Origin of Rāmeśvara

The Śiva Purāṇa, in the Koti Rudra Saṃhitā, tells how the Rāmeśvara Jyotirliṅga came to be at the Setubandha, the southern shore of Bhārata. Rāma, the avatāra of Bhagavān Vishṇu, was about to cross the sea to Laṅkā to rescue Sītā from Rāvaṇa. Before crossing, he worshipped Bhagavān Śiva on the seashore.

Śiva appeared and gave Rāma a vara (a boon) of victory over Rāvaṇa. Then, at the request of Rāma and the others present, Śiva stayed at that place for ever as Rāmeśvara.

The southern shore before the crossing

The Setubandha was the bridge of stones that Rāma’s vānara army had built to cross from Bhārata to Laṅkā. When it was done, Rāma stood on the southern shore and looked at the sea. The great war against Rāvaṇa was about to begin. Sītā was still a captive in Laṅkā. The war would decide whether dharma would be set right again or adharma would win.

Rāma paused. Before the crossing, he felt the need for the darśana (sight) and blessing of Bhagavān Śiva. This was no ordinary campaign. It was the decisive battle of an avatāra‘s work, and Rāma came to it with the humility of a devotee who knew that victory rests in the will and grace of Śiva.

Rāma’s pārthiva pūjā

On the seashore, far from any temple and without costly things, Rāma made a pārthiva liṅga (a liṅga of earth) from the earth and sand of the shore. He performed the full pūjā with whatever he could find: seawater, flowers of the coast, and his sincere devotion. There was no show and no elaborate rite. It was the simple offering of one who knew that Bhagavān Śiva is present in the pārthiva liṅga and who truly sought his presence.

Śiva appears and gives the vara

Parameśvara Śiva was pleased with Rāma’s sincere worship and appeared before him. He gave Rāma the vara that the worship was meant to win: victory over Rāvaṇa. The war would be won, Sītā would be rescued, and the purpose for which Bhagavān Vishṇu had taken birth as Rāma would be fulfilled.

With the darśana of Śiva received and his vara given, Rāma went ahead with the sea crossing and the war.

Rāmeśvara is established

After receiving Śiva’s darśana and vara, Rāma asked Śiva to remain at that seashore for ever. The assembled vānaras, the devas who had gathered to see this great moment, and the ṛshis who were present joined him in the request. The place where an avatāra of Bhagavān Vishṇu had worshipped Bhagavān Śiva on the eve of the decisive battle of dharma was too holy to become ordinary coast again.

Śiva agreed. The place became the permanent Jyotirliṅga of Rāmeśvara. The name joins Rāma and Īśvara (the supreme master), so Rāma’s act of worship is part of the name of the kshetra (sacred place) itself. Pilgrims who go to Rāmeśvara come to the place where Rāma worshipped.

In this account, the avatāra of Bhagavān Vishṇu worships Bhagavān Śiva before his greatest act in the world, and Śiva gives the vara that makes Vishṇu’s purpose possible. The Rāmāyaṇa and the Śiva Purāṇa meet at this one point on the southern shore.

Sources

• Śiva Purāṇa, Koti Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 31