Mata Vaishno Devi is one of the 108 Shakti Peeth’s dedicated to Mata Sati.
Mata
Vaishno Devi
Mata Vaishno Devi is one of the 108 Shakti Peeth’s dedicated
to Mata Sati, the story which is found in Chandi-Up-Purana. Mata Vaishno Devi,
also known as Mata Rani, Jagdambey and Vaishnavi is the manifestation of Hindu
Mother Goddess or Durga. Mata Vaishno Devi Mandir is very famous Hindu Shrine,
which is located in Trikuta Hills in Jammu region of Jammu & Kashmir state
of India.
Shrine is open for pilgrimage throughout the year, and is
second most visited after Tirumala Venketaswara Temple.
How to
reach:
To perform the pilgrimage one has to first reach Katra, the base camp of Mata
Vaishno Devi Yatra. Katra is situated at a distance of 45 KM’s from Jammu. On
July 4th, 2014, the Indian Railways also started the rail services
to the holy town, which were inaugurated by Sh.Narendra Modi, Honourable Prime
Minister of India.
Pehla Darshan Kol Kandoli : Traditional Mata Vaishno Devi
pilgrimage starts from Kol Kandoli Mandir which is situated at Nagrota town,
almost 10 KM’s from Jammu. The centuries old temple is very famous and
pilgrimage is not considered to be complete until one performs obeisance /
Darshans at the Kol Kandoli temple.
After reaching Katra, get Yatra Parchi from Mata Vaishno
Devi Shrine Board Office, and there after you can proceed for 13 KM hill trek,
ponies and Palki’s can also be hired for the yatra. The Vaishno Devi Bhawan is
situated at an attitude of 6200 feet from sea level. However, helicopter
services can also be taken for the large part of the trip.
En-route the 13 KM yatra trek, SMVDSB (Shree Mata Vaishno
Devi Shrine Board) along with food outlets, also provides comfortable boarding
and lodging facilities.
Legend of
Mata Vaishno Devi Ji:
As per the legend, during the period when the Goddess was busy in
annihiliting the Asuras, Her three main manifestations viz. Mata Maha Kali,
Mata Maha Lakshmi and Mata Maha Saraswati got together one day and pooled their
collective Tejas or spiritual strength. A stunningly bright light emanated from
the place where the Tejas of the three manifestations coalesced and a beautiful
young girl emerged out of this Tejas. The young girl asked them, "Why have
I been created?'' The Devis explained to her that they had created her so that
she would live on earth and spend her time in upholding righteousness.
The Devis added, "Now, go and take birth in the house of Ratankar
and his wife who reside in the southern part of India, and who are great
devotees of ours. Live on earth. Uphold righteousness and evolve yourself
spiritually so that you reach higher levels of consciousness. Once you have
attained the appropriate level of consciousness you will merge into Vishnu and
become one with him.'' So saying they blessed the girl. Sometimes later a very
beautiful girl child was born to Ratankar and his wife. The couple named the
child 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 would visit her again after the end of his
exile, and at that time if she succeeded in recognizing him, he would 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 disguise 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 that time would come eventually in
'Kaliyug' when He (Rama) would be 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 mankind and rid the poor and
destitute of their sufferings. Only then would 'Vishnu' merge her into himself.
Vaishnavi, immediately set off for the northern part and after immense hardships,
reached the foot of the Trikuta Hills. After reaching there she set up her
ashram there and 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 time passed, Maha Yogi Guru Gorakh Nath ji 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 Vaiashnavi, Mata Sridhar organised a
Bhandara (Community meal) in which the whole village and MahaYogi Guru Gorakh
Nath ji 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 (present day) 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 (Mother Goddess) had mercy on Bhairon and gave him a boon that every
devotee of the goddess would have to have the Darshans of Bhairon after having
the Darshans of the Goddess and only then would 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. Thus
Vaishnavi, in the form of a five and a half feet tall rock with three heads or
the Pindies on the top is the ultimate destination of a devotee. These Pindies
constitute the Sanctum Sanctorum of the holy cave known as the shrine of Shri
Mata Vaishno Devi Ji, which is revered by one and all.
