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Published: September 29th 2009
JYOTIRLINGA TOUR OF AN OLD COUPLE (3)
6-7-2009 -- MONDAY.
We reached the Resort by 2 p.m. We have finished our lunch brought from the Guest House on the way. Took rest till 4-00 p.m. The Resort is located at a very beautiful surroundings with a lake adjacent to the Resort. There was also a Helipad for the benefit of VIPs coming by Helicopter. Near the Helipad, a small mandir wth the Icon of Lord Shiva was built for the benefit of visitors. It consisted of many cottages, two or three Suites and Rooms with attached bath. A beautiful park was developed for the benefit of children visiting the place. On enquiry at Reception, I have been informed that Abhishekam to the Deity is performed every morning at 5-00 a.m., and nija rupa darshanam would be available in the morning only and later the mula viraat is covered by a silver shield to which abhishekam and pooja are performed by devotees. The Receptionist told me that the Resort maintains good relations with the main pujari of the temple by name Shri Arun Kaka Govinde and he will make special arrangements for Puja and Abhishekam for the visitors from the Resort. As I have no other work, we decided to pay a visit to the temple and talk about arrangements for the abhishekam next day morning. The atmosphere throughout the day was cloudy except for dristles now and then after we entered the ghat road and the forest area. So we reached Bhimshankaram by about 4-45 p.m. From this place, the temple is located in a valley with three hundred steps to go down.
Overcoming the dilemma whether to go to the temple by going down three hundred steps, we decided to proceed to the temple slowly. There were people who said they will arrange a dolly to my wife and they will charge Rs.500 to and fro. My wife refused to step into the dolly as she feared that they may drop her in the middle and the dolly also would not be comfortable to sit while going down. We slowly started descending into the valley. By 6 p.m. we were in the temple premises and had the darshan of Lord Bhimashankar. We enquired about the abhishekam to be performed tomorrow morning and the temple employee informed us that we have to be present by 5-00 a.m. and can participate in special abhishekam by paying a sum of Rs.500 to the main pujari. When I enquired about main Pujari Shri Arun Kaka Govinde, they said he would be available in the morning only and presently his brother Shri Madhukar is there and I can contact him, without referring to his brother, about the Abhishekam tomorrow morning. I contacted him and requested him about abhishekam today evening itself and about the Nijarupa darshanam of the Bhima Shankara Lingam. He said the nijarupa darshanam and abhishekam would be only in the morning and as this day happens to be Monday, nijarupa darshanam is available at 7-00 p.m at the time of abhishekam and closing ceremonial puja by temple priests, and outsiders are not allowed to participate in the abhishekam and puja and they can only have darshanam.
I decided to stay till 7-00 p.m. to have the nijaraupa darsanam of the Bhimeswara Lingam. In the meanwhile, the temple employee told me that I can sit in the sanctum sanctorium till 7-00 p.m., and witness the abhishekam and puja later. He also made arrangements for me to sit opposite the Mula Virat and for my wife to sit on an elevated place behind me. Taking it as a God-given opportunity, I sat and started Namaka Parayanam. After Namaka Parayanam three times, the temple-priest came and removed the silver shield over the Mula Virat and started Abhishekam by Panchamritas, coconut water and pure tirtha water. This Abhishekam he started at 6-40 p.m. itself instead of 7 p.m. as scheduled. He was kind enough to allow me to participate in the Abhishekam and the Puja, taking me as a Pundit and a devotee. The temple employee (Mr.Anil) provided me a copper pot full of Tirtham for the abhishekam. The Moola Virat consisted of about one foot long shiva lingam and there was a scar dividing the shiva lingam into two equal parts. It is stated one part represents Lord Shiva and the other part represents Parvati, His consort and the Shiva Lingam is worshipped as Ardha Nareeswara Shiva Lingam. Parvati is known as Kamalaja here and there is a separate temple for her. The Abhishekam and Puja is over by 7-30 p.m. It is all God’s grace that the abhishekam and puja, intended to be performed next day morning, is performed on this Pradosha Kalam of Monday. I nearly spent one hour fifteen minutes in the Sanctum Sanctorium as against usual 15 minutes for performing abhishekam and puja. I gave dakshina to the pujari and a small reward to the temple employee who made the abhishekam and puja possible to me.
