Thursday, July 3, 2008

LORD SHIVA JYOTIRLING AT OMKARESHWAR / MAMLESHWAR


There are actually two Jyotir Lingama at this place, having split into two from the original one, and these two Siva lingams are known as Omkareswarar & Amaleshwarar. In the case of this location, the story goes as follows : There was an Emperor by the name of Mandhata belonging to the Ishvaku clan, who was renowned for his greatnessand ruled the kingdom very disreetly.He was involved in truly great penance, and as on date there is an ashram called Mandhata ashram, named after him, out here.
This all powerful and spiritual jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva is located at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, and it was here only that Lord Shiva came in the form of Mahakal, emerging out of the linga which had only then split into two, and immediately killed the demon. It is therefore firmly believed that all those who worship and pray to the linga at this location, will never come to fear death, and if their worship and prayer to God is true, they will most certainly be out of the cycles of life and death, for all times to come !
The Omkareshawar temple at Ujjain , Madhya Pradesh, is built is bearing the hall mark of north indian style of architecture, and the devotees consider the offering of prayers to five faced ( Panchamuga ) idol of Lord Ganesha,installed in this temple, to be most auspicious. At this place there is also a shrine for Annapoorani Mata. Yet another interesting aspect of this place is that Shiva Lingas of various sizes are sold in huge numbers at this place.
Long ago , at one point of time , it is said, Sage Naradar on his visit to the Vindhyas mountain range, had sung praises of Mount Meru. Mount Vindhya , on hearing all these praises immediately prayed to Lord Shiva, with the plea that it also be given a position of stature. And he got the blessings of Lord Shiva who appeared there in the form of Omkareshwarar & Amaleshwarar and gave the gift of growth, but on the condition that none of the worshippers of Lord Shiva would be afflicted on account of this growth.
However, this was not to be since the Vindhyas never stopped stop growing, so much so that they even went on to create obstructions for the sun and the moon. At the same time, Sage Agasthyar was called to checkthe growth, and he told the Vindhyas to agree to stop it's growth till he got back there. The sage never ever returned to the place, and it was only in this way was it that the growth of the Vindhyas was made to come to a halt.
This religious place Omkareshwar is located on the Mandhata hills in Madhya Pradesh, Central India , and was known as the city of Shivpuri in the ancient past. This temple dates way back to the Krita Yuga and the river Narmada flows here around the Mandhata hill in the form of an Om (Omkaram).

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Nice info...I will be visiting Omkareshwar in January.

Maneesh
Admirableindia.com