PARLI VAIDYANATH - THE SLAYER OF ARROGANCE.

PARLI VAIDYANATH JYOTIRLING

Vaidyanath Jyotirling of Lord Shiva is based in the Beed district of Maharashtra.This particular Jyotirling has a rather interesting link to Ravana the King of Lanka.

It is a well established fact that the King Ravana was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva.For many who don’t know, the Shiva Tandav Stotra was composed by Ravana eulogising Lord Shiva.Though a Shiva devotee, he was haughty and arrogant.He sought a boon from Lord Shiva for which he went all the way to Kailash and propitiated Shiva with complete devotion.

Though Ravana propitiated Lord Shiva for a long time, Mahadev wasn’t pleased.Hence,Ravana decided to perform another penance.Obstinate by nature, Ravana dug a deep pit on the southern face of the great Himalaya.He kindled a fire in it.Near the fire he built an earthen Shivaling and worshipped it by performing a sacrifice. He performed three types of penance. During the Summer he would sit in the middle surrounded by fire on all sides and meditate, during rainy season he would lie bare on the ground and in winter he would stand inside a water body and continue his penance.Knowing his wicked nature, Lord Shiva was still not pleased by Ravana’s hard penance.

The ambitious Ravana was not ready to take a no for an answer. He started cutting of his head one by one and offered it to the Shivaling. He had cut-off all his nine heads and was ready to cut the last one when Lord Shiva finally delighted, appeared in front of Ravana.

Lord Shiva reinstated all his heads one by one without causing Ravana any pain or distress.The Mahadev blessed Ravana with the boon that he sought along with unequalled strength. Ecstatic with the boon,Ravana bowed to Lord Shiva and eulogising him again and again paid his obeisance.He later expressed his wish that he wanted Lord Shiva to manifest himself in the earthen Shivaling that he had worshipped.Following which,Ravana would carry the Shivaling back to Lanka and worship him there.

Hearing Ravana’s proposition Lord Shiva was rather disinclined to go to Lanka.Yet, at the same time he couldn’t deprive his ardent devotee of his desire as well. Lord Shiva agreed to go but on one condition. If on the way, the Shivaling happened to touch ground, it shall become stationary at the very spot and would remain there forever. Ravan agreed happily.Carrying the Shivaling affectionately, he promptly set out for his journey back to Lanka.

On the way,Ravana had a strong urge to answer the nature’s call.He tried to control it but it proved difficult to continue.Gazing around, he came across a cowherd.He requested him to hold the Shivalinga while he went and answered nature’s call.The cowherd waited patiently for Ravana to return.After a while Ravana had still not returned.The cowherd found it difficult to hold on to the Shivaling any longer as it was very heavy.Out of exhaustion he set it down on the Earth. When Ravana came back, he saw the Shivalinga firmly rooted at the spot.

That Shivaling came to be known as Vaidyanatheshwara. Ravana worshipped the Shivaling at the spot and later left for Lanka with Lord Shiva’s blessings. He was delighted in his mind for the fulfilment of desires and to have sought the blessings of Vaidyanatheshwar as well.The Gods along with Lord Brahma and Vishnu came to worship the Shivalinga of Vaidyanath themselves.According to the Shiva Puran,the sight and worship of the Vaidyanath Shivaling is conducive to fulfilment of desires and salvation thereafter.

Har Har Mahadev.

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