HISTORY OF BHIMSHANKAR JYOTIRLING :
ICON OF BHIMSHANKAR JYOTIRLING
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MOOLA VIRAT - NIJARUPA DARSHANAM OF BHIMSANKAR
Bhimshankar is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. The Puranas say “Dhakinyam Bhimasankaram’. Bhimasankar is also the source of River Bhima which merges in River Krishna near Raichur. The temple is closely associated with the legend story of Lord Shiva slaying the demon Tripurasura associated with the invincible flying citadels known as Tripuras (three cities). Lord Shiva is said to have taken abode in the Bhima form, upon the request of Devathas, on the crest of the Sahyadri hills, and the sweat that poured forth from his body after the great battle with Tripurasuras have formed the Bhima River.
Long long ago in the dense forests of Dhakini, the lofty ranges of Sahyadri mountains, lived the evil Asura by name Bhima with his mother Karkati. Bhima was the son of Kumbhakarna whom Sri Rama killed in the battle with Ravana who abducted Sita Devi. To take revenge against Vishnu and other Devathas, Asura Bhima performed severe penance to please Brahma and Brahma pleased with the penance granted him immense powers. With these powers Asura Bhima started torturing Devathas and Rishis and defeated Indra, the King of Heavens and also defeated King Kamarupeshwar (present day Assam - Kamarupa desam), a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva. Bhima insisted on Kamarupeswar worshipping him instead of Lord Siva. When Kamarupeswara denied doing that and refused to do pooja to him, tyrant Bhima raised his sword to strike the Shiva Linga, to which Kamarupeshwara was doing abhishekam and pooja. As soon as Bhima managed to raise his sword, Lord Shiva appeared before him in all his magnificence and reduced the evil demon to ashes and thus concluded the saga of tyranny. All the Gods and the Holy Sages present there requested Lord Shiva to make this place his abode. Lord Shiva thus manifested himself in the form the Bhimashankar Jyotirlingam.
Bhimashankar Shiva Mandir
Name: Bhimashankar Shiva Mandir
Primary deity: Bhimashankar(Shiva)
There is a shrine to Matha Kamalaja near the Bhimashankara temple. Kamalaja is an incarnation of Parvati, who aided Shiva in his battle against Tripurasuras. Kamalaja was worshipped with offering of lotus flowers by Brahma. Shaakini and Daakini, the Shiva Ganas, who helped Shiva in the battle against the demon are also honoured and worshipped here. The Mokshakund tirtha is located behind the Bhimashankara temple, and it is associated with the Sage Kaushika. There are also the Sarvathirtha, the Kusharanya thirtha where the Bhima River begins to flow eastward, and the Jyanakund. Behind the temple, there is a pathway that leads to Bhima River.
Far away from the tumult of the urban life, peeping through the white fleecy clouds, Bhimashankar, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, can certainly be termed as old Piligrims’ Paradise. Endless stretches of virgin forests, lofty peaks that seem to reach out to the heavens and the whispering waters of the Bhima River, Bhimashankar is definitely one of the God’s choicest creations. It seems as if Lord Shiva is keeping a silent vigil over the majestic ranges of Sahyadris. The serenity interrupted only by the silent murmuring of the cool breeze and the occasional chirping of birds, Bhimashankar is definitely a pilgrims’ paradise, a trekker’s delight and a traveller’s sojourn. With a comfortable Resort to stay, it is a place where one can relax for a week. The dense forests surrounding the high ranges also play an abode to the rare species of birds, flora and fauna. The giant colourful Squirrel, larger than a mongoose, resides on the trees in this forest. I have witnessed this Squirrel while descending the steps to the temple.
