In his manifestation
as the "Lord of Physicians," Shiva takes on a new form (vaidya).
In Deoghar, Bihar, he has a temple named after him.
The Vaidyanath linga is one of the twelve jyotirlingas, a network
of sites deemed especially sacred to Shiva and at which Shiva is uniquely
present.
Shiva is present at Vaidyanath in the form of a linga, the
pillar-shaped image that is his symbolic form, and the Vaidyanath linga is one
of the twelve jyotirlingas, a network of sites deemed especially sacred to
Shiva and at which Shiva The demon-king Ravana is considered to be a great
devotee (bhakta) of Shiva, according to Vaidyanath's founding story.
Ravana journeys to Mount Kailas, Shiva's abode, and
practices severe austerity for years in the hopes of seeing Shiva.
When his austerity fails, the ten-headed Ravana proceeds to
chop off each of his heads and present them to Shiva one by one.
As he is ready to sever the last of his heads, Shiva comes
in front of him and bestows a blessing on Ravana.
Ravana requests that Shiva reside in his Lankan castle, a
wish that would make Ravana unstoppable.
Shiva agrees to appear in the shape of a linga, but cautions
Ravana that the linga will remain eternally wherever it touches the soil.
Ravana has the desire to urinate as he starts his journey
back to Lanka (which in some versions is described as being caused by Shiva
himself, because the other gods have begged Shiva not to go to Lanka).
He can't put the linga down because of the condition of his
boon; also, since urine makes one ritually unclean, the linga would be polluted
if he held it while answering nature's call (or touches it before he has taken
a purifying bath).
Ravana eventually gives the linga to a cowherd and tells him
to keep it off the ground.
The linga, however, is so heavy that the cowherd is forced
to let it rest on the ground, where it adheres to the earth and remains to this
day.
You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.
Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.
