharmottarapurṇa relates that the temple named ṅg should be constructed in ṅg shape.

Vastushastra (वास्तुशास्त्�, vstuśstra) refers to the ancient Indian science (shastra) of architecture (vastu), dealing with topics such architecture, sculpture, town-building, fort building and various other constructions. Vastu also deals with the philosophy of the architectural relation with the cosmic universe.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara Samadhiṅg (लिङ्�) refers to the “upper genitals� (i.e., penis or clitoris) and is associated with the syllable �, according to the ҳܰ-ṇḍ-Բ [i.e., “Guru Mandala Worship]� ritual often performed in combination with the Cakrasaṃvara Samdhi, which refers to the primary ū and practice of Newah Mahyna-Vajrayna Buddhists in Nepal.—Accordingly, “[Do caturviṃśati-aṅga nysa; Touch twenty-one parts of one’s body with right middle finger, and recite seed syllables] ... ʰ� on the upper genitals (� ṅge)�.

Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (Բ) are collected indepently.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
: Encyclopedia of Jainism: Tattvartha Sutra 9: Influx of karmasṅg (लिङ्�, “sign�).—One of the seven sub categories of ascetics (nirgrantha-muni);—What are the peculiarities amongst different kind of ascetics with reference to ‘the sign� (ṅg)?
With reference to the psychic signs, all the five types of ascetics (ܱ첹, ś, śī, nirgrantha, ٲ첹) are 屹-ṅg (have psychic signs as they are all with right faith and practice self-control).
With reference to physical signs, all ascetics barring successful ascetics have the whisk and the water pot even though all of them are sky clad unbound ascetics.
: Encyclopedia of Jainism: Tattvartha Sutra 2: the Category of the livingṅg (लिङ्�, “gender�) refers to a category of dispositions (屹) due to the rising of karmas (audayika), according to the 2nd-century Tattvrthasūtra 2.6. What is the meaning of sexes (ṅg)? State caused due to the rise of quasi passion known as veda or sex. How many types of sexes are there? There are three types of sexes namely male, female and neutral. What causes different types of sexes? Rise of different types (male, female and neutral) of sex (veda) tendencies of physique making karmas results in the respective sexes.
: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve Reflectionsṅg (लिङ्�) refers to the “characteristic� (of the doctrine), according to the 11th century Jñnrṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “Anything which is undesirable for oneself is not to be done to others by the actions of [body,] speech and mind, even in a dream—such is the principal characteristic of the doctrine (agrima�dharmasygrima� ṅgm)�.
Synonyms: Lakṣaṇa.

Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance�) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.
India history and geography
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical Glossaryṅg.�(BL; SII 1; CII 3, etc.), same as ś-ṅg; the phallic emlem of Śiva; the emblem connected with the worship of Śiva; generally named after the founder with the suffix īś. Note: ṅg is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary� as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.
: Shodhganga: The saurapurana - a critical study (history)ṅg (लिङ्�) refers to the “most sacred object of worship in Shaivism�.—In present day India in the Shaiva-temples and sanctuaries, the most sacred object of worship is the Shiva-linga. The Linga-Cult is traced to the Rigveda where the Vedic Aryans swear at the barbarians describing them as shishnadevas (people to whom the Phallus is a god). According to Nirukta (4.19) the word Linga means “lustful�. Thus the exactimport of the word is far from certain. Nor it is certain whether there were actual phallus-worshipper among the pre-vedic population; but it seems a probable assumption; for in Mahenjodaro and Harappa plenty of clay and stone representions of the male organ are found.

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
Biology (plants and animals)
: Google Books: CRC World Dictionary (Regional names)Linga in Vernacular names is the name of a plant defined with Montrichardia linifera in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Caladium liniferum (Arruda) Nees (among others).
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Transactions of the Linnean Society of London (1839)
· Systema Vegetabilium (1827)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Linga, for example diet and recipes, pregnancy safety, health benefits, extract dosage, side effects, chemical composition, have a look at these references.

This sections includes definitions from the five kingdoms of living things: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists and Monera. It will include both the official binomial nomenclature (scientific names usually in Latin) as well as regional spellings and variants.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionaryṅg : (nt.) sign; mark; attribute; feature; the generative organ; the gender (in grammar).
