| Kailash 23.12.2025 |


“Kailash”


While giving the lingam at Kailash, Lord Shiva said to Ravana that if the Atma-Lingam was placed on the ground, it would remain there forever and could never be lifted again. This was all a manifestation of the Lord’s divine play (leela). God performed this leela through the ages only to give joy to His devotees. Come, let us read further.


“Atma-Lingam”


When Ravana reaches Gokarna, Lord Ganesha enacts His leela by appearing in the form of a young boy, pretending to graze cows. At that very moment, Lord Narayan, Shri Hari, covers the Sun God with His Sudarshan Chakra. Ravana believes that sunset has occurred and that it is time for the evening prayers. His eyes then fall upon the boy standing there—who was none other than Lord Ganesha himself.


Ravana tells the boy-form Ganesha that he is going into the sea to perform his worship and asks him to hold the Atma-Lingam for a short while. Ganesha accepts the Atma-Lingam and says that he cannot hold it for long. He will call Ravana three times, and if Ravana does not return, he will place the Atma-Lingam on the ground. Ravana then goes toward the sea to perform his worship, handing the Atma-Lingam to Ganesha.


As soon as Ravana begins his worship in the sea, Lord Ganesha starts His divine play. He quickly calls out to Ravana three times and then immediately begins to place the Atma-Lingam on the earth.


Before placing the Atma-Lingam on the ground, Ganesha calls Ravana again. From afar, Ravana signals him not to place it down, but by then Ganesha has already done his task—the Atma-Lingam has been placed on the ground. Flowers shower down upon Ganesha from the heavens, sent by the gods. Ravana realizes that the gods have accomplished their purpose.


Ravana rushes back and, in anger, grabs Ganesha and strikes him hard on the head. This is why the idol of Lord Ganesha at Gokarna has a dent on the head, and due to Ravana’s immense strength, Ganesha’s head appears bent downward and his hands appear smaller.


Ravana becomes extremely angry with Ganesha and forcefully tries to lift the Atma-Lingam, but he cannot. He then attempts to uproot it, and while doing so, the shape of the lingam becomes like a cow’s ear. Hence the place is called Gokarna—Go meaning cow and Karna meaning ear. Ravana is unable to lift the lingam and, due to his great strength, he is given the title Mahabala. Therefore, this Atma-Lingam is known as Gokarna Mahabaleshwar.


Ravana tries to uproot the Atma-Lingam!


In his rage, Ravana throws away all the materials that were covering the Atma-Lingam—the casket, the lid, the thread, and the cloth—casting them in different directions. All of them fall at different places and become established as separate lingams.


1. Gokarna Mahabaleshwar – the main lingam



2. Sajjeshwar – where the casket of the lingam fell



3. Dhareshwar – where the thread tied to the lingam fell



4. Gunavanteshwar – where the lid of the lingam fell



5. Murudeshwar – where the cloth that covered the entire lingam fell




In the end, Lord Shiva, Mother Parvati, and all the gods come to these five places and name them the Pancha Kshetras (Five Sacred Abodes). Thus, through the Atma-Lingam, the Lord enacted such a beautiful divine play—and for this, God chose His supreme devotee Ravana!


Jai Vishwa! Jai Bhole Baba!