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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
MahaSarswati, 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.
History:
'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
humanform 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
meditationand 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
spiritualityso 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 etween 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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