Rāvaṇānugṛha – Lord Śiva being merciful towards Rāvaṇa the rākṣasa king
And so it came to pass that the ten armed Rāvaṇa, rākṣasa king of great might, filled with pried attempted to verily uproot Mount Kailāśa, the abode of Lord Śiva. Then the great God, Mahādeva pushed the great mountain back in place with a mere twitch of his big toe and trapped Rāvaṇa beneath it. Rāvaṇa, his pride crushed, sang praises to Lord Śiva, some say for a thousand years. The ever merciful Lord, pleased with this act of humility and submission released Rāvaṇa and also blessed him with his ātma-liñga.
This theme is very popular in Śaivite art, depicted above in, a modern day diorama at Murudeśwar, an intricate bas-relief at Halebidu, Karnataka (circa 12th Century CE), and in the massive rock-cut megalith of Kailāśanātha Temple at Ellora, Maharashtra (circa 8th Century).













