SRI MAHAKALESHWAR (mahakal) in Ujjain
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Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga shrine The ancient and historic city of
Ujjain or Avanti in Madhya Pradesh is home to the Jyotirlinga
shrine of Mahakaleshwar
The temple courtyard of Bhagwan Mahakaleshwar temple is very big.
The temple is itself grand and beautiful. This Jyotirlinga is
situated below the ground in a Garbha Griha. The linga is quite big
in size and is encircled by a snake of silver. On one side of the
linga there is the idol of Lord Ganesha, on the another side is the
idol of Parvati and Kartikeya are installed. The Kumbha mela that
is organised every year on the banks of the Kshipra river is very
famous. All devotees take a holy water from the Kshipra river and
seek blessings of Lord Mahakaleshwar Amongst the
7
holy places that can liberate a human in Ujjain. It is important
Shaivite place of North India. This Jyotirlinga is situated in the
Mahakal forest in Ujjain, by the banks of the Kshipra river. The
name Avanti or Avantika pleases Lord Shiva. It is considered as
very holy and pure place. One comes across a number of stories in
the Puranas associated with the Mahakaleshwar
Linga.
On the banks of river Kshipra, the city of Ujjain exists in
Madhya Pradesh. It is also known as Indrapuri Amaravati, and
Avantika. Because of the number of golden towers of several
temples, this town is also known as “Swarna
Sringa.”
One of the seven cities of deliverance or salvation,
Avantika Nagar has 7 Sagar Teerthas, 28 teerthas, 84 SiddhaLingas,
25-30 SivaLingas, Ashtabhairav, Ekadasa Rudrasthana, temples for
hundreds of deities, Jalakund and monuments are
there.
sthala purANa of Ujjain Mahakaleshwar
jyotirling
Once there lived a Brahman who had four sons, who were all
devotees of Siva. The wicked demon king Dushan came to Avantika
after attaining a boon from Lord Branhma and started torturing the
erudite Brahmanas of Avantika. But the Brahmanas who were very
engrossed in their worship of Shiva did not even
flinch.
The demon king sent all four of his henchmen with the
orders that they have to ensure that no Vedic Dharmanushtan
activities are to take place. The harassed people came running to
the Brahmans seeking help. The Brahmanas assured the people and
pacified them. They immediately started praying to Lord Shiva.
Meanwhile, just as the Demon king tried to attack the Brahmanas,
the earth would split open near the Parthiv Murty with a loud noise
and huge crater would form there. In this manner, Siva assumed the
colossal form of Mahakal and appeared. He ordered the wicked Demon
from going anywhere near the Brahmanas. But the wicked Demon king
did not pay heed. As a result, Siva burnt him to ashes with just
one grunt. Seeing Lord Siva in this Avatar, Brahma, Vishnu and
Indra and other Devas came down and prayed to the Lord and pleased
Him.
The grandeur of Mahakaleswar is indescribable. Chandrasena,
the king of Ujjain was not only a scholar, but also a staunch
devotee of Lord Siva. Once his friend Maheswari’s follower
Manibahdra gave him a beautiful gemstone called Sundara Chintamani.
It shone so bright and beautiful when Chandrasen wore it on his
neck, that he looked even more glorious than the celestial gods. It
would make even them feel jealous. Once, some kings went and asked
Chandrasen to part with the jewel and Chandrasen promptly refused
to do so. This angered the kings, who in turn attacked
Chandrasena’s kingdom. When Chandrasena realized that he was
surrounded by the enemy he sought the help of Mahakal. Bhagawan
Shiva was pleased with his prayers and showed him a solution for
his problem. Just then, by chance, a Brahman woman wandered near
Mahakal, carrying her child with her, and suddenly became a widow.
An illiterate boy once saw the king performing Puja in the stone
and installed it in his empty house. He imagined it to be an
incarnation of Shiva and started worshipping it. The boy became so
engrossed in prayer and chanting, that he even forgot all about
food. When his mother went to call him, any number of calls had no
affect on him. He was silently praying. Angered by this, the mother
who was still bound by worldly love, threw away the SivaLinga. She
destroyed all the thing of worship. The boy was very sad at what
his mother had done. He started to pray to Shiva with his entire
concentration. Siva was not long in coming to the rescue of his
devotee. This stone SivaLinga which was brought by the son of a
cowherd soon became adorned with gemstones and turned into a
JyotirLinga. After singing in praise of Lord Siva, when the boy
returned to his house, he was amazed to find a beautiful palatial
home instead. Thus, with the Grace and Blessings of Lord Siva, the
boy became rich and led a very happy life. Mahakaleshwar Jyotirling
Temple, Ujjain
In the mean time, the enemy kings who attached ceased
Chandrasena’s empire, began to fight among themselves. They began
to say king Chandrasena is a Siva devotee and ujjain itself is the
city of Mahakal. It is therefore, impossible to anyone to win it.
They then decided to extend a hand of friendship to king
Chandrasena and together they all worshipped
Mahakal.
At that time, the Vanara King Hanuman appeared there. He
told the kings that only Siva could grant salvation to mankind and
nobody else. Siva can be pleased with worship done even without
chanting any mantras. The example of the son of cowherd is for us.
Then Hanuman looked at Chandrasena with eyes filled with affection
and benevolence and disappeared.
Historic glory of Ujjain
The Adyapeetha i.e., is the foundation of Sanskrit
learning, ethics, knowledge or science and art had their initiation
at this place. It is indeed the Triveni Sangam or learning of the
three great things. The greatness of Ujjain city was enhanced by
the Maurya kings as well as other dynasties. The great emperor
Vikramaditya who began new era by starting a new way of counting
the years, made Ujjain his capital.
It is here that Raja Bhartrihari wrote his great epics
(love stories) Virat Katha, neeti Sataka, the love story of Pradyot
Princess Vasavadatta and Udayan. The beauty of this city found a
pride of place in the descriptions of a great many poets and
writers who song its praise. At the auspicious time at dawn, the
women of this town sprinkled vermillion water in their courtyards
and decorated them with Rangoli designs.
In the Mahakal Shiv temple located in Ujjain on the banks
of River Kshipra, at 4 AM puja is performed. After Abhishek,
Chitabhasm (Ash of cemetery) is applied all over
Mahakal.
According to classics, Chitabhasm (human ash) is considered
as unholy and inauspicious. If any one even touches it by mistake,
one is required to bathe in order to be purified. But this very ash
becomes holy, by merely touching the body of Mahakal, because Siva
is Nishkam or lust-less. He is not touched by material desires.
That is why Shiva is Mangalmay or auspicious.
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