Swayambhu

This article is about the Sanskrit word. For the architecture, see Swayambhu (architecture).

Swayambhu (Sanskrit: स्वयंभू) is a Sanskrit word that means "self-manifested", "self-existing", or "that is created by its own accord".

Often, the word swayambhu is used to describe a self-manifested image of a deity, which was not made by human hands, but instead is naturally arisen, or generated by nature. According to the Ramayana and Mahabharata, Vishnu is called swayambhu. The word etymology of swayambhu is 'Svayam' (स्वयं) which means 'self' or 'on its own' and 'bhū' (भू) which means 'to take birth' or 'arising'. This is applicable to the physical and tangible idols of Gods that we see or to the intangible yet existing God whom we cannot see. For example, the jyotirlingas are considered swayambhu- the idol of Venkateshwara at Tirumala and some other ones are considered Swayambu- which means they are not installed by any person but they exist on their own. The word Swayambhu is also applicable to Gods- for example- Vishnu is described as swayambhu in Ramayana and Matsya purana. As per the Vedas, Shiva is considered swayambhu.

Ganesha Swayambhu, Baltimore, MD

The Ice Lingam at Amarnath Cave

Ice Lingam of Lord Shiva at the Amarnath Cave Temple

Inside the 40 m (130 ft) high Amarnath Cave, the stalagmite is formed due to the freezing of water drops that fall from the roof of the cave onto the floor and grows up vertically from the cave floor. It is considered to be a Shiva Linga by Hindus. The Cave waxes from May to August, as the snow melts in the Himalayas above the cave, and the resultant water seeps into the rocks that form the cave and gradually wanes thereafter. As per the religious beliefs, it has been claimed that the lingam grows and shrinks with the phases of the moon, reaching its height during the summer festival.

Shiva Temples

• Keesaragutta Temple, Hyderabad
• Lord Navanepattayya Swamy Temple. Aspari, Andhra Pradesh.
• Shanaleshwara Swayambhu Temple, Nalas, Rajpura, Punjab.
• Thiruvairoor Sree Mahadeva Temple, Chunakkara, Alappuzha district, Kerala
• Gyanvapi shivling, Varanasi.

Ganesha Temples

• Swayambhu Sri Abhista Gnana Ganapathi Temple
• Hattiangadi Siddi Vinayaka Temple

See also

• Acheiropoieta in the Christian tradition, literally, "works made without human hands"
• Perceptions of religious imagery in natural phenomena
• Swayambhunath
• Soyombo symbol