THE COLOURFUL GIANT SQUIRREL.
Some of the Jyotirlinga temples are associated with two or three places viz., Vaidyanadheeswar Jyotirling, Nageswara Jyotirling and Bhimasankar Jyotirling. There is also a Bhimasankar temple at Bhimapur Hill near Guwahati in Assam where legend hold that a demon by name Bhima was inflicted havoc upon the beings in the area, was slain by Lord Shiva, as he tried to kill a King engaged in Shiva worship. This legend is similar to that where Lord Shiva emerged from a Shivalingam to vanquish Yama, the Lord of Death, to protect his devotee Markandeya. Some of the references in Puranas refer to this temple near Guwahati as Bhimasankar Jyotirlingam There is also another Bhimashankara temple at Kashipur near Nainital in Uttarakhand, which was referred to as Daakini country in ancient days. It is believed that Bhimasena, the Pandava Prince, was married to Hidamba, a Daakini rakshasi here. Maha Sivaratri is celebrated in great splendour in all these temples. This temple also has shrines to Bhairavanath and Devi, and a temple tank by name Shivaganga.
The Bhimshankar Mahadev at Kashipur near Nainital in Uttarakhand
But mostly the reference in Puranas to Bhimasankar Jyotirlingam is the temple situated in Sahyadri Mountains, which is associated with Bhima River. It is believed that the ancient shrine was erected over a Swayambhu Linga, that is the self emanated Shiva Linga. It can be seen in the temple that the Jyotirlingam is exactly at the centre of the floor of the Sanctum Sanctorium. Intricate carvings of divine statues interspersed with human figurines adorn the pillars and the doorframes of the temple. Scenes from mythology find itself captured in these magnificent carvings as in other temples. Within the temple precincts there is also a small shrine dedicated to Lord Shaneeswara.
TEMPLE BELL .
By the time we came out of the temple premises, it is 7-45 p.m., and the clouds have descended to the top of the trees. There were no lights on the steps to go up and it is very dark. Now we have the problem of climbing up 300 steps in the dark. For a moment I thought of requesting the pujaris to provide us a room for our overnight stay there itself as we may not be able to ascend the steps in the dark. Slowly, wisdom dawned on us that Lord Bhima Shankara who was kind enough to give the opportunity of worshipping Him on the eve of Pradoshakala of Monday, would definitely take us to the top of the valley without any difficulty. We slowly started ascending the steps one by one and we only wished that it should not rain till we reach the parking area where our car was lodged. Now and then I found groups of devotees descending into the premises of temple for overnight stay and early morning darshan of Lord Bhima Shankara. By God’s grace we reached parking area by 9-15 p.m when dristles started. In that dark and rainy atmosphere we slowly travelled on the ghat road in second gear negotiating the serpent-like curves and reached our Resort by 10-00 p.m. I felt that when we have a strong desire to undertake tirtha yatras, God will definitely come to our rescue and make our yatra a successful one. He will show somebody on the spot to help us in performing pujas, etc. It is my personal experience on several occasions. It is this belief that made me to undertake this hazardous tirtha yatras on our own overcoming the difficulty in walking by my wife on account of overweight (obesity) and joint pains; and short of breath and 40 per cent functioning of lungs of mine. It is the general rule that one should under take long tours in the company of at least one or two companions. But it is always not possible to have such a company. Either you have to sacrifice your desire to tour until you find a suitable companion; or go ahead taking the God as your companion.
OM TAT SAT OM TAT SAT OM TAT SAT
RAGHAVARAO U.V.G.V. DUGGIRALA,
HYDERABAD, Dt.21st AUGUST, 2009.
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narayan
non-member comment
question about jyotirlingas in maharahstra
your title captured me. i am trying to arrange a trip to bhimshankar and grishneshwar for my aged parents. i could use information that is local. if you email me back, i will send my phone number. any help will be greatly appreciated. rgds narayan