Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga – " One of the famous Shiva jyotirlinga Temple "

 

shiv

Lord Shiv

The Hindu pantheon consists of several Gods and Goddesses .Each deity has a specific Duty , purpose for taking a form. Among them Lord Shiva ,Bholenath, Mahadev called by various names is one of the famous principal deity of Hinduism. he is the Supreme Lord who creates, protects and transforms the universe. he is known as "The Destroyer" within the Trimurti, which also includes Brahma and Vishnu .But in reality, he is who destroys the impurities taking refuge in the human mind. He rids a body of its shortcomings and makes it worthy of attaining moksha. Therefore he is in charge of destruction because unless the 'old' perishes, the 'new' wouldn't be able to take birth. Lord Shiva has several other names also that describe his personality, his duty, his qualities that he represents.

Some of the Different Names Of Lord Shiva are :

  • Shiva - Always Pure.
  • Maheshwara – Lord Of Gods.
  • Shambhu – One Who Bestows Prosperity.
  • Shankara – One Who Gives Happiness And prosperity.
  • Vishnuvallabha – The One Who Is Dear To Lord Vishnu.
  • Shivapriya – Beloved Of Parvati.
  • Kailashavasi – Native Of Kailasha.
  • Trayimurti – The One Who Possess Veda Form.
  • Sadashiva – The One Who Is Eternally Auspicious.
  • Vishveshwara – Lord Of The Universe.
  • Veerabhadra – Who Is Violent , Yet Peaceful.

Being a citizen of india several people come across the term “Jyotirlinga”.Shiva’s Jyotirlinga is highly revered among the Hindus. A Jyotirlinga is a shrine where Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of a Jyotirlinga. Jyotirlinga is a holy representation of Lord Shiva. The word ‘Jyoti’ means light and ‘linga’ means sign. Jyotirlinga is the light of Lord Shiva. it is believed that Lord Shiva himself visited these places and hence they have a special place in the hearts of devotees.

Jyotirlinga means ‘column or pillar of light’. The ‘stambha’ symbol represents that there is no beginning or end.

When Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu had an argument about who was the supreme god, Lord Shiva appeared as a column of light and asked each one to find the ends. Neither could do it. It is believed that the places where these columns of light fell is where the jyotirlingas are located .

There are 12 Jyotirlinga in India. The 12 Jyotirlinga temples take the name of the presiding deity. Each considered a different manifestation of Lord Shiva. 

  • Somnath Jyotirlinga in Gir, Gujarat.
  • Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga in Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh.
  • Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.
  • Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh.
  • Baidyanath Jyotirlinga in Deoghar, Jharkhand.
  • Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga in Maharashtra.
  • Ramanathaswamy Jyotirlinga in Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu.
  • Nageshwar Jyotirlinga in Dwarka, Gujarat.
  • Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
  • Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga in Nasik, Maharashtra.
  • Kedarnath Jyotirlinga in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand.
  • Ghrishneshwar Jyotirlinga in Aurangabad, Maharashtra.

Today here we discuss about one of  the famous jyotirlinga Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple.

Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga

Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga

About Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga:

It is located in the ancient city of Ujjain in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. According to the Puranas, the city of Ujjain was called Avantika and was famous for its beauty and its status as a devotional epicenter. It was also one of the primary cities where students went to study holy scriptures.The Mahakaleshwar temple is situated on the side of the holy river Shipra. The presiding deity, Shiva in the lingam form is believed to be Swayambhu, stemming streams of power or Shakti from within.The idol of Mahakaleshwar is known to be dakshinamukhi, which means that it is south facing This is a unique feature, upheld by the tantric shivnetra tradition to be found only in Mahakaleshwar among the 12 Jyotirlingas. The images of Ganesh, Parvati and Karttikeya are in the west, north, and east of the sanctum sanctorum(In Hinduism, a temple's innermost part where the cult image (Murti) of the deity is kept forms the Garbha griha, also referred to as a sanctum sanctorum)To the south is the image of Nandi, the vehicle of Shiva. The idol of Nagchandreshwar on the third storey is open for darshan only on the day of Nag Panchami. The temple has five levels, one of which is underground. The temple itself is located in a spacious courtyard surrounded by massive walls near a lake or kunda , a very large-sized Kunda named Koti Tirtha The Kunda is built in the sarvatobhadra style. The Kunda and its water both are treated as very celestial. On the path adjoining the stairs of the Kunda, may be seen many images representing the sculptural grandeur of the temple built during the Paramara period.  The shikhar or the spire is adorned with sculptural finery. Brass lamps light the way to the underground sanctum. It is believed that prasada the holy offering offered here to the deity can be re-offered unlike all other shrines.The presiding deity of time, Shiva, in all his splendor, reigns eternally in the city of Ujjain. The temple of Mahakaleshwar, its shikhar soaring into the sky, an imposing façade against the skyline, evokes primordial awe and reverence with its majesty.

