Mahabaleshwar Temple, Gokarna – Legends

Mahabaleshwar Temple, Gokarna – Legends

Mahabaleshwar:

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 Bhadra Kali 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 pleased and 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 Athma Linga. Ravana realized 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 Athma 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 Athma 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 Athma 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 Athma 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 Athma 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. The little boy, sensing Ravana’s anger, had begun to run, but Ravana, catching up with him, gave him a hard knock on the head. As he did so, the young boy revealed his true form – he was none other than Ganesha 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 Go means "cow" and Karna means "ear". The Atmalinga at once got firmly entrenched in the earth. Ravana learned that he had been tricked by the Gods. The depressed demon king Ravana was deeply agitated and tried to pull up the Linga, but the Linga did not budge a little.

It resulted in his throwing the coverings of the Linga to Dhareshwara, Gunavanteshwara, Murudeshwara and Shejjeshwar Temples. Ravana was unable to lift the Linga from the ground again and called the Shiva Linga as Mahabala, one with great strength, and ever since, the Linga was called Mahabaleshwar. Then Ravana ordered Maya, the architect of the Asuras to build a Temple for Athma Linga.

Shiva learned all these from Vayu Deva, the god of wind, and came on to Earth with Goddess Parvathi Devi and his train of Gods, he visited these five places and worshipped the Linga which had now taken five forms. He acknowledged that these five places would be his "Pancha Kshetras" (Five Holy Places). 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.

Combination of Goa and Karnataka:

Gokarna is combination of Goa and Karnataka as it is near the Goa Karnataka border.

Gokarna:

Brahma became arrogant because of his creational power. Lord Shiva cursed Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma penanced on Lord Shiva to redeem himself from curse of Shiva, Lord Shiva appeared in front of him from the ears of a cow (Prithvi, the Mother Earth) here. So, the place came to be known as Gokarna or ear of the cow. Also, it is at the ear-shaped confluence of two rivers Gangavali and Aghanashini.

Tamra Gauri:

While Lord Brahma was in deep penance, a woman appeared in two forms namely a river and personification of a Goddess. Brahma told her that she be wife of Lord Shankar. In search of her husband she came to Gokarna. She descended upon Tamra Parvat (Copper Mountain). Her name was Gauri and as she was wandering over the Tamra Parvat, she was known as Tamra Gauri. As per mythology she is weighing piousness and holiness of Gokarna vis-à-vis Varanasi. And the balance reflects, that every time she finds power of Gokarna a little bit supreme over that of Varanasi. 

References in Shrimad Bhagavatha:

Gokarna is mentioned in the Shrimad Bhagavata Purana as being the home of the brothers Gokarna and Dhundhakari.

Ancient Kerala as per Parasurama:

Hindu mythology says that when Lord Parasurama, the sixth avatar of Lord Vishnu created Kerala, it was from Gokarna to Kanyakumari.

People worshipped Lord Shiva here:

Brahma, Agasthya, Kamadenu, Markandeya, Saraswathy, Vasishta, Ravana, Nagarajan worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple.