Did Lord Rama really worship Lord Shiva?

Question

Traditionally, the Ramayana is attributed to Valmiki. The Hindu tradition is unanimous in its agreement that the poem is the work of a single poet; the sage Valmiki, a contemporary of Rama and a peripheral actor in the epic. The story's original version in Sanskrit is known as Valmiki Ramayana.

Srimad Valmiki Ramayana is considered as the Adi Kavya, equivalent to Veda itself. As per Valmiki Ramayana there is no instance which shows that Lord Ram worshipped Lord shiva.

How far are these latter traditions and puranas are to be accepted when the Valmiki Ramayana doesn't mention of Lord Rama worshipping Lord Shiva?

Is there any other scriptural evidence regarding the worship of Lord Shiva by Lord Rama which is as valid source as Valmiki Ramayana?

Answer 1

Yes, he did. This is clearly written in Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda in the scene where Rama , Sita and their retinue are returning to Ayodhya in the pushpaka vimAna and Rama is showing Sita all the places that he had visited during his journey to Lanka.

"See this island, located in the middle of the ocean, where my troops were stationed. At this place, the lord Shiva (the supreme deity) formerly bestowed his grace on me."

Quote taken from Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 123, Verse 19

This indicates that Rama worshipped Shiva before the great war with Ravana and not after as is popularly believed. Nonetheless, it is indisputable that he worshipped Lord Shiva.

Answer 2

I'm giving here instances other than Rameshwaram. Lord Rama being a perfect example for every human being, prays and respects every divinities. It is also seen in Ayodhya Kanda:

वैश्वदेवबलिम् कृत्वा रौद्रम् वैष्णवमेव च |
वास्तुसंशमनीयानि मङ्गळानि प्रवर्तयन् || २-५६-३१
जपम् च न्यायतः कृत्वा स्नात्वा नद्याम् यथाविधि |
पाप संशमनम् रामः चकार बलिम् उत्तमम् || २-५६-३२

Having taken bath in the river as prescribed Rama offered oblations to Lord Rudra (Shiva) and Lord Vishnu after offering tributes to Vaisvadeva. He performed benedictions relating to the purification of house and also a silent prayer as per prescribed rites. He finally offered excellent tributes to the deities, for removing sins.

Answer 3

Different Versions of Lord Ram Worshipping Lord Shiva by establishing a Linga at Rameshwaram

In the Chapter 3 of Brahma Kund (3rd Canto of Skanda Purana)

“Describing how Sri Ram had installed Rameshwar linga, Sutji said--' After killing Ravan, Sri Ram enthroned Vibhishan as the king of Lanka. While returning to Ayodhya he made a brief stop at Gandhamadan mountain. Since the thought of having killed a brahmin (Ravan) kept on tormenting him, he decided to atone for his sins. In consultation with sages, Sri Ram decided to perform the ‘Pratishtha’ of Shiva Linga at the most auspicious ‘Muhurat’ and commissioned Hanuman to bring the Linga from Maha Deva at Kailasa Mountain. But Unfortunately however Hunuman could not meet the deadline of the Muhurat for the Consecration of the Linga and Devi Sita had to prepare a Sand Linga that was set up as a temporary stop-gap but in reality that became the real Linga . Meanwhile Hanuman returned from Kailasa but was highly disappointed and felt that all his efforts proved futile. Sri Rama consoled Hanuman also did the Pratishtha of the Linga brought by Hanuma.”

Rama instructed that Hanuma lingam should be worshipped first since it was brought by Lord Hanuman - the tradition continues even today.

In Chapter 18 of Koti Rudra Samhita of Shiva Purana It is said that

“Lord Rama After reaching Rameswaram beach and he was thirsty. When he was drinking water there he heard a celestial voice “you are drinking water here without worshipping me”’. Rama recognized that voice was of Lord Siva. Then he made a Sivalingam with beach sand and worshipped Lord Siva. He prayed Lord Siva to bless him to win the war, and vanquish Ravana. Lord Siva blessed Rama accordingly. He also prayed Lord Siva to reside eternally at Rameswaram so that entire mankind should benefit from it. Lord Siva agreed to Rama’s prayer and manifested Himself as Ramanatha Jyothirlingam and stayed there for eternity.”

