Hari-Hara Kshetra - Bhuvaneshvar, India

[Guest guest]

Namaste all.

 

On my recent pilgrimage to India I have visited Sri Jagannatha Puri

and the famous Lingaraja temple of Lord Shiva in Bhuvaneshvar, Orissa,

the city which is named after Him but orginally known as 'Ekaamra

Vana' (Siddhaamra Shetra).

 

The history of this place is interesting.

 

One Puranic source stated that Lord Shiva after visiting His Beloved

Krishna at Nilachala Jagannatha Puri, ecstatic in Divine Love, came

to this 'Ekaamra Vana' (Garden of Wish-yielding Mango tree) and

stayed meditating on Lord Krishna and could not leave the beautiful

mango grove. Pleased and satisfied Lord of Nilachal, Sri Krishna

appeared and asked Lord Shiva that how He could bless this sacred

place. Lord Shiva multiplied into many forms of Shiva Lingas and

requested that here after this 'Ekamra Vana' shall be known

as 'Bhuvaneshvara' or 'Tri bhuvaneshvara', other epithets of Lord Shiva.

Since Lord Krishna has blessed this place of Divine Love meditation

of Lord Shiva, it is now known as Bhuvaneshvar.

 

It is also known as 'Hari-Hara Kshetra' as the Shiva linga (Image of

Lord Shiva) that is worshipped in the Lingaraja temple contains

Shaligrama (Lord Vishnu's image) in the middle, broadcasting the

eternal union of Lord Krishna and Shiva.

 

The priests do worship the images with both 'Bilva' leaves (dear to

Lord Shiva) and Tulasi leaves (dear to Lord Vishnu), 56 offerings of

food preparations done everyday to the Lords. Sacred vedic hymns of

Shiva and Kesava are chanted in aratis. Seems like the Vaishnavas and

Shaivas are in peace here.

 

Another source from Skanda Purana revealed that an ancient king of

Varanasi (Benares) desired to fight with Lord Krishna and prayed Lord

Shiva to be on his side. To fulfill the desire of His devotees Lord

agreed. But in the fight the king was defeated and the City of

Varanasi was totally burned to ashes by Lord Krishna's 'Sudarshan

(Wheel) Chakra. So the homeless Lord Shiva came to Nilachal Jagannath

at Puri and prayed to stay closer to Him. Lord Krishna was happy to

let Lord Shiva to reside not only here but also at all 'Vishnu

Tirthas' (sacred abodes of Lord Krishna) and thus Bhuvaneshvar

happened to be another 'Varanasi' as the holy city of Lord Shiva, at

the out skirts of Jagannath Puri.

 

It appears to me that with the pretext of a fight and fire, Lord

Shiva Himself renounced His own abode Varanasi to stay closer to His

Beloved at Jagannath Puri.

 

The auspicious lake at the Bhuvaneshvar temple is known as 'Bindu

Sarovar' which had been formed by the sacred waters of all the holy

rivers on the earth.

 

When Lord Ramachandra wanted to perform the worship and bathing of

Shiva Linga (Lord Shiva) at Rameshvar, He asked Sri Hanumanji to

bring the sacred waters of all the holy places on earth. Following

his Lord's order, when flying Hanumanji was bringing the water for

the worship of Lord Shiva, one drop from the sky fell down at

Bhuvaneshvar and became the holy lake 'Bindu Sarovar'!

So the purifying effects of the water from this lake includes the

auspiciousness of all sacred rivers on earth!

 

Jaya Sri Radhey!

 

Divine_Lovers/