Kotilingeshwara Mahadeva Temple

The Background

Our sacred country India - Hindustan also called as Bharata in traditional Sanskrit literature is a land of Spirituality, Religions, Temples, Teertha Kshetras (holy Places), Ashramas etc. where Sadhus, Yogis, Mystics, Meditators, Saints etc. have lived and breathed and also have purified this land by treading length and breadth on it.

This land is also the land of Avatara Purushas, where it is believed that the god takes the human form to protect dharma and destroy the Adharma- evil.

Nation or society is a dynamic entity, its Culture, Social life, Religious life etc. will be in a state of flux due to various reasons like Time, Alien culture influence, External aggression etc.

Under these conditions the society should assimilate the new ideas properly without disturbing the existing one and the new and old should get amalgamated into one new idea, then there will be peace and happiness. On the other hand if it fails to amalgamate the old and new ideas then it will be at the cross roads resulting in chaos and confusion leading to social and psychological problems.

Whenever such a situation arose in our country, Avatara Purushas Sri Krishna etc. Great Spiritual Gurus like Adi Shankaracharya, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda etc, have guided the society and Navigated in the right direction, unlike other nations where Political and Social leaders carve the path.

 

Present Scenario

The present scenario is very paradoxical, on the one hand due to advancement of technology, standard of life has improved a lot and life has become very easy on the physical level, whereas on the other hand Intolerance and violence of Religious, Sectarian, Ethnic, Linguistic etc. has seen a phenomenal rise, the trend to disrespect /hate - leave alone accommodating it- diverse life styles, religion, thinking, pluralistic views is gaining upper hand and to impose views on others by any means is becoming strong and also fashion, hence violence and strife has increased and permeated at all levels and spheres of the society in the entire globe.

So Mutual Trust, Love and Respect is gradually getting replaced by Mutual Distrust, Hatred and Disrespect. Hence wars, Ecological disorders, Natural disasters are on the rise due to which everywhere people are living under great stress of future anxiety, Present existential fears and insecurity and past worries. So psychological disorders are on the rise and have become common malady of the day on account of which people do not have peace, satisfaction and happiness.

The Shastra also says the same due to effect of Kaliyuga on all living beings.
 

 

Solution

Sri Sri Sri Swami Madhusudhanananda Puri who is a sannyasi and an ardent Sri Vidya upasaka, through his divine intuition found out that by worshipping more than One Crore Lingas or having the darshanam of them( kotilinga pooja or darshanam) annals the effects of the Kaliyuga and brings peace, prosperity , happiness , reduces violence , hatred, wars, calamities etc.

The Puranas also says the same thing :

 

 

A person who worships or atleast have darshanam of kotilingas at one time will become verily Bhagavan Shiva.

 

The conclusion of the Shastras is in the Kaliyuga worshipping Shivalinga is the easiest and Superior path.

 

Salient features of Sri Kotilingeshwara Mahadeva Shiva Lingam
1 The proposed gigantic, massive and one of the world's biggest stone shivalingam will be 150feet in height and will have a diameter of 80feet and will be placed on a stone peetam measuring 350feet length x 250feet breadth x 40 feet height.
   
2 On this Shivalinga peetam more than 1.25 crores (One Crore & Twenty five lakhs) Sacred Narmada Banalingas measuring around 1 1/2" (one and half inch) height and 1/2" (half inch ) dia, will be placed in the name of the Narmada Banalinga donors.
   
3 On this Shivalinga peetam Navaratna Lingas will also be placed in proper directions.
  Nine precious stones:
  Red Coral- Pravalam- for Mangala (Mars), Yellow sapphire- Pushyaragam- for Brhaspati (Jupiter),
  Ruby- Manikya for Surya (Sun), Pearl Mukta for Chandra (Moon),
  Diamond- Vajram- for Shukra (Venus), Blue sapphire - Neelam for Shani (Saturn) ,
  Emerald - Marakatam- for Budha (Mercury), Hessonite - Gomedha - for Rahu (the ascending node of the Moon)
  Cat's Eye- Vaiduryam- for Ketu (the descending node of the Moon),
   
4 On this Shivalinga peetam Navapashana Linga and Padarasa/Rasa/ Paradlingam(mercury lingam) will also be placed.
  Navapashanam : Navapashana is a special medicine made out of Nava (nine) pashanas - (poisonous substances), which was discovered by the Siddhars and given to the world for the benefit of the mankind. when this is consumed as prescribed by the siddhars it will cure many rare diseases. When the abhishekam is done to the Navapashana Linga the abhishekam teertham will have medicinal properties when consumed cures many rare diseases.
   
  Padarasa lingam : This lingam is mainly made up of mercury by mixing with special herbs in a special technique. when worshiped bestows with health, wealth etc. and the abhishekam teertham will have rare medicinal properties when consumed cures many rare diseases.
   
  On this Shivalinga replicas of Five pancha Bhuta Lingas, all Twelve Jyotirlingas and Atma linga, will also be placed .
  PANCHA BHUTA LINGAS Pancha bhutas means five basic elements from which entire creation come out. They are Akasha(Space), Vayu(Air), Agni(Fire), Apaha(Water), and Pruthivi.
 

PANCHA BHUTA LINGAS

 
1 Akasha Linga Natarja Temple Chidambaram Tamilnadu
2 Vayu Linga Kalahastishvara Temple SriKalahasti Andhra Pradesh
3 Agni Linga Arunchaleshvara Temple Tiruvannamalai Tamilnadu
4 Apaha(Jala/ Jambu) Linga Thiruvanaikaval Temple Thiruvanaikaval near Trichy. Tamilnadu
5 Pruthivi Linga Ekambareshvara Temple Kanchipuram Tamilnadu
   


Origin of Shivalinga

There are several version in different Puranas about the origin of the Shiva Lingam, the most popular is given here.
This Story explains the appearance of the Shiva Lingam follows.

