The five Atma Lingas are not actually five separate lingas gifted to Ravana. The story involves a single Atma Linga that Shiva granted to Ravana, but with a condition that it must not be placed on the ground before reaching Lanka. Due to a trick by Ganesha, the linga was placed on the ground in Gokarna, and it became immovable. The locations where the linga’s coverings fell after Ravana tried to remove it are considered holy sites, but not separate Atma Lingas.
The main Atmalinga is at Mahabaleshawar Atmalinga temple Gokarna, Karnataka
Here’s a more detailed explanation:
The Boon:
Ravana, seeking immortality, pleased Lord Shiva with his penance and requested an Atma Linga, which would make him invincible.
The Condition:
Shiva granted the boon but instructed Ravana not to place the linga on the ground before reaching Lanka.
The Deception:
Once again, to fail the motives of Ravana, Vishnu created the illusion of dusk. As Ravana used to perform an evening Sandhyavandan ritual he got worried as how he will do it as he was having atma-linga in his hands. Ganesha, with Vishnu’s help, tricked Ravana into placing the linga on the ground at Gokarna. Lord Ganesh, disguised as a brahmin boy, comes in front of him and Ravana requests him to hold the atma linga so that he can perform his rituals. Ganesh accepts the request but on a condition that he would call Ravana thrice and if he will not come back then he will place atma linga on ground. When, Ravana was gone to perform the rituals, Ganesh called out his name thrice rapidly at the specific moment when he could not leave the ceremony in between. So, according to the deal, Ganesh then place the atma linga on the ground and vanished from there with his cows. Ravana tried to chase them, but got hold of only one of the cow’s ear. The rest of the cow’s body disappeared and he was left only with ear in a petrified form. The name of that place hence came to be known as Gokarna (gow means cow in Sanskrit and karna means ear).
As specified by lord Shiva, the atma linga was now rooted in Gokarna and was immovable even though Ravana tried hard to lift it. He then gave the name Mahabaleshawar to the atma linga meaning “all powerful”.
The Immovable Linga:
The Atma Linga became fixed to the spot where it was placed, and Ravana was unable to move it.
Scattering of the Coverings:
Frustrated, Ravana threw away the coverings of the linga, which scattered to different locations.
Holy Sites:
These locations, including Dhareshwar, Gunavanteshwara, Murudeshwara, and Sajjeshwara, became revered sites associated with the Atma Linga. However, these are not considered separate Atma Lingas. All five are located in costal Karnataka.
The Pancha Linga Kshetras:They are:
Mahabaleshawar Atmalinga temple Gokarna, Karnataka
Considered the main location of the Atma Linga, it’s where the main part of the linga is enshrined.
Sajjeshwar:
Believed to be the place where the casket holding the Atma Linga fell.
Dhareshwar:
The place where the string holding the casket is said to have landed and become a linga.
Gunavanteshwar:
Considered the location where the lid of the casket landed and became a linga.
Murudeshwar (Mrideshwara):
This temple is believed to be where the cloth covering the Atma Linga landed and became enshrined.
