One such temple that dates back to antiquity but has a modern appearance is Murudeshwar Temple. The temple is devoted to the worship of Lord Murudeshwara, who is regarded as one of Lord Shiva’s incarnations. The shiva temple murudeshwar is located in the Karnataka state of India. One striking feature of the temple is that the Arabian Sea encircles it on three sides, and the complex is anchored by a twenty-story Gopuram. In addition, it is even more ethereal due to the presence of the second-largest statue of Lord Shiva in India, which is situated there.
The twenty-storied Raja Gopura, located at the entrance of the temple complex, is approximately 237.5 feet tall. The temple is situated on a small hillock known as Kanduka. A list has been constructed for the convenience of the devotees, carrying them to the hill top and to the top of the Gopuram. The most exciting aspect of the temple is the picturesque view of the Lord Shiva statue along with the breathtaking view of the seashore. At the base of the temple is a shrine dedicated to Shri Rameshwara. Next to the idol of Lord Shiva, there is a shrine dedicated to Shaneeshwara, and beneath the Lord Shiva’s idol, there is a small cave.
The Shiva statue at the Murudeshwar Temple height is 37 meters. The entire complex comprising the 75-meter-tall Raj Gopura, which provides an amazing view of Murudeshwar Shiv Mandir, was constructed in just two years. Rama Nagappa Shetty, a businessman and philanthropist, provided funding for its construction. Murudeshwar Temple statue is one of the highest Shiva statues in India.
Two statues of elephants that are thought to serve as the temple’s guardians are located at the entrance gate. On the grounds of the temple, there is a picture of Lord Shiva teaching Arjuna from the Geeta, and next to that, there is a picture of Ravana giving Lord Ganesha the Atma Linga. With the exception of the main sanctum, which retains its original flavor, the entire temple has been updated in a modern manner. The modern temple was constructed by businessman and philanthropist R.N. Shetty..
History and the related legend
The gokarna murudeshwar temple alludes to Shiva, is indicative of its significance. The intriguing legend surrounding the temple has been connected to the Ramayana. Hindu gods have the ability to be immortal and unstoppable thanks to Lord Shiva and the penance offered to the Atma Linga. Ravana, the king of Lanka, attempted to court Lord Shiva by worshiping him in an attempt to achieve immortality and invincibility. After observing Ravana’s devotion, Lord Shiva appears before him and requests that Ravana tell him anything he wants to know. When Ravana asks for Goddess Parvathi, the Lord grants him Parvathi.
While traveling to Lanka, Narada muni tricks him into thinking that Parvathi was not with him and that Pathala is where the true Parvathi is. Ravana consequently traveled to Pathala and wed a king’s daughter who he thought was the true Parvathi. Upon realizing that Naryana has deceived him, he returns to his meditation spot. which causes Lord Shiva to appear. He requested the sacred Atma Linga from Lord Shiva this time, and the latter granted his request. However, he placed a condition before Ravana: if the Lingam is ever left on the ground, all of its powers will return to Lord Shiva.
This gave Narada the realization that, in possession of the Atma Linga, Ravana would wreak havoc on the planet by becoming immortal. As a result, he considered asking Lord Ganesha for assistance. As Ravana traveled to Lanka, Lord Vishnu had arranged for the light of the Sun to be blocked out, giving the impression that dusk had fallen. This would force Ravana to carry out his evening rites and place the Linga on the ground. A Brahmin boy, who was actually Lord Ganesha, approached him as he was contemplating the Atma Ling curse. In order to place the Atma Linga on the ground while performing the evening rituals, Lord Ganesha had assumed the form.
The Linga was on the ground when Ravana returned, proving that Lord Ganesha’s plan had succeeded. He became enraged at this point, realized the plan, and attempted to destroy the Lingam out of rage. During the process, he threw the case lid to Guneshwara and Dhareshwara, which are located at a distance of roughly 10–12 km, and the case covering the Lingam to Sajjeshwara, which is 23 miles away. He also threw the piece of cloth covering the Atma Lingam to Mrideshwara, who was subsequently dubbed Murudeshwara.
Murudeshwar Near Places:
Sri Mahabaleshwar, Gokarna Idagunji Maha Ganapathi, Kollur Mookambika, and murudeshwar beach are some of the temples that are close to Murudeshwara Temple. To learn more about the temples, go to liturgical temples official website. This website contains well-researched content that comes from reliable sources.