Reason number 1,001 why I love Asian Religions

[icarus]

Reason number 1,001 why I love Asian Religions, in which my T.A., me, and the grad student forced to take a 200-level class act like silly teenagers.

Bear in mind that "lingam" is the cock and symbol of the potency of Shiva.

My T.A. admitted on Thursday that she and the other T.A.s had giggle fits over the following passage. She read it aloud and we cracked up:

The Lingam of Shiva

... and in the middle of the flame we saw a lingam (cock) of great lustre, measuring just a handsbreadth, unmanifest and full of supreme light. In the middle, it was neither gold nor stone or silver; it was indescribable, unimaginable, visible and invisible again and again. It had a thousand garlands of flames, amazing, miraculous; it had great brilliance, and kept getting much bigger. It was covered with a halo of flame, terrifying all creatures with its monstrous form, excessive, bursting through heaven and earth.

Then Brahma said to me, "Quickly, go down and find out the bottom end of this noble lingam (cock). I will go up until I see its top end." We agreed to do this, and went up and down.

I kept going down for a thousand years, but I did not reach the end of the lingam (cock); and then I became afraid. In the very same way, Brahma did not find its end above, and came back to join me right there in the expanse of water. Then we were amazed and frightened of the noble one.



We are 12.

Out Of Bounds progress report: one more scene typed and sent to the betas, and I'll write a second before I go to bed tonight. I'm now just writing everything I've sketched out in my notebook, just to see where I am and how much writing (vs. typing) I have left to do.

Comments

[plsteward.livejournal.com]

who's the narrator?

and yes, you're totally 12, but then again so am i.

[ncp.livejournal.com]

Sounds like this version is being told from Lord Vishnu's perspective. The Lingam is a manifestation of Lord Shiva.

[jackoweskla.livejournal.com]

The desire to use 'noble' as an adjective in my next fic is now almost overwhelming. Tee.

[ncp.livejournal.com]

My childhood Amar Chitra Katha (a comic book series of stories from Indian history and scriptures) portrayed the lingam as a huge pillar of infinite light.

[tekalynn.livejournal.com]

I kept going down for a thousand years, but I did not reach the end of the lingam (cock)

I imagine a number of us have felt that way at times. *massages jaw*

[tekalynn.livejournal.com]

We agreed to do this, and went up and down.

In the words of the immortal Lily von Stupp: "They come and go and go and come/And alvays too soon."

Reason number 1,0001 why I love Asian Religions

[maxinemayer.livejournal.com]

(These comments kill me! I laugh heartily!)

I can see your interest in this subject....

Okay, I'm grinning here, and I can't think of anything to say except, "Gah!" And perhaps, "...lingam, lingam, lingam..." (I giggle a lot.)

Love ya, kiddo, truly!
max

[birggitt.livejournal.com]

I'm alwasy happy to find news...words and expand my vocabulary. Apparently, Indians like to expand other kind of stuff *giggles*

[harveywallbang.livejournal.com]

okay, i might sound totally naive/immature, but gotta clarify. by cock, do they mean rooster? or do they actually mean penis?

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Penis. *g* It represents the potency and creative capacity of the gods.

[harveywallbang.livejournal.com]

hahaha...