Aahankaar

Namdharak prayed to Siddha Yogi to tell him about the Gokarna Mahatmya. He said it must have had great significance as it was a place chosen by Sripad Sri Vallabha, in preference to all other holy places in Bharat, for his sojourn and stay.
Siddha Yogi began the narration of the birth of Gokarna Atma-Linga, as originally related by Lord Ganesha.
In the most ancient times in the Treta Yuga, there was a great Brahmin sage by name Pulasthya in the kingdom of Lanka, His wife's name was Kaikasi. They had a son named Ravana, who was the ruler of the kingdom. Ravana had ten heads and twenty arms and he was unusually mighty and strong. Kaisaki was a great devotee of Lord Shankar, and she offered worship to Shivalinga every morning. She would not take food until she finished her worship. For her worship, she must daily find a new and original Shivalinga. If she failed in finding a new Shivalings she would fast for one day. For that day, when she did not get an original Linga, she would prepare a Mrithika Linga (the Linga form moulded out of clay) and would do her worship to it and would fast for the whole day.

One day, as Kaikasi did not get an original Shivalinga, she was doing her worship to a Mrithika Linga which she had prepared. Ravana saw this and felt in his pride and conceit that it did not befit her, the mother of a mighty person like him, to have to do worship to a mere Mrithika Linga, instead of an original Shivalinga. He said that he would bring down the Kailash itself along with Shankara into Lanka for his mother's worship. he made a vow to this effect and set out for Kailash. Reaching there, he tried to put out the Kailash mountain, for taking it to Lanka. The mountain began to totter; the Devas-Ganas and even Goddess Parvati were being tossed about. Even the heavens and the neither worlds became shaky and all became extremely panicky. Goddess Parvati asked Shiva what was happening and Shankara told her that Ravana, the son of his great devotee Kaikasi, was trying to pull out Kailash to take it to Lanka for his mother's worship. He said that even Ravana was a great devotee of his, and hence he was refraining from doing anything in the matter. But with further pleading of Parvati, Shankara intervened and pressed down with just the mere toe of his right foot, which nearly crushed Ravana under the mountain. Ravana realised his folly and started praying to Shankara for His mercy and grace. In his rich musical voice he began singing Sama Vedic hymns in praise of the Lord. He undertook penance; he made a new musical instrument (Yantra Karkamalika - Rudra Veena) with his head, veins and nerves and started playing on it rich and enrapturing music to please the Lord. He was cutting off his heads and offering as sacrifice in oblation to the Lord. It was a penance unprecedented and never undertaken by any one, ever before. Shankara was very much moved by his devotion and austerities of Ravana. He appeared before Ravana and told him that he would give him whatever boon he would wish for. Ravana prayed he wanted Kailash itself for his mother's worship.

Shankara said that it was an impossible wish; but he would, instead, give him his Atma-Linga, which is the Divine Core and Essential Principle of Lord Shiva himself. He said the Atma-Linga embodied in itself the Highest Divinity, and whoever worshipped it for just three years, would himself become like Shankara. He, however, warned and cautioned that the Linga should not touch the ground till it reached Lanka and was enshrined there.Ravana was elated at winning the Atma Linga, but all the Gods were frightened because the new power which Ravana won through the possession of the Atma-Linga would make him the mightiest person and unconquerable even by Gods and unconquerable even by the Trinity. Ravana had already subdued and enslaved the Five Elements and the Nava Grahas. Now his pride and power would have no bounds and restraints. The Gods started shuddering in fright and prayed to Vishnu to save them and the worlds from impending doom. Lord Vishnu approached Ganesha and together with Narada, they planned out how to deprive Ravana of the Atma-Linga. Ravana was still mid-way and had not reached Lanka yet. Vishnu would create an artificial dusk by covering the orb of the sun with his Sudarshan Chakra. Ravana would then break his journey, wherever he be, to perform his Sayam Sadhya (evening oblations). Ganesha should then appear there as a rustic boy. Ravana would then request Ganesa to hold the Atma Linga in his hands till he (Ravana) would finish his Sandhya-Vandan. Narada would then appear and draw Ravana into conversation and delay the latter in completing his Sandya-Vandan, Ganesh should ground the Atma-Linga in the meanwhile there itself. Such was the plan.

Ravana was midway to Lanka, but proudly carrying the Atma-Linga. The sun suddenly dimmed down due to the contrivance of Vishnu, and giving the impression that it was already nearing dusk. Ravana was a meticulous observer of the daily rituals and, therefore was keen on doing his Sandya-Vandan before sunset was over. But what to do with the Atma-Linga while doing the Sandya-Vandan? Shiva told him not to keep it on the ground before he reached Lanka. While he was in a dilemma, there appeared nearby a shepard boy playing around who looked so guileless and innocent. It was Lord Ganesa himself in that guise. Ravana called out to the boy and pleaded with him to hold the Shiva-Linga for him till he finished his evening oblations to the Sun-Deity. The boy pretended that he was in a hurry to get back home as it was getting dark. On Ravana's further pleading, the boy said that the Shiva-Linga seemed to be too heavy for him, and anyway he would hold it, but Ravana should return soon. He said "If you delay I shall lay it on the ground and go away." He added "However, I shall count to thrice before putting it on the ground before leaving".

Ravana, placing the Shiva-Linga in the hands of the boy, hurried to the river. There he was accosted by Narada, who went on complimenting and congratulating him for winning the Atma-Linga which is the most powerful Linga in the world. He said "it will make you the mightiest person in the world, and you will forever rule all the gods". Narada thus delayed Ravana, engaging him in conversation. Before Ravana took it easy, but never the less completed the Sandhya-Vandana fast and hurried back. Lo! by the time he reached back, the boy had already grounded the Shiva Linga. Ravana was furious with the boy, but the boy pleaded "it was too heavy for me, I called out for you thrice. As you did not return I couldn't help laying it on the ground".

Ravana tried with all his might to pull out the Shiva-Linga, the more he pulled the more firmly it was getting stuck in the ground. However, with the pull of Ravana, the Linga got twisted and elongated in the shape of a cow's ear (Go-Karna). As it withstood the mighty strength of Ravana, the Shiva-Ling came to be know as "Gokarna Mahabaleswar" and it is deemed most holy, as the Shiva Linga was installed there by Lord Ganesha, the foremost of Deities and further more, the installation was done at the instance of Lord Vishnu Himself.

It is said that Ravana did severest penances at this place only, and attained all the boons from Lord Shiva. All the gods also are said to have done great penances at this holy place.
The power of this place has been described in detail in Skandha purana.
Thus narrated Siddha Yogi to Namdharak about the origin of Gokarna, where Sripad Sri Vallabha chose to stay for three years in this sojourn in the South.