Chapter 29 - Rāmeśvara (rāma-īśvara-liṅga)

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Note: This Rāmeśvara Liṅga is different from the Rāmeśvara Liṅga installed by Dāśarathi Rāma. Here it is Paraśurāma who was haunted by Brahmahatyā for his genocide of Kṣatriyas. On Nārada’s advice Paraśurāma went to Mahākālavana and propitiated the great Liṅga called Brahmahatyāvināśana. He propitiated it and as a boon sought that the Liṅga should be known after him as Rāmeśvara.

Śrī Hara said:

1-7. O my beloved, know that Rāmeśvara Liṅga is the twenty-ninth deity. Merely by seeing it, one is liberated from the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter.

Formerly in Tretāyuga, O goddess, there was a heroic one endowed with all good qualities. He was the foremost among persons wielding weapons. He was a great devotee of his father. He was born of the womb of Reṇukā. He was Viṣṇu himself incarnated as Rāma due to the irrevocable curse of Bhṛgu.

Once he was directed by Sage Jamadagni: “O my son, cut off this big head of your mother.” On hearing the words of his father, Rāma cut off the heads of his brothers and his mother. Jamaḍagni granted him a boon: “You will become invincible to all the rulers of the earth. Ere long, O Bhārgava, there shall be a holocaust. Take this axe, dear son. It is strong. It has come out of flames of fire. Hence you will become famous on account of this sharp weapon.”

8-16. After a lapse of some time, an evil-minded King Kārtavīryārjuna, born of the family of Haihaya and well-known as Sahasrabāhu (thousand-armed), killed Jamaḍagni for the sake of Kāmadhenu. On seeing his father killed, Rāma furiously spoke thus: “May the three worlds see my eternal prowess. Let that wicked Brāhmaṇa-slayer, the son of Kṛtavīrya, also see. I will certainly cut off the thousand arms of that (king) by whom my father, though always engaged in good deeds, has been killed.” After saying this, the scion of the family of Bhṛgu, with eyes turned red due to anger, hurled Kārtavīryārjuna on the the ground. Even as he was howling hoarse repeatedly, he cut off all the thousand arms with his sharp axe. O my beloved, that king seated on a chariot, was pulled down and killed along with his kinsmen. The earth was rendered bereft of the Kṣatriyas twenty-one times by him.

After rendering the earth bereft of Kṣatriyas, that extremely powerful Bhārgava performed a horse-sacrifice for the destruction of all sins. In that Yajña marked by great gifts, the scion of the family of Bhṛgu gave the entire earth as Dakṣiṇā to Kaśyapa, the son of Marīci.

17-28. That highly intelligent, extremely renowned Paraśurāma, the most excellent one among warriors riding in chariots, made other gifts also in the course of that great horse-sacrifice, such as white and splendid western horses, chariots, infinite quantities of gold, cows, lordly elephants, etc. Still the sin of slaughter of many a living being did not leave him off.

The mode of expiation for those who slay persons having trust in them, is known from Purāṇas and different Āgamas indeed: “The sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter perishes through a horse-sacrifice or if the sinner sits in the same posture (Ekāsya^[1]) or in the same seat continuously for twelve years. But many living beings were ruthlessly killed by me again and again—persons having full trust in me, erring ones and those in the wombs. Women, old men and boys were repeatedly killed by me. Even my own mother was killed by me.” Saying so Ṛāma, the miserable, felt utmost grief. After pondering for a short while, he went to the Raivataka mountain and performed there severe penance for many years, O my beloved. Still the sin of killing many a living being did not vanish.

Then Rāma went to Mahendra, Malaya, Sahya, Himālaya and the beautiful and meritorios Badarikāśrama. After roaming over all the mountains, he went to the holy rivers for the sake of ablution—rivers such as Narmadā, Yamunā, Candrabhāgā, Gaṅgā of triple streams, Irāvatī, Vitastā, the extremely splendid Carmaṇvatī, Viśālā, Kapilā, Durgā, the majestic and auspicious Gomatī, Godāvarī, Daśārṇā and the meritorious Bhīmarathī. He went to holy spots such as Gayā, Kurukṣetra, Naimiṣa, Puṣkara, Aṭṭahāsa, Prabhāsa, Kedāra and Amareśvara.

