The Story of the Atma Linga

Hi!!! Today I'll be telling the story of the Atma Linga. The Atma Linga is said to be Shiva's soul, caught in a small, black carved rock in the shape of a tall semicircle, with a lamp-like structure under it. It looks like this:

Today's story is about how Ganesha duped Ravana for the Atma Linga. Here we go...

There once was a king called Ravana. He was the king of the asuras (aka the Demons!!) A Brahmin by caste, Ravana was the most smart and knowledgeable man of his time! A great scholar, a veena maestro and an efficient ruler, Ravana was treated well in his capital, Lanka. And he treated his subjects well, too. He had ten heads, each representing his knowledge of the six Shastras and the four Vedas. But, even the knowledge of these scriptures wasn't able to provide him with the virtue which was needed to keep his pride in check. Ravana always wanted more from life. He wanted to be the most powerful person in the three realms (Earth, Heaven and Hell). This greed of Ravana's was inextinguishable. He wanted immortality and invincibility. He wanted to stop death running towards him. If he was immortal, Death couldn't catch up to him. He would run from Death forever. And ever. And ever.

As Ravana continued his search for immortality, He came across a piece of information. He got to know that at the top of Mt. Kailash, in the abode of Lord Shiva, was the Atma Linga. Shiva owned the Atma Linga. It was a piece of his soul, stuffed into a linga. He who possesses the Atma Linga shall gain immortality and invincibility. He won't be questioned of his power ever. He would be the most powerful being in the whole universe!!! Ravana was elated. "Aaaahhh… If I obtain the Atma Linga, then I will be the most powerful being in the whole universe!! MwaHaHaHa!!!" Ravana let out an evil laugh.

Ravana decided that he would have to please the Lord by meditating for him. He stood on a smaller peak of Mount Kailash, and raised his arms. He stood on one leg, and chanted, "Om Nama Shivaya…" He continued to do this for an hour. Then a day. Then a week. He continued to do tapas for months on end, until he lost his patience. "O Lord, why haven't you turned up in front of me? Why, O Lord?" Then, he thought, "Maybe he didn't want penance only. He wanted a sacrifice." He looked around. There were no living things around him in the icy terrain. He had no choice. "Kkkchaccckkk!!!!!" His sword went through one of his heads. He picked up the fallen head from the blood-stained floor, "I offer this to you, my lord." He portrayed the head up to the skies. No one came. He chopped one more. The same reaction. No Shiva. He cut off another head. Shiva didn't come. Ravana screamed, "Why are you doing this to me?" into the skies.

He cut off nine of his heads, and there was no reply from Shiva. He was ready to sacrifice his last head, the one with his life stored in it. He was drawing his crimson sword and placed it next to his neck. He swore to himself, "If Lord Shiva doesn't come, I shall slit my throat!" He waited for another five minutes. His sword was squeezing his neck now. A small trickle of blood came out of his neck. A flash of light blinded Ravana. He dropped his sword and covered his eyes. A blue figure flew out of the light. Around his neck, a green snake with a giant hood hissed. Tigerskin draped his waist. His six-pack ABS bounced the rays of light of them, like a pinball machine. He stared at Ravana. It was Shiva. His feet landed on the red, icy floor. " O Ravana, you have pleased me with your penance. Ask for anything, and I shall give it to you." 

Ravan bowed down to Shiva's feet. " My Lord, I bow down to you. I feel elated to have you in my presence. I shall ask for only one thing. I would like the Atma Linga." Shiva was shocked! No one had ever asked for the Atma Linga. But, Shiva was true to his word. He gave a black linga, with kumkum applied on the front. " But, I have a condition. You must not put the linga down before you reach Lanka, otherwise, it will take root there and never shall you be able to lift it up again," said Shiva. Ravana heartily accepted the Atma Linga. He once again bowed down to Shiva and ran down from the mountain. He joyfully sang a little tune to himself as he went down.

As he walked down, he saw the gods hurdled up in a small conference. He boastfully walked through the group and said, "Look! I have the Atma Linga!! HaHaHa!!" The gods were shocked. They all ran around in a tizzy. Bramha had an idea. "Let's go to Ganesha! He'll know what to do!!" They all ran to Ganesha, who was busy eating laddoos under a tree with Mooshika, his rat. "What seems to be the problem? I want to eat my laddoos in peace," said Ganesha. Then, Bramha explained the whole incident to Ganesha. "Ooohhohho... So I have to stop Ravana? Ok, let's have some fun!"

Ravana was walking along the west coast of India, and he saw the sunset. He was shocked! "Wow! I have travelled for so long!!" He remembered that he had to perform sandhyavandhana, the evening prayers. He settled down near the coast, and suddenly realized. "Oh no!! I forgot!! I can't keep the Atma Linga down!! But I must perform the prayers!!!! Oh, what do I do!!!!" He sat down in a dilemma. Just then, a small Brahmin boy, who was walking his cow, came to Ravana. "Hello, sir. You look sad. would you like any help?" Ravana was overjoyed. "O boy, you have saved me!!! Please do hold on to this linga. Whatever you do, don't put it down on the floor!! DO NOT PUT IT DOWN!!!" He pleaded the boy. He thrust it in his hands and got ready to do the sandhyavandhana. 

As Ravana was performing the rituals, the boy shouted, "O Ravana!! Do you know who I am? I am Ganesha, Shiva's son!" Ravana turned around and saw that the brahmin boy had transformed into an elephant-headed boy!!! Ganesha dropped the Atma Linga onto the floor. It got stuck on the floor, and Ravana could never take it back to Lanka with him ever again. He screamed in agony, "NOOOOOO!!!!!!!" and tried to chase Ganesha, who was running away with his cow. Ravana managed to catch up to them. He tried to catch the cow, but Ganesha had teleported somewhere else, magically, with his cow (Who was actually Nandi). Ravana only managed to get a hold on one of Nandi's ears. He wailed in dismay. His lifelong dream had now been shattered to pieces.

Moral: Evil will ultimately fail.

Fun Fact Nº 1: The place where Ravana pulled off Nandi's ear is called Gokarna (Go - cow and Karna - ear)

Fun Fact Nº 2: The linga in Gokarna was called Mahabaleshwar, because even the mighty Shiva couldn't lift it! (Maha - very, Bala - strong and Eshwar - Shiva)

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