10/22/2018 Pancha Bhuta Lingams - Jyotirlinga.

com: Lord Shiva's Darshan, Bhakti and Satsangh

HOME (/) Shiva Bhakti? (/shiva-bhakti.html) Shivji's Darshan (/shivjis-darshan.html) Shiv Mantras (/shiv-mantras.html)

Magic Mantras (/magic-mantras.html) My Quest... (/my-quest.html) My Blog (http://shivabhakta.blogspot.com/) FAQ (/faq.html)

CONTACT ME (/contact-me.html)

Jyotirlinga.com: Lord Shiva's Darshan, Bhakti and Satsangh

(/) (//h)

Where are the Pancha Bhuta Lingams???

http://www.jyotirlinga.com/pancha-bhuta-lingams.html 1/14
10/22/2018 Pancha Bhuta Lingams - Jyotirlinga.com: Lord Shiva's Darshan, Bhakti and Satsangh

http://www.jyotirlinga.com/pancha-bhuta-lingams.html 2/14
10/22/2018 Pancha Bhuta Lingams - Jyotirlinga.com: Lord Shiva's Darshan, Bhakti and Satsangh

Location
Located in five south Indian temples, the Bhuta Lingams are said to be places where Shiva manifested
himself as the natural elements.
The temples and their respective elements are
Chidambaram or Chidambareshwar: ether (akasa),
Sri Kalahasti or Kalahastishwar: wind (vayu),
Tiruvanaikka/Jambunath / Jambukeshwar  near Sriramgam: water / jala,
Kanchipuram / Shivkanchi: (prithvi) earth,
                                                   and Tiruvanamalai (Arunachalam): (Agni) fire.

Chidambaram is also associated with the heart, Tiruvanaikka with the stomach, and Tiruvanamalai with
the chest

Chidambaram - ETHER (Akasa)

http://www.jyotirlinga.com/pancha-bhuta-lingams.html 3/14
10/22/2018 Pancha Bhuta Lingams - Jyotirlinga.com: Lord Shiva's Darshan, Bhakti and Satsangh

Chidambaram is the seat of the cosmic dancer Nataraja (Ananda Tandava pose ; the Cosmic Dance of
bliss). The idol of Nataraja is enshrined in the Chit sabha.  Behind this idol, is a black screen, which is
considered to cover the Akasa Lingam.  There is no Lingam, but we are made to believe that there is
an invisible Lingam, with golden vilva garlands, i.e stressing the belief that there is everything in
nothing.  There are five silver plated steps to reach the Chit Sabha, representing the Panchakshara
mantram - Na ma si va ya.  The embossed images of the saints Vyagrapada and Patanjali, are to be
seen on the doors.  Both these saints had been blessed witht the sight of the cosmic dance of Shiva. 
Lord Vishnu also is said to have witnesses this scene. The sanctum of Sivakama Sundari lies to the left
of Natarajar Sannidhi. The images of Ratnasabhapati (Nataraja of Ruby), the Spatika Lingam of
Chandramauleeswara, Swarnakarshana Bhairavar,  Mukhalingam are also to be found in the Chitsabha

http://www.jyotirlinga.com/pancha-bhuta-lingams.html 4/14
10/22/2018 Pancha Bhuta Lingams - Jyotirlinga.com: Lord Shiva's Darshan, Bhakti and Satsangh

http://www.jyotirlinga.com/pancha-bhuta-lingams.html 5/14
10/22/2018 Pancha Bhuta Lingams - Jyotirlinga.com: Lord Shiva's Darshan, Bhakti and Satsangh

Sri Kalahasti - Wind (Vayu)

The temple for Siva in the form of a 'Vayulinga' lies 36 km from Tirupati. According to legend, a spider
(Sri) spun a web over the Linga, Kala, a snake, placed a gem atop it and Hasti, an elephant, brought
water in its trunk to wash the Linga. All three were ardent worshippers of Siva. The flame (deepam) in
the temple flickers frequently as air (Vayu) is said to be constantly emanating from the Sivalinga

The Saivaite temple of Sri Kalahasthisvara and Gnana Prasannambika in Kalahasti, is dedicated to Lord
Shiva. Kalahasti, 38 kms to the South of Tirupati is revered as one of the Pancha Bhutha Sthalas. Here
the Linga is "Swayambhu" and considered to be in the form of Vayu(wind). The remaining four Pancha
Bhutha Sthalas are Tiruvannamalai(fire), Tiruvannaikaval(water), Kanchipuram(Earth) and
Chidambaram(Sky). In this temple, the lamp inside the sanctum keeps flickering inspite of lack of any
air inside. It is also considered as a Nava Graha Sthala dedicaed to Rahu and Kethu. This is the place
where Rahu and Kethu grahas were blessed by Lord Shiva. The other Nava Graha Sthalas dedicated to
Rahu and Kethu are Tirunageswaram and Kizhaperampallam respectively. The Puranic version of the
origin of the temple is that a spider(Sri), a snake(kala) and an elephant(Hasti) worshipped the Lord here
and attained mukti. Hence the name of the Lingam was called as Sri Kalahasthiswara. His consort is
Gnana Prasannambika. The deities of Balaganapathy, Annapoorni and Viswanatha are enshrined here.
Patalaganapathy is an underground cell. A river,the Swarnamukhi, flows by the temples. Sri Kalahasti
town has been famous for its manufacturers of "Kalamkari",or temple clothes and hangings.

