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| Vaishno Devi Temple, Jammu |
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 Shri
Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine is one of the oldest shrine
of India, located at a height of 5300 feet on the
holy Trikuta Hills of the Shivalik Hill Range. The
Holy cave is 13 Kms from the Base Camp Katra. The
Town Katra is 50 Kms away from Jammu and 35 Kms
from District HQ Udhampur and is linked by road.
The Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine is one of the most
popular Shrines of India. The Goddess Mata Vaishno
Devi's abode is in 100 feet long cave with a narrow
opening. The holy cold and crystal clear water washes
the lotus feet of the Mata's "Pindian".
There are three natural pindies representing Maha
Sarswati, Maha Lakshmi, Maha Kali, which represent
creative, preservative, and destructive aspects
of the Super Power. It is an ancient shrine whose
reference is found in the Vedas and ancient scriptures.
'Vaishnavi' means the one
who is related to lord "Vishnu''. Goddess Vaishnavi
is the manifestation of the collective spiritual
strengths of Mata Maha Kali, Mata Maha Lakshmi and
Mata Maha Saraswati. It is described in Durga Sapatshati
that the goddess was born as a young girl of extraordinary
beauty and strength, out of the collectively pooled
'Tejas' of various 'Devtas' and three lords Brahma,
Vishnu and Shankar. The immediate purpose of the
creation of the goddess was the annihilation of
Asura (Devil) Mahishasura. However another purpose
of her creation was that she might usher on earth
an era of pious and ascetic life so that the peace
could prevail upon the world and she through her
penance could rise to higher levels of spirituality
and ultimately merge with Vishnu.
The 'Goddess' having been created
by the Devtas and the three lords ordained the human
form in the house of one Ratnakar as his daughter
whom the family named as Vaishnavi. The girl right
from her childhood displayed a hunger for knowledge
which was like a vortex and which no amount of teaching
and learning could sufficiently satiate. Subsequently,
Vaishnavi started looking into her inner self for
knowledge and soon learned the art of meditation
and realized that meditation and penance only could
bring her close to her greater objective. Vaishnavi
thus relinquished all household comforts and went
deep into the forest for Tapasaya (meditation).
Meanwhile, Lord Rama, during his fourteen years
of exile happened to visit Vaishnavi who recognized
him immediately as no ordinary being but the incarnation
of Lord Vishnu and immediately asked him to merge
her into himself so that she could become one with
the supreme creator. However Lord Rama, knowing
that it was not the appropriate time, dissuaded
her by saying that he will visit her again after
the end of his exile and at that time if she succeeded
in recognizing him, he will fulfill her wish. True
to his words, Rama visited her again after being
victorious in the battle, but this time he did so
in the guise of an old man. Unfortunately, Vaishnavi
was unable to recognize him this time and was distraught.
Upon this, Lord Rama consoled her that the appropriate
time for her being one with the creator had not
come and he will eventually do so in 'Kaliyug' in
his incarnation of 'Kalki'. Rama also directed her
to meditate and set up an Ashram at the base of
Trikuta hills to elevate her level of spirituality
so as to bless the mankind and rid the poor and
destitute of their sufferings and only then will
'Vishnu' merge her into himself.
The 'Goddess' having been created
by the Devtas and the three lords ordained the human
form in the house of one Ratnakar as his daughter
whom the family named as Vaishnavi. The girl right
from her childhood displayed a hunger for knowledge
which was like a vortex and which no amount of teaching
and learning could sufficiently satiate. Subsequently,
Vaishnavi started looking into her inner self for
knowledge and soon learned the art of meditation
and realized that meditation and penance only could
bring her close to her greater objective. Vaishnavi
thus relinquished all household comforts and went
deep into the forest for Tapasaya (meditation).
Meanwhile, Lord Rama, during his fourteen years
of exile happened to visit Vaishnavi who recognized
him immediately as no ordinary being but the incarnation
of Lord Vishnu and immediately asked him to merge
her into himself so that she could become one with
the supreme creator. However Lord Rama, knowing
that it was not the appropriate time, dissuaded
her by saying that he will visit her again after
the end of his exile and at that time if she succeeded
in recognizing him, he will fulfill her wish. True
to his words, Rama visited her again after being
victorious in the battle, but this time he did so
in the guise of an old man. Unfortunately, Vaishnavi
was unable to recognize him this time and was distraught.
Upon this, Lord Rama consoled her that the appropriate
time for her being one with the creator had not
come and he will eventually do so in 'Kaliyug' in
his incarnation of 'Kalki'. Rama also directed her
to meditate and set up an Ashram at the base of
Trikuta hills to elevate her level of spirituality
so as to bless the mankind and rid the poor and
destitute of their sufferings and only then will
'Vishnu' merge her into himself.
Vaishnavi, after immense hardships reached
the foot of the Trikuta Hills and after setting
up her ashram there she began to meditate. As predicted
by Lord Rama, her glory spread far and wide and
people began to flock to her Ashram to seek her
blessings. As the time passed, a Tantrik named Gorakh
Nath who had a vision of the episode between Lord
Rama and Vaishnavi in the retrospective time frame,
became curious to find out whether Vaishnavi has
been able to attain a high level of spirituality
or not. He, therefore, sent his most able disciple
'Bhairon Nath' to find out the truth. Bhairon Nath
on locating the ashram started observing Vaishnavi
secretly and realised that though a 'Sadhvi' she
always carried bow and arrows with her and was always
surrounded by langoors (apes) and a ferocious looking
lion. Bhairon Nath was enamored by Vaishnavi's extraordinary
beauty and losing all good sense he began to pester
Vaishnavi to marry him. Meanwhile a staunch devotee
of Mata Sridhar organised a Bhandara (Community
meal) in which the whole village and Guru Gorakh
Nath along with all his followers including Bhairon
were invited. During the course of Bhandara Bhairon
Nath attempted to grab Vaishnavi but she tried her
best to daunt him. On failing to do so, Vaishnavi
decided to flee away into the mountains to continue
her 'Tapasaya' undisturbed. Bhairon Nath however
chased her to her destination. The goddess after
halting at Banganga, Charan Paduka, and Adhkwari,
finally reached the holy cave Shrine. When Bhairon
Nath continued to follow her despite the goddess
trying to avoid a confrontation, the goddess was
compelled to kill him. Bhairon Nath met his ultimate
fate when the goddess, just outside the mouth of
the cave, beheaded him. The severed head of Bhairon
fell with a force at a distant hilltop. Bhairon
Nath upon death realised the futility of his mission
and prayed to the deity to forgive him. The almighty
'Mata' had mercy on Bhairon and gave him a boon
that every devotee of the goddess shall have to
have the Darshans of Bhairon after having the Darshans
of the goddess and only then shall the yatra of
a devotee be complete. Meanwhile, Vaishnavi decided
to shed off her human form and assuming the face
of a rock she immersed her self into meditation
forever. |
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