: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionaryṅg, (nt.) (fr. ṅg; late Vedic & (pre-eminently) Class. Sk. linga) 1. characteristic, sign, attribute, mark, feature M. I, 360; S. V, 278; Sn. 601 sq. (=saṇṭhna SnA 464); Vin. IV, 7 (two: hīna & ukkaṭṭha); J. I, 18; IV, 114 (gihi°), 130; Miln. 133 (ssana°), 162 (dve samaṇassa lingni), 405 (lingato ca nimittato ca etc.); Vism. 184; DhsA. 64 (=saṇṭhna Tīk: Expos. 86).�2. mark of sex, sexual characteristic, pudendum (male as well as female, as neither m. nor f.) Vin. III, 35 (purisa°); J. V, 197 (°saṇṭhna); KhA 110 (itthi°); SnA 48 (°sampatti), 51 (id.), 300 (itthi°); DhsA. 321 sq. (itthi°).�3. (in grammar) mark of sex, (characteristic) ending, gender SnA 397. °貹 change or substitution of gender PvA. 7, 33, 58, 87, 157. (Page 584)
: Sutta: Pali Word Grammar from Pali Myanmar Dictionary1) ṅg (လိင်္�) [(na) (�)]�
ھṅg+ī貹Բ.k�-ܱ貹.]
[လိင်္�+ဒီပန။ နောက်ပုဒ်ကျေ။ တစ်နည်�-ဥပစာ။]
2) ṅg (လိင်္�) [(na) (�)]�
ھṅg+貹ٳٲԲ.k�-ܱ貹.]
[လိင်္�+ပရိဝတ္တန။ နောက်ပုဒ်ကျေ။ တစ်နည်�-ဥပစာ။]
3) ṅg (လိင်္�) [(na) (�)]�
[iṅga+a.ṅgti ]]itti puriso]] ti vibhga� gacchati yenti ṅgṃ.,ṭ�,273.ṅgīyati vicitta� kariyati avijjtaṇh kammehi utun v cuṇṇdīhi v sarīramīti ṅgṃ.nīti,dhtu�285.ṅgīyate anenti ṅgṃ.kappadduma.ṅgeti gameti ñpetīti ṅgṃ.ṅgīyati v etenti ṅgṃ.mūlaṭ�,2�78.visuddhi,ṭ�,2�185.ṅgīyati sallakkhīyatīti ṅgṃ.sa�,ṭ�,2�514.ṅgīyati ñyati etenti ṅgṃ.kaṅkh,ṭ�,�165.līna+gamu+kvi.līna mattha� gamentīti ṅgni.dī,ṭṭha,2�91.thera,ṭṭha,1�27va�(-vi,ṭṭha,3,347.sratta,3�281.dī,ṭ�,2�1va1-2.ma,ṭ�,3�21.p,yo�313.rū�283).ligi+a.dhtvattha.līna+aṅga.līna� aṅganti ṅgṃ.rū�283�(-nīti,sutta�2va2).līna� apkaṭa� aṅganti v ṅgṃ.,ṭī.273.ṅg-saṃ.ṅg�-pr,addhamgamī.]
