MYTH AND MYSTERY OF CRYSTAL SKULL & SACRED CRYSTAL LINGA

MYTH AND MYSTERY OF CRYSTAL SKULL &    SACRED CRYSTAL LINGA

(Compilation for a Discourse at Sri Ganesha Temple, Nashville, TN, by N. R. Srinivasan, February 2020)

God takes material shape contracting Himself into the form of a tiny crystal familiar to us as the Sphatika Linga. The Sphatika Linga is a round object like an egg without any definite beginning or end and symbolizes the Universe as is conceived by the modern scientists too. The Sphatika Linga symbolizes the Supreme who too has neither beginning nor end. Such a Linga mediates between the Niraakaara or formless aspect of GOD and his Saakaara aspect with specific form.  While Abhisheka water is poured on it, the Linga is hardly visible through it, its colorless form being completely lost in that of the water which flows over it. When colored substances like sandal paste or vermillion or a colored flower are placed on it, it takes on the colors of those substances though it has no color of its own. Thus the Sphatika Linga is taken as the best representation of the Nirguna Brahman of the Upanishads, the attribute-less all-pervading Paramaatman who for our sake, takes on qualities and exhibits Himself as the Saguna Brahman.

The Saiva Agama says "one can worship this Great Lord Siva in the form of a Lingam made of mud or sand, of cow dung or wood, of bronze or black granite stone. But the purest and most sought-after form is the quartz crystal (Sphatika), a natural stone not carved by man but made by nature, gathered molecule by molecule over hundreds, thousands or millions of years, grown as a living body grows, but infinitely more slowly. Such a creation of nature is itself a miracle worthy of worship."

Sphatika Lingam is representing the icon of Lord Nataraja with Kapala I (skull) in his hand.  It is believed that Sphatika Lingam removes all curses and negative karma and will enhance ones confidence and power.  I have also circulated   a rare maha Mrityunjaya stottaram in pdf format  to my readers which is a very rare prayer dedicated to Lord Shiva. Also known as Sri Mrutyunjaya Ashtottaram – Namavali, the prayer contains the 108 names of Lord Shiva associated with Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra.

Crystal human skull in the hands of Nataraja symbolizes Siva as Kaapaali in his cosmic dancing mood.  I believe such a temple existed in India whose main deity and the skull is missing in the temple which is in ruins today! 

The crystal skull is also a symbol of eternal consciousness transcending the cycles of life, death and rebirth and the Shiva Lingam Crystal Skull is one of the most sacred. Someone in India carved out a skull out of crystal stone which requires lot of skill and patience unlike naturally shaped Crystal Linga.

Crystal as human skull --it’s discovery of the famous Mitchell-Hedges clear crystal quartz skull brought crystal skulls into mainstream culture.  For some, crystal skulls inspire a feeling of tranquility. Perhaps the construction of one of the most key elements of the human form out of gemstones incites a feeling of inner peace — shaping the idea that we have the power to master our fears and manifest our desires. However, for others, crystal skulls can just as easily seem bizarre or frightening. Bogged down by fear of engulfing death our sages raised their voices to the   Supreme   “mrityor maa amritam gamaya”-lead us from death to immortality. Hearing to their pleadings the Supreme appeared as Nilakatha devouring Halahala poison and a skull in his hand ensuring the destruction of all evil.   He also appeared soon with a pot of nectar as Dhanvantari, as a Deity of Hope and Health to take care of us! Probably this made Mayans to think of quartz skull of clarity.  In the past we have seen how Mayan culture was influenced by Hinduism. Mayans got the idea of crystal skulls with clear vision from Lord Siva having human skull in his hand and He  being later worshiped as Crystal Linga.

Shiva, the Mahakaal (God for time, death) wears the garland of Skulls and thus shows that death is inevitable, and so you have to evolve above your perishable physical body.

• Whenever one Kalpa is finished, one skull gets added to Shiva's Munda-mala (garland of Skulls).

According to Scriptures, many reasons are cited for why Shiva is called Kapali.

• Shiva in His Kalabhairava form cuts Lord Brahma’s head, to curb Brahma’s desires, and used that as a pot for begging alms. Therefore Shiva is known as Kapali.
• According to Shiva Mahimana Stotram, the Skull in the hands of Shiva is full of nectar, so it is Kapal for name sake, actually it is a nectarine pot.
• Shiva is referred as Kapali, as He wears the garland of Skulls of every birth of divine mother Sati.
• Shiva is called Kapali as He enters in the body in the form of spirit soul through a hole within the head (Brahmarandra  Hole).
• Shiva is Mrityunjaya, Who conquered the God of death, Yama. So Shiva wears the Skulls garland.