According to a legend from Linga Purana,

“on the advice of Rishis, Rama wanted to consecrate at Rameswaram a shrine for Lord Siva to wash off the Brahmahatsya dosha - the sin of killing Ravana, a Brahmin. An auspicious time for the ceremony was fixed. Rama rushed Hanuman to Kasi to bring a Sivalingam. The auspicious time for the installation had neared, but Hanuman had not returned, Sita made a Sivalingam out of sand and the puja was performed to this Lingam at the stipulated time. It was consecrated as Ramalinga. Meanwhile, Hanuman returned from Kasi with two Lingams. He was disappointed that the ceremony was already over. In anger, he tried to uproot the sand Sivalingam with his tail, but in vain. Rama pacified Hanuman and installed one of the Lingams brought by Hanuman from Kasi to the left of Ramalinga, and ordered that all pujas be first performed for this Sivalingam, called Kasilingam or Viswanathalingam."

This priority in puja is followed even today.

Adhyathma Ramayana

“Tradition ascribes the authorship of Adhyathma Ramayana to Vedavyasa since it is said to be an integral part of Brahmanda Purana. Adhyathma Ramayana is the portrayal of a conversation between Lord Siva and Goddess Parvati (as reported by Lord Brahma to Sage Narada). It is this work that provided Tulasidasa with the inspiration to compose his immortal work, the Ramacharitamanasa. Sri Rama was described by Valmiki as a perfect human being, a maryada purushottama, with embodiment of Dharma. In Adhyathma Ramayana we see Rama as Brahman - omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient, the cause without a cause and the One without a second.

Adhyathma Ramayana speaks about Rama’s installation of the Sivalinga in Rameswara, before the construction of Sethu for the success of the enterprise. Rama also declares about the merit of Pilgrimage to Rameswara and Sethu Bandha here. “

In Lanka Kanda of Ramcharitamanasa

“It is said that Lord Ram installed a linga of Lord shiva before going to going to Lanka.”

Kamba Ramayanam

In Ramavataram, popularly referred to as Kamba Ramayanam, is a Tamil epic that was written by the Tamil poet Kamban during the 12th century. It describes the life of King Rama of Ayodhya. This historic work is considered by both Tamil scholars and the general public as one of the greatest literary works in Tamil literature. It also doesn’t mention about Lord Rama Worshipping Lord Shiva in the form of a Linga before/ after the war.

In each of the above references one doesn’t confirm to another completely for the above episode in question of Ramayana. There are as many 300 Ramayana’s with varied interpretations.

So taking a cue from Valmiki Ramayan which shows Lord Rama got the grace of Lord Shiva before War and stories from Shiva Purana, RamCharitmanasa, Adhyatma Ramayana which show that Lord Rama installed Linga before war and prayed to it are in perfect contradiction of the sthala purana of the temple of Rameswaram. Skanda and Linga Puranas are in agreement with the sthala purana.

But here appears a paradox where the former known to be more authentic don’t agree with that of sthala purana. Still it remains a matter of debate as to which one is authentic.

Leaving this aside temple town of Rameswaram is equally revered by Shaivas and Vaishnavas.

Wish may Lord Ram and Lord Shiva instill upon our minds the truth against popular or argumentative opinions.

Answer 4

नमो नित्याय शुद्धाय प्रभवे कालमुर्तये। दशदिग्बाहवे नमो नमः भुचरणाय च।।2।।

नित्य, शुद्ध, सर्वसमर्थ तथा कालस्वरूप को नमस्कार है।दशो दिशाओं जिनकी भुजाएं हैं तथा पृथ्वी जिनका चरण है उन प्रभु श्री राम को नमस्कार है।

Salutations to the eternal, pure, all-powerful and eternal form. Salutations to Lord Shri Ram, who has arms are the ten directions and whose feet are the earth.

नमोऽम्भोरेतसे शश्वत्तेजानेत्राय ते नमः। वायुचेष्टाय महते व्योमदेहाय ते नमः।।3।।

जल जिनका वीर्य है, सनातन तेज जिनका नेत्र है, वायु जिनका चेष्टा है तथा आकाश जिनका शरीर उन महापुरुष को पुनः पुनः नमस्कार है।

Salutations again and again to that great man, whose virya is water, whose eye is eternal light, whose effort is air and whose body is sky.

