Vaishno Devi

Last updated

Vaishno Devi
Mother Goddess; Goddess of hills
Vaishno devi.jpg
Inside view of the Holy Cave, the 3 Pindis; Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasarasvati
Other namesVaishnavi, Mata Rani, Ambe, Trikuta, Sheravali, Jyotavali, Pahadavali, Durga, Bhagavati, Jagdamba, Lakshmi, Vishnumaya, Vishnupriya, Ramaa, Maniki
Devanagari वैष्णो देवी
Affiliation Mahadevi, Durga, Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, Mahasarasvati
Abode Vaishno Devi Temple, Katra, India
Mount Lion and Tiger
Personal information
Parents
  • King Ratnākara (father)
  • Queen Samṛddhi (mother)
Consort unmarried

Vaishno Devi (also known as Mata Rani, Trikuta, Ambe and Vaishnavi) is a manifestation of the Hindu mother goddess Lakshmi sometimes in some beliefs Vaishno Devi is considered a manifestation of goddess Mahalakshmi. Vaishno Devi is worshipped as a combined avatar of the goddesses Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and Mahasarasvati. Additionally, she is seen as the potency of Hari or Vishnu.

Contents

Origin

Purāṇa

According to Dēvī Mahābhāgavata Purāṇa, she is mentioned as "Viṣṇupriyā". [1]

In the Varāha Purāṇa's Triśakti Māhātmya, she originated from Trikalā (the goddess who was born from Trimūrtis) and slayed an asura called Mahiṣāsura on Śataśṛṅga Parvata where the current Trikūṭa Dhāma of Vaiṣṇōdēvī is situated. [2] (Disclaimer: this event is of a separate Kalpa – Mānava Kalpa – and not of our Śvēta Varāha Kalpa)

Pāñcarātra

The Lakṣmīnārāyaṇa Saṃhitā's Kṛtayuga Santāna and Dvāparayuga Santāna calls her "Māṇikī", the Śakti of Kalki, as she resides on Māṇika Parvata (another name of Trikūṭa). [3]

A view of Vaishno Devi Bhawan Houses and Shops located in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir.jpg
A view of Vaishno Devi Bhawan

Pilgrimage route

Professor and author Manohar Sajnani says, According to Hindu beliefs, the original abode of Vaishno Devi was Ardha Kunwari, a place about halfway between Katra town and the cave. She meditated in the cave for 9 months just like how a baby stays in its mother's womb for 9 months. [4] It is said that when Bhairav Nath ran after Vaishno Devi to catch her. The Devi reached near a cave in the hill, she called up Hanuman and told him that "I would do penance in this cave for nine months, till then you should not allow Bhairav Nath to enter the cave." Hanuman obeyed the mother's orders. Bhairavnath was kept outside this cave and today this holy cave is known as 'Ardha Kunwari'. [5]

Temple

The Vaishno Devi temple in 2008 Vaishno Devi Bhavan.jpg
The Vaishno Devi temple in 2008

The Vaishno Devi Temple is an important Hindu temple dedicated to Vaishno Devi located in Katra at the Trikuta Mountains within the Indian Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. [6] [7] [8] The temple is one of the 108 Shakti Peethas dedicated to Durga, who is worshipped as Vaishno Devi. [9] It is one of the most visited pilgrimage centers of India. Every year millions of visitors visit the temple. [10] [11] During festivals like Navaratri, the count even increases to one crore visitors. [12] Vaishno Devi Temple is one of the richest temples in India. Authors Michael Barnett and Janice Gross Stein says, "Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu has an annual income of about $16 billion, mainly from offerings by devotees". [13]

The temple is sacred to all Hindus. Many prominent saints such as Vivekananda have visited the temple. [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhavani</span> Hindu goddess

Bhavānī is a manifestation of Adi Shakti (Durga). Bhavani translates to "giver of life," meaning the power of nature or the source of creative energy. She is considered to be a mother who provides to her devotees and also plays the role of dispensing justice by killing Asuras.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katra, Jammu and Kashmir</span> Place in Jammu & Kashmir, India

Katra is a city and Tehsil in the Reasi district of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, situated at the foot of the Trikuta Mountains, where the shrine of Vaishno Devi is located. Katra is located 24 km from the town of Reasi, 42 km (26 mi) from the city of Jammu and around 685 km (426 mi) north of the national capital New Delhi and is the base for pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi Temple.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shakti pitha</span> Shrines in Shaktism, goddess-focused Hinduism

