Ganesha shatters Ravana's Dreams
Ravana, the ruler of Lanka, was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. He would offer prayers to Lord Shiva thrice a day. One day, after offering his prayers, although struck Ravana. "If I can get hold of an atmalinga(a reflection of Shiva), I can never be defeated by anyone," he thought. So he started performing severe of penances to please Shiva. The strongest winds or the hottest of climates, could not break his focus. Shiva was impressed with Ravan's devotion and appeared before him. "Ravana, you have pleased me with your devotion. Please ask for a boon and it will be granted," he said. "Lord, I would be honored to have an atamalinga of yours," replied Ravana. "So be it." said Shiva and gave him a sparkling linga in his hand. "But remember Ravana," Shiva warned, "If the linga is placed on the ground, it will establish itself there. After that, no one will be able to move it from the place." "I will not put it down till I reach Lanka," said Ravana, and left for this capital city. Meanwhile, the gods were worried. "Lord! Did you hear that Ravana now has the atmalinga?" one of the gods asked Lord Indra, the ruler of heaven. "I know, and I am very worried," he replied. "If the linga reaches Lanka, no one can ever defeat Ravana. We must stop it from reaching Lanka." But the gods were not sure who could help them. Then it struck them; Lord Ganesha was the all-powerful onw who could help avert this from happening. So, they all went to Ganesha.
"Ganesha, Ravana has got the atamalinga from your father , and is on his way to Lanka. You are well aware of the destruction that will happen if he becomes powerful. You are the only one who can save us," said Indra. "And, Ravana had forgotten to offer his prayers to you before beginning his penance, like everyone else in the world does before starting anything auspicious," he added fueling Ganesha's anger. "I assure you that the linga will not reach Lanka" assured Ganesha. He then disguised himself as a shepherd and found Ravana walking with the linga in his hands. Ravana was in a dilemma. It was time for his daily prayers to Shiva. Yet, he could not put the linga down. So he looked around for help and found Ganesha disguised as the shepherd walking towards him. "Young man! Will you hold this for me, while I offer my prayers and come back?" asked Ravana. "I cannot! I am on my way home," replied the shepherd. "I cannot break my ritual. Please hold this only for a short while," pleaded Ravana. "I will on one condition", replied Ganesha. "I will call you three times, if I find it to be heavy and if you don't come , when I call you, I will put it down, "he said. "I promise you that I will be back the first time you call me. He then walked towards the sea to offer his prayers. When Ganesha saw him beginning his prayers he called outto him for the first time,"Ravana come back! It is too heavy for me!" Ravana had just began his prayers, and thought to himself that he would run back the second time he called Ravana. The second time came sooner than Ravana had imagined. Ganesha called out to him again. Ravana decided to finish his prayers and run back immediately. By that time, Ganesha had give his third and final call. "I cannot bear the weight anymore, I am going to put it down!" he shouted out. "No! don not do that!" shouted Ravana, running back as fast as he could. "Please don"t ,let it touch the ground," he pleaded the boy. But it was too late. Ganesha had already placed the linga on the ground. "How could you do this?" Ravana said angrily. "I kept my word. I called out to you three times. You didn't return in time. Don't blame me Ravana," Ganesha said and walked away. Upset, Ravana tried his best to uproot the linga. But the linga just grew bigger and bigger, with every attempt. Soon Ravana realised that nothing could be done to reverse what had happened. So he sat there and offered his prayers to lord Shiva. The place where Ganesha put down the atmalinga is called Gokrana. It is in Western India, and millions of pilgrims throng to this temple for a glimpse of atmalinga.
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