The Mahabaleshwar Temple, Gokarna is a Hindu temple located in Gokarna, in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. A Pranalinga (Pranalinga is defined as “the reality of God which can be apprehended by the mind) also known as Atmalinga or Shiva Linga is deified in the temple. The Temple is facing the city beach of the Arabian Sea in Gokarna. The temple is considered as pious as the Shiva temple at Varanasi or Kashi in North India on the banks of the Ganges River and hence is known as the Dakshin Kasi (South Kasi).
Mahabaleshwara Temple, Gokarna is around 1500 years old and is mentioned in two epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. It is considered as one of the seven Mukti Kshetras of India and on par with Lord Shiva’s two other abodes, Varanasi on the Ganges and Mount Kailash in the Himalayas.
The temple enshrines Mahabaleshwar, the six foot tall swayambu (self-manifested) Shivalingam in a square Saligrama Peetha (black stone pedestal). The linga can be seen only once in 40 years, when the Ashta Bandana Kumbhahishekam is performed.
Goddess Uma is fondly called Thaamira Gowri (the fair lady of the lotus). Representations of Gods like Chandikeswara, Aadi Gokarneswara, Gokarnanayagi and Dattatreya can also be seen in the Mahabaleshwar Temple in 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. The distraught mother of Ravana went on a hunger strike as her devotional worship of Shiva was disrupted. Ravana then
promised his mother that he would go to Mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva, and bring the main Atmalinga itself for her worship. 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. Shiva pleased with all this devotional worship agreed to bestow boons to Ravana. Ravana, pleased with the promise of Shiva,
asked for the Atmalinga and also a wife for himself, as pretty as Uma (mother of creation), Shiva's wife. Shiva then took out the Atma Linga, brightly shining like the Sun,from his own heart and gave it to Ravana with strict instructions that it should not be placed on ground till it was deified at a final destination. As regards the second request for a beautiful wife, Shiva offered his own wife to Ravana, as in his view there was no other woman more beautiful than Uma, his wife.
Ravana, blinded by his infatuation for Uma, accepted her and carried her off on his shoulder along with the Atmalinga. He went south towards his kingdom. This created an alarm and fear among the various gods in heaven. Ganesha, Skanda (warrior god) and Virabhadra, sons of Shiva and Parvati were perturbed. Nandi, the bull was equally surprised by this development. All of them appealed to Shiva for redress from this unwarranted situation. Shiva told them not worry and promised that Lord Vishnu would redeem the situation.
Uma, who was ordered by Shiva to go with Ravana, then appealed to Lord Vishnu for help. Vishnu agreed and he met Ravana at Gokarna, disguised as an aged, frail looking
Brahmin. The Brahmin asked Ravana as to how he was carrying such a lovely woman on his shoulders. Ravana, in his enthusiasm, explained that Shiva of Kailash himself
had given her to him. Pleased with the Brahmin's words of praise, Ravana brought her down to have a look at her charming face. This was his undoing as at that moment,
Vishnu played a trick and made Uma look haggard, aged and repulsive. The Brahmin then gave a derisive laugh and made a humiliating remark of Ravana's choice of the lady. Thus humiliated, Ravana deserted Uma and went back to Kailash to complain and plead with Shiva. Vishnu then asked Uma to settle down at Gokarna. Now, she is worshipped in Gokarna, as Mother Bhadrakali.
Then Vishnu created an illusion of a charming girl in front of Ravana and assured him that this girl would be born as Mandodari, daughter of Mayasura and marry him.
Mollified by this promise, Ravana returned carrying the Atmalinga. On the way, he met Ganesha in the garb of a cowherd (by the request of lord indra) at the same location
where he had deserted Uma. At that moment Ravana wanted urgently to attend the call of nature - (laghushanka) and he, therefore, requested Ganesha to hold the Atmalinga in his hand till he returned after ablutions. There is another version to the legend at this point. It is said that Ravana, being a Brahmin wanted to offer his evening religious prayers,Sandhyavandanam, and he, therefore, requested Ganesha, who appeared before him as a Brahmin boy, to hold on to the Atmalinga till he returned; with strict instructions to Ganesha not to place it on the ground under any circumstance.
However, Ravana could not come within the specified time. Ganesha called out thrice rapidly for Ravana. Even before Ravana could return, 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 only, 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,meaning "Cow's 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 Mahabaleshwar (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 or Shiva Linga that is deified in the Mahabaleshwar Temple; and the Goddess Bhadrakali,
which are all now divine places of worship integral to Gokarna.
Festival :-Shivaratri festival, observance of the union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati is celebrated in the temple town in February, when a very large number of pilgrims visit the Tmple. During this festival, Rathyatra (Rath is a large wooden chariot) is also held when images of Shiva and other deities are installed in the chariot and it is then ceremonially pulled through the town by devotees, accompanied by the drum bands. The Rathayatra starts from the Shri Maha Ganapati Temple at the terminus of the main market street, also known as the 'Car Street'.
Temple Address :-
Samsthana Shree Mahabaleshwara Deva, Gokarna
Post Gokarna, Kumta Taluk,
Uttara Kannada District – 581 326
Karnataka
Cont:- 08386 – 257956, 257955
+91 9482331354
How To Go:-
Gokarna is well-connected to Bangalore, Mangalore and Karwar. Regular buses ply from Kumata, Karwar, Goa and Mangalore.
View Larger Map
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| Temple Entry |
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| Top View of Temple |
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| Temple Area |
Mahabaleshwara Temple, Gokarna is around 1500 years old and is mentioned in two epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. It is considered as one of the seven Mukti Kshetras of India and on par with Lord Shiva’s two other abodes, Varanasi on the Ganges and Mount Kailash in the Himalayas.
