Mahabala Linga

महाबलमाहात्म्यवर्णनं नामाष्टमोऽध्यायः 
Mahabala (Linga) importance description Chapter 8



सूत उवाच |
Suta Goswami said (to the sages)



घोरेण तपसा लब्धं रावणाख्येन रक्षसा |
तल्लिङ्गं स्थापयामास गोकर्णे गणनायकः || 14 ||
गोकर्णं शिवलिङ्गं तु मोक्षद्वार उदाहृतः |
महाबलाभिधानोऽसौ पूजितः संस्तुतो द्विजाः || 24 ||
Obtained by severe penance by a demon called Ravana, that Linga was established in Gokarna by Ganesha (who offered to keep the Linga while Ravana did his prayers in the evening, but put it down where it got firmly established).
The Gokarna Shivalinga is considered to be a gate to liberation. Brahmanas (sages), this (Shivalinga) called Mahabala (or Mahabaleshwara) is worshipped and praised.