KHEER BHAVANI (TULMULLA)

 

ON THE AUSPICIOUS OCCASION OF JYESTHA SUKLA ASHTAMI

 DIVINE COLOURS OF DIVINE HOLY SPRING AT KHEER BHAVANI (TULMULLA)   

   

          The shrine of Raginya Bhagwati, also known as the shrine of Kheer Bhavani, at TulmulIa, is one of the most revered Hindu Spring Temple of Kashmir. The shrine is dedicated to the worship of Bhavani, the Divine Mother. Tulmulla is situated at a distance of twenty four kilometers from Srinagar, towards the north of the city. During the Hindu era, Tulmulla was a place of great learning. The holy spring in the middle of which the temple of Maharajni is placed, is situated on the bank of a branch of the river Sindh. In Nilmat Purana, the river is mentioned as ‘Tsandara Baga’. There are many references of Tulmulla in the Rajatarangni. The Ragina Kavach---a psalm in praise of the Divine Mother included in Sanskrit work of Rudrya Mala Tantra substantiates that Tulamulla is an ancient and popular place of pilgrimage among Kashmiri Hindus. Dr. Bhullar traced some sixteen manuscripts from Brngisha Samhita, related to the holy places of Kashmir. One of them is about Tulmulla. The Samhita mentions in detail about the sacred shrine of Bhavani.

             Shri Parmananda Research Institute, Srinagar, in their publication Shri Shri Maha—Rajni Pradurbhavah, ‘A leaf from Brngisha Samhita ‘has given detailed description of the shrine. The origin of this temple has been described in the last chapter of Brngisha Samhita. It is noted that Pulastya the father of Ravana, the demon king of Lanka, was originally from Kashmir. Ravana worshiped the Maharajni but in the form of Shyama. The Divine Mother bestowed Ravana, many boons. At the time of the war with Sri Ram, Ravana tried to invoke the blessing of Goddess by offering her various kinds of sacrifices. There-upon the Goddess cursed him and ordered Hanuman to take her on the back of Anant serpent to Satisar, Kashmir. Thus the Goddess came to Kashmir with 360 serpents, Nags. The night when the Divine Mother came to Kashmir, came to be called Rajni-Ratri. The Goddess is worshipped as Maharajni.’

              “For more than three centuries people knew nothing of this sacred spring which was subsequently discovered by Pandit Govind Joo Gadroo of Bohri-Kadal of Srinagar. Goddess appeared to him in a dream and he was ordered to visit the place. He arranged a boat and went to the Tulla-Mulla village--the abode of Goddess with a number of earthern vessels filled with milk, and when he reached the spring he poured milk into it.” (Kashmir Sentinel)

