Chapter 44 - The Installation of the Liṅga of Rāmanātha

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

The sages said:

1-4. O Sūta, O knower of the true meaning of the Vedas, you have crossed the ocean of (i.e. have attained mastery over the vast learning of) the Purāṇas. You have dispelled all inauspicious things by prostrating at the lotus-like feet of Vyāsa. You help all living beings by teaching them the contents of the Purāṇas. We have been blessed by you by your narration of the Purāṇas.

Now, O sage, by your narration of the greatness of Setu, we have become exceedingly blessed and contented, O highly intelligent disciple of Vyāsa. We wish to hear how Rāma, the son of Daśaratha, installed the Liṅga. Narrate it to us now.

Śrī Sūta said:

5. O eminent Brāhmaṇas, I shall now recount why the Liṅga was installed by Rāmacandra on the Gandhamādana mountain.

6-10. After his wife had been abducted by the powerful Rāvaṇa from the forest, Rāma, who was courageous and had great strength, reached Mahendra mountain along with Lakṣmaṇa and the army of the monkeys.^[1] He surveyed the ocean. The scion of the family of Raghu built the Setu on that boundless ocean. Thereby he went to the city of Laṅkā defended by Rāvaṇa.

Early in the full-moon night, after the sun had set, O Brāhmaṇas, Rāma climbed on the Suvela mountain along with his army.

Then, at night, the powerful son of the Sun-god saw the ruler of Laṅkā standing in the mansion and caused his crown to fall down. The demon whose crown was smashed, went within the abode.

11-16. After the lord of Laṅkā had gone within his abode, Rāma got down from the mountain top in the company of his younger brother (Lakṣmaṇa), Sugrīva as well as his army. The heroic Rāma deployed the army around Laṅkā.

As the (army of) monkeys were being arranged and established, the followers of Rāvaṇa, viz. Parvaṇa, Pūtana, Jṛṃbha, Khara, Krodhavaśa, Hari, Prāruja, Aruja, Prahasta and others rushed at them.

They were fully armed. They had huge bodies. They were accompanied by their soldiers. They attacked (the monkeys) while keeping themselves invisible. Then Bibhīṣaṇa dispelled the invisibility of those vicious ones (i.e. made them visible).

Being perceptible now to the powerful monkeys who could leap long distance, they were all killed by them. They fell down dead. Unable to brook this, Rāvaṇa set out with his army.

17-20. Removing those monkeys (from their positions) he destroyed them with his arrows. Rāghava then set out with his army well-arrayed and fought with the ten-headed demon, with great vehemence.

Then duels took place there. Indrajit, the son of Rāvaṇa, fought with Lakṣmaṇa. Virūpākṣa fought with Sugrīva. Kharvaṭa fought with Aṅgada, son of Tārā. Pauṇḍra fought with Nala. Puṭeśa fought with Panasa. The other monkeys too, of great heroism, fought duels with the Rākṣasas. The whole battle was tumultuous increasing fright within the cowards.

21. Shattered thus by the monkeys of dreadful valour, the Rākṣasas fled from the battlefield immediately to Laṅkā defended by Rāvaṇa.

22-23. When all the soldiers were thus shattered, Rāvaṇa sent his son Indrajit, O Brāhmaṇas. Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, the two sons of Daśaratha, were struck in the battle by Indrajit with exceedingly dreadful serpent-missiles. They were then liberated by the noble-souled son of Vinatā (Garuḍa).^[2]

24. Prahasta came there speedily. Hardy in battle that he was, he roared loudly and struck Bibhīṣaṇa with an iron club.

25. Though hit with that iron club of dreadful velocity that mighty and intelligent Bibhīṣaṇa did not tremble. He remained firm like the Himālaya mountain.

26. Bibhīṣaṇa took up a huge Śakti fitted with eight bells, consecrated it with Mantras, and hurled it at his head.

27. The head of that demon was taken away by that Śakti as it fell on him, just as the crown of a tree is smashed by the thunderbolt. The demon thus resembled a tree uprooted by (stormy) wind.

28. On seeing the demon Prahasta killed in battle, Dhūmrākṣa speedily rushed against the monkeys.

29. When he saw that the army of the monkeys had fled, the son of Wind-god (i.e. Hanumān) immediately struck down Dhūmrākṣa with an arrow in the battle ground.

30. On seeing that Dhūmrākṣa was killed, the demons who survived reported to King Rāvaṇa everything as it happened.

31. Then the lord of Laṅkā awakened Kuṃbhakarṇa who was lying down asleep. When he got up, Rāvaṇa, sent him to the battle front.

32. As Kuṃbhakarṇa came to the battlefield, the infuriated Lakṣmaṇa^[3] hit him with the Brahmā Missile. He fell down lifeless.

