Brahma Murari Surarchita Lingam.

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Dear friends and devotees,

 

Bhakti is eternal,

 

Brahma Murari Surarchitha lingam (Sivapuranam).

 

It was the fourteenth day (chaturdasi) of the month ‘Magha Bahula’.

The time was sunset and the darkness was overpowering sunshine.

 

Lord Vishnu was lying on the serpent couch in the sea of eternity. Lord

Brahma, while passing by, felt insulted when Lord Vishnu neither rose nor

greeted him. Both flew into rage over the question of supremacy. The argument

prolonged each claiming to be creator of the other. The heated discussion led to

a fight. The Devas were horrified at the intensity of the battle. Ultimately,

they rushed to Lord Shiva for aid. On the request of Devas, Lord Shiva proceeded

to the battlefield. There in the midst of battle, Lord Shiva assumed the form of

a huge pillar of light (Jyothirlinga), which was about a million times to the

sunlight. It was a great and wonderful moment. Both Brahma and Vishnu were

awestruck by the cosmic pillar of light.

 

Then Lord Shiva told to Brahma and Vishnu that who ever find the beginning and

the end of the Jyothilinga at first is great.

Brahma sitting on swan (hamsa vahana) went towards the top of Jyothirlinga,

while Vishnu in the disguise of ‘Varaaha’ went towards the bottom.

 

Brahma during his journey upward came across a fragrant ketaki flower falling

from the top slowly. (Ketaki is a Sanskrit name, which means " dhuli pushpika " .

Ketaki is also known as " keura " in Hindi. The botanical nomenclature of this

plant is " pandanus odoratissimus " . In English it is known as umbrella tree or

screw pine. In Telugu as Mogalipoovu, in Tamil as Talzampoo, in Kannada as

Talegari or Kethage, in Arab as Kaadi and in Parsi as Karaja etc.)

 

Then Brahma asked the flower “Where from you are coming?”

The flower replied “I am the one offered to the Jyothirlingam”.

Then Brahma asked the flower “Do you know where the top of Jyothirlingam is?”

It said “No”.

Unable to find the uppermost limits, Brahma decided to take the flower back to

Vishnu to bear witness that he had reached the top of the “Jyotirlinga”.

 

Then Brahma ordered the flower “Does not matter! You should tell Lord Siva

that I found the top”. There was no other go to the flower except to agree to

the words of Brahma. He gloated over the defeated Vishnu.

Brahma and Vishnu both came to Lord Shiva.

Maha Vishnu confessed that he could not find the beginning.

However, Brahma told that he has seen the top, for which the flower is the

witness.

This infuriated Lord Shiva, in as much as, there is neither beginning nor end

to Jyothirlinga.

Immediately he had cut Brahma’s fifth head. Since that day onwards Brahma

became ‘Chaturmukha’.

 

Brahma was punished for telling lie and the creator was banned from being

worshipped. Similarly, ketaki was also cursed that she would never again be used

in worship of Shiva. Thus, ketaki is debarred forever from being offered in

worship. This is the reason that the flower with different names in Sanskrit,

is specifically known as “Shivdwivista”.

 

This is the ‘Lingodbhava Prasasthi’ in Sivapurana.

 

The day (night) on which Lord Shiva appeared in ‘Thejolingaroopa’

that (time)day is called as “Shivarathri”.

 

souraashtrE sOmanaathanca SriisailE mallikaarjunam,

ujjayinyam mahaakaLE mOmkaara maamalESwaram.

kEdaaram himavatvrushtE Dhakinyaam bheemaSankaram,

vaaranaasyanca viSwESam trayambakam goutamii thaTE.

vydyanaatham citaabhoomou naagESam daarukaavanE,

setu bhandEca raamESam ghasmESanca SivaalayE.

 

As per our Hindu mythology, on that ‘Shivarathri time only the existence of

Lord Shiva’s twelve jyothirlingas came up, in the twelve sacred places, as

stated in the above sloka.

 

This Sloka describes the twelve jyothirlingas available in the sacred

Sivakshethras in our country.

 

Though there are some differences about the Kshetras, it is generally

considered the one accepted by the great pundits and believed by the residents

who are there for time memorial.

 

It also goes to say:

 

Etani jyOtirlingaani saayam prthahah paThennara,

sapta janma krutam paapam smaraNena nivasyati.

 

In my attempt to reproduce the topic in English, which I read in Telugu,

Sanskrit and sthalapuranas, I request that any slips may please be ignored.

 

Praying Lord Shiva (Mruthyunjaya) to bless one and all,

 

Hara hara Mahadeva SambhO Sankara.

 

With love and regards,

 

Sastry

 

 

 

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