Anyone who is interested in Lingayat can become Lingayat by having Ishtalinga Deeksha. There are no restrictions to become Lingayat like male/female, rich/poor, daily worker/engineer. All are equal in Lingayats irrespective of their nature of work, place of birth.
What are the benefits of Ishtalinga Puja?
Ishtalinga puja includes worshiping GOD, and doing Meditation. Meditation will help human mental and body health which is proven in the following researches.
Meditation is scientifically proven to...
Increase the size of your most important organ – your brain! (Harvard University Gazette, 2006)
Overcome stress (University of Massachusetts Medical School, 2003)
Boost your creativity (Science Daily, 2010)
Improve your sex life and increase your libido (The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2009)
Cultivate healthy habits that lead to weight loss (Journal Emotion, 2007)
Improve digestion and lower blood pressure (Harvard Medical School)
Decrease your risk of heart attack (The Stroke Journal, 2009)
Help overcome anxiety, depression, anger and confusion (Psychosomatic Medicine, 2009)
Decrease perception of pain and improve cognitive processing (Wake Forest University School of Medicine, 2010)
Increase your focus and attention (University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2007)
How to become Lingayat?
To become Lingayat one has to undergo Ishtalinga Deeksha.
Where I can get Ishtalinga Deeksha?
In any Lingayat Mutts or Basava Mantapa’s or Anubhav Mantap’s or from a Guru/Jangama (Lingayat Swamy). Visit Lingayat services page to know more.
What if I missed Ishtalinga Puja?
Once Deeksha is done need to do Ishtalinga Puja daily. In exceptional cases if you miss the puja it’s not a big mistake, but once you missed it should not be the practice of missing the puja. In some situation (due to illness, in travel etc…) if you miss its ok.
Where to wear the Ishtalinga?
Ishtalinga need to be worn always on the body nearer to heart (in-between area from the neck to the abdomen) [similar to necklace]. But in physical work/activity or while doing Yoga you can wear it on the right arm (below the shoulder).
How to do Ishtalinga puja will be explained by the Deeksha Guru while providing the Ishtalinga Deeksha. The concept of Ishtalinga Deeksha is nothing but providing (Teaching) how to do Ishtalinga Puja. Once got the Ishtalinga deeksh you will come to know How to do Ishtalinga Puja.
When to do Ishtalinga Puja?
The Ideal time for the Ishtalinga Puja is early morning between 3.00 am to 5.00 am. In day to day life if it’s difficult or not possible then you can do when you woke up in the morning. Ishtalinga puja need to do before the coffee/tea/breakfast. Once you woke up for the day first thing need to do is the Ishtalinga puja.
What are the daily activities of Lingayat?
Need to start a day with Ishtalinga puja and evening (meditation) prayer with family members and day closure with optional night puja if possible.
What are the weekly activities of Lingayat?
Weekly once do the prayer with community/society members in Basava Mantapa OR Anubhava Mantapa. (Basava Mantapa’s are there in
Delhi [Basava Mantapa, Mata Ashram, H-3/82, Bengali Colony, Mahavir Enclave, New Delhi-110045 Ph No:011 64563868],
Bangalore[Bangalore Basava Mantapa, Rajaji Nagara, No.2035, West Of Card Road, Near City Hospital, (Navrang Stop In Card Road) Bangalore-560010. Phone 08023131476], Hyderabad, and almost all cities in Karnataka).
What is the meaning of Sharanu Sharanarthi?
In Sharanu Sharnarthi we find two idioms. First we need to know the word Sharana. Sharana means the person who is offered himself to the God (in a war loosing soldiers offer themselves to the winners called surrender) in the same way an individual who offered (surrendered) himself to God is called Sharana.
In Lingayat religion when a Sharana meet another Sharana, he wishes the other by Sharanu. One can wish by saying only Sharanarthi, but it will not be a meaningful wish. So we need to make our habit to wish Sharanu Sharanarthi whenever we meet any person must wish considering others as divine soul of creator.
