Varanasi and Varanasipurpati, are very mysterious, for the land is visited by millions each year and these millions are unaware of what magical wonders this land beholds. One such wonderful place lies in the streets near Manikarnika Ghat, where among the households on the streets(गलियाँ) of Kashi in a small home lies a little but extremely powerful Mandir of Sri Pashupatishwar.
So the story goes like, it was 29th May, 2022 and I went to visit Sri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir but after seeing the crowd I gave up my Idea of going to Vishwanath and then with Sri Parmeshwar's wish I had the thought of going to Sri Bindu Madhav, a major Vaishnav Site in Kashi(will share the story of Bindu Madhav in some other blog). Then with Bindu Madhav's grace I proceeded towards his temple which nearly 2 km from the Kashi Vishwanath Mandir on foot through the Galiyare of Kashi. On the way I saw a small temple, which from outside seemed as if it was someone's house, but who knew it actually housed one of the powerful Lingams in Kashi Kshetra, Sri Pashupatishwar. When I peeked in to pay my salutations to Bhagwan, I couldn't see the Shiv Lingam from outside which made me curious and I went inside and what I saw there was beyond what I can express through words.
The small temple had a Shivlingam, which is Swayambhu, which was nearly 2 feet in Diameter and hardly 15-20 cm in height(due to it's small height I couldn't see it from outside, or who knows if he was this short in height so that he can get me in) and such was aura of that place which can only be experienced by paying a visit to the Lord of all Pashus, Pashupati. As Shaiva Sidhhantins very beautifully explain that all the Jeevas(living beings), are "Pashu" and this Samsara which binds them is "Paash" and one who liberates the Pashus from this miserable Samsara, is Bhagwan Pashupati.
When I enetered in the Mandir, there was one Pujari Ji sitting beside the Lingam doing his Pujan, he asked me to wash my Hands and then told me to sit near him. When I sat beside him, I asked him about the temple and the unusual Shivlinga and he responded to my questions and told my some intriguing facts about the Mandir. He told me that the temple has got a reference in Skand Puran's Kashi Khand, which has the details of all the Deities residing in Kashi along with the Supremo supreme Bhagwan Kashi Vishweshwar. Since, the Shivlingam is mentioned in Kashi Khand it means that it is minimum of 5000+ years old. On further enquiry, Pujari Ji told me about the story of Sri Pashupatishwar Mahadev and Aurangzeb. He, enlightening me about the glory of Pashupatishwar, said that along with Sri Vishwanath's main Mandir this temple was also attacked by the barbaric Mughals and they tried to destroy the Shivlinga. This is proven by the presence of marks of Swords and Spears on the Pashupatishwar Lingam. The Idol Breakers tried hard but they were not aware of the Mahima of Sri Bhagwan, but then Sri Parmeshwar himself made them experience his presence when a swarm of Bees emerged from the very Lingam of Pashupati. This made the attackers run away from the temple.
Of several temples destroyed in Kashi, Sri Pashupatishwar Mahadev stills stand undisturbed on his original place giving Darshan to his beloved children. But in the words of Pujari Ji, not everyone is blessed enough to have his Darshan, for millions of people visit Kashi, a few thousands might cross by the Mandir of Pashupatishwar but the Lord of All calls only a handful to see him, and infinitely blessed I feel for he called me to see him. So even if you are reading this blog of mine, feel blessed thank the Lord for he has blessed you, for now you know about him.
One more interesting thing about the Mandir is the unusual presence of a Dakshinmukhi Ram Darbar, usually only Hanumanji faces the south direction but here in Pashupatishwar Mandir, Sri Sita Ramchandra Bhagwan, Sri Lakshman and Sri Hanumanji all face the southern Direction. The temple also has a huge idol of Sri Pashupati Ganesh.
A few paragraphs can't explain how the divine plans of Bhagwan work, for he didn't let me have Vishwanath's Darshan because he wanted me to visit him at Pashupatishwar. And such is the Karunanidhan Bhagwan who let the barbarians who came to destroy him experience his presence by releasing a swarm of bees from his Lingam so if we remember him whole heartedly he will definitely make sure that we experience him all the time because no matter how many relations we create, the only relation that exists is one with the divine for he is the sole creator, protector, destroyer, concealer and liberator. This is beautifully expressed by Sri Prithvipati Suri ji in his Pashupati Ashtakam.
न जनको जननी न च सोदरो न तनयो न च भूरिबलं कुलम् ।
अवति कोऽपि न कालवशं गतं भजत रे मनुजा गिरिजापतिम्
॥२॥
O mind pray to the lord of the Girija,
For when you are going to the god of death,
Neither father nor mother nor brother
Nor sons nor your family with many members
Can ever save you for sure.
For when you are going to the god of death,
Neither father nor mother nor brother
Nor sons nor your family with many members
Can ever save you for sure.
Hope you liked this blog, and don't forget to share it with others. May you all experience the infinite grace of Bhagwan Pashupatishwar ever and forever.
Shiv Shiv!
Image: Sri Parmeshwar embracing all his little children
*Image Credits to the respective owner*
Comments
Post a Comment