Atma-Lingam

Atma-Lingam

• A subtle aspect of the Shiva-lingam that everyone can feel in their own soul. Symbol of the formless, all-pervading self.

• Lingam, which belongs personally to Shiva.

• Embodied essence of Shiva.

The story of AtmaAtman-linga has its roots in "Ramayana" and the legend of Ravana.

The demonic king of Lanka, Ravana, performed austerities on Mount Kailash in order to receive Atma-lingam, a divine lingam that endows the owner with immortality and great power. During austerities, the demon cut off his own heads and sacrificed them to Shiva. Shiva, the patron saint of ascetics, was pleased with Ravana's penance and granted him what he desired. At the same time, the sage Narada, realizing that Ravana could acquire unprecedented strength from the Atma-linga, decided to stop him. Knowing exactly what he would ask, Narada asked Lord Vishnu to cloud the mind of Ravana. As a result of this insanity, Ravana instead of Atma-Lingam asked Goddess Parvati for his wife and Shiva gave her to the King of Lanka.

Heading back to Lanka with Parvati, Ravana met Narada, and learned from him that the Lord had given him a fake Parvati, and the real one is actually now in Patala. Annoyed, Ravana let go of his companion and went to Patala to marry the king's daughter, now assuming that she is the real Parvati.

He then returned to Lanka with his new wife, where his mother, Kaikeshi, recalled that his original desire was the Atma-Lingam. Here Ravana realizes that he was bewitched by Vishnu-Maya. Again he went to offer prayers to Shiva, begging for forgiveness. And this time again Shiva was satisfied with Ravana's austerity and rewarded him with Atma-lingam, but with the condition that the Lingam should never touch the ground before returning to Lanka, otherwise it will remain forever where it was placed.

The Devas and Narada, knowing that Ravana could gain immortality and cause chaos on Earth, again turned to Ganesha and Vishnu for help. Vishnu, by his power, made the sun take on the form of the evening one and Ravana started to think about how to carry out his daily evening rituals, but he was hindered by the Lingam in his hand. Ganesha took the form of a little Brahmin tending cows, and just by chance drove his herd away from Ravana.

Ravana turned to the Brahmin for help and he agreed to help holding the Atma-linga, on the condition that he would still put the Atma-linga on the ground if he called Ravana vainly for three times. Ravana believed the little boy and left to perform his evening ritual. Ganesha, choosing the most opportune moment, called very quickly to Ravana three times, put Linga on the ground and hurried away with his herd. Ravana, returning, saw the Lingam on the ground and the last cow of the herd disappearing underground. In anger, he tried to lift the Linga, but without success. Chasing the Brahmin boy and his herd, all he could do was grab the last cow by the ear.

Since then, the place where the Atma-linga is installed has been called "Gokarna", i.e. Ear of a cow, and the temple in which it is installed is Mahabaleshvar.