The
Mahabaleshwara Temple, Gokarna is a 4th-century CE Hindu temple located in
Gokarna, Uttara Kannada district which is built in the classical Dravidian
architectural style. It is a site of religious pilgrimage. The temple faces the
Karwar city beach on the Arabian Sea in which Hindu pilgrims cleanse before
visiting the temple for worship. Mahabaleshwara temple is known as the Dakshina Kashi. Currently, the
administrative charge of the temple is with Sri Ramachandrapura Mutt, as per
the guidance of Adiguru Shankaracharya during the establishment of the Mutt.
Legend
The demon king of Lanka, not only to the Shiva Linga deified in the Mahabaleshwara 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. 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 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 "fake Parvati" 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 Pathaala. So Ravana frees his companion, goes to Pathaala and marries a king's daughter,"Mandodari". Ravana returned to Lanka, where his mother asked him for the Atmalinga.
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 Atmalinga 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 Atmalinga 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 Atmalinga 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 Atmalinga 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 Atmalinga 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 "Mahabaleshwara"
(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 that is deified in the Mahabaleshwara Temple; and the
Goddess Bhadrakali, which are all now divine places of worship integral to
Gokarna.
Temple structure
The
temple is built of granite in the Dravidian architectural style. The Atmalinga
is enshrined in the temple on a square Saligrama
Peetha (pedestal). The pedestal has a small hole at its centre from where
devotees can see the top of the Atmalinga.
Religious practices
The
religious practices observed by most devotees, who are accompanied by their
priests, consist of shaving their head, fasting and then taking a bath in the
Arabian Sea, opposite the temple. They then pay obeisance to Lord Ganesha (the
elephant headed god) deified in the Shri Maha Ganapathi temple, which is a few
yards away from the Mahabaleshwara temple. After observing these religious
procedures, devotees visit the main shrine of Mahabaleshwara for the Darshana. The idol is placed inside a
pit on the floor. The devotees can touch the idol and do the puja by
themselves.
Festival
The
Shivaratri festival, the observance of the union of Lord Shiva and Goddess
Parvati is celebrated in Gokarna in February, when a very large number of
pilgrims visit the shrine. During the festival, a Rath Yatra is held. Images of
Shiva and other deities are installed in a chariot which is ceremoniously
pulled through the town by the devotees, accompanied by drum bands. The Ratha
Yatra starts from the Shri Maha Ganapati temple at the terminus of the main
market street, also known as "Car Street".
Other attractions
Sri Maha Ganapathi temple
In legend, the Sri Maha Ganapathi temple was built in honour of the boy Ganesha. Ganesha deceived the demon Ravana and saved the Atmalinga that is now installed in the Mahabaleshwara temple. Within the temple is a granite image of Ganesha. The image is 5 feet (1.5 m) tall and two-handed; at the top of its head there is hole that is said to be a mark of a violent blow inflicted by Ravana. The temple has its own identity and is also known as "Sidda Ganapati".
Gogarbha
In legend, the Atmalinga that vanished in the form of gov (cow) made a cave in a nearby hill. It is called "Gogarbha" meaning "the woumb of cow". The cave is visited by sadhus and used as a resting place. Folklore suggests that sadhus enter Gogarbha and reach the holy city of Kashi (Old Varanasi), a final visiting place for pilgrims.
Kotitheertha
Kotitheertha
is a man-made pond, which is used for the immersion of idols and ritual
bathing. It is surrounded by temples and has a small platform in the centre.
History
The temple is one of the seven sacred Muktistala ("places of salvation") in Karnataka. It is a place where many Hindus of Karnataka perform obsequies (death rites) for their departed.
According to legend, the Atmalinga was perforce placed at Gokarna, in the temple precincts where it is now deified. It was Ravana, the demon King of Lanka, had carried it there from Mount Kailash in the Himalayas.
The temple's first construction was by the king Mayurasharma of the Kadamba dynasty (reign 345 CE – 365 CE). The classical Sanskrit writer, Kalidasa mentions the "Lord of Gokarna" in his 4th century work, Raghuvamsha. The temple is a large complex of shrines and much of it belongs to the later Vijayanagara period (1336–1646 CE). A Vijayanagara emperor once visited the temple and weighed himself in gold. During the 17th century reign of Queen Chennammaji and her son, Soma Sekharanayaka of Keladi, Visvesvaraya of Halasunadu-Kundapura built the Chandrasala and Nandi pavilions. In 1665, the warrior king, Shivaji (1630 CE - 1680 CE) worshipped at the Mahabaleshwara temple after disbanding his army in Gokarna.