Another version is that a pious Brahman, Shri Krishna Pandit, found mention of the holy spring in a book called ‘Brihad Katha.’ Latter he had a vision in which he was informed by an angel that the holy spring of Mata Maharajni lay among the swamps of Tulmulla village. He was further advised to move towards the North East direction following a serpent from Shadipor and this actually happened. Shri Krishna Pandit marked the place where the snake stopped. Then he moved in an oddly rectangular direction. The space thus covered, was also demarcated. The swamp around the holy spring was filled up. Thereafter, a stone temple was constructed. One day Krishna Pandit was performing Puja, a Boj Patra, birch-bark leaf appeared floating in the spring. A Shaloka was written on the leaf. The Shaloka read; “I, prostrate to Supreme Goddess Maharajni who is lustrous having around twelve Suns and seated on lion’s throne, wrapped by the serpents, not visible to the material eyes but realized by spiritualist”. Shri Krishna Pandit composed a poem of as many stanzas as there were letters in the ‘Shaloka’ and this poem ‘Rajani Sotra’ are still existent. Although it is recorded that the discovery of the holy spring was made on Ashara Sapthami, 7th day of bright fortnight in June-July, but devotees throng this place on every 8th day Ashtami, and an annual festival is held on every Jyestha Sukla Ashtami. Maharajni is the Isht Devi of Kashmiri Hindus.                  For a long time the Tirtha at Tulmulla remained under flood-waters.  The holy spring has an irregular heptagonal shape with the apex called Paad situated to the East. The Northern and Southern sides are longer than the Western side, which is called Sher or head. It is shaped like AUM in the Sharada script. In the centre of the Holy Spring the Maharajni temple stands. The spring is situated in the centre of an island round which the Gang Khai, a canal from Sindh makes a circuit. The spring is said to be surrounded by 360 springs. Most of these are covered with bushes and silted up. In 1902, Pandit Ved Lal Dhar cleared the sedimentation of the main spring. The digging unearthed an ancient temple in the center built of large sculptured white stone with superb artistic features and marvelous images of deities. The whole shrine was repaired by Maharaja Partap Singh, the Dogra ruler in 1907.                   According to Hindu scriptures, Hindu deities are expressed in three manifestations; (1) ionic form, wooden, stone or metal (2) Mantra, sound form (3) Yantra, a mystic symbol. The deities are usually worshiped in ionic forms. In Tantric culture, the devotees concentrate on mystic symbol or Yantra, geometrical abode of the deity and are supposed to acquire super-physical powers. The Yantra is drawn by using the dot, Bindu, the straight lines, the triangle and the circle. Tantrikism is a way of worship. In Tantra Shastra, Maharajni has a prescribed diagram, Chakram with Her Shaktis. Mantra is a sound form of the deity. It is chanted to invoke the deity in the mind, generally known as Dyanam. According to Maharajni Pradurbhavah the Mantra of Maharajni is a 15-worded Mantra. An appropriate ritual has to be followed while reciting the sacred Mantra. SWAMI VIVEKANANDA'S EXPERIENCE: “The Swami retired abruptly on September 30, 1898 to the Coloured Springs of Kshir-Bhavani, leaving strict injunctions that no one was to follow him. It was not until October 6, that he returned. Before this famous shrine of the Mother he daily performed Homa and worshipped Her with the offerings of Kshira. or thickened milk, made from one maund of milk, rice and almonds, and told his beads like the humblest pilgrim. And. as a special Sadhana, he worshipped every morning a Brahmin Pandit’s little daughter as Uma Kuinari, the Divine Virgin. He began to practise terrible austerities. It seemed as if he would tear off all the veils that covered his soul through years of work and relative thought and again be the child before the Divine Mother. Even though Her caresses might prove pain to the body, they would give illumination and freedom to his soul. All thought of Leader, Worker, or Teacher was gone. He was now only the monk, in all the nakedness of pure Sannyasa. He was transfigured when he returned to Srinagar. He entered the house-boat, his hands raised in benediction; then he placed some marigolds which he had offered to the Mother on the head of every one of his disciples. ”No more ‘Hari Ora! ’ It is all ‘Mother’ now!” he said, sitting down. “All my patriotism is gone. Everything is gone. Now it is only ‘Mother! Mother!’ I have been very wrong. Mother said to me. ‘What, even if unbelievers should enter My temples, and defile My images! What is that to you? Do you protect Me? Or do 1 protect you?’ So there is no more patriotism. I am only a little child!” One day he had been pondering over the ism of the Mohammedan invaders. Distressed at heart he thought, “How could the people have permitted such sacrilege without offering strenuous resistance! If I were here then I would never have allowed such things. I would have laid down my life to protect the Mother.” It was then that he had heard the Mother speaking as above. The disciples sat silent, awe-inspired. They could not speak, “so tense was the spot with something that stilled thoughts”. “I may not tell you more now,” he said addressing his disciples before leaving, “it is not in order. But spiritually, spiritually, I was not bound down!” Though again with his disciples, they saw little of him. For hours he would walk beside the river in the secluded woods, absorbed within himself so much so that he would not even see his companions on the roof of their house-boat. One day he appeared before them with shaven head, dressed as the simplest Sannyisin, and with a look of unapproachable austerity on his face. Quoting from his own poem, Kdli the Mother, he interrupted himself to say, “It all came true, every word of it; and I have proved it, for I have hugged the Form of Death!” And here and there, the details of that austerity and fasting and self-renunciation he had practised at Kshir-Bhavani, and the revelations that had come to him were touched upon in his remarks. In his meditation on the Terrible in the dark hours of the nights at Kshir-Bhavani, there were other visions which he confided only to one or two of his Gurubhais, and which are too sacred to reveal to the public. It seemed, indeed, as if the Swami’s whole nature rose in a supreme effort in a final struggle to rise above all worldly Samskaras. At this same shrine, in the course of worship, one day, the Swami brooding with pain on the dilapidated condition of the temple, wished in his heart that he were able to build a new one there in its place, just as he wished to build his monasteries elsewhere, especially the temple to Shri Ramakrishna in the new Math at Belur. He was startled from his reveries by the voice of the Mother Herself saying to him, “My child! If I so wish I can have innumerable temples and magnificent monastic  centres. I can even this moment raise a seven-storied golden temple on this very spot’ “Since I heard that Divine Voice,” said the Swami to a disciple in Calcutta much later, “I have ceased making any more plans. Let these things be as Mother wills! ” (https://www.swamivivekananda.guru/2017/12/23/kashmir-amarnath-kshirbhavani/) MELA KHEER BHAVANI:             The Shrine of Maharagini Raginya Bhagwati, or Kheer Bhavani temple and holy spring are a permanent Shakti Sthal with cosmic powers, where Bhagwati is omnipotent and omnipresent, blessing the devotees. Maharagini is the form of Durga Bhagvati. The Hindus of Kashmir worship the Spring Temple and pilgrims from every comer of the country visit to have the Darshan of the place. Thousands of devotees of the Goddess fast and gather here on the eighth day of the full moon in the month of May/ June during annual Mela. Puja at the holy shrine is conducted amid chants of religious hymns and ringing of temple bells, walking barefoot, the devotees carrying rose petals, milk and kheer (pudding) to be offered at the sacred spring temple. Usually, before entering the shrine premises, devotees take a dip in the stream close to shrine.               Around the temple is an area covered with smooth and beautiful stones. In it is large, old-growth Chinar trees beneath which the pilgrims sit or sleep on mats of grass. A miracle is often observed here that the water of the holy spring changes its colours from time to time. It takes on various hues like red, pink, orange, green, blue and has often light green, red rosy and milky white shades. While most of the colours do not have any particular significance, but when black or darkish, it is believed to be an indication of inauspicious times for Kashmir. In 1886, Walter Lawrence, the then British settlement commissioner for land, during his visit to the spring, reported the water of the spring to have a violet tinge.  According to Kashmiri Pandit priests, looking after the shrine, the shade of black colour is considered to be inauspicious for the inhabitants of the valley. (Compiled by CHAMAN LAL GADOO)