The Shakti Pithas or the Shakti Peethas are significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism, the goddess-centric denomination in Hinduism. The shrines are dedicated to various forms of Adi Shakti. Various Puranas such as Srimad Devi Bhagavatam state the existence of a varying number of 51, 52, 64 and 108 Shakti Pithas of which 18 are named as Astadasha Maha (major) in medieval Hindu texts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trikuta</span> Mountain in Jammu mentioned in Hindu Mythology

Trikuta is a three-peaked mountain near Jammu city in Jammu and Kashmir, India which is considered significant and holy in Hinduism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saptashrungi</span> Pilgrimage site in India

Saptashrungi or Saptashringi is a site of Hindu pilgrimage situated 60 kilometres (37 mi) from Nashik in Indian state of Maharashtra. According to Hindu traditions, the goddess Saptashrungi Nivasini dwells within the seven mountain peaks. It is located in Nanduri, Kalwan taluka, a small village near Nashik in India. The Marathas and some Hindu tribes worship the goddess from a long time and some worship as their kuldaivat. There are 510 steps to climb the gad. Devotees visit this place in large numbers every day. The temple is also known popularly as one of the "three and half Shakti Peethas" of Maharashtra. The temple is also one among the 51 Shakti Peethas located on the Indian subcontinent and is a location where one of Sati's limbs, her right arm is reported to have fallen. Its half shaktipeeth among three and half shaktipeeth of Maharashtra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hindu pilgrimage sites in India</span>

In Hinduism, the yatra (pilgrimage) to the tirthas has special significance for earning the punya needed to attain the moksha (salvation) by performing the darśana, the parikrama (circumambulation), the yajna, the Dhyana, the puja (worship), the prarthana, the dakshina, the seva, the bhandara, etc. These sacred places are usually located on the banks of sacred waters, such as sacred rivers or their tributaries, the kundas, the ghats, or the stepwells, or the temple tanks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biraja Temple</span> Temple in India

The Biraja Temple, or Birija Kshetra, is a historic Hindu temple located in Jajpur, Odisha, India. The present temple was built during the 13th century. The principal idol is Devi Durga, who is worshipped as Viraja (Girija), and the temple gave Jajpur the nicknames "Viraja Kshetra" and "Biraja Peetha". The Durga idol has two hands (dwibhuja), spearing the chest of Mahishasura with one hand and pulling his tail with the other. One of her feet is on a lion, and the other is on Mahishasura's chest. Mahishasura is depicted as a water buffalo. The idol's crown features Ganesha, a crescent moon and a lingam. The temple covers a large area, and has several shrines to Shiva and other deities. According to the Skanda Purana it cleanses pilgrims, and it is called the Viraja or the Biraja kshetra. Jajpur is believed to have about one crore of Shiva lingams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Varahi</span> Hindu sow-headed mother goddess

Varahi is one of the Matrikas, a group of seven mother goddesses in the Hindu religion. Bearing the head of a sow, Varahi is the shakti of Varaha, the boar avatar of the god Vishnu. In Nepal, she is called Barahi. In Rajasthan and Gujarat, she is venerated as Dandini.

Shivaharkaray or Karavipur is a Shakti Peeth dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Durga, located near Parkai railway station, near Karachi, Pakistan. It is one of the three Shakti Peethas in Pakistan, other two being Hinglaj Mata mandir and Sharada Peeth. The Puranas describe that the three eyes of the Goddess fell here after she committed Sati. The Goddess is worshipped as Mahishasuramardini, or the slayer of the Demon Mahishasur. Her consort, the Hindu God Shiva, is worshipped in Ragi form as Krodhish, personification of anger. Shivaharkaray is third in the list of 51 Peethas identified in the Puranas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yogamaya</span> Hindu goddess

Yogamaya, also venerated as Vindhyavasini, Mahamaya, and Ekanamsha, is a Hindu goddess.

