Circumambulation around a sacred object or an idol of a god is an important custom in Hinduism, but Hindus do only half pradakshina around a Shiva lingam. A Shiva lingam is an anionic representation of Lord Shiva. In this article, we will try to know the reason behind this custom.
A Few Things to Note:
1. Technically, it is not half circumambulation, but it is three-fourth. If one starts from the front of a Shiva lingam and reaches the outlet called Nirmili or Gomukhi, this distance is about one-third of a complete circumambulation.
2. Not all Hindus are prohibited from doing a full circumambulation around a Shiva lingam. Per some beliefs, celibate (Brahmachari) people and/or Sanyasis are allowed to do a full round of a Shiva lingam.
Why do Hindus do Half Pradakshina of a Shiva Lingam?
There are many different reasons given by different people. The Hindu beliefs change from region to region and sect to sect. but most Hindus do not do full circumambulation around a Shiva lingam.
1. It is recommended in the Shiva Purana to not cross the outlet of a Shiva lingam (?).
Most of the articles on the Internet state that the Shiva Purana prohibits Hindus from doing a full round of a Shiva lingam, but I have not come across any article that provides the reference. Therefore, I decided to search for it myself. The Shiva Purana is a big book, and it is difficult to read it line by line. Therefore, I downloaded it in word format and performed an extensive internal search with different combinations of words. Surprisingly, I could not find any reference that states so.
Therefore, it is hard to say that the Shiva Purana prohibits doing a full round of a Shiva lingam.
2. It is said in the Shastras.
There is a Sanskrit shloka that advises how many pradakshinas should be done around Hindu gods.
एका चंड्या रवे: सप्त, तिर्स्त्र: कार्या विनायके:।
हरेश्चतस्त्र: कर्तव्या:, शिवस्यार्ध प्रदक्षिणा ।।
Eka Chandaya Raveh Sapta Tirstra Karya Vinayake||
Hareschatarstrah Kartabyah Shivasya ardha Pradkshina||
Meaning: A devotee should perform one circumambulation for a goddess, seven for the Sun, three for Lord Ganesha, four for Lord Vishnu and his incarnations, and a half for Lord Shiva.
3. There is a legend that illustrates the harmful effects of doing a full pradakshina of a Shiva lingam.
According to a legend, Pushpadatta, the king of Gandharva, had the power to be invisible. The king was a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva. Using his powers, the king used to enter the gardens of the surrounding states and pluck beautiful flowers to worship Lord Shiva. Because of his powers, no one could see him while plucking the flowers. The gardener informed one of the kings of a garden that someone was stealing the beautiful flowers of the garden, but could not find out the culprit. Therefore, the king appointed a detective at the entrance of the garden but was of no use.
One day, while worshiping Lord Shiva, Pushpadatta accidentally crossed the Shiva lingam’s Nirmili, and his powers of becoming invisible were lost, but the king was not aware of it. The next day he again went to pluck the flowers, but this time the gardener caught him. Pushpadatta somehow saved himself and prayed to Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva told him that his powers of becoming invisible are gone now as he crossed the Nirmili of the Shiva lingam. You can read the original story here.
This story seems to be inspired by a story in the Shiva Mahima Stotra of Pushpadanta Gandharva. In that story, the Gandharva loses power because he steps on bael leaves scattered across the garden by the king.
Therefore, I think this story is altered to fit the belief of not crossing the outlet of a Shiva lingam.
4. One should not cross over or step on the things that are offered to gods.
Lord Shiva is the only god who is worshipped in the form of a lingam and because of its shape and the liquids poured on it, there is an outlet included in the idol only. A water pot is permanently installed above the lingam and the water dribbles on it incessantly. Also, devotees pour liquid things like milk and honey over the lingam. Therefore, there needs an outlet for cleanliness purposes; otherwise, these liquids will accumulate around the lingam, and it would be difficult to maintain cleanliness.
When we offer something to a god, those things become sacred and belong to that particular deity. Crossing over or stepping on such things is considered an insult to that deity, and the doer faces the wrath of the deity. This is the reason why most of the things offered in a Hindu puja are thrown in flowing water. Even the water that is used to wash the images of gods is used for watering the plants and is not thrown around.
(This principle is used in doing black magic by some people. The doer makes the victim unknowingly step on or cross over the sacred ash; thus bringing the wrath of that deity upon the victim.)
The other gods are worshipped in the form of their images, and there is no constant liquid dribbling over their idols. Therefore, this problem does not arise in the case of other gods, and you can do a full circumambulation around them.
Therefore, I think this is the primary reason why Hindus do only half pradakshina (circumambulation) of a Shiva lingam.