Once upon a time, Ravana, the mighty king of Lanka, was a devout follower of Lord Shiva. He desired the Atma Linga, a powerful symbol of Shiva’s essence, to gain immortality and invincibility. After intense penance, Shiva granted his wish but with a condition: Ravana must not place the Atma Linga on the ground until he reached Lanka.
As Ravana journeyed back, the gods grew anxious. They knew Ravana’s intentions could spell trouble. Lord Vishnu devised a plan and created an illusion of dusk, compelling Ravana to perform his evening rituals. Ravana, unable to place the Atma Linga on the ground, sought help.
Enter Lord Ganesha, disguised as a young Brahmin boy. Ravana requested the boy to hold the Atma Linga while he performed his rituals. Ganesha agreed but warned that he would call Ravana thrice and if he didn’t return, he would place the Atma Linga on the ground.
As Ravana got engrossed in his rituals, Ganesha called out his name thrice in quick succession and placed the Atma Linga on the ground. When Ravana returned, he was devastated to see the Atma Linga firmly rooted to the spot. Despite his efforts, he couldn’t move it. The place where this happened is known as Gokarna, meaning “cow’s ear,” as Ravana could only hold onto a cow’s ear in his frustration.
This clever act by Lord Ganesha ensured that the Atma Linga remained in India, preventing Ravana from misusing its power.
We hope you found this post helpful and we’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, suggestions, or feedback, please feel free to share them below. Your input is invaluable to us and helps us improve our content. Also, if there’s a new topic you’re interested in or you’d like us to explore further, don’t hesitate to let us know. And if you enjoyed this article, please like, share, and subscribe for more updates. Your support means the world to us!
Let's hear it!