[လိင်္�+အ။ လိင်္ဂတ� "ဣတ္တ� ပုရိသော" တ� ဝိဘာဂ� ဂစ္ဆတ� ယေနာတ� လိင်္ဂံ။ ဓာန်၊ ဋီ၊ ၂၇၃။ လိင်္ဂီယတ� ဝိစိတ္တ� ကရိယတ� အဝိဇ္ဇာတဏှ� ကမ္မေဟ� ဥတုန� ဝ� စုဏ္ဏာဒီဟ� ဝ� သရီရမီတ� လိင်္ဂံ။ နီတိ၊ ဓာတု။ ၂၈၅။ လိင်္ဂီယတ� အနေနာတ� လိင်္ဂံ။ ကပ္ပဒ္ဒုမ။ လိင်္ဂေတ� ဂမေတ� ဉာပေတီတ� လိင်္ဂံ။ လိင်္ဂီယတ� ဝ� ဧတေနာတ� လိင်္ဂံ။ မူလဋီ၊ ၂။ ၇၈� ဝိသုဒ္ဓိ၊ ဋီ၊ ၂။ ၁၈၅။ လိင်္ဂီယတ� သလ္လက္ခီယတီတ� လိင်္ဂံ။ သံ၊ ဋီ၊ ၂။ ၅၁၄။ လိင်္ဂီယတ� ဉာယတ� ဧတေနာတ� လိင်္ဂံ။ ကင်္ခါ၊ ဋီ၊ သစ်။ ၁၆၅။ လီ�+ဂမ�+ကွိ။ လီ� မတ္ထ� ဂမေန္တီတ� လိင်္ဂါနိ။ ဒီ၊ ဋ္ဌ၊ ၂။ ၉၁� ထေရ၊ ဋ္ဌ၊ ၁။ ၂၇ဝ။ (-ဝိ၊ ဋ္ဌ၊ ၃၊ ၃၄၇။ သာရတ္တ၊ ၃။ ၂၈၁။ ဒီ၊ ဋီ၊ ၂။ ၁ဝ၁-၂။ မ၊ ဋီ၊ ၃။ ၂၁� ပါစိတ်၊ ယော။ ၃၁၃။ ရူ။ ၂၈�)� လိဂ�+အ။ ဓာတွတ္ထ။ လီ�+အင်္ဂ။ လီန� အင်္ဂန္တ� လိင်္ဂံ။ ရူ။ ၂၈၃။ (-နီတိ၊ သုတ္တ။ ၂ဝ၂)� လီန� အပါကဋ� အင်္ဂန္တ� ဝ� လိင်္ဂံ။ ဓာန်၊ ဋီ။ ၂၇၃။ လိင်္�-သံ။ လိင်္ဂ�-ပြာ၊ အဒ္ဓမာဂမီ။]

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.
Marathi-English dictionary
: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryṅg (लिंग).—n (S) The penis. 2 Gender. (pulṅg Masculine, strīṅg Feminine, napuṃsakaṅg Neuter.) 3 The Phallus or emblematic representation of Shiva. 4 An affix to the names of worshipers of the lingam; as ddaṅg, sadaṅg. 5 A distinguishing mark; a sign, token, badge. 6 Nature or Prakriti, according to the Sankhya philosophy; the active or motive power in creation. 7 (fig. of 1st Sig.) A clog or an encumbrance: anything that ties down or confines: also a trouble or difficulty freely. v lga, aḍaka, asa. ṅgvibhakti sambhḷūna bōlaṇēṃ To speak grammatically.
: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishṅg (लिंग).�n Gender. The emblematic representation. A distinguishing mark, a sign, token of ś.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryṅg (लिङ्�).—[ṅg-ac]
1) A mark, sign, token, an emblem, a badge, symbol, distinguishing mark, characteristic; यतिपार्थिवलिङ्गधारिण� (yatiprthivaṅgdhriṇau) R.8.16; अथवा प्रावृषेण्यैरे� लिङ्गै- र्मम राजोपचार� संप्रत� (athav prvṛṣeṇyaireva ṅgi- rmama rjopacra� saṃprati) V.4; मुनिर्दोहदलिङ्गदर्शी (munirdohadaṅgdarśī) 14.71; Manusmṛti 1. 3;8.25,252.
2) A false or unreal mark, a guise, disguise, a deceptive badge; लिङ्गैर्मुदः संवृतविक्रियास्त� (ṅgirmuda� saṃvṛtavikriyste) R.7. 3; क्षपणकलिङ्गधारी (kṣapaṇakaṅgdhrī) Mu.1; � लिङ्गं धर्मकारणम् (na ṅg� dharmakraṇam) H.4.85. See लिङ्गिन् (ṅgin) below.
3) A symptom, mark of disease.
4) A means of proof, a proof, evidence.
5) (In logic) The hetu or middle term in a syllogism; particularly the assertion of the hetu's being found in the पक्ष (貹ṣa) or minor term coupled with the statement of the invariable concomitance between this hetu and the major term; it is thus defined:-व्याप्तिपक्षधर्मतावल्लिङ्गम् (vypti貹ṣadharmatvalṅgm) Tarka K.
6) The sign of gender or sex.
7) Sex; गुणा� पूजास्थानं गुणिषु � � लिङ्गं � � वय� (guṇḥ ūsthna� guṇiṣu na ca ṅg� na ca vaya�) Uttararmacarita 4.11.
