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MahabaleshwarTemple,GokarnaWikipedia

MahabaleshwarTemple,Gokarna

Coordinates:143236N741859E

FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

TheMahabaleshwarTemple,GokarnaisaHindutemple
locatedinGokarna,whichisaHindureligiouspilgrimagecentre
inUttaraKannadadistrictintheIndianstateofKarnataka.A
Pranalinga(PranalingaisdefinedastherealityofGodwhich
canbeapprehendedbythemind.[1])alsoknownasAtmalinga
orShivaLingaisdeifiedinthetemple,whichisfacingthecity
beachoftheArabianSeainGokarna.TheShivaLingahasa
hoarylegend.Itissaidtobestowimmenseblessingstodevotees
whoevenglimpseit.[2][3]Thetempleisconsideredaspiousas
theShivatempleatVaranasiorKashiinNorthIndiaonthe
banksoftheGangesRiverandhenceisknownastheDakshin
Kasi(SouthKasi).[2][3]
Thetemple,builtinaclassicalDravidianstyleofarchitecture,
wasfirstconstructedbyMayurasharmaoftheKadamba
dynasty,whoruledbetween345365.Thiskingwantedtogain
knowledgeoftheVedicritesandtheAshwamedhaYagna(a
horsesacrificialritual),sohetravelledtoKanchipuram,amajor
learningcentre,butonreachingthere,wasinsultedbya
horsemanguardandangry,hesworetodefeatthePallava
dynasty(thethenrulingdynasty).Followingtheirdefeat,the
kingaskedafewprieststoperformadailyyagnatomaintainhis
suzeraintyovertheregion.Hisson,KingKangavarmanbrought
moreBrahminfamiliesfromdifferentlineagestomaintain
administrationatthetemple.Kalidasamentionsthe"Lordof
Gokarna"inhisRaghuvamshaofthe4thcentury.The
GokarnamshrineisoneofthePaadalPetraSthalamsofthe7th
centuryTevaramcanon.VisvesvarayaofHalasunadu
KundapurabuilttheChandrasalaandNandipavilionswhen
QueenChennammajiandhersonSomasekharanayakawere
rulingKeladi(16531671).Thetempleisalargecomplexof
shrinesandmuchofitbelongstothelaterVijayanagaraperiod.
In1665,Shivajicameheretoworshipthedeity.
Accordingtothelegend,theAtmalingawasperforceplacedat
Gokarna,inthetempleprecinctswhereitisnowdeified,by
Ravana,thedemonKingofLankaofepicRamayanafamewhen
hecarrieditfromMountKailashintheHimalayas.Pilgrims
takeaholydipintheArabianSeabeforevisitingthetemplefor
worship.[2][3][4]ItisoneofthesevensacredMuktikshetrasor
Mukthistala(placeofsalvation)inIndiawheremanyHindusof
Karnatakaperformobsequies(deathrites)fortheirdepartedsix
otherMuktistalasinKarnatakaare:Udupi,Kollur,
Subrahmanya,Kumbasi,KoteshvaraandSankaranarayana.[5][6]

MahabaleshwarTemple

MahabaleshwarTempleatGokarna

Mahabaleshwar
Temple

LocationwithinKarnataka
Name
Propername MahabaleshwarTemple,
Gokarna
Geography

Contents

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Contents

Coordinates 143236N741859E
Country India

1
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Geography
Legend
Templestructure
Historical
Religiouspractices
Otherattractions
Externallinks
References

Geography
ThetempleislocatedontheshoresoftheKarwarcoastofthe
ArabianSeainagreenenvironmentintheholytownof
Gokarna,alsospeltGokarn,ontheWestCoastofIndiainUttara
KannadaorNorthKannadadistrict.Gokarnaliesbetweenthe
GangavaliandAganashinirivers.[3][7]