Tiruvanaikka /Jambunath - Water / Jala

This temple, 2kms from Srirangam is dedicated to Lord Siva. It is also known as Jambukeswaram.
This is the Appu Sthalam among the Pancha Bootha Sthalams.
The Siva Lingam (Appu Lingam) under a holy Jambu tree is submerged in water from a subterranean spring.  There is another Lingam in the
shrine.  Daily prayers & worship are offered to both Lingams. There is a separate shrine for the Goddess, Akhilandeswari facing east, while the
Lord faces west. The temple is situated amidst a mango grove. There are 7 gopurams and the temple is surrounded by 5 walls.  The sculptures &
carvings are of the Chola period.  In a pillar in the Mahamandapa of Akhilandeswari temple, there is a magnifi ient figure of Ekapadeswarar, with

http://www.jyotirlinga.com/pancha-bhuta-lingams.html 6/14
10/22/2018 Pancha Bhuta Lingams - Jyotirlinga.com: Lord Shiva's Darshan, Bhakti and Satsangh

Brahma & Vishnu on either side with their vahanas. During the mid-day puja, the priest is dressed as a
female while offering worship, signifying that Godddess Parvati herself is offering prayers to the Lord
Legend
An elephant and a spider were offering worship to the Lingam simultaneously.  The spider would spin
a web giving cover to the Lord.  The elephant would bring water in its trunk to do Abhishekam to the
Lord.  He found the web in the way & destroyed it.  The spider spun the web again & the elephant
destroyed.  This continued & one day the angered spider got into the elephants trunk to disturb him. 
The elephant struck his trunk against a rock.  The Lord was pleased with their relentless devotion &
both the spider and the elephant attained moksham.  Since an elephnat worshipped the Lord here, the
place is known as Tiruvaanaikaaval (Aanai in Tamil-Elephant) This place is also known as
Jambukeswaram.  There was once a rishi who performed tapas in this region.  The Lord was pleased
with his prayers & agreed to give darshan to devotees here as Jambukeswarar.

Kanchipuram - Earth / Prithvi

The temple is one of the tallest temple towers in South India, having a total of 11 stories which are adorned with beautiful sculptures. It is in this
place that Shiva is worshipped as Prithvi or earth which is one of the five basic elements of the physical world. Its tall south Rajagopuram, which
is at a height of 58 metres looms majestically into the sky. Another ancient temple, renovated by the Pallavas, the Cholas and the Vijayanagar
Kings.

Kailasanatha Temple, Kanchipuram Shiva (http://www.art-and-archaeology.com/india/glossary1.html#shiva) the Enchanting Mendicant

(http://www.art-and-archaeology.com/india/glossary1.html#bhikshatana), with sandals, unbound hair, and carrying his few possessions on a
staff, is shown as a youthful ascetic, being worshiped by the wives he seduced. A disenchanted husband raises his fist in the upper left corner.
The poise and gestural language of these figures (the flexion of Shiva's left leg and sandaled foot, his upward-pointing left hand, the outraged
husband's martial stance, and the kneeling adoration of the seduced wives) lend vitality to the composition. Shiva's upward-pointing left hand is
echoed, a couple of centuries later, by the upward-pointing right hand of his disciple Sambandar (http://www.art-and-
archaeology.com/india/thanjavur/rrm03.html) (Sambandha).

http://www.jyotirlinga.com/pancha-bhuta-lingams.html 7/14
10/22/2018 Pancha Bhuta Lingams - Jyotirlinga.com: Lord Shiva's Darshan, Bhakti and Satsangh

http://www.jyotirlinga.com/pancha-bhuta-lingams.html 8/14
10/22/2018 Pancha Bhuta Lingams - Jyotirlinga.com: Lord Shiva's Darshan, Bhakti and Satsangh

http://www.jyotirlinga.com/pancha-bhuta-lingams.html 9/14
10/22/2018 Pancha Bhuta Lingams - Jyotirlinga.com: Lord Shiva's Darshan, Bhakti and Satsangh

http://www.jyotirlinga.com/pancha-bhuta-lingams.html 10/14
10/22/2018 Pancha Bhuta Lingams - Jyotirlinga.com: Lord Shiva's Darshan, Bhakti and Satsangh

http://www.jyotirlinga.com/pancha-bhuta-lingams.html 11/14
10/22/2018 Pancha Bhuta Lingams - Jyotirlinga.com: Lord Shiva's Darshan, Bhakti and Satsangh

Thiruvanamalai - Fire / Agni

http://www.jyotirlinga.com/pancha-bhuta-lingams.html 12/14
10/22/2018 Pancha Bhuta Lingams - Jyotirlinga.com: Lord Shiva's Darshan, Bhakti and Satsangh

http://www.jyotirlinga.com/pancha-bhuta-lingams.html 13/14
10/22/2018 Pancha Bhuta Lingams - Jyotirlinga.com: Lord Shiva's Darshan, Bhakti and Satsangh

POWERED BY

http://www.jyotirlinga.com/pancha-bhuta-lingams.html 14/14