8) The male organ of generation.
9) Gender (in gram.)
1) The genital organ of Śiva worshipped in the form of a Phallus.
11) The image of a god, an idol; धत्तेऽसावात्मन� लिङ्गं मायय� विसृजन� गुणान् (dhatte'svtmano ṅg� myay visṛjan guṇn) Bhgavata 7.2.22.
12) One of the relations or indications (such as saṃyoga, viyoga, shacarya &c.) which serve to fix the meaning of a word in any particular passage; e. g. in कुपितो मकरध्वजः (kupito makaradhvaja�) the word कुपि� (kupita) restricts the meaning of मकरध्व� (makaradhvaja) to 'Kma'; see K. P.2 and commentary ad loc.; तदेव सक्त� सह कर्मणैति लिङ्गं मन� यत्र निषक्तमस्य (tadeva sakta� saha karmaṇaiti ṅg� mano yatra niṣaktamasya) B�. Up.4.4.6.
13) (In Vednta phil.). The subtle frame or body, the indestructible original of the gross or visible body; cf. पञ्चको� (貹ñṣa); यं योगिनो यो�- समाधिन� रह� ध्यायन्त� लिङ्गादसुत� ममुक्षया (ya� yogino yoga- samdhin raho dhyyanti ṅgdasuto mamukṣay) Bhgavata 3.19.28.
14) A spot, stain.
15) The nominal base, the crude form of a noun (پ貹徱첹).
16) (In S�. phil.) Pradhna or Prakṛti; q. v.
17) The effect or product (that which is evolved out of a primary cause and itself becomes a producer).
18) Inference, conclusion; अव्यक्तमित� विज्ञेयं लिङ्गग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम� (avyaktamiti vijñeya� ṅggrhyamatīndriyam) Mahbhrata (Bombay) 12.189.15.
19) = उपाध� (ܱ); योगे� धृत्युद्यमसत्त्वयुक्तो लिङ्गं व्यपोहेत� कुशलोऽहमाख्यम् (yogena dhṛtyudyamasattvayukto ṅg� vyapohet kuśalo'hamkhyam) Bhgavata 5.5.13.
Derivable forms: ṅgm (लिȨगम�).
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionaryṅg (लिङ्�).—n.
(-ṅk�) 1. A mark, a spot, a stain, a sign, a token, &c. 2. A badge or mark assumed with a view to deceive. 3. A sign of sex, the penis. 4. The phallus, or Siva under that emblem. 5. Inference, probable conclusion. 6. The premises leading to a conclusion. 7. Nature or Prakriti, according to the Sank'hya philosophy, which considers this as the active power in cretion. 8. Gender, (as puṃṅg� the masculine gender, &c.) 9. The order of the religious student. 10. Symptom or mark of disease. 11. The predicate of a proposition. 12. Evidence. E. ligi to go, &c., aff. ac .
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionaryṅg (लिङ्�).—n. 1. A mark, a sign, [Nala] 5, 14. 2. A spot. 3. A religious mark, [Բśٰ] 4, 200. 4. The penis. 5. The phallus, or Śiva under that emblem. 6. Nature, as the active power in creation. 7. The primary body, [Vedntasra, (in my Chrestomathy.)] in
ṅg (लिङ्�).—[neuter] mark, sign, emblem, badge, characteristic, attribute, sectarian mark; proof, means of proof, evidence ([jurisprudence]); organ of generation, [especially] the male organ of Śiva ([ritual or religion]); idol i.[grammar]; gender ([grammar]), the subtile frame or body (ph.).
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) ṅg (लिङ्�):—[from ṅg] n. (once m. in [Nṛsiṃha-tpanīya-upaniṣad]; ifc. f(). , f(ī). only in viṣṇu-ṅgī; [probably] [from] �lag; cf. ṣa, ṣaṇa) a mark, spot, sign, token, badge, emblem, characteristic (ifc. = tal-ṅg, ‘having anything for a mark or sign�), [Upaniṣad; Mahbhrata] etc.
2) [v.s. ...] any assumed or false badge or mark, guise, disguise, [Mahbhrata; Kvya literature] etc.