State Karnataka
District UttaraKannadaDistrict
Locale Gokarna
Culture
Primarydeity LordShiva
Important ShivaratriRathyatra
festivals
Architecture
Architectural Dravidianarchitecture
styles
Historyandgovernance
Datebuilt 345365CE
Creator MayuravarmaofKadamba

NationalHighway17(NH17),acoastalhighwayonthewesternghatsofIndia(fromMangaloretoMumbai),
passesclosetothetempletownofGokarna.Thetownis56kilometres(35mi)fromKarwarand252kilometres
(157mi)fromMangaloreonthishighway.andtownis145kilometres(90mi)fromHubli.Itis450kilometres
(280mi)fromBangaloreandthenearestairportisatPanaji,Goa,155kilometres(96mi)away.[3][7]

Legend
ThehoarylegendofthetempleasnarratedlinksRavanaofRamayana
fame,thedemonkingofLanka,notonlytotheShivaLingadeifiedinthe
MahabaleshwarTemplebutalsototheBhadraKalitemplehere.The
legendalsoprovidesthereasoningforthenamingoftheGokarnatown.[4]
Ravana'smother,astaunchdevoteeofLordShiva,wasworshippinga
ShivaLingatobringprosperitytoherson.Indra,theLordofHeaven,who
wasjealousofthisworship,stoletheShivaLingaandthrewitawayinto
theSea.ThedistraughtmotherofRavanawentonahungerstrikeasher
devotionalworshipofShivawasdisrupted.Ravanathenpromisedhis
motherthathewouldgotoMountKailash,theabodeofLordShiva,and
bringthemainAtmalingaitselfforherworship.Ravanathenperformed
severepenanceatMountKailashtopleaseLordShivaandalsosang,inhis
melodiousvoice,praisesofShiva(ShivaTandavaStotram).Heeven
choppedhisownhead,andmadeaharpwiththreadsdrawnfromhisskin
Templeseenfrominsidethecomplex.
andintestine.Shivapleasedwithallthisdevotionalworshipagreedto
bestowboonstoRavana.Ravana,pleasedwiththepromiseofShiva,asked
fortheAtmalingaandalsoawifeforhimself,asprettyasUma(motherofcreation),Shiva'swife.Shivathentook
outtheAtmaLinga,brightlyshiningliketheSun,fromhisownheartandgaveittoRavanawithstrictinstructions
thatitshouldnotbeplacedongroundtillitwasdeifiedatafinaldestination.Asregardsthesecondrequestfora
beautifulwife,ShivaofferedhisownwifetoRavana,asinhisviewtherewasnootherwomanmorebeautifulthan
Uma,hiswife.Uma,whowasorderedbyShivatogowithRavana,thenappealedtoLordVishnuforhelp.Vishnu
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agreedandhemetRavanaatGokarna,disguisedasanaged,fraillookingBrahmin.TheBrahminaskedRavanaas
tohowsuchalovelywomanwasfollowinghim.Ravana,inhisenthusiasm,explainedthatShivaofKailash
himselfhadgivenhertohim.PleasedwiththeBrahmin'swordsofpraise,.Thiswashisundoingasatthat
moment,VishnuplayedatrickandexchangedUmawithmandodaridaughterofmayasura,
RavanareturnedcarryingtheAtmalinga.Ontheway,hemetGaneshainthegarbofacowherd(bytherequestof
lordindra)atthesamelocationwherehehaddesertedUma.AtthatmomentRavanawantedurgentlytoattendthe
callofnatureandhe,therefore,requestedGaneshatoholdtheAtmalingainhishandtillhereturnedafter
ablutions.[8]Thereisanotherversiontothelegendatthispoint.ItissaidthatRavana,beingaBrahminwantedto
offerhiseveningreligiousprayers,Sandhyavandanam,andhe,therefore,requestedGanesha,whoappearedbefore
himasaBrahminboy,toholdontotheAtmalingatillhereturnedwithstrictinstructionstoGaneshanottoplace
itonthegroundunderanycircumstance.[6]
However,Ravanacouldnotcomewithinthespecifiedtime.GaneshacalledoutthricerapidlyforRavana.Even
beforeRavanacouldreturn,GaneshaplacedtheAtmalingaontheground,trickedRavanaandvanishedfromthe
scenewithhiscows.Ravanathenchasedtheonlycow,whichwasgoingunderground.However,hemanagedto
getholdofthecow'searonly,astherestofcow'sbodyhaddisappearedbelowground.Itisthisearnowseenina
petrifiedform,whichhasgiventhename'Gokarna'totheplace,meaning"Cow'sear."(inSanskrit'Gow'means
"cow"and'karna'means"ear").[6][9][8]Then,RavanatriedhardtolifttheShivLingabutfailedasitwasfirmly
fixed.RavanahadevenfaintedthereafterhegavethenameMahabaleshwar(meaningallpowerful)tothe
Atmalinga.[9]Thus,accordingtothelegendnarrated,theplacenowboastsofthreedivineentitiesnamely:
Gokarna,thecow'seartheAtmalingaorShivaLingathatisdeifiedintheMahabaleshwarTempleandthe
GoddessBhadrakali,whichareallnowdivineplacesofworshipintegraltoGokarna.[10]