‘ka’ means Brahma and ‘Pali’ means Vishnu. SHIVA is named as Kapali, Ishwara because He keeps the continuity by dissolution to start the next cycle which is also circular as the skull in his hands as well as the garland of skulls!

Crystal skulls are an excellent tool to use during meditations and energetic healing sessions that are intense in nature.   Crystal skulls have amazing grounding properties that help us remain unafraid to face our Shadow sides while working with stones that magnetize dark energy from within, like Black Obsidian--(inspiring us in praying for tamso maa jyotirgamaya--take away darkness and lead us to light). Extraterrestrial skulls have also recently come into the limelight.  

The more we work with our skull, the more we will find it easier to embrace the concepts of self-love and gratefulness for the miracle of our own existence; our intuitive abilities and our self-trust will grow rapidly. Crystallographer Frank Dorland even proposed that crystal skulls have the potential to open the higher channels of the mind by mirroring the electromagnetic waves of the brain! As a result, meditating with your skull is an excellent way that you can manifest your desires and positive intentions. This is a healing exercise to try with your skull.

hroughout the ages, the egg has symbolized new beginnings, the spark of creation. Traditional folk religion regards the egg as a powerful symbol of fertility, purity and rebirth.  Ancient rituals often used eggs to promote fertility and restore virility (of the body and mind); and to foresee the future. Eggs represent growth, protection, and resurrection. The Vernal (spring) Equinox celebrates the coming of spring and the egg is an important part of this ancient festival.

Later customs concerning eggs were associated with Easter. Christians embraced the egg symbol and likened it to the tomb from which Christ arose. Though pre-Christian in origin, this egg symbolism was in agreement with the Christian concept of Resurrection and the transformation of death into life.... and the Shiva Lingam Crystal Skull is one of the most sacred.

Shiva Lingams are naturally egg-shaped stones that are found only in the sacred Narmada River which flows through Onkar Mandhata, one of India’s seven holy sites. The natural movement of the river is believed to create the egg or oval shape of the stones that are polished to give them a smooth and gleaming surface.

In both Hindu and Buddhist belief systems, Shiva Lingams are regarded as being sacred and holy stones. They are energized to emanate a vibration that will purify any sacred space or home. 

Lingams are made of crypto-crystalline quartz plus whatever impurities or minerals they pick up during their time in the river.  Cryptocrystalline quartz is a type of quartz where the crystals are too small to be seen with the naked eye.  Other varieties of cryptocrystalline quartz include chalcedony, carnelian, jasper, and agate. Of all the stones found on this Earth, Shiva Lingams are reputed to have the Highest Frequency. Some legends say these stones are   formed when a meteorite fell to Earth several million years ago. Their unique mineral composition emits a powerful force and there is a mystical quality that seems to emanate from them. If you’ve ever seen the movie “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” the sacred Sankara stone that Indy saves is said to be a lingam.

Gist on Sphatika linga from Ancient India Website:

Sources state that lingams resonate with the energies of all five elements:  fire, earth, water, air and ether. This greatly boosts its healing capacity, and it can clear blockages and activate the entire chakra system.  Similarly, in India, some lingams are associated with individual elements, for example lingams that are associated with light, or fire, or the sun.  Lingams are said to boost vitality, and indeed, just being near one is enough to feel the incredible energy coming from these mysterious stones.  Because of their embodiment of the Divine potential, this stone is helpful in assisting one with creating new paths or patterns in their life.

High quality quartz crystals are single-crystal silica with optical or electronic properties that make them suitable for hardstone carvings.  The Hindu temples in South India use this semi-precious mineral for making Shiva Lingams. Sphatikam beads are made from translucent rose quartz, cut and polished as beads. Each bead is about ten millimeters in diameter. It is good conductor of heat. Hence people wear sphatikam jewelry (mala) to keep their body cool. Sharada is always seen with Sphatika or Crystal Garland in her hand!

The vibrations present in the Sphatika Linga  are very high and will counteract all the negative effects of planets. Hindus believe worshiping Sphatika Linga will give confidence, power and perfection and removes all sorts of worries. Hindus believe Sphatika Lingam worship will enhance wealth and prosperity. Sphatika Shiva lingam gives tremendous concentration and is better for students, businessmen and people who are goal-set!