Once Brahma and Vishnu entered into mock fight to prove each other's superiority. To make them realize the futility of their fight, Lord Shiva assumed the form of a Fiery column (jyotir linga) in fornt of them and challenged them to find the origin and end of the gigantic Lingam. Immediately both started to find the origin of the Lingam to establish their own supremacy. Lord Brahma went upwards to find the origin in the form of a swan and Lord Vishnu went towards earth to find the end in the form of Varaha - a boar. The long and arduous search was in vain, since neither could find the origin and end of the Lingam.
In this long vain search they realized their mistake and came out of illusion - the cause of their fight and prayed Lord Shiva, Lord Shiva emerged has Mahadeva and explained them that all three(Trimurtis) of them were from the same non dual supreme Brahman, but have been divided into three as Creator brahma, Sustainer Vishnu, Destroyer Rudra.
Also there is another Story which says once Rishi Bhrigu Cursed lord shiva that he will be worshipped in the form of Lingam, so he is worshiped in the form of lingam. In the Mahabharata Bhagavan Vyasa says that worship of Shiva in the form of lingam is more powerful and fruitful.


Types of Lingas

There are various types of Lingas made up of different materials like diamond and other navaratnas, Padarasa linga, metals like gold and panchalohas, stone, wood, Narmada Banalinga etc. and these are worshipped in the prescribed manner for a specific benefit.

" SRIPRADAM RATNAJAM LINGAM SAILAJAM SARVA SIDHIDAM " |

" DHATUJAM DHANADAM SAKSHAD DARUJAM BHOGHASIDHIDAM " ||


GREATNESS OF BANA LINGA

The word Bana is a Sanskrit word which has several meanings, here we consider the several contextual meanings which are given below.

a) Bana means Lord Parameshvara (Bhagavan Shiva) himself.

b) Bana means Arrow.

c) Bana was the name of the Great Shiva Bhakta, an Asura king and was known as Banasura, he was a son of Bali Chakravarthi and grandson of Prahlada. He did intense and rigorous tapas (penance) to please Bhagavan Shiva, as a result Bhagavan Shiva Shot Arrow (Bana) through which crores of Shiva Lingas came out, hence they are called Bana Lingas, having got this the ardent Shiva Bhakta Banasura consecrated and worshipped them with great faith and devotion, having worshipped them he placed these crores of Shivalingas in different rivers and mountains and specially in sacred river Narmada. So among al the Banalingas, Narmada Banalinga is very auspicious and sacred for Shiva pooja and especially for panchayatana pooja. Some of the salient features of Banalingas are given below.

Shastras says,

i. Since Banalingas were consecrated and worshipped by Banasura they don't require any pratishta and can be worshipped directly.

" Banahsada shivo gnyeyah prathishta yasya neshyte
Banena prathishtitatwat tasya nityam poojarhatall "

ii. The moment you get a Bana linga you can start worshipping it without considering any auspicious muhurtam as we do for other Lingams.

" Bana Lingasya Kimtu kalo Adhamo Athaval
Ma-sa-yanarksha va-ra-di Vidhisteshu Cha Neshyate "

 

NARMDESWARA BANALINGA is most sacred of all Banalingas

The river Narmada come out of the body of Bhagavan Shiva so she is considered as daughter of Lord Shiva, hence called Shankari.

Shashtras says River Narmada is Holier than River Ganga, because Ganga purifies a person who takes baht in it, whereas a devotee gets purified by having the darshanam of River Narmada.

After Tripura Dahana the Furious and devastating form of Bhagavan shiva was cooled and pacified by the cool and soothing effect (Narma) of River Narmada. So he made Narmada as his Abode. Hence Bana Linga found in Narmada is verily Bhagavan Shiva and it manifests Shiva in his most Serene form. Hence worship of Narmadeswara Banalingas wards of all the evils instantaneously.
 

The shashtras and Puranas extol the greatness of the Narmada Banalinga profusely, a few are given below.

We have all ready mentioned various lingas for different results, one among them is Vajra (diamond) Lingam which gives profound results when worshipped, but Puranas says that what we get by worshipping one crore(ten million ) Vajra lingams can be gained just by worshipping One Narmada Banalinga.

" Narmadeswara poojanam varam kotirgunam pranuh
vajralinga koti samam yatah banaika pujanam "

Narmada Banalinga pooja wards off all the ill effects caused by the transition of the Planets Like Guru etc. (Bruhaspati Or Jupiter).

 

When the Scriptures say so much about the worship of just one Narmada BanaLinga What to say about the worship of 15 million or more Narmada BanaLingas at a time in a single abode.


" Kotimekam tu linganam yah karothi naro bhuvi
Shiva eva bhavet so Api nathra karya- vicharana- "

"The blessed devotee who has the darshana of Kotilinga and worships them in unison will himself become "Lord Shiva" declare the greatest of the learned people."

" Kotyadhika lingananm yo darshyatyarchayathi na-
Bhavet bhuvi shivassopi ityavadan kalpavittama-h "
 

There is nothing equal to the devine blessing at seeing and worshipping of conglomeration of over 15 million Narmada Bana Lingams, which purifies all the sins, curses, blemishes of one's entire lineage.

 

Dhaana Phalam of Shivalingas ; (Merits of Shivalinga donation)

EKAM PAAPAHARAM PROKTAM DVILINGAM CHARTHASIDDHIDAM |
TRILINGAM SARVAKAAMANAAM KAAR ANAM PARAMEERETAM ||

If a devotee donates one shivalingam he will get absolved of all sins, donates two Lingas he will gain wealth, donates three Lingaas all his desires will get fulfilled.

Then what to say about numerous Linga donation.