33. Vajravega and Pramāthī, the younger brothers of Dūṣaṇa, who were on a par with Rāvaṇa in the battlefield, were killed by Hanumān and Nīla.

34. Nīla, the son of Viśvakarman, killed Vajradaṃṣṭra. Kumuda, a great monkey, killed Akaṃpana.

35. On the sixth day, the king (Rāvaṇa) was defeated and he entered the city. Atikāya and Triśiras were killed by Lakṣmaṇa.

36. Devāntaka and Narāntaka were killed in battle by Sugrīva. The two sons of Kuṃbhakarṇa were killed in the battle by Hanumān.

37. Makarākṣa, the son of Khara, was killed by Bibhīṣaṇa. Thereupon Rāvaṇa directed his son Indrajit.

38-40. Indrajit made the brothers Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa unconscious in the battlefield. His vehicle was destroyed by Aṅgada with dreadful arrows. Staying in the firmament he struck down all the monkeys along with Kumuda, Aṅgada, Sugrīva, Nala, Jāṃbavān and others. Having struck down Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa thus in the battlefield, the exceedingly powerful Meghanāda vanished in the sky.

41. With palms joined in reverence, Bibhīṣaṇa bowed down to Rāma, the ornament unto the family of Ikṣvāku, again and again and spoke these words:

42-48. “At the bidding of Rājarāja (Kubera) a Guhyaka has brought some sacred water, O Rāma, the suppressor of enemies. He has brought it to you. O great king, Kubera has given this water to you. O scorcher of foes, he has sent it to you to enable you to see invisible beings. When you apply this water to your eyes, you will be able to see the living beings that have vanished and become invisible. To whomsoever you may give this, he too will be able to see the living beings that have vanished in the sky.”

Saying “yes”, Rāma accepted that water with great deference and purified his eyes with it. So also Lakṣmaṇa of great strength, Sugrīva, Jāṃbavān, Hanumān, Aṅgada, Mainda, Dvivida, Nīla and all other monkeys (washed their eyes) with the water offered by Rāma; all of them became pure-eyed. They saw the heroic son of Rāvaṇa who had vanished in the sky. As he came into view, Lakṣmaṇa rushed at him.

49-54. Lakṣmaṇa got his eyes sanctified by means of the water sent by Kubera and became dignified. He became infuriated and struck Indrajit. Thereupon, a great fight took place between Lakṣmaṇa and Indrajit. It was exceedingly wonderful and mysterious like the fight between Indra and Prahlāda. Then on the third day, O Brāhmaṇas, Indrajit was killed in the battle by the powerful Lakṣmaṇa with great effort. Then the entire original (main) army was killed by the wise Rāma.

When his favourite son was killed, the Ten-headed One was furious. Seated in his chariot and accompanied by many soldiers, he came out of the city. When Rāvaṇa attempted to kill Sītā, he was prevented by Vindhya.

Then Mātali, the charioteer of Indra, approached Rāma in the battlefield with a chariot that had the refulgence of the Sun and that was fitted with reddish-brown horses.^[4]

55. Seated in the chariot of Indra Rāma, the most excellent one among the upholders of righteousness, struck down the heads of the great Rākṣasa by means of Brahmā missile.

56-57. The delighted Devas, Sages, Siddhas and Vīdyādharas eulogized Rāma, the son of Daśaratha, who killed the ten-headed demon. They blessed (and greeted) him with (shouts of) victory. They showered the lotus-eyed Rāma with flowers.

58-62. After crowning Bibhīṣaṇa as the king of Laṅkā, Rāma got into the aerial chariot Puṣpaka accompanied by all the groups of Suras, surrounded by the armies and accompanied by Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa. Rāma who was accompanied by the army of the monkeys, went to the Gandhamādana mountain. On the mountain Gandhamādana, he tested the chastity of Sītā.

Rāma, the lotus-eyed one, was surrounded by the monkeys. The hero who had killed the lord of Laṅkā was accompanied by his wife, his younger brother and Bibhīṣaṇa. He was served by groups of Devas and leading sages. The sages residing in the Daṇḍaka forest came to see Rāma at this juncture. With Agastya as their leader, they eulogized the lord of Sītā.

The sages said:

63-68. Obeisance to you, to Rāmacandra who blessed all the worlds. You (the Lord) are incarnated on the earth to make the universe free from Rāvaṇa. Obeisance to the lord who annihilated Tāṭakā’s body; to the lord who guarded the sacrifice of Viśvāmitra. Bow to you who conquered Mārīca, to the lord who slew Subāhu. Obeisance to the lord, the dust particles from whose lotus-like feet granted salvation to Ahalyā. Hail to you who sportingly broke the bow of Hara. Obeisance to you who became enthusiastic to grasp (in marriage) the hand of the daughter of the king of Mithilā. Bow to you, to the lord who defeated Reṇukā’s son (i.e. Paraśurāma). Bow to the lord who came to the forest in order to make his father’s promise true, (the promise concerning) the two boons granted to Kaikeyī, to the lord who came to the forest accompanied by Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā. Obeisance to you who gave away the pair of his sandals to Bharata at his request. Bow to you, the sole cause of the acquisition of heaven by Śarabhaṅga.