GANGA DUSSEHRA

 

                   A  Hindu festival celebrating Avatarana (descent) of the Holy Ganga

                According to the Hindu Scriptures, Ganga Dussehra is of great significance among

Hindus. Ganga Dussehra is also known as Ganga Avataran day that means the descendant day of Goddess Ganga. The onset of the monsoon is celebrated as Ganga-Dussehra. Ganga is regarded as a living Goddess on earth. It is believed that Goddess Ganga wash away all the sins, who take a holy, dip in Ganga on the day of Ganga Dussehra. It falls on the tenth day of the bright half of the month of Jyeshta and celebrates the flowing of the holy Ganga at the request of King Bhagirath. As stated in the Narad Purana, Uttara-bhaga 40.21: “It was on the tenth day in the bright half of the month Jyeshta, when the day of the week was Tuesday and the constellation was Hasta, Ganga descended to the mortal world.”                

              According to a legend there was the king named Sagara who had 60,000 sons who were looking out for a lost horse for the Ashwamedha Yagya that was tied near the Ashram of Sage Kapil by God Indra. The 60,000 sons said to have created a lot of commotion which disturbed the meditating Sage Kapila and in anger when the sage opened his eyes, he burned them to ashes. He told them the touch of the holy water Ganga would only give them the Moksha. As per the legend, one of the descendants of King Sagara, named Bhagiratha performed austerity to gratify Brahma and asked him to send Ganga on earth. But Lord Brahma replied saying that the King needs to pray to Lord Shiva as it is difficult for him to bring Ganga to the earth because of the rage flow. Then, king Bhagirath prayed to Lord Shiva, who was content with his prayers. The velocity of Ganga from heaven to earth was high, to reduce this velocity, Lord Shiva held the Ganga in his jatas before Ganga came down to the earth. Goddess Ganga came down to earth in seven streams and washed down all the ashes of Bhagiratha ancestors and thus, purified the soul of his ancestors and allowed them to attain salvation. Since then, the tradition of worshipping Mother Ganga began on this day. Bathing in river Ganga is of special importance on this day.

            The festival of Ganga Dussehra is celebrated every year on the Dashmi of the Jyeshta month.  ‘Ganga Dashara, held over the first 10 days of the month of Jyeshta (in June), celebrates Gangavataran - the descent of the Ganga to earth. Regarded as a celestial river originating in the heavens, she is worshipped as the mother who washes away all the sins of mankind. The Ganga Dashara is regarded as the birthday of the Ganga and bathing in the water is believed to destroy sins of ten lifetimes’. (Eck 1996:143-144)

        The Narad Purana (Uttara-bhaga 38.17-19) describes when and where Ganga manifests herself within the three planetary systems during the Vedic calendar month: “In the beginning of the dark half of the month, Ganga is present on the earth for ten days ending with sacred Amavasya (New Moon) day. From the first to the tenth of the bright half of the month, she is present in the netherworlds. Beginning with the eleventh day in the bright half and ending with the fifth day in the dark half, she is always present in heaven for ten days."