29-38. Bhārgava continued to be distressed even after having performed the pilgrimage. He thought thus: ‘Now-a-days the great efficacy of Tīrthas is not seen (experienced). My sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter has not vanished. Pious rites have been performed in vain. What is said in the scriptures, viz., that by means of pilgrimage and gifts and other auspicious rites (sin is dispelled), is false. If this were true, why is it that my (good rites) have become ineffective?’

At that time, Nārada, the eminent sage, came to that place where Rāma was sitting with a morose face, helpless and worried. On seeing Nārada, Rāma in such a state said thus to him: “O celestial sage, Nārada, listen to what I say which is very important. O excellent one among Brāhmaṇas, my mother was killed by me earlier at the instance of my father. On account of the attack on my father, kings were killed by me. Wombs of women were torn asunder. Young girls, old women and maidens were continuously killed by me, unrepenting and unrelenting. It was only later that compassion arose in me, as I looked unto the world hereafter. A horse-sacrifice was performed. Various kinds of Dānas were made. I took holy baths in all the Tīrthas and all springs and streams. Penance was performed in mountains. Japas and Homas were continuously performed. Oh! What did I not do (I did everything) for dispelling the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter! But that sin for slaughter did not vanish. Everything became futile.”

39-45. On hearing his words, the holy sage Nārada meditated for a long time and spoke out what was beneficial and truthful. “Oh! O Rāma, why don’t you remember that you are Hari? It was you alone who earlier said what was destructive of the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter. In the holy spot of Mahākālavana is a holy shrine, the most excellent one of shrines. There is a great Liṅga there which is destructive of the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter. O blessed one, there is the Liṅga named Jaṭeśvara that bestows all Siddhis. O incarnated one, O Rāma, do go there without further delay.”

On hearing the words of Nāraḍa and remembering the excellent holy spot, O goddess, he hastened to Mahākālavana. He propitiated that Liṅga and thereby the sin of slaughter got destroyed. O goddess, extremely pleased, I issued forth from the middle of the Liṅga. Then I spoke to Jāmadagnya: “I shall grant you what you wish, O dear one.” Thereat Rāma, with his shoulders stooping down due to humility and devotion, spoke: “O Maheśvara, if you are pleased, grant unto me this boon that my devotion to your lotus-like feet shall always be perfect.” On being asked thus by him then, O Pārvaū, I granted him the desired boon, a position conducive to renown.

46-54. “Henceforth the deity shall be well-known after your name.” It is sung about in all the three worlds as Rāmeśvara. If people adore the great deity Rāmeśvara, their sins ever since their birth perish instantaneously. Only the man who sees devoutly Śiva named Rāmeśvara Deva, is meritorious and worthy of being adored in this world and the world hereafter. Also those who encourage a visit to, and worship oh that Lord become rid of sins and proceed to my place. Even the terrible sin, the sin of a thousand Brāhmaṇa-slaughters becomes dissolved by adoring Rāmeśvara.

By visiting Śrī Rāmeśvara one can easily attain that benefit which is unattainable by Brāhmaṇas through Vājapeya and other Yajñas.

By seeing Śiva named Rāmeśvara, one attains a goal superior to what is attained by heroic persons who meet with death in battlefield for the sake of cows and Brāhmaṇas.

If one sees Śiva named Rāmeśvara Liṅga always devoutly, it is as though one has conquered the worlds like Rāma who conquered the three worlds. Thus, O goddess, the sin-destroying power of Rāmeśvara Deva has been recounted to you. Listen to (the greatness of) Cyavaneśvara.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

V.L. ekāśya—with one meal per day.