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Kotilingeshwara Temple: Sacred temples in India are said to be repositories of wonderful myths, deep spiritual mystique. Among them all, there is such a treasure for Karnataka, named Kotilingeshwara Temple, which holds within it something divine and an interesting story behind it. So, let’s learn this through the legend of Indra and the meaning of the temple through unique million lingas that define Kotilingeshwara Temple.
Kotilingeshwara Temple is situated in Kammasandra village of Kolar district, Karnataka. This temple has installed lingas numbered above 99 lakhs or more than 9 million. The devotees are working to achieve a worthy number of one crore lingas and therefore, it is named Kotilingeshwara (koti means crores in Sanskrit).
But what is the story behind this brazen religious shrine? Well, to understand its very beginning we have to plunge into the long winding trail of a legend where it is led by the king of gods, Lord Indra and whose karmic journey run parallel with that of the history of this Holy Site.
This is an account of Indra, the god of gods-king of Devas or the ruler of heaven, Swarga-from the marvelous house. He could always be mentioned with fame and other qualities: valour, beauty, and strength; the wise ones and demigods always extolled him. Yet there was no exemption from human frailties. Arrogance and pride crept into his heart gradually.
One day, a very great sage came to court Indra on matters of spirituality. But then, full of pride, he rejected the wisdom of the sage with contempt. Sage Gautama was soft-spoken in his demeanor but saw that pride was growing within Indra. And as he was about to leave, he told, “Oh Indra, remember, pride goes before the fall. A king must always be humble because no king, be it of gods or men, is above the law.”
Indra paid no heed to the words of the sage, but fate had prepared a lesson for him.
Indra’s Curse
Shortly after this meeting, Indra was attacked by a succession of disasters. His kingdom faced heavenly disturbances—rainfall stopped, crops failed, and the harmony of Swarga deteriorated. Indra approached Lord Brahma, the creator, for help.
Ahm, Oh Indra, said Brahma, your pride has kept dharma from coming to your arms. Now has come the result of Sage Gautama’s curse. Only because of forgiving such a serious misdemeanor would you begin fierce austerities as well as Lord Shiva’s worship, destroying arrogance. Only in this manner you would restore equilibrium, both within kingdom and within yourself.
But then he realized that was a mistake and told him he wanted to repent and atone. In fact, he said he had no idea as to how intense the love had to be communicated so as to pay off the karmic debt.
The Thousand Lingas
Indra came to the earth sphere according to the instruction of Brahma. The latter roamed round all the mountains, rivers, and forests in search of some sacred place wherein he could commence his penance. He reached a place, in Karnataka as of today, that possessed much more luxuriance, silence, and peace than anything which would ever dawn upon his mind. As later was known to him, that was Kotilingeshwara.
Then Indra decided to set up one thousand Shiva lingas and began worshiping that. One by one would depict his prayer before seeking Lord Shiva’s pardon, he spent all nights and days as was involved in this task of creating these lingas. He chanted holy mantras accompanying each of those for which he fashioned them. Much time had elapsed since Indra had prayed, observed fasts with ritual procedures and offered his soul to these lingas in each of it.
Lord Shiva finally appeared. His form filled all the skies by the light in it as well as with his voice echoed over the forest in telling the following:
“Ah Indra, your penance has fruited. I have pardoned all the evil which filled you and also redeemed the same in the state of Swarga. Your pride has risen because humility has left you, and your devotion has brought up an excellent model before all creations.”.
Heaving with great elation, Indra bowed his head to the lotus feet of Lord Shiva. He prayed thus: “Oh, Mahadeva. This place, since it receives grace, must free from shackles every seeker for such benedictions. Make this sacred from this date until the world itself meets its demise.”.
He did the needful and turned out that place a sacred land. Years later the myth was doing the motivational jobs for devotees to increase this place into million Shiva lingas, for it was in the sense symbolizing aspiration of millions of devotees. In short, it’s the Kotilingeshwara Temple.
Modern Kotilingeshwara Temple
Today, the Kotilingeshwara temple is a silent, shining witness to Indra’s devotion and humility. Very beautiful mythological stories further add to its mystique, yet the majestic vision of the temple beckons the pilgrims of all three worlds.
- Central Shiva Linga:
It boasts of the tallest central linga in the world that measures 108 feet tall from all the Shiva lingas found anywhere on earth. Even such massive buildings are decorated with thousands of small lingas scattered across the ground and thus change the landscape into a worship place. 2. Million Lingas
Now more than 90 lakh Shiva lingas can be accommodated in the temple. Even devotees can donate and get installed a linga in their name for devotion. Every linga has its donor’s name, and it is believed that those devotees get connected with the divine. - Other Deities:
It houses other gods’ shrines as well, such as Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma, and Goddess Annapoorneshwari, thus turning the temple a place of utmost diversity in spiritual terms. - Annual Festivals: The temple goes colorful with the kaleidoscope during Maha Shivaratri and Kartik Purnima festivals when hundreds of thousands of devotees throng here to celebrate the glory of Lord Shiva through rituals, bhajans, and rich processions.
Conclusion
Apart from the temple of worship, this Kotilingeshwara Temple is a journey on the path. The level of dedication finding manifestation here brings home the concept that God is beyond human bounds and measures. Indra in this regard takes himself on the route to penitence by accepting humility, teaching visitors about introspection of life.
This is also an act that communicates communal worship. Since each devotee assembles his linga, then this will vary prayers hence creating the energy that makes a place holy.
A majestic temple, kotilingeshwara Temple, unfolds the tale of mythology, devoted worship, and human aspiration-where Indra journeyed his pride to walk on his two feet is still alive and in all senses timeless and speaks strongly for strength as reflected within in relation to strength being attached to and standing rooted through it.
It is where the stories of yore mingle with the dreams of the present to give rise to moments of spiritual growth and universal connect. Kotilingeshwara Temple is a pilgrimage everybody who walks into Karnataka soil must experience. This is not merely a visit-it is a walk into the core of the great heritage of India itself.
Indian Temple: Kotilingeshwara Temple
Source: Kotilingeshwara Temple