Templestructure
ThetemplebuiltinDravidianarchitecturalstyle,with
granitestones,hastheAtmalingaenshrinedinitona
"squareSaligramaPeetha"(pedestal).Ithasasmallholeat
itscentrefromwheredevoteescanseethetopofthe
Atmalinga.Thedeity,acarvedstoneimageofLordShiva,
isalsodeifiedhereinastandingpositionandhastwo
arms,andissaidtobe1500yearsold.[6][7][9]

Historical

Left:DravidianstyleGopuraofMahabaleshwartemple
atGokarna.Right:Pradakshinapath(circumambulatory
path)ofMahabaleshwartempleatGokarna.

VijayanagaraEmperorvisitedthetempleandweighed
himselfingoldhere.In1665,Shivaji,afterdisbandinghis
armyhere,worshippedatthetemple.In1676,Fryer,the
EnglishtravellervisitedtheplaceduringShivaratrifestivalandhaswrittenindetailaboutthefestivalatthe
temple.[11]

Religiouspractices
Thereligiouspracticesobservedbymostdevotees,whoareaccompaniedbytheirpriests,consistsoffirstshaving
theirhead,fastingandtakingabathintheArabianSea,oppositetothetemple.Then,theypayobeisancetolord
Ganesha(theelephantheadedgod)defiedintheShriMahaGanapathiTemple,whichisafewyardsawayfromthe
MahabaleshwarTemple.Afterobservingallthesereligiousprocedures,devoteesvisitthemainshrineof
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Mahabaleshwarforadarshan,withtheferventprayerthatsuchaformal
viewingofgodwouldwashalltheirsinsandusherprosperityintheir
lives.[12]
Festival
Shivaratrifestival,observanceoftheunionofLordShivaandGoddess
ParvatiiscelebratedinthetempletowninFebruary,whenaverylarge
numberofpilgrimsvisittheshrine.Duringthisfestival,Rathyatra(Rathis
alargewoodenchariot)isalsoheldwhenimagesofShivaandotherdeities
areinstalledinthechariotanditisthenceremoniallypulledthroughthe
townbydevotees,accompaniedbythedrumbands.TheRathayatrastarts
fromtheShriMahaGanapatiTempleattheterminusofthemainmarket
street,alsoknownasthe'CarStreet'.[5][7][12]

Otherattractions
ApartfromtheMahabaleshwarTemplethereareseveralotherattractionsof
religioussignificanceinGokarnathatarelinkedtothelocallegendofthe
temple.Theseare:[6]

