This is the 267th Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the only sthalam in
Thuluva Nadu on the Arabian Sea shore. This place can be spelled as Ko+Karnam-பசு+காது and obtained
this name as per the sthala purana. This place was also called Rudra Yoni Varunavartham and Kokaranam during the Thirugnanasambandar period. Now Called Gokarna.
In
Periyapuranam Sekkizhar records that, Thirugnanasambandar has sung the hymns on
Lord Shiva of this temple, Indraneela Parvatham, and North Kailash / Mount Kailash from Kalahasti, without visiting
these temples. But, In Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal Puranam, Appar came to this
temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Srisailam, and Thirusilambai on the way to
Shiva’s abode Kailash, came to this temple. In that Sekkizhar also mentions that Appar had crossed Telugu
and reached Kannada since Gokarna is in Uttara Kannada.
கூற்று
உதைத்தார் மகிழ்ந்த கோகரணம் பாடிக் குலவு
திருப்பதத்தின் கொள்கைபாடி
Thirugnanasambandar
and Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal have sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of
this temple.
என்றும்அரி யான்அயல வர்க்குஇயல் இசைப்பொருள்கள்
ஆகிஎனதுள்சந்திரனுந்
தண்புனலுஞ் சந்தித் தான்காண் தாழ்சடையான்காண்
சார்ந்தார்க் கமுதா னான்காண்அந்தரதி
லசுரர்புரம் மூன்றட் டான்காண் அவ்வுருவி
லவ்வுருவ மாயி னான்காண்பந்தரத்து
நான்மறைகள் பாடி னான்காண் பலபலவும் பாணி
பயில்கின் றான்காண்மந்திரத்து
மறைப்பொருளு மாயி னான்காண் மாகடல்சூழ் கோகரணம் மன்னி னானே......
திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்
In
Angamala Thirupathigam Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal has sung like this...
கால்களாற்
பயனென் கறைகண்டான் உறை கோயில்கோலக்கோபுரக் கோகரணம் சூழாக், கால்களாற் பயனென்”......
திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்“கோபலத்திற்காண்பரிய கோகரணம்
கோயில் கொண்டமாபலத்து மாபலமா
மாபலமே........ திரு
அருட்பா Moolavar : Sri Mahabaleshwar, Sri Piranalingeswarar, Sri Aatma LingeswararConsort : Sri Gokarneswari, Sri Tamra Gowri
Some of the salient features of this temple are…The temple architecture is similar to Kerala-style architecture with wood and Mangalore
tiles. Rishaba is in front of the sanctum. Moolavar faces west and there
are entrances on the south and west sides. Moolavar atma Linga is about 6 feet
tall surrounded by a square saligrama peeta. The lings are very small like betel
nuts and can be touched through a hole in the / saligrama peeta / avudayar.
Devotees can do abhishekam and pooja to the moolavar through their own hands.
In
prakaram Thathreyar and Adi Gokarneswara, Vinayagar with two hands, Chandikeswarar and Mahisasura Marthini. Devi Parvati in this temple is Ambal Tamra Gowri in
a separate Temple on the east side of the main temple. Ambal is in a standing
posture with two hands. The entrance doors are flanked by ornate adornments. Paintings
of Nava Durga are on the walls of Ambal Temple.
There is
a Vinayagar sannidhi on the east side of the temple and there is a scar on his
head due to Ravana’s hit. He played the main in spoiling the attempt of taking
the Atma Linga to Sri Lanka by Ravana.
ARCHITECTUREThe gateway to the temple looks like a mansion with two floors. The Sanctum Sanctorum
consists of Sanctum, ardha mandapam and a maha mandapam. The
Temple from adhistana to prastaram was constructed with stone. A
Dravida stucco vimana is over the sanctum sanctorum without many stucco
images, except in the greevam. However, the architecture seems to be a mixture of North
Indian and Dravidian architecture.
The Atma Linga is enclosed within the Saligrama
Peeta and is about 6 feet tall. The Corridor
has a Mangalore tiled roof enclosure.
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HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
The
temple had contributions from Hoysalas, Vijayanagar, and Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji.
LEGENDS
The Sthala Purana is connected to this temple and Murudeshwar Temple. Ravana aka
Lingeswara wants to attain immortality like Deavas. It was known
to him that immortality could be achieved by worshiping Atma Linga ( Soul of Lord
Shiva ) belonged to Lord Shiva. So Ravana Prayed to Lord Shiva with devotion
Pleased by his prayers Lord Shiva, appeared and asked him what he wanted. In the
meantime, Narada requested Mahavishnu to change the mind of Ravana. As a result
of this Ravana asked Ma Parvati instead of Atma Linga. Lord Shiva gave Ma
Parvati and took her to Sri Lanka. On his way, Narada said that Lord Shiva had
not given the Real Parvati and she was at Patala Loka. Ravana released ma
Parvati went to Patala loka married the King's daughter and went to Sri
Lanka. When his mother asked for the Atma Linga, Ravana realized the foul play
of Narada and Maha Vishnu
So again
Ravana prayed to Lord Shiva and requested him to pardon him for asking Ma Parvati.
This time Ravana asked for the Atma Linga as a boon to worship Lord Shiva in
Sri Lanka. If Shiva Linga is installed and worshiped in Sri Lanka, Ravana will
become more powerful, so, Devas requested Vinayaga to stop him. Lord Shiva gave
the Atma Linga on one condition the Atma Linga should never be placed on
the ground, if placed cannot be lifted back and all powers will return to
Lord Shiva. Happy to receive the atma, Linga, Ravana started back to Sri Lanka.
