Kṛttivāseśvara Liṅga

The Kṛttivāseśvara Liṅga is one of the holy liṅgas of Kāśī (Vārāṇasī). A liṅga is the sacred form in which Śiva is honoured in pūjā. According to Chapter 57 of the Yuddha Khaṇḍa of the Śiva Purāṇa, this liṅga arose from the body of Gajāsura, the elephant asura (a being who opposes the devas) and son of Mahiṣāsura, after Śiva struck him down with his triśūla (trident).

As he was dying, Gajāsura asked that Śiva wear his elephant skin for ever. Śiva granted this wish and so took the name Kṛttivāsa, “the one who wears the hide”. Gajāsura’s body was then changed into this liṅga, which keeps alive the memory of that moment of surrender and grace.

Meaning of the Name

The name Kṛttivāseśvara is made of three parts: kṛtti (hide or skin), vāsa (one who dwells in or wears) and īśvara (the ruler, Bhagavān Śiva). It means “Bhagavān Śiva who wears the hide”. It refers to Śiva accepting Gajāsura’s elephant skin as his permanent garment.

The Story in the Name

The name of this liṅga holds a whole story. An asura who had fought against the divine order came to Kāśī and was struck down by Śiva. At the very moment of death, he turned all his remaining strength and awareness toward one last act of service to Śiva: giving his own skin to be Śiva’s garment. In this way the asura became, for ever, part of Śiva’s own appearance.

What the Liṅga Teaches

The Kṛttivāseśvara Liṅga stands in Kāśī as a living teaching. It shows that dying in a moment of complete surrender to Śiva brings one closest to him. This closeness does not come from victory in battle, nor from dying after a virtuous life, but from death itself becoming an act of loving surrender.

Gajāsura’s skin is on Śiva’s body, and the Kṛttivāseśvara Liṅga is Gajāsura’s body. In this way Śiva holds the asura both within himself and around himself for ever.

Sources

• Śiva Purāṇa, Rudra Saṃhitā, Yuddha Khaṇḍa, Chapter 57