अहं ते हृदयं राम त्वं नाभि पितामहः। कंठस्ते नीलकण्ठऽसौ भ्रुमध्यं च दिवेश्वरः।।4।।

हे श्रीराम!मैं (विष्णु) आपका हृदय हूं , ब्रह्मा आपके नाभि है, शिव आपके कण्ठ तथा सुर्य आपके भौहोका मध्यभाग है, हे राम ! आपको नमस्कार है।

O Shri Ram! I (Vishnu) am your heart, Brahma is your navel, Shiva is your throat and Surya is the middle of your eyebrows, O Ram! Greetings to you.

सदाशिवो ललाटस्ते तत् उर्ध्वे परः शिवः। भुषणानि च तत्वानि विश्वाकारस्य ते प्रभो।।5।।

हे राम! सदाशिव आपका ललाट है, उसके उपर का भाग पराशिव है। सारे तत्व आप विश्वरुपम के आभुषण हैं। Hey Ram! Sadashiv is your forehead, the part above it is Parashiv. All elements are the ornaments of You Vishwaroopam.

From skandpuran Nirvana khand chapter 300

Now, shiva is throat (Anga) of bhagwan shri Ramchandra, why would Shri Ram worship shiva? Its quite clear that this is just a lila of shri Ram

Answer 5

To add to the list, it is also mentioned in Sri Nrsimha Purana (which is considered a upa-purana).

Chapter 58, slokhas 121 and 122 -

pratishTAya mahAdEvam setumaDyE sa raGHavah || (121) (Lord Rama made pratishta of Lord Shiva on the bridge constructed across the ocean)
labDHAvAn paramAm BHaktim shivE shamBO(r)agurahAt |
ramEshvara iti khyAtO mahAdEva(h) pinakaDHrk || 122

PS: I don't have Sanskrit fonts on my system, which is one of the reasons I resist typing the slokhas here, but any way for now let me type in English. This is not any standard transliteration - just a quick and approximate one until I get around to install one of the Sanskrit fonts that works well with my Linux system

Answer 6

I like to add another reference, which is Ananda Ramayana. This is not attributed to Sage Valmiki, and the exact authorship, and time of composition are not clear. Many stories and accounts are new in this version of The Ramayana.

That said, the Sara-Khanda, 10th Sarga talks about Lord Rama establishing the Shiva Linga in great detail. This is narrated for about 40 plus slokhas starting from roughly around 121 (of Sarga 10 of the sara khanda)

The account varies from The Valmiki Ramayana in one key aspect - Lord Rama, as per The Ananda Ramayana, installs The Shiva Linga AFTER the war. The story goes like this (in brief) -

Having killed Ravana, who was a Brahmin and the devotee of Lord Shiva, The Lord Rama wants to consecrate a Shiva Linga, and asks Lord Anjaneya to get a Shiva Linga from Varanasi. By the time Lord Hanuman returns back it was late, and Lord Rama (or Mother Sitha, I don't recall from my memory) installs a Linga. Lord Anjaneya returns back with two Lings and gets disappointed to see The Linga pratishta was already done. He asks Lord Rama, who tells him to take The Linga from the ground if he could. Anjaneya tries to pull The Linga and loses the tail. Then Lord Rama convinces Anjaneya to install The Linga He brought to the North of the Linga established by Mother Sitha. Lord Rama also restores Hanuman's tail. The Linga brought by Lord Anjaneya is called Vishwanatha. The story further states that Lord Rama ordained that the Linga brought by Lord Anjaneya should be worshiped first before the main murthi of Rameshwaram.

This account is more or less in alignment with the sthala-purana of Rameshwaram, though deviates from The Valmiki Ramayana (in which the implied meaning is, Lord Rama worshiped Lord Shiva before crossing the ocean, on HIS way to Lankha. There is no explicit reference in The Valmiki Ramayana about a Linga Pratishta. It just says through the words of Lord Rama that HE worshiped Lord Mahadeva)

Answer 7

Rama and Shiva: Non-Different Rama’s consciousness was always one with Shiva, who is the embodiment of pure love and pure consciousness (Sat-Chit-Ananda). This unified consciousness is the foundation of Rama's actions throughout the Ramayana and that is why in ramcharitmas and Vaishnava texts like Vishnu purana etc he is known as an avatar of ishwara Vishnu because in the traditional systems of Bharatiya philosophy Ishwarq acts from a place of pure conciousness hence the Vaishnavas may not like to admit it openly but the truth is Vishnu acts from a place of pure conciousness eg Shiva conciousness, Shiva is not an entity he is the conciousness of Ishwara divine conciousness which is ananda/pure love/bliss.

