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After
Ravana Samhara, when Rama alighted here, he was advised by venerable sages
headed by Agastya to perform an expiatory rite for destroying Ravana - the
grandson of Sage Pulastya. This performance requires a Sivalinga and that alone
absolves one of the sin of Bramahatya. So Rama bade Hanuman to fetch
jyothirlinga from Kailas from Lord Siva himself. Hanuman reached, but could not
obtain it as proposed. He then started penance atop the Himalayas to please
Siva, but down below then at the extreme end,
Rama was hastened to propitiate Lord Siva at the right moment. Hanuman did not
turn up. In order to perform that sacred rite at the auspicious moment; Agasthya
advised Sita to prepare a Sivalinga out of Sand. With due rites, and at the
right time, it was installed on the Jyesta Shukla dasami, when the moon was in
Hasta and the sun in Vrishabha. Just then Hanuman returned with Sivalinga
obtaining it from Lord Siva. Seeing the installation completed he was
disappointed and went red in face. To appease him, Rama asked Hanuman to pull
out the one installed and install the linga brought from Kailas. Tried however
much, he could not shake it, he courted a failure. Rama then consoled him by
establishing his linga and ordaining that pujas must be offered first to
Hanuman's linga, to be called thereafter as as Kasi Viswanatha Linga and then to
the linga he installed as Rameswara. Approbation of the audience at once rent
the air heralding that both are equal and each must be worshipped for gaining
merit. This sublime injunction is honoured even today- Kasi Viswanatha linga
first Rameswar linga next. How judicious was Rama! And what compassion for his
dependents!!
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