69-74. Obeisance to the annihilator of Virādha. Bow to you, to the friend of the king of vultures (Jaṭāyu). Obeisance to the lord who split the limbs of the cruel Mārīca who had assumed the form of the false deer.

Obeisance to the lord who burned (cremated) Jaṭāyus who lost his body in fight with the lord of Laṅkā who abducted Sītā; obeisance to the lord who granted salvation to him. Obeisance to the slayer of Kabandha. Obeisance to the lord whose feet were worshipped by the Śabara woman. Bow to you who entered into companionship with Sugrīva, to you who killed Vāli. Hail to the lord who made a Setu on the ocean, the abode of Varuṇa. Obeisance to the annihilator of all the Rākṣasas. Bow to the slayer of Rāvaṇa. Obeisance to you whose lotus-like feet become the raft for crossing the ocean of worldly existence. Obeisance to the destroyer of the agony of devotees. Hail to the lord, the embodiment of existence, knowledge and bliss. Obeisance to you, to Rāmabhadra. Obeisance to the cause of the prosperity of all the worlds. Bow to the lord who dispels the sins of those who repeat the meritorious names beginning with Rāma.

75-77. Obeisance to you, the cause of creation, sustenance and annihilation of all the worlds. Bow to you, the embodied form of mercy. Obeisance to you ready for protecting the devotees. Obeisance to you accompanied by Sītā, O lord, the bestower of happiness on Bibhīṣaṇa. Indeed, O Rāma, the universe is protected by you by slaying the lord of Laṅkā. Protect, protect, O Lord of the universe. Protect us, O Lord of Sītā.

After eulogizing thus all the sages became silent, O excellent Brāhmaṇas.

Śrī Sūta said:

78. He who devoutly recites during the three junctions (of the day) this hymn uttered by the sages, obtains worldly pleasures and salvation.

79-81. If anyone recites this at the time of starting on a journey, he will have nothing to be afraid of. By reading this hymn evil spirits, vampires, etc. perish. Ailments perish. Heaps of sins perish. One who is desirous of having a son, gets a son. A virgin gets a good husband. He who is desirous of salvation attains salvation. He who is desirous of wealth, gets wealth. One who devoutly recites this hymn, obtains all his desires.

82-86. Then Rāma bowed down to the sages and said to them with palms joined in reverence:

“I have to be attained by all men for the sake of sanctity. A living being within the range of my vision is entitled to perpetual salvation. Still, O sages, I bow down to holy, honourable and noble men who with their minds full of devotion are perpetually contented, who are pleased with the realization of their own souls, who are great friends of all living beings, who are devoid of arrogance and egotism, who strictly observe the vow of celibacy and are quiescent.

Since I am a Deva favourably inclined towards Brāhmaṇas, I always honour and adore Brāhmaṇas. I ask you all something. Answer it after due deliberation.

I have incurred sins, O Brāhmaṇas, by slaying Rāvaṇa. Tell me the means of expiation for the same, i.e. the sin arising from killing the descendant of Pulastya. By carrying it (the expiation) out, O great sages, I shall be absolved of that sin.”

The sages said:

87-94. O lord of the worlds, O truthful one, O bearer of the burden of protection of the worlds, O Rāma, perform the worship of Śiva for the sake of rendering help to all the worlds. Perform the installation of the Liṅga of Śiva on the peak of Gandhamādana which is highly meritorious and yields salvation. Perform the installation of the Liṅga of Śiva with a desire for the welfare of the worlds. Perform this, O Rāma, for dispelling the sin arising from killing the Ten-headed Demon.

Even the Four-faced Lord is not competent to recount adequately the merit accruing from the installation of the Liṅga. Then, O lord, how can a man be competent to do so?

Visiting the Liṅga that is to be installed by you on the Gandhamādana mountain, shall be far more beneficial than visiting the Liṅga at Kāśī. There is no doubt about this that it will be a crore of times more meritorious. Let this Liṅga be known after your name.

It is destructive of both merits and sins. It is on a par with fire for the fuel named merits and sins. This Liṅga will become famous in the world as Rāmeśvara. Hence do not delay in regard to the holy rite of the installation of the Liṅga, O Rāmacandra of great fortune, who are full of mercy.