3) [v.s. ...] a proof, evidence, [Kaṇda’s Vaiśeṣika-sūtra; Ktyyana-śrauta-sūtra; Sarvadarśana-saṃgraha]
4) [v.s. ...] a sign of guilt, corpus delicti, [Yjñavalkya [Scholiast or Commentator]]
5) [v.s. ...] the sign of gender or sex, organ of generation, [Manu-smṛti; Harivaṃśa; Purṇa] etc.
6) [v.s. ...] the male organ or Phallus ([especially] that of Śiva worshipped in the form of a stone or marble column which generally rises out of a yoni, q.v., and is set up in temples dedicated to Śiva; formerly 12 principal Śiva-ṅgs existed, of which the best known are Soma-ntha in Gujart, Mah-kla at Ujjayinī, Viśveśvara at Benares etc.; but the number of ṅgs in India is estimated at 30 millions, [Indian Wisdom, by Sir M. Monier-Williams 322 n.; Religious Thought and Life in India 78, 1; 90]), [Mahbhrata; Rmyaṇa] etc.
7) [v.s. ...] gender (in gram.; cf. �-), Prst, [Pṇini]
8) [v.s. ...] the image of a god, an idol, [Varha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhit]
9) [v.s. ...] (in logic) = vypya, the invariable mark which proves the existence of anything in an object (as in the proposition ‘there is fire because there is smoke�, smoke is the ṅg; cf. [Indian Wisdom, by Sir M. Monier-Williams 62])
10) [v.s. ...] inference, conclusion, reason (cf. kvya-l)
11) [v.s. ...] = ṅgśarīra (in Vednta)
12) [v.s. ...] anything having an origin and therefore liable to be destroyed again, [Kapila]
13) [v.s. ...] = kśa, [Kraṇḍa-vyūha]
14) [v.s. ...] (in Sṃkhya) = ṛt or Բ, ‘the eternal procreative germ� [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halܻ, hemacandra, etc.]
15) [v.s. ...] = vyakta, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halܻ, hemacandra, etc.]
16) [v.s. ...] cf. [Religious Thought and Life in India 30]
17) [v.s. ...] = پ貹徱첹, the crude base or uninflected stem of a noun (shortened into li), [Vopadeva [Scholiast or Commentator]]
18) [v.s. ...] (in [rhetoric]) an indication (word that serves to fix the meaning of another word; e.g. in the passage kupito makara-dhvaja� the word kupita restricts the meaning of makara-dhvaja to ‘Kma�) = ṅg-purṇa, [Bhgavata-purṇa]
19) [v.s. ...] the order of the religious student, [Horace H. Wilson]
20) [v.s. ...] a symptom, mark of disease, [Horace H. Wilson]
: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionaryṅg (लिङ्�):�(ṅg�) 1. n. A mark, a sign; the penis; the phallus; gender; inference or its premises; nature.
: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)ṅg (लिङ्�) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: ṃg.
[Sanskrit to German]
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम� (ṃsṛt), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
Hindi dictionary
: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionaryṃg (लिंग) [Also spelled ling]:�(nm) male genital organ, penis, phallus; the phallus deity representing Lord Shiv; gender (in Grammar); sex; -[upsan] phallus worship; phallicism; —[aura vacana] gender and number (in Grammar); -[/śī] the ethereal form of corporeal body (that is supposed to accompany the soul to face the consequences of one’s worldly deeds); ~[ūᲹ첹] a phallus-worshipper; phallicist; ~[ū] phallus-worship, phallicism; -[ṣa] a mistake of gender; —[پṣṭ] installation of the phallus-deity.
...
Prakrit-English dictionary
: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary1) ṃg (लिंग) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: ṃṅ.
2) ṃg (लिंग) also relates to the Sanskrit word: ṅg.
Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.
Kannada-English dictionary
: Alar: Kannada-English corpusṃg (ಲಿಂಗ):�
1) [noun] a symbol, sign or a distinctive mark.
2) [noun] the male organ of copulation; the penis.
3) [noun] the fact or condition of being a male or a female human being, esp. with regard to how this affects or determines a person’s self-image, social status, goals, etc.
4) [noun] an image or representation of Śiva, in the form of a cylinder, with a outwardly curved top, fixed on to a base.
5) [noun] a miniature of this which is tied around the neck by Vīraśaivas.
6) [noun] anything serving or tending to establish the truth of something or to convince one of its truth; a proof.