Mahakaleshwar Temple

Mahakaleshwar Temple

 
Nagchandreshwar
 
Nagchandreshwar
mahakal baba

Mahakal Baba

Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga History :

 According to the Puranas, it is stated that Prajapita Brahma built it.it is proof of its ancient existence. The temple is believed to be built in the 6th century AD by Kumarasena, the son of a former king of Ujjain, Chandpradyot.It was further reconstructed in the 12th century AD under King Udayaditya and King Naravarman. Later, the Maratha commander Ranoji Shinde under Peshwa Bajirao-I renovated this temple in the 18th century AD.

Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga

Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga

 The  story behind Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga :

It is believed that King Chandrasena of Ujjain was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. While he was praying, a young boy, Shrikhar wished to pray along with him. However, he was not allowed to do so and was sent away to the outskirts of the city. There, he overheard a plot to attack Ujjain by enemy kings Ripudamana and Singhaditya with the help of a demon named Dushanan.He began to pray to Lord Shiva to protect the city. Vridhi, a priest heard his prayers and also prayed to the Lord to save the city. In the meanwhile, the rival kings attacked Ujjain. They were almost successful in conquering the city when Lord Shiva came in his Mahakal form and saved them. From that day on, at the behest of his devotees, Lord Shiva lives on in this famous Ujjain temple in the form of a linga.

 The  Famous Bhasm , Ash Ritual..

The bhasm or ash aarti is the first ritual conducted everyday at the temple. It's performed to wake the god (Lord Shiva) up, do shringar (anoint and dress him for the day), and carry out the first offering of fire to him (by circulating lamps, incense, and other items).

The unique thing about this aarti is the inclusion of bhasm, which is ash from funeral pyres, as one of the offerings. Mahakaleshwar is a name for Lord Shiva and means the god of Time or Death. This may be one of the reasons for the inclusion of the funeral ash. You will be assured that this aarti is something that you shouldn’t miss, and that until fresh ash is not brought in the aarti cannot start.

The bhasm aarti begins at 4 a.m. and if you want to offer your own puja (prayer) separately, you'll have to do it after the aarti and you might spend a couple of hours waiting. The aarti is extremely popular and bookings need to be made to see it. This can be done online a month in advance and is recommended. There's no cost. Bookings can also be made at the dedicated counter at the temple entrance the day prior. However, places fill up fast. note that there's a dress code when attending the bhasm aarti if you wish to go inside the inner sanctum and participate in the jal abhishek ritual (offering water to the god) before the aarti starts. Men have to wear a traditional dhoti and women must wear a sari. People start lining up at the temple from around 1 a.m. to gain entry, so you'll need to arrive early and wait. 

Bhasma Arti

Bhasma Arti

Cell phones and cameras are not permitted to be taken inside the temple premises, and security checks are conducted. There's a storage counter where you can leave your belongings. The bhasm aarti commences shortly after the jal abhishek ritual. There are four halls outside the temple's inner sanctum from where the aarti can be observed, some of which have been newly constructed to accommodate more devotees. The differences are in their size and location. Allocation is based on availability when booking. Nandi Mandapam is the preferred hall to be in, as it's smaller (fits only 100 people) and closest to the temple's inner sanctum. The larger Ganpati Mandapam is situated beside Nandi Mandapam and is the next best option, with stairs to sit on for an uninterrupted view. It can fit 400 people. Kartikey Mandapam is a new hall above Ganpati Mandapam. Bhasmarti Mandapam is another new hall located the furthest away. The aarti is telecast onto giant screens while it's being performed. The entire aarti lasts for about 45 minutes to an hour. The first part of the aarti, while the shringar is done, is sublime and well worth the scramble. However, the actual bhasm part — which is often hyped to no end — lasts only about a minute and a half. 