This
time, Narada seeks Sri Vinayaga’s help to stop Ravana. When Ravana was nearing
Gokarna, Mahavishnu made that place dark with his Chakra. So, Ravana stopped at
this place to carry out the evening prayer
ie Sandhyavandanam. So, Ravana searched for somebody to keep the Shiva Linga on
hand. Vinayagar took the form of a small Brahmin Boy and appeared before him. Ravana
asked the Brahmin boy to hold the Shiva Linga and not to keep it on the ground
till he returned back after the prayer. Vinayagar
said that he would call three times if Ravana
didn’t turn up, and he would place the Shiva Linga on the ground. Agreed Ravana
went to carry out the evening prayer (In some legends it states that Ravana
went to Urinate). Before he returned, Vinayagar called Ravana three times and
placed the Shiva Linga on the ground.
On
return, Ravana found that the Shiva Linga is on the ground. He tried to take it out
from the ground using all his strength ( Maha Balam), but he couldn’t do so.
Instead, the Shiva Linga had transformed – குழைந்து- like a cow’s ear. Hence this place
obtained the Name Go+karnam-Gokarna. Since Ravana used all his strength (
Maha Balam மகா பலம்
), Lord Shiva in this temple is called Mahabaleshwar. Ravana got angry and
hit on the Brahmin boy’s head. Still, there was a Vinayagar temple at the beginning
of the street Ravana hit Mark on the head. 
Vinayagar Temple
The temple is considered one of the 7 Mukti stalls
of Karnataka. The other six temples are Udupi, Subramanya, Kollur, Kumbasi Sankaranarayanan, and Koteshwara.
This temple is also considered one of the Baskara
Sthalam. The Sun rays fall on moolavar during evening hours three days a year. The rest are Kasi, Pushpagiri, Kanchipuram, Srisailam, Sethu and
Kedarnath. Devotees have to take a bath first in the Kodi Theertham and then in the Sea.
After giving pindam to their ancestors they have to take a bath once again and
worship Lord Mahabaleshwar. It will be auspicious to do this ritual on
Amavasya days.
POOJAS
AND CELEBRATIONSApart from regular Poojas, Shravan ( Mondays – a celebration of the start of southwest Monsoon ) and Maha Shivaratri are celebrated in a grand manner with the
participation of thousands of Devotees. The speciality of this temple is, that the
devotees can perform Abhishekam to the Shiva Linga through their own hands
TEMPLE
TIMINGSThe Temple will be kept open between 06.00 hrs to
12.30 Hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.
CONTACT
DETAILS The
temple website: CLICK HERE Contact: Administrator,Shri Samsthana Mahabala Deva,Post: Gokarna, U.T,KarnatakaPhone: +91 9482331354 / 08386-257956E-Mail: info@srigokarna.org
HOW TO REACH Gokarna
is on the train route from Mangalore to Goa and about 5 km from the Railway station. Buses
are available from Udupi and Mangalore.The
Temple is 78 km from Murdeshwar, 133 km from Goa, 177 km from Udupi, 236 km from Mangalore, 281 km from Dharmasthala, and 840 km from Chennai.Nearest
Railway Station is Gokarna Road and the nearest Junction is Mangalore.
LOCATION
OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
Western entrance - the fig above is the swayambhu Linga 
Adi Sankara 
Adi Sankara
Beach
Hillside Temple
Hillside Temple
Hillside Temple
Hillside Temple
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கூற்று
உதைத்தார் மகிழ்ந்த கோகரணம் பாடிக் குலவு
திருப்பதத்தின் கொள்கைபாடி
என்றும்அரி யான்அயல வர்க்குஇயல் இசைப்பொருள்கள்
ஆகிஎனதுள்
சந்திரனுந்
தண்புனலுஞ் சந்தித் தான்காண்
....... திரு
அருட்பா
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HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
LEGENDS
This
time, Narada seeks Sri Vinayaga’s help to stop Ravana. When Ravana was nearing
Gokarna, Mahavishnu made that place dark with his Chakra. So, Ravana stopped at
this place to carry out the evening prayer
ie Sandhyavandanam. So, Ravana searched for somebody to keep the Shiva Linga on
hand. Vinayagar took the form of a small Brahmin Boy and appeared before him. Ravana
asked the Brahmin boy to hold the Shiva Linga and not to keep it on the ground
till he returned back after the prayer. Vinayagar
said that he would call three times if Ravana
didn’t turn up, and he would place the Shiva Linga on the ground. Agreed Ravana
went to carry out the evening prayer (In some legends it states that Ravana
went to Urinate). Before he returned, Vinayagar called Ravana three times and
placed the Shiva Linga on the ground.
Vinayagar Temple
This temple is also considered one of the Baskara
Sthalam. The Sun rays fall on moolavar during evening hours three days a year. The rest are Kasi, Pushpagiri, Kanchipuram, Srisailam, Sethu and
Kedarnath. Devotees have to take a bath first in the Kodi Theertham and then in the Sea.
After giving pindam to their ancestors they have to take a bath once again and
worship Lord Mahabaleshwar. It will be auspicious to do this ritual on
Amavasya days.
Western entrance - the fig above is the swayambhu Linga
Adi Sankara
Adi Sankara
Beach
Hillside Temple
Hillside Temple
Hillside Temple
Hillside Temple
PC: Web site