Vaishno Devi Travel Guide
The Goddess Vaishno Devi's abode is in 100 feet long cave with a narrow opening.
The holy cold and crystal clear water washes the lotus feet of the Mata's "Pindian".
There are three natural pindies representing Maha Sarswati, Maha Lakshmi, Maha
Kali, which represent creative, preservative, and destructive aspects of the
Super Power. It is an ancient shrine whose reference is found in the Vedas and
ancient scriptures.
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine is one of the oldest shrine of India, located
at a height of 5300 feet on the holy Trikuta Hills of the Shivalik Hill Range.
The Holy cave is 13 Kms from the Base Camp Katra. The Town Katra is 50 Kms away
from Jammu and 35 Kms from District HQ Udhampur and is linked by road. The Mata
Vaishno Devi Shrine is one of the most popular Shrines of India.
History:
'Vaishnavi' means the one who is related to lord "Vishnu''. Goddess Vaishnavi
is the manifestation of the collective spiritual strengths of Mata Maha Kali,
Mata Maha Lakshmi and Mata Maha Saraswati. It is described in Durga Sapatshati
that the goddess was born as a young girl of extraordinary beauty and strength,
out of the collectively pooled 'Tejas' of various 'Devtas' and three lords Brahma,
Vishnu and Shankar. The immediate purpose of the creation of the goddess was
the annihilation of Asura (Devil) Mahishasura. However another purpose of her
creation was that she might usher on earth an era of pious and ascetic life
so that the peace could prevail upon the world and she through her penance could
rise to higher levels of spirituality and ultimately merge with Vishnu.
The 'Goddess' having been created by the Devtas and the three lords ordained
the human form in the house of one Ratnakar as his daughter whom the family
named as Vaishnavi. The girl right from her childhood displayed a hunger for
knowledge which was like a vortex and which no amount of teaching and learning
could sufficiently satiate. Subsequently, Vaishnavi started looking into her
inner self for knowledge and soon learned the art of meditation and realized
that meditation and penance only could bring her close to her greater objective.
Vaishnavi thus relinquished all household comforts and went deep into the forest
for Tapasaya (meditation). Meanwhile, Lord Rama, during his fourteen years of
exile happened to visit Vaishnavi who recognized him immediately as no ordinary
being but the incarnation of Lord Vishnu and immediately asked him to merge
her into himself so that she could become one with the supreme creator. However
Lord Rama, knowing that it was not the appropriate time, dissuaded her by saying
that he will visit her again after the end of his exile and at that time if
she succeeded in recognizing him, he will fulfill her wish. True to his words,
Rama visited her again after being victorious in the battle, but this time he
did so in the guise of an old man. Unfortunately, Vaishnavi was unable to recognize
him this time and was distraught. Upon this, Lord Rama consoled her that the
appropriate time for her being one with the creator had not come and he will
eventually do so in 'Kaliyug' in his incarnation of 'Kalki'. Rama also directed
her to meditate and set up an Ashram at the base of Trikuta hills to elevate
her level of spirituality so as to bless the mankind and rid the poor and destitute
of their sufferings and only then will 'Vishnu' merge her into himself.
Vaishnavi, after immense hardships reached the foot of the Trikuta Hills and
after setting up her ashram there she began to meditate. As predicted by Lord
Rama, her glory spread far and wide and people began to flock to her Ashram
to seek her blessings. As the time passed, a Tantrik named Gorakh Nath who had
a vision of the episode between Lord Rama and Vaishnavi in the retrospective
time frame, became curious to find out whether Vaishnavi has been able to attain
a high level of spirituality or not. He, therefore, sent his most able disciple
'Bhairon Nath' to find out the truth. Bhairon Nath on locating the ashram started
observing Vaishnavi secretly and realised that though a 'Sadhvi' she always
carried bow and arrows with her and was always surrounded by langoors (apes)
and a ferocious looking lion. Bhairon Nath was enamored by Vaishnavi's extraordinary
beauty and losing all good sense he began to pester Vaishnavi to marry him.
Meanwhile a staunch devotee of Mata Sridhar organised a Bhandara (Community
meal) in which the whole village and Guru Gorakh Nath along with all his followers
including Bhairon were invited. During the course of Bhandara Bhairon Nath attempted
to grab Vaishnavi but she tried her best to daunt him. On failing to do so,
Vaishnavi decided to flee away into the mountains to continue her 'Tapasaya'
undisturbed. Bhairon Nath however chased her to her destination. The goddess
after halting at Banganga, Charan Paduka, and Adhkwari, finally reached the
holy cave Shrine. When Bhairon Nath continued to follow her despite the goddess
trying to avoid a confrontation, the goddess was compelled to kill him. Bhairon
Nath met his ultimate fate when the goddess, just outside the mouth of the cave,
beheaded him. The severed head of Bhairon fell with a force at a distant hilltop.
Bhairon Nath upon death realised the futility of his mission and prayed to the
deity to forgive him. The almighty 'Mata' had mercy on Bhairon and gave him
a boon that every devotee of the goddess shall have to have the Darshans of
Bhairon after having the Darshans of the goddess and only then shall the yatra
of a devotee be complete. Meanwhile, Vaishnavi decided to shed off her human
form and assuming the face of a rock she immersed her self into meditation forever.