In religion and spirituality, a pilgrimage is a very long journey or search of great moral significance. Sometimes, it is a journey to a sacred area or shrine of importance to innate faith. Members of every major religion participate in pilgrimages. A person who makes such a journey is called a pilgrim.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra railway station</span> Railway station in Katra, India

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra railway station is a railway station on the Jammu Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Railway Link in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It mainly serves for the town of Katra where the major hindu divine temple Shri Mata Vaishno Devi is situated which is visited by millions of travellers per month with the help of this station and its frequent special trains connectivity from all over India. The station belongs to the Firozpur division of Northern Railway zone in Jammu and Kashmir.

The 22461/22462 Shri Shakti Express is an AC Superfast Express run by Indian Railways between New Delhi and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra railway stations in India.

Vaishnodevi Temple at Rourkela is a replica of the original Temple of Vaishnodevi of Jammu and is situated on the top of the Durgapur Hill facing towards Rourkela Steel Plant. Bhairabanath Temple is situated near Vaishodevi Temple on the hill.

The Banganga is a river of northern India. It is an important tributary of the Chenab River. It flows through Katra, Jammu and Kashmir. The river originates from the southern slope of the Shivalik range of the Himalayas. It's an important stop for Hindu devotees on the ‘’’Vaishno Devi’’’ pilgrimage, where many bathe before continuing their journey.

<i>Jag Janani Maa Vaishno Devi – Kahani Mata Rani Ki</i> Indian television real life based series

Jag Janani Maa Vaishno Devi – Kahani Mata Rani Ki, is an Indian mythological television series, which premiered on 30 September 2019 on Star Bharat. It is based on the life of Goddess Vaishno Devi. The series is produced by Rashmi Sharma and Pawan Kumar Marut under Rashmi Sharma Telefilms. The show aired its last episode on 2 October 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vaishno Devi Temple</span> A major Hindu temple

Vaishno Devi Temple, also known as the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Temple and Vaishno Devi Bhavan, is a Hindu mandir (temple) located in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir, dedicated to Vaishno Devi, a manifestation of Durga. It is located on the Trikuta mountain at 5,000 feet elevation. The Shakti tradition considers it to be a Shakti Pitha. The temple is governed by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) and has been chaired by the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir since August 1986.

Vaishno Devi is a Hindu goddess. It may also refers to:

References

  1. ↑ "Dēvī Mahābhāgavata Purāṇa". 4 March 1975.
  2. ↑ Veda Vyasa. The Varaha Purana in English.
  3. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (28 January 2021). "Lakshminarayana Samhita Verse 1.334.53 [Sanskrit text]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  4. ↑ Manohar Sajnani (2001). Encyclopaedia of Tourism Resources in India, Volume 1. Gyan Publishing House. p. 158. ISBN   9788178350172.
  5. ↑ Virodai, Yashodhara (5 October 2017). "Story of Mata Vaishnodevi". newstrend.news (in Hindi). Newstrend Network Communication Pvt Ltd. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  6. ↑ Rindani, Kirit (2016). Indian Himalaya: Story of a 100 Visits. Partridge Publishing. p. 47. ISBN   978-1482858860.
  7. ↑ S. S. Negi (1998). Discovering the Himalaya, Volume 1. Indus Publishing. p. 429. ISBN   9788173870798.
  8. ↑ Kuldip Singh Gulia (2007). Mountains of the God. Gyan Publishing House. p. 15. ISBN   9788182054202.
  9. ↑ "Famous Durga temples in India for religiously inclined souls". Times of India. 5 April 2019.
  10. ↑ "Vaishno Devi pilgrim footfall in 2019 lowest in 3 years: Shrine Board". Business Standard. 2 January 2020.
  11. ↑ "Vaishno Devi likely to receive 8.5 mn pilgrims by Dec 31; highest in 5 yrs". Business Standard. 29 December 2018.
  12. ↑ "Vaishno Devi-Bhairav Mandir ropeway service starts from today". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
  13. ↑ Michael Barnett; Janice Gross Stein (3 July 2012). Sacred Aid: Faith and Humanitarianism. Oxford University Press. p. 140. ISBN   978-0199916030.
  14. ↑ Dipankar Banerjee; D. Suba Chandran (2005). Jammu and Kashmir: Charting a Future. Saṁskṛiti. p. 61. ISBN   9788187374442.

https://www.maavaishnavi.com/51-shakti-peethas-of-maa-durga-maa-sati-dakshayani/

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.