Rama's Selfless Love for Sita In the Ramayana, Rama's selfless love for Sita and his dedicated service to his subjects are evident. In Ayodhya Kanda, Rama expresses his inability to live without Sita, equating her presence to the essence of his existence: Sanskrit: अहं हि त्वामनुप्राप्तमिच्छंस्त्यक्तुं न शक्तवान्। रजनीसंसर्गेण हि मे बहु दोषं प्रकाशते।। Transliteration: ahaṃ hi tvāmanuprāptamicchaṃstyaktuṃ na śaktavān। rajanīsaṃsargeṇa hi me bahu doṣaṃ prakāśate।। English Translation: Oh, Sita! Without you, this forest which is bereft of any charm or delight will be as desolate as a desert devoid of water, or a night without the moon. Do not entertain any doubt about it! He further states his devotion to Sita: Sanskrit: न त्वां विनिर्जिवितुं च युक्तो वनं प्रवेक्ष्येति मे भवान्। Transliteration: na tvāṃ vinirjivituṃ ca yukto vanaṃ pravekṣyeti me bhavān। English Translation: Oh, Sita! To me, life in this world is not dear without you. How can I, without you, stay in a lonely forest filled with deer and wild beasts? In Aranya Kanda, Rama's protective love is evident: Sanskrit: किं ते तात विमुञ्चामि सीतेति विकलः कृतः। Transliteration: kiṃ te tāta vimuñcāmi sīteti vikalaḥ kṛtaḥ। English Translation: My dear Sita, how can I bear the thought of your suffering? The forest is dense and wild, yet I shall always protect you with my bow. Rama's Selfless Service to His Subjects His selfless service to his people is equally highlighted: Sanskrit: रामो ऽरक्षानिवृत्तश्च शुश्रूषां कुर्वते जनः। Transliteration: rāmo 'rakṣānivṛttaśca śuśrūṣāṃ kurvate janaḥ। English Translation: Rama always dedicated himself to the well-being of his people. He was a protector, caring deeply for the happiness and welfare of his subjects. Sanskrit: स चेवंवृत्तो विनिवृत्तशीलैः प्रजाभिराभिर्मणिवर्जिताश्च। Transliteration: sa cevaṃvṛtto vinivṛttaśīlaiḥ prajābhirābhirmaṇivarjitāśca। English Translation: Rama, being the protector of the people, has always done the best for their welfare and happiness. He never neglected his duties towards his subjects. Sanskrit: राघवो धर्मतत्त्वज्ञः सत्यवाक्यो दृढव्रतः। Transliteration: rāghavo dharmatattvajñaḥ satyavākyo dṛḍhavrataḥ। English Translation: Rama never deviated from the path of righteousness, even in the face of adversity, for he considered the welfare of his subjects above his own happiness. Rudram The Rudram from the Yajur Veda further illuminates Shiva as the embodiment of pure consciousness and love. Anuvaka 4 of Sri Rudram describes Shiva as the source of all auspiciousness and the leader of all: Sanskrit: नमो हिरण्यबाहवे सेनान्यै दिशां च पतये नमः। Transliteration: namo hiraṇyabāhave senānyai diśāṃ ca pataye namaḥ। English Translation: Salutations to Him who is the leader of all, the controller of directions, who has golden arms and is the source of all auspiciousness. Shiva Tantras Shiva Tantras also articulate Shiva’s nature as pure consciousness. The Shiva Sutras begin with: Sanskrit: चैतन्यमात्मा। Transliteration: caitanyam ātmā। English Translation: Consciousness is the self. This establishes Shiva as pure consciousness and the essence of all existence. The Kularnava Tantra states: Sanskrit: शिवो भूत्वा शिवं यजेत। Transliteration: śivo bhūtvā śivaṃ yajet। English Translation: One should worship Shiva by becoming Shiva, embodying pure consciousness and universal love. Thus, it is from this Shiva consciousness—pure love—that Rama acted throughout the Ramayana. His unparalleled qualities and his reputation as Maryada Purushottama, the best among men, stem from his embodiment of Shiva's consciousness. Rama’s life and actions were a manifestation of Shiva’s essence, demonstrating that Rama and Shiva are non-different, unified in pure love and consciousness.

Hence to answer your question any scripture which talks about ishwara will mention the fact that ishwara does his actions form a place of selfless love and selfless service for all hence given that selfless love and service is Shiva and so Narayana is always worshipping Shiva