These are also supported by scientific reasoning:

Sphatika is a gemstone made of silicon and oxygen (SiO4); Sphatika is a good conductor of heat. The wearer will attain coolness and calmness; Sphatika will bring electro-chemical balance in the body and absorbs excess heat; Sphatika Shiva Lingam attracts the sunlight and reflects 7-colors as the rainbow; Pouring water on Sphatika Lingam (Crystal Quartz) will ionize the water and this water is having different healing properties. Sphatikam will restore the water crystalline structure and prevents pollution;   Abhishekam water from sphatika carry heavy loads of oxygen to each and every cell in the blood stream and eliminates the free radicals from the body and prevent diseases;  sphatika lingam will increase alkalinity levels and electrical conductivity of the liquids and decrease the surface tension of liquid. Intake of Abhishekam liquids makes the human body to operate much more smoothly: According gemologists these Crystals will need   recharging to release negative energies. There are so many prescribed methods-- washing Sphatikam in sea water, washing in river water, burying crystals inside earth for some time, exposing crystals to sun or moon rays, and Creating Sound vibrations by ringing bell. (Refer Dr. Masaru Emoto's Water Theory about water crystalline structure).

Meditating or sitting with a Crystal skull of Shiva or Crystal Siva lingam is said to expand one’s mind and bring about a state of peace.  It is said to be a storehouse of Shakti energy, and is believed to stimulate kundalini energy.  It clears blockages in the etheric body and the chakras, and its energy spreads love, wisdom and steadies the heart.

An unexplored Warangal temple perhaps has an answer to the mystery of crystal skull! There is a small road in Warangal where there are no houses around, and suddenly in the middle of nowhere, a temple appears below the ground level.  This temple has been abandoned and has seen some serious damage, and the entire temple is actually built in the underground.   There is no solid floor, and dirt piles-up everywhere on the ground. There should be a flooring   made of rocks underneath the ground. 

There is a white light shining inside, looks like someone is holding a small lamp, but there is no body inside and this is not a lamp.   This temple is not on Google maps and the archeology department gives no information about it. But locals tell a very strange story about this temple. They believe that this temple had a crystal skull of Kapali inside the main chamber, which had supernatural abilities. Around the world, people have found many crystal skulls in ancient sites, these crystal skulls were even featured in the movie called Indiana Jones. There are a lot of people who believe in the power of crystal skulls and several scientists have also debunked these crystal skulls as hoaxes. But it is strange that these villagers in this remote area, who have never watched Hollywood movies or documentaries, most of them don’t even have a TV, are telling a story similar to Crystal Skull believers. In fact, the story is more convincing than   what we usually hear.  We can see a lot of wasp nests on the walls here – Indian bees and wasps can be deadly.

One can cautiously arrive inside the spot where the crystal skull might have once stood.  There you see this bright light? Someone seems to have placed a small piece of glass in the middle, in place of a large crystal skull. There are a series of holes in the ceiling, and light shines through these holes throughout the day, which makes this small piece of glass shine like a light bulb. We can only imagine how fantastic this would have been, when it  had housed a crystal skull, many centuries ago.

The walls also have holes on them, so sunlight would come through in mornings and evenings.  There are several holes strategically created on all four sides, to make sure light comes in. This temple definitely had a crystal skull or something that illuminates in sunlight, otherwise there is absolutely no reason to create all these holes.  These holes were created specifically to let sunlight through and shine on the main deity. The ceiling has a nice cymatia design, with conical rays radiating from the center, just like the sun. The light coming through these holes does something strange to the camera as you see in the YouTube video presentation.

Ancient civilizations around the world believed that Crystal Skulls emit strange radiation which could cure diseases and if handled in the wrong way, could   also cause harm and death. But researchers have limited themselves to ancient civilizations of North America, like the Mayas, Cherokee, Aztecs and Navajos and have not cared to look at ancient India.

Hinduism might have the answer to the mystery of Crystal Skulls, because this temple, which is referred to as Kaapaala Murthy temple, literally means Temple of the Skull God. So, who is this Skull God? There is a specific deity in Hinduism called Kapala Bhairava, who is represented either as a skull or holding a skull, and sometimes even as a skeleton. This deity is known as Chitipati in Buddhism, and Buddhists believe that wearing the skull mask or dancing in skeleton costumes can end the eternal cycle of life and death. The stone dedicated to this deity is Crystal Quartz.   Both Hindus and Buddhists believe that Crystal Skulls capable of healing the sick existed in ancient times. Ancient Indian temples housed several structures made of crystals, which were destroyed and looted in the last few centuries.

