 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. |
