Lord Shiva and Varanasi in India

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About Varanasi

Lord Shiva had just married Uma (Parvati). Shiva's abode was in the Himalayas,

where he lived in the company of the ghosts and ghouls. Hence, Uma had

expressed a desire to live at her parents' along with her husband, even after

marriage. So Maheshwar (Lord Shiva) and Uma lived with her parents. Lord Shiva

thought it would be helpful if he brought along his retinue along with him, to

attend to him and his wife Uma.

 

Uma's mother, Mena was exasperated, as all sorts of unsightly ghosts moved about

freely in her house. She always taunted Uma, about them ,and her husband. She

said: "Your husband and his following are a bunch of worthless no-good people.

He calls himself 'Maheshwar' (Lord of Lords )but is in fact, a pauper."

 

The persistent criticism, soon became a cause of vexation for Uma. She urged and

pleaded to her husband to look for a house of their own. She said: "Lord, I do

not wish to stay here anymore. We shall live anywhere , which we could call our

own rightful house."

 

Uma sulked and , Lord Shiva, consented. With the help of his mental prowess,

he perused all possible venues to live. After a detailed study he converged

upon Varanasi.

 

He soon found out, that, it was ruled by a King called, Divodas, who was the

grandson of King Dhanvantari.

 

He called Nikumbh, (Ganeshwar) one of his followers and told him, " I wish to

live in Varanasi, so I am assigning you a task. You have to get the town of

Varanasi vacated. But, there is a problem in the form of King Divodas. He rules

the Kingdom of Varanasi. You have to sweet-talk him, into leaving the place. He

is too powerful for you, so do not try to wage any combat against him."

 

Nikumbh obediently, went to Varanasi. There, he spotted a barber, named Kanduk.

He decided to enter his dream for his resolved purpose. Nikumbh entered his

dream and said: "O good man, make a statue which will look exactly like me and

place it in a temple, near the outskirts of the town. I shall, then reside in

that statue to fulfill the wishes of all the people who come and pray to me."

 

When Kanduk, the barber got up next morning ,he went to the King and told him

about his strange dream. He then asked for the King's permission to build a

temple with the said, statue.

 

He diligently, built the statue and for days together, sincerely prayed there

..Seeing him, many other intrigued onlookers, too, started to worship there.

Their prayers were immediately answered. Slowly it became the talk of the town

and the devotees thronged to pray there. It was like a miracle.

 

News reached, Queen, Suyasha, the King's wife, about the temple. As they had

wanted a son, she talked to her husband about it and went there to pray. Months

passed by. The queen would visit this temple, but she did not bear a son. The

King had become impatient and annoyed . In a fit of unleashed anger, he said "I

will never pray there again, nor will ,anyone else go there. I give orders to

destroy this statue."

 

The King's orders were carried out. Nikumbh, took this, as an opportunity to

curse the King. He spat out: "O King, Why have broken my statue, for no fault of

mine? This beautiful city of Varanasi shall soon be deserted. "Nikumbh's words

became true and Varanasi became deserted in no time..

 

Uma and Maheshwar, came to Varanasi and made it their home. Unfortunately, Uma,

soon lost interest in their new home. Again, she pleaded to Maheshwar, to change

venue. This time, he paid no heed .He tried to placate her, saying: " The whole

universe is my home. I fell stifled in a so called house. I shall not move to

any particular, house now. But if you still, want to move out of here, I shall

not forbid you."

 

Uma and Lord Shiva, lived there for three (eras) Yugas viz Kruta, Treta and

Dwapar. Mahadev (Lord Shiva) renamed Varanasi as 'Avimukta'. With the advent of

the Kaliyug, Uma and Maheswar left Varanasi and man, began to inhabit it.

 

Om Namo Shivaye

 

Vipin

 

 

 

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