            Ganga-Dashara/Dussehra means "Ganga destorys ten", so devotees bathe in the Ganga ten days prior to this day which destroys the sins of ten lifetimes.  In one Vedic story, Indra combats the serpent Vrtra that has trapped the celestial waters and by defeating Vrtra releases the sacred Ganga waters (Eck 1996:143).             

          Traditional beliefs suggest that devotees can rid themselves of the sins they may have committed during their lifetime by taking a dip in the sacred waters of the river. They can also seek salvation (Moksha) from the vicious cycle of birth, life and death. And since Ganga appeared first on the Dashami Tithi, the day is deemed significant.     

          Ganga Dussehra is an important bathing day. A big Mela is held in Haridwar from this day until the full moon the fifteenth of Jyeshta. This is attended by large number of Hindus from different states of India and abroad.  Devotees, flock to the ghats of Prayagraj, Garhmukteshwar, Haridwar, Rishikesh and Varanasi on Ganga Dussehra to take a dip in Ganga and start the day by offering Puja to the Goddess. In the evening earthen lamps are floated in the river along with the singing of devotional songs by the devotees. They also take part in the Ganga Aarti. 

 

A WISH OF GANGA WORSHIPERS!

 Among all hymns devoted to the Ganga, there are none more popular than the ones expressing the worshipers wish to breathe his last surrounded by her waters.  The Gangashtakam expresses this longing fervently:

O Mother! ... Necklace adorning the worlds! 
Banner rising to heaven! 
I ask that I may leave of this body on your banks,
Drinking your water, rolling in your waves, 
Remembering your name, bestowing my gaze upon you.

(Excerpts from the book Ganga Tirthas compiled by Chaman Lal Gadoo)   

                                                                                                                                                   

NIRJALA EKADASHI

 

SAMVATSARASYA YA MADHYE EKADASYO BHAVANTI HI

TASAM PHALAM AVAPNOTI PUTRA ME NA ATRA SAMSAYAH

ITI MAM KESAVAH PRAHA SANKHA CAKRA GADADHARAH

(HARI BHAKTI VILASA 15/25 from PADMA PURANA)

           Vyasadeva speaks to Bhimasena: Oh son, Lord Keshava, Who holds the club, disk, conch and lotus flower in His hand, personally told me that all of the merit achieved by fasting on whatever Ekadasis fall in one year can be attained by fasting on this one Ekadasi (nirjala Ekadasi). Of this, there is no doubt.

           Ekadashi is a Sanskrit word, which literally means 'the eleventh'. Ekadashi is the eleventh day of the moon cycle, both from the Purnima (full moon) and from the Amavasya (new moon). Well-known as the day of Lord Vishnu, this is celebrated as one of the highly auspicious days suitable for fasting. In the Brahma-vaivarta Purana it is said that one who observes fasting on Ekadashi day is freed from all kinds of reactions to sinful activities and advances in pious life. Padma Purana states that one should follow Ekadashi, all of his sins are absolved and he very easily attains the supreme goal, the abode of Vaikuntha.  

            Nirjala Ekadashi, eleventh day of shukla paksha (the bright fortnight of moon) during Jyestha (therefore, also called Jyestha shukla ekadashi). The word ‘nir-jala’ means ‘without water’ and therefore the fasting on this ekadashi is observed without drinking water and eating food. Nirjala Ekadashi is the toughest and most sacred of all ekadashis and completion of this vrat with utmost devotion and austerity is equivalent to observing all other ekadashi vrats during the year and also the most rewarding.

           According to the Hindu Scriptures, Nirjala Ekadashi is also known as Pandava Ekadashi or Bhimseni Ekadashi or Bhima Ekadashi.  Bhimsen, the second Pandava brother and voracious eater, was not able to control his desire of having food and was not able observe Ekadashi fasting. Except Bhima, all Pandava brothers and Draupadi used to observe all Ekadashi fasting. Bhima, being upset due to his weak determination and doing a dishonor to Lord Vishnu, met Maharishi Vyasa to find some solution.

