The Geography of the Puranas c12.104

c12.104

Gokarna has been identified with Gendia, a town in the province of North Kanara, Karwar District, 30 miles from Goa between Karwar and Kumta (N. L. Dey, Dict.). It is a celebrated place of pilgrimage (Mbt., Adi. P, Ch. 2, 19; Raghuvamśa, VIII; Siva P, Bk. III, Ch. 15). It contains the temple of Mahādeo Mahābaleswara established by Rāvaṇa. Here Śaṅkarācārya defeated in controversy Nīlakaṇṭa, a Śaiva (Śaṅkaravijaya, Ch. 15). In (vii) above the location of Gokarna is given on the ‘eastern side’, actually it should be the ‘western side’.