There are at least 13 crystal skulls around the world associated with myth.  “The famed crystal skulls of ancient Mesoamerica have been a source of mystery and controversy for decades. The handful of known skulls have defied even the most advanced scientific efforts to determine who made them, when, and most puzzling, how. This specimen, owned by the British Museum in London, was originally thought to have been made by the Aztec of Mexico but was later determined to be a fake. In fact, it got a boost in 2008 with the release of the action-adventure sequel Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” says the National Geographic magazine on the subject. Scientists claim that almost all of them are fabrications made in the last 2 centuries.  Probably we may find an authentic ancient crystal skull in India to unfold all the myths with it!

Michael Smith, a professor of anthropology at Arizona State University says "There were several Aztec gods that were represented by skulls, so they were probably invoking these gods. I don't think they were supposed to have specific powers or anything like that." Hinduism had a strong influence on Mayan  and Aztec religious traditions and their gods were strongly influenced  by  the portrayal of deities Nataraja, Siva, Kala Bhairava,  Kali etc., associated with skull garlands, skull in hand   or even corpse of the conquered demon. Hindus even today strongly believe in the mystical, spiritual and healing powers of crystals and orthodox religious people are invariably seen wearing Crystal bead necklaces always or at least during worship like Rudrakshi or Tulasi-bead necklaces. Lord Siva wears a garland of skulls and a serpent around his neck and carries in his two (sometimes four) hands a deerskin, a trident, a small hand drum, or a club with a skull at the end. That skull identifies Shiva as a Kapalika (“Skull-Bearer”) and refers to a time when he cut off the fifth head of Lord Brahma.

The fact ancient builders created holes all around the ceiling and walls and    named the temple after the skull god makes us believe that the temple once housed a crystal skull.  The Sanctum at one time should have been consecrated with a crystal skull or Siva with a crystal skull in his hand--[Adapted from Praveen Mohan’s Video presentation: https://youtu.be/tNHB3z6F04A]

The hunt in Narmada River for naturally egg-shaped crystal linga continues even today though hand carved and polished lingas  flood the market! Such a creation of nature is itself a miracle, worthy of worship. Shivagama describes the origin of the linga  as the beginning-less and endless pillar (Sthambha). The Linga Purana also supports the latter interpretation as a cosmic pillar, symbolizing the infinite nature of Siva. Of all the Lingas, Sphatika linga is considered more sacred and believed to represent column   fire as Divine Jyoti  on  Mahasivaratri Night! Hence Shiva is worshiped with Sphatika Linga symbolizing  dazzling Crystal (Sphatika) Lingodhbhava Murti on  Mahasivaratri night with no end or beginning. Fire and light go together reminding us one has to burn before spiritually shine that is Tapas!

Sphatika Lingam temples are: 1) Thillai Nataraja Temple; Tiruchirappalli 2) Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai; 3)  Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameshwaram; 4) Ekambaranathar Temple, Kanchipuram; 5) SwetharanyeswararTemle, Thiruvenkadu; 6) Sankara Narayanan Temple, Sankarankovil; 7) Parkasheshwar  Mahadedev Mandir; Dehradun 8) Kadavul Temple, Hawaii, USA.

APPENDIX

Reason for Shiva Holding Human Skull – Story

We come across images and pictures of Shiva holding human skull. The reason for Shiva holding the skull is symbolic and the story is found in all the Puranas and epics.

Shiva saw human beings suffering out of ignorance in the world. But Brahma, the creator in Hindu pantheon, had no remorse about the suffering that living beings had on earth. Brahma was so proud of his creation that he gave rise to a fifth head to see his creation. An angry Shiva took the form of Bhairava and cut off the fifth head of Brahma for being arrogant about His creation.

But soon Shiva felt remorse and for redemption of the sin, Brahma asked Shiva to become a wandering ascetic (Bhikshatana) and beg for food in a skull. He will only get redemption when Vishnu will advise him on how he could atone for his sin.

Shiva did not directly go to Lord Vishnu at Vaikuntha but he wandered all around the world advising living beings to get out of suffering. He took numerous forms to help living beings. But hardly few human beings were able to understand the teachings of Shiva.

Finally Shiva went to Vaikuntha and Vishnu advised him to go to Banaras (Kashi or Varanasi) and do ritual bath in Ganges to be purified of the sin.

In the human body, the skull houses the senses and holds the brain. The shape of the skull gives us our facial appearance and this is our identification. It is our claim to individuality. But are we the senses and the face? Do we have a separate individuality from the Supreme Truth?  By holding the human skull and begging with it, Shiva is exposing our ignorance. We are making life on earth a hell with all that is inside the skull. Every minute a new skull is coming to earth and the very moment a skull is exploding (cremation). We need to see this reality and live a life of bliss by following the eternal rules of Purusha (Shiva) and Prakriti (Mother Goddess Shakti).

--Hindu Blog