Shivam shantam advaitam

Shivam shantam advaitam chaturtham manyante, sa atma, sa vigyeyah,

''That reality which is Shivam, infinite silence;

which is Shantam, infinite peace;

which is Advaitam, the undivided, is said to be Chaturtham, the fourth.''

It is beyond the three states of consciousness, waking, dreaming and sleeping,'

Linga, shiv linga, shiv, are symbolic, iconic, representing the atma linga, , or atma, self

if one takes refuge in the self, ie in the atma linga, , then one becomes free , eternal, one with atma, jeevan muktha, no more to be born again, thus permanently coming out of the cycle of lifeand birth