Rāmeśvara: Rāma's Earthen Liṅga

The next of the twelve

Sūta turned to the sages and said: Now I will tell you how the Jyotirliṅga called Rāmeśvara came to be, long ago. Listen carefully and with respect.

Sītā is taken

In an earlier age, Sūta began, Viṣṇu — dear to all good people — came down to earth as Rāma. In that time Rāvaṇa, a demon full of great sorcery, carried off Rāma's wife Sītā, the daughter of Janaka, and took her away to his own city of Laṅkā.

Searching for her, Rāma came to the city of Kiṣkindhā. There he made friends with Sugrīva and killed Vālī. He stayed there for a time, still bent on finding Sītā, talking over what to do with Lakṣmaṇa, Sugrīva and the others. Then the prince sent Hanumān and the other leading monkeys out in all four directions to look for her.

In time Hanumān, best of the monkeys, came back with the news: Sītā was in Laṅkā. He brought with him her crest-jewel, the cūḍāmaṇi, and when Rāma received it he was filled with joy.

At the edge of the salt sea

So Rāma set out for the sea with Hanumān, Lakṣmaṇa, Sugrīva and a vast host of monkeys — the Purāṇa numbers them at eighteen padmas, all of them strong and full of merit. He came to the shore of the southern ocean, the sea of salt water, and there he halted. The Purāṇa calls him “Śiva's beloved”, and says he stood on that shore served by Lakṣmaṇa and the monkeys.

But looking out over the water, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa were troubled. Where has Jānakī gone, Rāma thought aloud, and when will we find her? This sea is bottomless, and our monkey army has no way to cross it. Rāvaṇa is enormously strong — he once lifted Kailāsa itself. Laṅkā is a fortress no one can reach. And his son Meghanāda has defeated even Indra.

As the two brothers turned these things over, Aṅgada and the other monkeys who followed them gathered round and comforted them, and gave them heart.

A cup of water

Just then Rāma — whom the Purāṇa calls a great devotee of Śiva — felt thirsty. He turned to his brother kindly and said: Lakṣmaṇa, my brave brother, I am thirsty and I need water. Send some of the monkeys to bring it quickly.

The monkeys scattered in all ten directions in search of water. They came back with it, stood before Rāma, bowed, and said: Master, at your command we have brought water — cool, sweet, refreshing, the very best. Please take it.

Rāma was delighted. He looked at them with affection and took the water in his own hands.

But the moment he raised it to drink, a thought came to him — and the Purāṇa says it came by Śiva's own will. I have not yet had the darśana of my own Lord, Sadāśiva, the Supreme Lord who gives every joy. How can I drink this water before that?

The earthen liṅga

So, before drinking, Rāma performed pārthiva pūjā — the worship of Śiva in a liṅga shaped from earth. He worshipped Śiva lovingly and according to the rite, offering all sixteen upacāras, beginning with the invocation. Only after that did the son of Raghu drink the water.

Then he bowed and sang divine hymns, taking great care to please Śiva. And when Śiva was pleased, Rāma, glad at heart and full of devotion, began to pray to Śaṅkara.

Rāma's prayer

Lord, Rāma said, Śambhu, Mahādeva, you who love your devotees — protect me. I am your devotee, I have come to you for shelter, and my heart is in pain.

You carry people across the ocean of the world, he went on. But the water of this ocean is bottomless, and the demon called Rāvaṇa is a mighty warrior of enormous strength. All I have to fight with is an army of restless monkeys. How will this task of mine be done, so that I can win back my beloved?

Help me in this, O God, faithful to your vows, Rāma said. Without your help, my Lord, it can hardly be done. And this Rāvaṇa is your great devotee too. No one in any world can defeat him. Proud of the boon you gave him, he has become a great hero, the conqueror of the three worlds.

But I too am your servant, Sadāśiva, he said, wholly in your hands. Think of that — and take my side.

Victory cries and a dance

Having prayed like this, Rāma bowed to Śiva again and again and cried out at the top of his voice: Victory to you, Śaṅkara! Victory to you!

Then, dwelling on the meaning of the mantras, he worshipped Śiva once more — and danced before his Lord. Overflowing with love, he began to make music with his cheeks, as Śiva's devotees do. And at that, the Purāṇa says, Śiva was supremely pleased.

Śiva appears

At once Maheśvara, made of light, appeared there in a pure form, just as the scriptures describe him, with Pārvatī at his left side and his attendant gaṇas around him. Delighted by Rāma's devotion, he said: Blessings on you, Rāma. Ask for a boon.

Everyone who saw that form, the Purāṇa says, was made pure by the sight. Rāma, devoted to Śiva's dharma, worshipped him there in person. He praised him in many ways, bowed to him joyfully, and asked for victory in his battle with Rāvaṇa.

Pleased with Rāma's devotion, Maheśvara spoke again: Victory be yours, great king.

“Stay here”

Rāma had received the boon of victory, and Śiva's leave to go. But he bowed his head, folded his hands and made one more request. Lord, Śaṅkara, he said, if you are pleased with me, then stay here — to make the world holy, and for the good of others.

At these words Śiva stayed there in the form of a liṅga, and became famous on earth under the name Rāmeśvara.

Then, by that same Lord's power, Rāma crossed the ocean quickly and without effort. He killed Rāvaṇa and the other rākṣasas, and won back his beloved Sītā.

The glory of Rāmeśvara

The greatness of Rāmeśvara on this earth, the Purāṇa says, is wonderful and without limit. This liṅga gives both the joys of the world and liberation, and it always fulfils the wishes of those who love it.

Whoever, with deep devotion, bathes the liṅga called Śrī Rāmeśvara with the holy water of the Gaṅgā becomes free while still living. In this world he enjoys every pleasure, even those the gods find hard to come by; and at the end he gains the highest knowledge and, without doubt, reaches kaivalya — final liberation.

So, Sūta told the sages, I have described to you Rāmeśvara, the divine Jyotirliṅga of Śiva. This telling of its greatness destroys the sins of all who listen to it.