7) [noun] (gram.) any of the three familiar sets of genders (as masculine, feminine, and neuter).
8) [noun] the original, un-inflected word.
9) [noun] ಲಿಂಗದಹೂವಿನಮರ [limgadahuvinamara] lingada hūvina mara the tree Courouptia guianensis of Lecythidaceae family.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
: unoes: Nepali-English Dictionary1) ṅg (लिङ्�):—n. 1. an oblong; upright stone that serves as a symbol of Shiva; 2. a term for the male sexual organ; 3. the phallic representation of Shiva; understood as symbolizing his transcendent; formless nature; 4. Gram. gender; 5. one of the relations or indications which serve to fix the meaning of a word in any particular passage;
2) ṅg (लिङ्गा):—n. pl. of लिङ्गो [ṅgo]
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Parivattana, The, The, Dipana, A, Te, Linga.
Starts with (+21): Limgadaha, Limgadehi, Limgadharaka, Limgadharane, Limgadhari, Limgadikshe, Limgadura, Limgamenasu, Limgamudre, Limgapatha, Limgaroga, Limgasaraya, Limgashariri, Linga malli, Linga-linga, Linga-lingahan, Linga-mirapa, Lingabhatta, Lingabhattiya, Lingabheda.
Full-text (+2153): Kalinga, Shivalinga, Banalinga, Lingapurana, Lingasharira, Strilinga, Lingastha, Lingavritti, Ritulinga, Mahalinga, Ekalinga, Linganushasana, Lingadeha, Pumlinga, Yonilinga, Linganasha, Trilinga, Nirlinga, Simalinga, Namalinga.
Relevant text
Search found 288 books and stories containing Linga, Inga-dipana, Iṅga-dīpana, Inga-parivattana, Iṅga-parivattana, Inga-a, Iṅga-a, ṅg, ṅg, Limga, ṃg, The linga; (plurals include: Lingas, dipanas, dīpanas, parivattanas, as, ṅgs, ṅgs, Limgas, ṃgs, The lingas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Prayogamanjari and Saivagamanibandhana (Study) (by R. Suthashi)
Linga—Types and Measures < [Chapter 2 - Shaiva iconography in Prayogamanjari]
Length of Siva portion < [Chapter 2 - Shaiva iconography in Prayogamanjari]
The Siva Linga: Conceptual, Iconographical and < [January � March, 1996]
"Prabhu Devara Ragale" < [April 1940]
The Vision of the Sacred Dance-II < [July � September, 1984]
Lakulisha-Pashupata (Philosophy and Practice) (by Geetika Kaw Kher)
Kusika and the Ascetic Aspirants: Early form of Lakulisa-Pasupata order < [Chapter 2 - Spread and Transition]
Historicity (of the term linga) < [Chapter 6 - Siva-linga: an Iconological Study]
Mukhalingas and esoteric meanings < [Chapter 6 - Siva-linga: an Iconological Study]
Arts in the Puranas (study) (by Meena Devadatta Jeste)
8. Icons of Shiva < [Chapter 4 - Sculpture in the Puranas]
7. Music in the Linga Purana < [Chapter 1 - Music in the Puranas]
3. Literature on ancient Indian Music < [Chapter 1 - Music in the Puranas]
Sahitya-kaumudi by Baladeva Vidyabhushana (by Gaurapada Dsa)
Text 10.150 [Kvya-ṅg] < [Chapter 10 - Ornaments of Meaning]
Text 10.152 < [Chapter 10 - Ornaments of Meaning]
Text 7.11 < [Chapter 7 - Literary Faults]
Padma Purana (by N.A. Deshpande)
Chapter 34 - The Greatness of Kṛttivseśvara < [Section 3 - Svarga-khaṇḍa (section on the heavens)]
Chapter 120 - The Greatness of Ślagrma < [Section 6 - Uttara-Khaṇḍa (Concluding Section)]
Chapter 90 - The Powers of the Holy Places < [Section 2 - Bhūmi-khaṇḍa (section on the earth)]
Related products
The Thirumanthiram (Translation and Commentary)
Shiva-Parvati (Iconography)
The Linga and the Great Goddess
Adipurana: Sanskrit Text with English Translation
Bhavishya Purana (English)
Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra
(+3 more products available)