During this crucial minute and a half that you wait to watch from 2 a.m., women are asked to cover their eyes. It's important to note that the bhasm being used is no longer from funeral pyres but actually just vibhuti – the sacred ash used in most temples, sometimes made from powdered cow dung. 

After the Lord is adorned in the bhasm, the actual aarti begins, with the offering of the lamps. The aarti is usually accompanied by chants of praises to the Lord.

Boundation for king to stay in Ujjain :

Let me tell you that Baba Mahakal himself appeared with the creation of the universe. Even today the king of Ujjain is Mahakal only . There is a story about Baba Mahakal, which is true even today. Since ancient times, the Mahakaleshwar temple of Ujjain has a belief that if a king used to spend the night in Ujjain. So he had to lose his sultanate and even today it is the belief of the people of Ujjain that if any king, CM, prime minister or public representative dared to spend the night within the limits of Ujjain city, he would have to face the punishment of this crime. After all, what is the mystery associated with the Mahakaleshwar temple of Ujjain city, where no human-like king can spend the night. Let us know the secret of Mahakaleshwar temple of Ujjain which was completely unknown till now. According to mythology and Singhasan Battisi, no king stays overnight in Ujjain since the time of Raja Bhoj. Because even today Baba Mahakal is the king of Ujjain. Being seated in Ujjain of Mahakal, no other king, minister or public representative can stay at night inside the city of Ujjain. If any king or minister tries to spend the night here, he has to face the punishment. There are many vivid examples in the history of Ujjain to justify this notion.

  • When Morarji Desai, the fourth Prime Minister of the country, stayed one night in Ujjain after having darshan at the Mahakaleshwar temple. So Morarji Desai's government collapsed the very next day.
  •  Karnataka CM YS Yediyurappa had to resign within 20 days after staying for a night in Ujjain. 


Facts about Mahakaleshwar Temple:


One of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India, the lingam at the Mahakala is believed to be swayambhu (born of itself)

  • The holy sanctuary is found along the banks of the Rudra Sagar Lake in Ujjain
  •  Here, Lord Shiva is worshipped as Mahakaaleshwar form which is a fierce form of Shiva
  • The mahakaleshwar form is mentioned in ShivPuran when Ujjain was called Avanti
  •  The shivling in the sanctum sanctorum is known to be Dakshinamurti ( facing South)
  •  Bhasma aarti is the most important rituals Mahakaleswa is famous for which is performed at 4.00 am
  • There is mention of the ash collected from funeral pyre for the bhasma aarti in the ancient texts but in the present day, the bhasma  is made of cow dung
  • The temple is said to be a five-storey building that has the presence of the Gods such as Ganesh, Parvathi, Karttikeya, Nandi and Nagchandreshwar.
  • The Nagchreshwar temple  is opened only on the Nag Panchami day.

Shringar Darshan sandhya Arti

Shringar Darshan sandhya Arti


Video shows Shringar Darshan Sandhya Aarti


    Some Glimpse of Mahakaleshwar Temple :


Mahakal templeMahakal temple
Mahakal templeMahakal temple


Mahakal templeMahakal temple

Mahakal temple

Mahakal templeMahakal temple

Mahakal temple

Mahakal temple

Mahakal temple

Now a days Temple authorities also started the Mahakal temple online entry booking facility so that , if you are trying to visit the place you can also book your darshan timings , Poojan , Abhishek and also Dharamshala's for your convenience. For more details you can visit below official website.

 https://shrimahakaleshwar.com


                                🙏🙏 Jai Shree Mahakal 🙏🙏


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3 comments:

  1. Anonymous24 June, 2022

    Kaalo ke kaal Mahakal , jai shree mahakal 🙏🙏

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous24 June, 2022

    Good information 👍

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous25 June, 2022

    Like it , good info, keep it up bro!

    ReplyDelete