Śrī Sūta said:

95-96. After hearing these words of the sages, O great ascetics, Rāma, the lord of the universe, consulted about an auspicious hour which lasted two Muhūrtas. He then sent Hanumān to Kailāsa, the abode of Śiva. The scion of the family of Raghu wanted him to fetch a Liṅga of Śiva for installation.^[5]

Rāma said:

97-103a. O Hanumān, the son of Wind-god and Añjanā, O highly powerful one, go to Kailāsa quickly and bring a Liṅga. Do not delay.

On being commanded thus by Rāma, the powerful lord of monkeys stroked his arms. Understanding (fully) that the auspicious hour extended only to two Muhūrtas, he leaped up with great velocity making Gandhamādana shake (from top to bottom) even as all the Devas and the noble-souled sages were watching.

Crossing the aerial path, he went to the Kailāsa mountain. The monkey did not see Mahādeva in the form of the Liṅga. For the sake of acquiring the Liṅga, the son of Añjanā, with full attention and concentration performed a penance on that auspicious Kailāsa mountain protected by Śaṅkara. He was seated on the Kuśa grass with their tips towards the East, O great ascetics. He had nothing to support him. He lifted up his arms. He held up his breath and conquered his sense-organs. Hanumān propitiated Mahādeva and acquired the Liṅga.

103b-110. In the meantime, O Brāhmaṇas, the sages, the seers of the truth realized that there was only very little time left of the auspicious hour and that Hanumān had not come back. So they said thus to the highly intelligent Rāma:

“O Rāma, O Rāma, O mighty one, the time is passing off now. O lord, Jānakī has sportingly made a Liṅga of sand. It is a great and excellent Liṅga. Install it now.”

On hearing these words, Rāma tied the auspicious thread (Kautuka maṅgalā) (round his wrist) in the company of Sītā and the sages. He installed the Liṅga when there were ten very auspicious Yogas (astral and planetary conjunctions). It was the tenth day in the bright half of the month of Jyeṣṭha. The day was Wednesday. The constellation was Hasta and there was Vyatīpāta when the Karaṇa was Garānanda. The Moon was in the Zodiac of Virgo. The Sun was in the Taurus Zodiac. He installed Mahādeva Hara in the form of Liṅga on the highly meritorious Gandhamādana in the middle of the Setu. Rāma installed the excellent Śivaliṅga of Īśāna, wearing the elephant hide and holding Gaṅgā and the crescent Moon. Rāghava worshipped Īśvara along with Aṃbā stationed in the Liṅga.

111-114. Śaṅkara, the great lord, stationed in the Liṅga accompanied by Pārvatī appeared in person and granted an excellent boon to the noble-souled Rāghava, the refuge of all the worlds: “O scion of the family of Raghu, whoever sees the Liṅga installed by you here, will get rid of his sins even if he be defiled by great sins. All the sins, even great sins, perish, O great King Rāmacandra, by taking the holy plunge in Dhanuṣkoṭi and by viewing the Rāmaliṅga. There is no doubt about it.”

115. The lord, lord of Aṃbikā, granted this boon to Rāma. At the front, Rāghava installed Nandikeśa.

116-118. For the sake of the ablution of the lord, O Brāhmaṇas, Rāghava pierced the ground with the tip of his bow and made a well. He took water from it and bathed Śaṅkara. That meritorious excellent Tīrtha is called Koṭitīrtha. The glory thereof has already been recounted by us, O leading sages. The Devas, Sages, Serpents, Gandharvas, groups of celestial damsels and all the monkeys—everyone made a Liṅga eagerly.

Śrī Sūta said:

119-121. Thus, O Brāhmaṇas, how the Śivaliṅga that yields worldly pleasures and salvation was installed by the intelligent Rāma has been recounted to you.

He who listens to or reads this installation of the Liṅga, shall obtain the merit of serving Rāmeśvara Liṅga. Due to the power of Rāmanātha, he shall attain Sāyujya too.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

VV 6-57 are a brief resumé of the war between Rāma and Rāvaṇa (cf VR. cantos 20-108).

[2]:

Cf. VR, VI.50.38-65.

[3]:

According to VR VI.67 it was Rāma and not Lakṣmaṇa who killed Kuṃbhakarṇa.

[4]:

Cf. VR. VI. 102.

[5]:

Kaṃba, the great Tamil poet, has given this story in his Rāmāyaṇa.

This work (SkP) is probably Kaṃban’s source as the author of this Māhātmya and Kaṃban are Southerners. There is a close similarity in these accounts of the installation of Rāmanātha (Sand-Liṅga prepared by Sītā), Hanumān’s late arrival, his attempt to uproot the Rāmeśvara Liṅga and the priority of paying respects to the Liṅga brought by Hanumān (in this and the following chapters).