The temple enshrines Mahabaleshwar, the six foot tall swayambu (self-manifested) Shivalingam in a square Saligrama Peetha (black stone pedestal). The linga can be seen only once in 40 years, when the Ashta Bandana Kumbhahishekam is performed.
Goddess Uma is fondly called Thaamira Gowri (the fair lady of the lotus). Representations of Gods like Chandikeswara, Aadi Gokarneswara, Gokarnanayagi and Dattatreya can also be seen in the Mahabaleshwar Temple in 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. The distraught mother of Ravana went on a hunger strike as her devotional worship of Shiva was disrupted. Ravana then
promised his mother that he would go to Mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva, and bring the main Atmalinga itself for her worship. 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. Shiva pleased with all this devotional worship agreed to bestow boons to Ravana. Ravana, pleased with the promise of Shiva,
asked for the Atmalinga and also a wife for himself, as pretty as Uma (mother of creation), Shiva's wife. Shiva then took out the Atma Linga, brightly shining like the Sun,from his own heart and gave it to Ravana with strict instructions that it should not be placed on ground till it was deified at a final destination. As regards the second request for a beautiful wife, Shiva offered his own wife to Ravana, as in his view there was no other woman more beautiful than Uma, his wife.
Ravana, blinded by his infatuation for Uma, accepted her and carried her off on his shoulder along with the Atmalinga. He went south towards his kingdom. This created an alarm and fear among the various gods in heaven. Ganesha, Skanda (warrior god) and Virabhadra, sons of Shiva and Parvati were perturbed. Nandi, the bull was equally surprised by this development. All of them appealed to Shiva for redress from this unwarranted situation. Shiva told them not worry and promised that Lord Vishnu would redeem the situation.
Uma, who was ordered by Shiva to go with Ravana, then appealed to Lord Vishnu for help. Vishnu agreed and he met Ravana at Gokarna, disguised as an aged, frail looking
Brahmin. The Brahmin asked Ravana as to how he was carrying such a lovely woman on his shoulders. Ravana, in his enthusiasm, explained that Shiva of Kailash himself
had given her to him. Pleased with the Brahmin's words of praise, Ravana brought her down to have a look at her charming face. This was his undoing as at that moment,
Vishnu played a trick and made Uma look haggard, aged and repulsive. The Brahmin then gave a derisive laugh and made a humiliating remark of Ravana's choice of the lady. Thus humiliated, Ravana deserted Uma and went back to Kailash to complain and plead with Shiva. Vishnu then asked Uma to settle down at Gokarna. Now, she is worshipped in Gokarna, as Mother Bhadrakali.
Then Vishnu created an illusion of a charming girl in front of Ravana and assured him that this girl would be born as Mandodari, daughter of Mayasura and marry him.
Mollified by this promise, Ravana returned carrying the Atmalinga. On the way, he met Ganesha in the garb of a cowherd (by the request of lord indra) at the same location
where he had deserted Uma. At that moment Ravana wanted urgently to attend the call of nature - (laghushanka) and he, therefore, requested Ganesha to hold the Atmalinga in his hand till he returned after ablutions. There is another version to the legend at this point. It is said that Ravana, being a Brahmin wanted to offer his evening religious prayers,Sandhyavandanam, and he, therefore, requested Ganesha, who appeared before him as a Brahmin boy, to hold on to the Atmalinga till he returned; with strict instructions to Ganesha not to place it on the ground under any circumstance.
However, Ravana could not come within the specified time. Ganesha called out thrice rapidly for Ravana. Even before Ravana could return, 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 only, 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,meaning "Cow's 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 Mahabaleshwar (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 or Shiva Linga that is deified in the Mahabaleshwar Temple; and the Goddess Bhadrakali,
which are all now divine places of worship integral to Gokarna.
Festival :-Shivaratri festival, observance of the union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati is celebrated in the temple town in February, when a very large number of pilgrims visit the Tmple. During this festival, Rathyatra (Rath is a large wooden chariot) is also held when images of Shiva and other deities are installed in the chariot and it is then ceremonially pulled through the town by devotees, accompanied by the drum bands. The Rathayatra starts from the Shri Maha Ganapati Temple at the terminus of the main market street, also known as the 'Car Street'.
Temple Address :-
Samsthana Shree Mahabaleshwara Deva, Gokarna
Post Gokarna, Kumta Taluk,
Uttara Kannada District – 581 326
Karnataka
Cont:- 08386 – 257956, 257955
+91 9482331354
How To Go:-
Gokarna is well-connected to Bangalore, Mangalore and Karwar. Regular buses ply from Kumata, Karwar, Goa and Mangalore.
View Larger Map
The nearest airports are Dabolim at Goa and Mangalore International Airport at Bajpe.
Gokarna can be reached by buses and maxicabs from Kumta (30 km), Ankola (26 km) and Karwar (59 km) on National Highway 17( NH-17 ).
Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) also runs long-journey buses from many cities like Panaji, Bangalore and Mangalore.
Private buses (Vijayanand Roadlines - VRL, Sugama, Sea Bird, etc.) operate night journeys from the capital city of Bangalore to Gokarna daily.
The railway station ( called Gokarna Road ) is 6 km away from the town. The station also has a retiring room at a nominal price.
Many important trains like Matsyagandha Express have a halt here.
It can be reached by train Konkan Railway on the Mumbai to Mangalore route.
Near By Places:- Gokarna Beach -Gokarna
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