RathayatraheldduringShivaratri
festivalcelebrations

SriMahaGanapathitemple
AccordingtothelegendSriMahaGanapathiTemplewasbuiltinhonourof
theboyGanapathi,whodeceivedthedemonRavanaandsavedthe
AtmalingathatisnowinstalledintheMahabaleshwarTemple.Thetemple
hasagraniteimageofGaneshadeifiedinitwhichis5feet(1.5m)talland
twohandedatthetopofitsheadthereisholethatisstatedtobeamarkof
aviolentblowconjecturedtohavebeeninflictedbyRavana.Thetemple
hasitsownidentityandisalsoknownasSiddaGanapati.[13][14]
Gogarbha

KotitheerthaorPushkaraniaholy
pondclosetotheMahabaleshawar
Temple

Accordingtolegends,theAtmalingathatvanishedintheformofgovorcowmadealastingcaveinthenearbyhill
calledas"Gogarbha"meaning'thewoumbofcow'.Thecaveisstillvisitedbysadhusandusedasarestingplace.
Thefolkloresaidsadhuswentinto'Gogarbha'andreached'Kashi',theholycityofhinduismandfinalpilgrim
placetovisit.
TheTempleofBharat
Althoughoneofakindtemplestillexistsonthehillocknearthemahabaleshwartemple,itsdeityhasbeenstolen
bymiscreants.ItsuniquenessisthatitissituatedwellabovethetempleofRamawitharamateertha
Kotitheertha
Kotitheerthaisamanmadepond,whichisusedforimmersionofidolsandritualbathing.Itissurroundedby
templesandhasasmallplatforminthecentre.[15]Devoteesusuallytakebathinthepondbeforetheyvisitthe
MahabaleshwarTempleforworship.[16]

Externallinks
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GokarnaTempleInformation(https://www.myoksha.com/gokarnatemple/)

References
1.Subramuniyaswami,Satguru
Sivaya(2003).DancingWith
Siva:Hinduism'sContemporary
Catechism.HimalayanAcademy
Publications.p.847.ISBN0
945497962.Retrieved
20100528.
2.Abram,David(2003).Rough
GuidesRoughguidetoGoa
Check|url=value(help).
Gokarn.pp.234237.ISBN1
843530813.Retrieved
20100527.
3.Various.TouristGuideto
Karnataka.UttaraKannada.
SuraBooks.pp.6162.ISBN81
74780629.Retrieved
20100527.
4.Gupte,B.A.(1994).Hindu
holidaysandceremonials:with
dissertationsonoriginfolklore
andsymbols.Bhdrakali.Asian
EducationalServices.pp.1316.
ISBN8120609530.Retrieved
20100527.
5."Gokarna:AProfile".Sri
GokarnaWebsiteofTemple
Administration.Retrieved
20100527.
6."Gokarna".KarnatakaVision.
Retrieved20100527.
7."HowtoreachGokarna".Sri

7."HowtoreachGokarna".Sri
GokarnaWebsiteofTemple
Administration.Retrieved
20100527.
8.Gupte,p.15
9.Padmanabha,P.(1973).District
CensusHandbook,Series14,
Mysore:NorthKanara.Govt.
Press,forIndia(Republic).
OfficeoftheDirectorofCensus
Operations.p.142.Retrieved
20100528.
10.Gupte,p.16
11.GazetteeroftheBombay
Presidency,Volume15,Part2.
Govt.CentralPress.1883.
p.299.Retrieved20100528.
12.Abram,p.260
13."FamosGaneshatemples".
Retrieved20100528.
14.Bezbaruah,MadanPrasadDr.
KrishnaGopa(2003).Fairsand
FestivalsofIndia:Andhra
Pradesh,Karnataka.GyanPub.
House.
15."TheBhandikeriMathat
Gokarna".ShriChitrapurMath.
Retrieved20100528.
16."KarwarTaluk".KumptaTaluk:
Gokarna.nationalInformatics
Centre.Retrieved20100528.

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