the Ultimate Web on Indian Gods & Temples

 by Padmani,

In olden days, there was a king named Dharmamoorthi who was a friend of Lord Indra. He killed many demons. Due to his speed, the light of the sun and the moon got affected. In his ten thousand wives, one was Banumathi, who was as beautiful as Goddess Lakshmi. The king asked Sage Vashista about his glories. The sage replied that in his previous birth, he was a Sudra but became a king. He was bad and insulted the Vedas. When he died, he went to hell. He took birth as a crab (Kekada). He spent his life in Rudhrasagar at Avanthika Nagari. One day, a crow took him on its beak and flew. When he tried to escape, the crow dropped him and  he fell on the Shivalinga near the temple of Swargadwareshwar and died. He reached heaven and endured all the happiness and came here as a man. The Linga on which the crab fell came to be known as Karkateshwar. The king worshipped that Linga and attained salvation. Whoever worships this Linga, will endure all the happiness and reach heaven after death.