        Sage Vyasa advised Bhima to observe single Nirjala Ekadasi fasting to compensate for not observing all 24 Ekadashi fasting in a year. “Furthermore, Oh best of beings (Jivottama), any man or woman who observes this fast properly and worships the Supreme Lord Jalshayi (He who sleeps on the water), and who on the next day satisfies a qualified brahmana with nice sweets and a donation of cows and money - such a person certainly pleases the Supreme Lord Vasudeva, so much so that one hundred previous generations in his family undoubtedly go to the Supreme Lord's abode, even though they may have been very sinful, of bad character, and guilty of suicide, etc.Indeed, one who observes this amazing Ekadasi rides on a glorious celestial vimana to the Lord's abode.”

             The Nirjala Ekadashi is one of the most rewarding ekadashi observances of the Hindus. This ekadashi is highly pious and grants prosperity, bliss, longevity and salvation. Nirjala Ekadashi occurs before monsoons and therefore assists in purifying the body. It is also a popular belief that the observer of the Nirjala Ekadashi vrat, after death, is straight away taken to ‘Vaikunta’, which is the abode of Lord Vishnu. Nirjala Ekadashi vrat observed by devotees on this day is noted for its ascetic fasting and rigorous austerities.

            .On the Nirjala Ekadashi day, Lord Vishnu is worshipped with full dedication. Devotees offer Tulsi leaves, flower, fruits and mouth-watering sweets to their lord. The idol of Lord Vishnu is beautifully adorned and worshipped in the evening with dhoop and incense sticks. The observer of the Nirjala Ekadashi vrat should stay awake all night and therefore they visit Lord Vishnu temples to participate in the bhajans and kirtans, organized for this occasion. Reading ‘Vishnu Sahastranaam’ and other Vedic mantras dedicated to Lord Vishnu is considered auspicious on this day.

(Compiled by Chaman Lal Gadoo)

Remembering Somyar Mandir and Yarbal on Somavati Amavasya!

 

            The New Moon day is referred to as Amavasya or Amavas (in Kashmiri) or Amavasai (in Tamil) in the Hindu calendar and the one that falls on a Monday is of great significance and is called Somvati Amavasya and in Kashmiri Sumri Amavas. Today is one such day. This year, it holds a special significance because Shani Jayanti and Vat Savitri Vrat will also be observed on the same day. Several Hindus keep a day-long vrat; perform puja of their Ishta Devta or Ishta Devi or Lord Shiva or Lord Vishnu. Moreover, it is an ideal day for paying obeisance to the departed souls. Kashmiri Hindus would take early morning dip in Holy Vitasta usually at Somyar Ghat, those who were residing in nearby areas.

            According to Hindu tradition, the devotees offer water to Sun God and prayers to Lord Shiva and His family. Many Hindus perform Shradha rituals in order to appease the ancestors. The devotees perform Hawan, Yajna, Tarpan and Pind daan on this auspicious day. Some devotees also organise Gayatri Mantra Jaap for their ancestors. It is also said that on this day, devotees should plant saplings and trees.                    

        The Hindu worship enshrines a process in which the human form is lifted by its inner soul to merge with the absolute. In their temples the Hindus worship the divine as it unfolds before them. The Sanskrit religious culture; “recognizes the essential unity between the universal and the existential.” In Bhairava Stotra, Abhinavgupta says; “Having become one with thee, I adore you in the heart of my hearts. You are the first cause, the projection, sustenance and dissolution of the universe and the protector of the destitute. Everything is pervaded by you; you are one with the self, one and only one without the beginning and the end.” The communion of the Atman and  Parmatman fills the Hindu temples with its effulgence and voice of a million hymns. For ages, on the banks of Vitasta and Ganga, Krishna, Kaviri and Brahmputra, the Hindu temples have resounded with the voice of a million hymns amidst the din of conches and bells.

            The civilization unity of the Hindus in India is symbolized by its collective consciousness of their spiritual heritage. Kashmir has for centuries been a part of the civilization unity of the Hindus in India. The remains of the ancient temples in stone are a mute testimony to the continuity of the history of the Hindus in Kashmir. Centuries of oppression and persecution have left their mark on the Hindu heritage of Kashmir. The whole architecture of the Hindu temples is that of the abode of the Parmatman. Inside the temples the devotee part takes the spirit of the divine. Rising above themselves and reposed in the lap of the Mother, they merge in the music of celestial song; “Gouri (m) Amba (m) Amburu Hakshi (m) Ahmide.”

          The Somyar Mandir, situated on the banks of Vitasta at Habakadal in Srinagar, is no longer thronged by the Hindu devotees on Somavati Amavasaya, who is languishing in exile, hundreds of miles away. Somyar stands desolate in silence. The voice of a million hymns that filled its portals is also sunk in silence!

(Kashmir—Hindu Shrines by Chaman Lal Gadoo)