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Vaishno Devi | |
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Mother Goddess; Goddess of hills | |
Other names | Vaishnavi, Mata Rani, Ambe, Trikuta, Sheravali, Jyotavali, Pahadavali, Durga, Mahalakshmi, Bhagavati, Jagdamba |
Devanagari | वैष्णो देवी |
Affiliation | Mahadevi, Durga, Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, Mahasarasvati |
Abode | Vaishno Devi Temple, Katra, India |
Mount | Lion |
Genealogy | |
Parents |
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Vaishno Devi (also known as Mata Rani, Trikuta, Ambe and Vaishnavi) is a manifestation of the Hindu mother goddess Durga in some beliefs while in some beliefs she is a manifestation of goddess Lakshmi. Vaishno Devi is worshipped as a combined avatar of the goddesses Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and Mahasarasvati. [1] [2] [3]
According to Dēvī Mahābhāgavata Purāṇa, she is mentioned as "Viṣṇupriyā". [4]
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. [5]
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). [6]
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. [7] 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'. [8]
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. [9] [10] [11] The Shakta tradition considered it as one of the 108 Shakti Peethas dedicated to goddess Durga. [12] It is one of the most visited pilgrimage centers of India. Every year millions of visitors visit the temple. [13] [14] During festivals like Navaratri, the count even increases to ten million (one crore) visitors. [15] 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 million, mainly from offerings by devotees". [16]
The temple is considered sacred by all Hindus. Many prominent saints such as Vivekananda have visited the temple. [17]
Bhavānī is an epithet associated with 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 nurturing mother figure who provides for her devotees and also plays the role of dispensing justice by killing evil Asuras.
Katra is a city and Tehsil in the Reasi district of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated at the foot of the Trikuta Mountains, where the shrine of Vaishno Devi is located. Katra is located 24 km (15 mi) 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.
Vindhyachal is a city in Mirzapur district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The city is a Hindu pilgrimage site having the temple of Vindhyavasini, who according to Markandeya Purana, had incarnated to kill the demon Mahishasura. A detailed description has been given in the 'Durga Saptashati' chapter of the Markandeya Purana. The river Ganga flows through this city. The Indian Standard Time (IST) line passes through the Vindhyachal railway station.
The Shakta pithas, Shakti pithas or Sati pithas are significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism, the mother goddess 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 Shakta pithas of which 18 are named as Astadasha Maha (major) in medieval Hindu texts.
Trikuta is a three-peaked mountain in Hindu mythology. It is one of the twenty mountains surrounding Maha Meru the home of Brahma. The height is said in the Bhagavata Purana to be 10,000 yojanas, and the three peaks are iron, silver and gold. The mountain is believed to be the second home of the divine goddess Vaishno Devi. She was created with the divine power of the mother Goddesses Tridevi to end evil; hence, the mountain is called Trikuta.
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.
Kalkaji Mandir, is a Hindu Temple, dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Kali. It is situated in southern Delhi, in Kalkaji, India, a locality that has derived its name from the temple and is located opposite the Nehru Place and close to the Okhla railway station, Kalkaji Mandir metro station. Hindus believe that the image of the Goddess Kalka here is a self-manifested one.
Trilokpur is a Hindu temple site in Himachal Pradesh, India. It is located on an hillock about 24 km south-west of Nahan at an elevation of about 430 m. The temple is an amalgam of Indo-Persian styles of architecture.
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.
Yogamaya is a Hindu goddess who serves as the personification of Vishnu's powers of illusion. In Vaishnava tradition, she is accorded the epithet Narayani—"the sister of Narayana (Vishnu)"—and is regarded as the benevolent aspect of the goddess Durga.
Unlike some other religions, Hindus are not required to undertake pilgrimages during their lifetime. However, most Hindus go on such journeys to numerous iconic sites including those below:
Bhairav or Bhairavnath was a disciple of Gorakhnath, whose guru was the Matsyendranath. He was considered to have control over all tantrik siddhis and had grown arrogant of his power. He went after Vaishno Devi, considering her to be a little girl. It was only when mata Vaishno Devi took the form of Kali and behead Bhairav and in last he realized her true form and asked for forgiveness. In his dying moments, Bhairav pleaded for forgiveness. The Goddess knew that Bhairav's main intention in attacking her was to achieve his salvation. She not only granted Bhairav liberation from the cycle of reincarnation, but also granted him a boon, whereby every devotee, in order to ensure completion of the pilgrimage of Vaishno Devi, shall also have to visit Bhairav Nath's temple near the Holy cave after having the darshan of the Goddess.
The Jammu division is a revenue and administrative division of the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region. It is bordered by the Kashmir division to the north. It consists of the districts of Jammu, Doda, Kathua, Ramban, Reasi, Kishtwar, Poonch, Rajouri, Udhampur and Samba. Most of the land is hilly or mountainous, including the Pir Panjal Range which separates it from the Kashmir Valley and part of the Great Himalayas in the eastern districts of Doda and Kishtwar. Its principal river is the Chenab.
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.
Devi Talab Mandir is a Hindu temple, located in Jalandhar, Punjab, India. The temple is devoted to Goddess Durga and is visited by thousands of pilgrims every year. It is regarded as one of the 51 Shakti Pithas in India. A model of the Amarnath Temple, dedicated to God Shiva, is located within the temple complex. There is an old temple dedicated to Goddess Kali located next to the Mandir. One of the main attractions of the temple is an ancient tank that holds great religious significance for Hindu devotees. The temple has intricate gold work both inside and on its top.
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.
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.
Vaishno Devi Temple, also known as the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Temple and Vaishno Devi Bhavan, is a Hindu temple located in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir, dedicated to Vaishno Devi, a manifestation of Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and Mahasarasvati. It is located on the Trikuta mountain at 5,000 feet / 1,500 meters 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.
Sukrala Mata Mandir is a revered Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Sukrala Mata, a form of the goddess Mal, Sharada Devi, worshipped in the Duggar region. The temple is located on a hillock at Sukrala village near Najot village north of Billawar town, Kathua district, in Jammu division. The shrine dedicated to the goddess was built by rulers of Jammu and Chamba princely states. Myriads of devotees flock to pay obeisance to the goddess during Navratri festival.
https://www.maavaishnavi.com/51-shakti-peethas-of-maa-durga-maa-sati-dakshayani/