JAY SOMNATH, Gujarat, INDIA

[MAYURDAVE 0]

 

We welcomes you to the holy place of the Aadi Jyotirling Shree Somnath Mahadev and the sacred soil where from Bhagvan Shri Krishna took his last journey to his neejdham. The temple is built at the shore of the Arebian ocean on the western corner of Indian subcontinent. This pilgrimage is one of the oldest and find its reference in the ancient texts like Skandpuran, Shreemad Bhagvat, Shivpuran etc. The hymn from Rigveda quoted below mention the Bhagvan Someshwar alongwith the great pilgrimage like Gangaji, Yamunaji and Eastward Saraswati. Which signifies the ancient value of this Tirthdham.

 

The Moon God is said to have been relieved from the curse of his father in law Daksha Prajapati by the blessings of Bhagvan Somnath. This is the first among the twelve holy Shiv Jyotirlings. It has withstood the six repeated desecration by the Muslim invadors. The very existance of this temple is symbole of reconstructive spirit and cultural unity of our society. The seventh existing temple is built in the Kailas Mahameru Prasad style. The Iron man of India Sardar Shri Vallabhbhai Patel is the pioneer of the existing temple. The temple is consisting of Garbhgruh, Sabhamandap and Nrityamandap with a 150 feet high Shikhar. The Kalash at the top of the Shikhar weighs 10 tons and the Dhwajdand is 27 feet tall and 1 foot in circumference. The Abadhit Samudra Marg Tirsthambh indicates the unobstructed sea route to the south pole. This is a wonderful indicator of the ancient Indian wisdom of geography and strategic location of the Jyotirling. The temple renovated by Maharani Ahalyabai is adjacent to the main temple complex.

 

This is the Hari Har Tirthdham. This is the holy place of Bhagvan Shri Krishna's Neejdham Prasthan Leela. The place where Bhagvan Shri Krishna was hit by an arrow of a poacher is known as Bhalka Tirth. After being hit by the arrow, Bhagvan Shri Krishna arrived at the holy confluence of Hiran, Kapila and Saraswati and their Sangam with the ocean. He performed his divine Neejdham Prasthan Leela at the sacred and peaceful banks of river Hiran. The Geetamandir is built here where the divine message of Shrimad Bhagvat Geeta is carved on eighteen marble pillars. Shri Lakshminarayan Mandir is closeby. The Balramjiki Gufa is the place from where Bhagwan Shrikrishna's elder brother Balaramji took journey to his nijdham-patal. We have the Parshuram Tapobhumi here, where Bhagvan Parshuramji carried out penance and he was relieved from the sin of Kshatriya killings. The Pandavas have said to have visited this place and taken holy bath in the Jalprabhas and built five Shiv temples. The Somnath Trust has endeavoured to develop the whole Shri Krishna Neejdham Prasthan Tirth in an wholesome manner. The pilgrims can contribute generously to this noble cause.

 

BHALKA TEERTH

 

This sacred teerth is located 5 km on Prabhas Veraval highway. Bhagwan Shree Krishna was hit with the arrow of the poacher named Jara at this spot. Bhagwan Shree Krishna was resting in meditation under a pippal tree when the poacher misread the foot of Bhagwan Shree Krishna as a deer and hit from a distance. Bhagwan generously pardoned the poacher and blessed him. This divined leela of Bhagwan Shree Krishna is immortalised by a beautiful temple and an ancient pippal tree. The spot is under development with the assistance of the Central Government. Bhagwan Shree Krishana then walked a small distance and arrived at the holy banks of river Hiran from where he took his last journey to his Neejdham.

This teerth is located on the banks of Hiran at a distance of 1.5km from Somnath temple. Bhagwan Shree Krishna took his divine journey to Neejdham from this sacred soil. Rich accounts of the divined Shree Krishna Neejdham Prasthan Leela are maintained by the authentic traditions of Mahabhart, Shrimad Bhagwat, Vishnu Puran etc. Swami Shri Gjananand Saraswatiji has critically examined the aforesaid classical indian traditions and suggested the time of Neejdham Prasthan. He suggested that Shre Krishna departed on the first day of bright fortnight of Chaitra month (which correspondes with 18th February of English calendar)in the year 3102 B.C. at 2:27:30 hours

 

The footprint of Bhagwan Shree Krishna is carved here to mark the divine memory of Shree Krishna Neejdham Prasthan Leela. Baldevji, the elder brother of Shree Krishna also took his last journey from here in his original serpent form. This is marked by an ancient holy cave called “Dauji-ni Gufa”

Bhagwan Shree Krishna saw the his own forms-Brahmaji and other divine entities - and then closed his lotus shaped eyelids. Then the benevolent and all-beloved Bhagwan Shree Krishna took his last journey to his Neejdham keeping intact his earthen body with the power of divine yogic fire.)

 

JAY SOMNATH

MAYUR DAVE,

AHMEDABAD, GUJARAT, INDIA