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| Atmalinga Temple. |
The hoary legend of the temple as narrated, links Ravana of
the Ramayana, the demon king of Lanka, not only to the Shiva Linga
deified in the Mahabaleshwar Temple but also to Gokarna's Bhadrakali temple.
The legend also provides etymology of the place name, "Gokarna".
Ravana's mother, a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva, was
worshipping a Shiva Linga to bring prosperity to her son. Indra, the
Lord of Heaven, who was jealous of this worship, stole the Shiva Linga and
threw it away into the Sea. The distraught mother of Ravana went on a hunger
strike as her devotional worship of Shiva was disrupted.
Ravana then promised his mother that he would go to Mount
Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva, and bring the main Atmalinga itself
for her worship. Ravana then performed severe penance at Mount Kailash to
please Lord Shiva and also sang, in his melodious voice, praises of Shiva (Shiva Tandava Stotram). He even chopped his own
head, and made a harp with threads drawn from his skin and intestine.Lord Shiva
was please he appeared before him and asked him what he wanted. By this time
Narada had asked Lord Vishnu to change Ravana's mind. As a result of this plot,
Ravana asks for Goddess Parvati, and Lord Shiva offers her to him. On his way
back to Lanka Narada tells Ravana that Lord had not given him the real Parvathi
and that the real Parvathi was in Pathala. So Ravana frees his companion, goes
to Pathala and marries a king's daughter, assuming her to be the real Parvathi.
Ravana returned to Lanka, where his mother asked him for the Atma-Linga. Ravana
realised the tricks played on him by Lord Vishnu. He therefore prayed to Lord
Shiva again, begging for his forgiveness. Lord Shiva appeared and this time,
Ravana requests the Atma-Linga as his boon. Lord Shiva agrees to give him the boon
with a condition that it should never be placed on the ground. If the
Atma-Linga was ever placed on the ground, it would remain rooted at that spot.
Having obtained his boon, Ravana started back on his journey to Lanka
As Ravana was nearing Gokarna, Lord Vishnu blotted out the sun
to give the appearance of dusk. Ravana now had to perform his evening rituals
but was worried because with the Atma-Linga in his hands, he would not be able
to do it. At this time, Lord Ganesha in the disguise of a Brahmin boy accosted
him. Ravana requested him to hold the Atma-Linga until he performed his
rituals, and asked him not to place it on the ground. Ganesh struck a deal with
him saying that he would call Ravana thrice, and if Ravana did not return
within that time, he would place the Atma-Linga on the ground.
Ganesha called out thrice rapidly but Ravana couldn't come
within the specified time.. Even before Ravana could return, Lord Ganesha
placed the Atmalinga on the ground, tricked Ravana and vanished from the scene
with his cows. Ravana then chased the only cow, which was going underground.
However, he managed to get hold of the cow's ear, as the rest of cow's body had
disappeared below ground. It is this ear now seen in a petrified form, which
has given the name "Gokarna" to the place. The word
"Gokarna" means "cow's ear" where in Sanskrit gow means
"cow" and karna means "ear".
Then, Ravana tried hard to lift the Shiv Linga but failed as it
was firmly fixed. Ravana had even fainted; thereafter he gave the name
"Mahabaleshwar" (meaning all-powerful) to the Atmalinga. Thus,
according to the legend narrated, the place now boasts of three divine entities
namely: Gokarna, the cow's ear; the Atmalinga or Shiva Linga
that is deified in the Mahabaleshwar Temple; and the Goddess Bhadrakali, which
are all now divine places of worship integral to Gokarna.
reference: Wikipedia. Images are property of respective owners.
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