Indian scriptural literature has the following concerning Kayavarohan, a small village not far from Vadodara City in Gujarat, India:

Sarva papaharam punyam Shrimat Kayavarohanam
Kayavarohane teerthe murtiman Shankara swayam.

Meaning, ‘Kayavarohan is a blessed and auspicious pilgrimage place which destroys all sin for Lord Shiva himself resides in his idol there’.    

The idol in question is the one in the Brahmeshwar Temple at Kayavarohan built by divine command by Swami Kripalvanand, the Guru of Swami Rajarshi Muni. It is a unique idol in that it depicts a human figure superimposed on the top outer surface of a Shiva Linga. Thus the concept of a ‘linga’, the name Brahmeshwar and the mystery of the human figure on the linga at Kayavarohan need to be understood.

First the linga. A linga is nothing but a material representation of the formless, attributeless Brahm or Supreme Lord or Supreme Element. Why it is depicted in its well-known elongated ovular shape has an interesting history. Once Brahma and Vishnu quarreled as to who was the greater of the two. The controversy between them went on for long but found no resolution. Eventually a massive pillar of fire without beginning and without end appeared between the two warring Lords. Forgetting their own quarrel both now tried to take measure of this new apparition before them but were quite unable to fathom its length or breadth, or depth. They then tried to know its true nature by the power of their meditation but were still unable to plumb its depths. Now realizing that they were in the presence of something more powerful than themselves they bowed before it reverentially and prayed that it reveal to them its true nature. After long prayer and entreaty, the pillar of fire and energy and light reduced its own size and assumed the shape of what has come to be recognized as a Shiva linga. The Supreme Lord Shiva then appeared in his true form and explained to them that both were but parts of his own being as indeed was Rudra, the third of the triumvirate of Gods created to respectively create, sustain and destroy the created universe and that all were equal, none was greater or smaller. He went on to say further that a small replica of the fathomless pillar of fire, light and energy that they had seen would be his symbol.    

There is more to the story but the above is enough to explain the concept of the linga and what it stands for. From times immemorial thereafter Indian society has worshipped the Supreme Brahm and Sada Shiva in that form to depict his formless and attributeless aspect as also several forms to depict his aspect with form and attributes. In the latter case he has been depicted as Nataraj, Ardhanarishvar, Samharmurti, Kalhar, Harihar, Uma-Mahesh, Shiva-Parvati, Pashupati, Bhairav etc. Only in one case has he been depicted as both a linga and human form and that is as Lord Lakulish, the twenty-eighth incarnation of Lord Shiva. 

The twenty eight incarnations of Lord Shiva are described in the Purans, from which authority we know that Lord Shiva has incarnated before the onset of every Kali Yuga. The present being the twenty eighth Kali Yuga it is also the yuga of the twenty eighth incarnation of Lord Shiva. It is said in the eighteenth chapter of the Kurm Purana as follows:

Brahmkrityuge devastretayam Bhagvana Ravi
Dwapare Devatam Vishnu: Kalaun Devo Maheshware.

(Meaning, Brahma is regarded as the special deity of Satya Yuga, the Sun of Treta yuga, Lord Vishnu of the Dwapar Yuga and  Mahesh or  Lord Shiva as the special deity of the Kali Yuga).

Over the centuries Indian society has worshipped Lord Shiva in his many aspects,   both in the aspect of nirakar or without form and attributes and sakar or with form and attributes. These two categories are distinguished by the linga in the one case and many forms of Shiva in the other, the latter illustrated by some of the names listed earlier  such as Nataraj, Ardhanarishvar, Samharmurti, Kalhar, Harihar, Uma-Mahesh, Shiva-Parvati, Pashupati, Bhairav etc. The temples of Shiva were given names and those where the lingas were made of meteorites such as in the temples  of Somnath, Mallikarjun, Omkareshvar, Nageshwar, Trambakeshwar etc. were regarded as being of special significance and potency. The idol at Kayavarohan was established by Sage Vishvamitra and was known by the name of Brahmeshwar. It exemplifies the one exceptional instance where Shiva is depicted in both forms, the linga as well as a human form, the latter superimposed on the former. This is the depiction of Lord Lakulish, the twenty eighth incarnation of Lord Shiva, and may be found in temples throughout India, though in many places the sculptures have been stolen or ravaged. An idol of Lord Lakulish was recently found in as far away a place as Laos.

Lord Lakulish appeared at the beginning of the present kali yuga which commenced about five thousand years ago. And he appeared in human form at Kayavarohan (the word means ‘descent in bodily form’) near the city of Vadodara in Gujarat. This alone makes the place a siddha kshetra, land of realized souls, but in addition it is also the land where Sages Vishvamitra and Bhrigu (after whom the area is also referred to as Bhrigu Katchh) performed their austerities and where the Gayatri Mantra came to the former in his sadhana. When the earthly work of this incarnation was done  he disappeared in the linga at the temple of Brahmeshwar where his devotees still consider him present in the idol of Lord Brahmeshwar in the form of a human figure (Lord Lakulish) superimposed on a Linga.