Jai Sriman Narayana !!
Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara !!
Adi Gokarna/Sri Kshetra Gokarna/Gokarnam
Sri Mahabaleshwar Temple/Dakshina Kashi is one of the 108 Shivalays located on
the coastal areas in Karwar District, Mangalore Karnataka. It is one of the 275 Thevara Shivasthalam glorified
by the Shivaite Nayanmars, one of the 7 Mukthisthalam located in Karnataka and
others are Udupi Sri Krishna Temple, Kollur Sri Mookambika Temple, Kukke
Subramnya Swami Temple, Koteswara Temple and Sankaranarayana Temple. It is prominently known as one of the Siddhi
Kshetram and others are Pushkar and Shaligrama respectively. In this temple Lord Shiva is worshipped in
the form of a self-manifested Athmalinga.
Sri Mahabaleshwara is also one of the Pancha Maha Kshetrams of Lord
Shiva and others are Ejjeshwara, Gunavantheshwara, Murudeshwara and Dhareshwara.
Presiding deity – Sri Mahabaleshwar
in the form of Athmalinga
Theertham – Koti Theertham
Festivals – Maha Shivaratri,
Karthika Amavasya, Karthika Shukla Purnima Deepostav, Ananga Tryodhashi,
Shivadhamanostav, Shiva Pavithraropanam, Dhadhi Shikhyostav, Vijayostav,
Shivaganga Vivaha Nischayostav, Prathistosthav, Tripuradeepostav, Shiva Parvati
Vivahostav, Maharathostav, Avabhrutha, Angurarpanam,
Sannidhis – Lord Ganesha, Lord
Nandikeshwara, Goddess Sri Parvati as Thamra Gowri, Chandikeshwara, Adi
Gokarneshwara, Dathathreya,
Worshipped by – Sri Adishankara, King
Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj, Kalidasa
The legend has that in Thretha
Yuga the demon King Ravana underwent severe penances worshipping Lord
Shiva. Lord was pleased at the devotion
of Ravana and offered him an ‘Athmaling’/ Linga which possess the presence of
Lord, instructed him that the Athmalinga will be wedged on the Earth once it is
placed. Lord Vishnu and all the deities
were worried of the boon provided to Ravana and appealed to Lord Ganesha to
retain the Athmalinga on the sacred land of Gokarna. Thus, Lord Ganesha disguised in the form of a
shepherd and followed Ravana all his way to Lanka. During the journey, Ravana realized the need
for oblation, was not willing to keep the Athmalinga on the Earth. Eventually, it was handed to the shepherd for
safe custody with a condition that the Athmalinga would be in his safe hands
and when it becomes too heavy to carry, he will call for Ravana thrice. If Ravana fails to return within the time
frame, it would be placed on the Earth.
Ravana returned from ablutions
and found that the Athmalinga was kept on the Earth; he tried all his effort to
pull out from the ground but all his efforts were ended in vain. Consequently, Athmalinga wedged on this
sacred land is famously known as Sri Kshetra Gokarna and the presiding deity
Athma Linga as Mahabaleshwar.
Gokarna stands for the ‘Ear of
Cow’, located on the ear shaped confluence of river Gangavali and Agnashini. Lord Shiva underwent severe penance in the
Patal Loka at the advice of Lord Brahma and emerged out through the ear of Mother
Earth.
Worship of Lord Mahabaleshwara in
this temple would eradicate all the sins committed and provides salvation,
liberates from the cycles of birth and death to the worshipper.
This temple remains open from 6.00 AM to 12.30 PM in the morning and 5.00 PM and 8.00 PM in the evenings.
Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara !!
Jai Sriman Narayana !!
No comments:
Post a Comment