What does the Tortoise Idol in a Shiva temple Signify?

Aum Sai Ram.

You must have noticed that the Tortoise Idol is generally placed near the Nandi (Bull) Idol. Let’s first understand the symbolic significance of Nandi. Nandi is total Devotion. That is “Bhakti”.

A tortoise on the other hand represents Detachment. That is “Vairagya”. Devotion and Detachment together lead us to the path of god.

Here is how the Tortoise represents Detachment:

A tortoise can totally Cocoon itself in its shell. A yogi when meditates cocoons himself from the world too and gets inside his meditative shell. He renounces material possessions or even the thought of them.

Also, the tortoise hatches its eggs in a peculiar way. She does not sit on top of them to hatch them but focuses her attention by constantly looking at them.

So once you are at the temple, look at the Shiva idol or Lingam and that generates a spiritual energy. That’s the importance of Darshan.