Ramanisblog

Tag: Varanasi

  • Chola Satyavrata Conquered Kasiraja Varanasi

    Chola Satyavrata Conquered Kasiraja Varanasi

    The information we get from Purans and Ancient Tamil Sangam Literature and Copperplates evidence reaffirm the close proximity,nay the total identification of ancient Tamil Kings and Genealogy as listed out in Purans. References in Ramayana and Mahabharata also reaffirm.

    One finds

    • Uparichara vasu was a king of the Puru lineage and his grandson was Veda Vyasa.
    • Pallavas From Turvasu Dushyant Puru Dynasty, Cholas Cousins
    • Muchukunda Chozha Ruled From North Western India with Mandhata
    • Sixteen Emperors of India Mahabharata List Chola Among Them
    • Chozhas Were In North , permanently Settled in South In Dwapara Yug?

    You may find these details at this site.

    According to the Genealogy by Purans and by Thiruvalankadu Copperplates,Satyavrat conquered the King of Varanasi and was also called Rudrjit.’in his family was born Satyavrata who conquered Kasiraja, the king of Varanasi (i.e., Benares) (v. 25)

    Satyavrat came from the Chola lineage, one of his ancestors being Muchukunda Chola. In the same lineage was born Chola Emperor Sibi.

    The prasasti of the Chola family conveyed by the Sanskrit portion of the grant (vv. 1 to 137) consists of 271 lines and is mostly Puranic.  In verse 4 are introduced the sun and Manu, the latter of whom was produced from the Sun by concentration of mind.  His son was Ikshvaku (v. 5) ; his son Vikukshi (v. 6) ; his son Puranjaya (v. 7) surnamed Kakutstha (v. 8) ; his son Kakshivat (v. 9) and his son Aryaman (v. 10).  In this family was born Analapratapa (v. 11); in his family was born Vena; and his son born from the right arm was Prithu (vv. 12 and 13).  In his familywas born Dhundhumara, so called on account of his having killed the demon Dhundhu (v. 14).  In (his) family was born Yuvanasva (v. 15) ; his son was Mandhatri who ruled the earth as far as the Lokaloka mountain (v. 16) ; his son was muchukunda who, by killing the demon Kalayavana, pleased the god Mukunda, i.e., Vishnu (v. 17).  In (his) family was born king Valabha who founded the city of Valabhi (v. 18) ; his son was Prithulaksha who set the mountain Mandara whirling in the ocean for securing nectar (v. 19) ; his son was Parthivachudamani (v. 20). In (his) family was born Dirghabahu (v. 21) and then came Chandrajit (v. 22); his son was Sankriti who became the emperior at the close of the Krita age (v. 23).  In that family was born Panchapa (v. 24) ; in his family was born Satyavrata who conquered Kasiraja, the king of Varanasi (i.e., Benares) (v. 25) and acquired the title Rudrajit (v. 26) by conquering Rudra in battle.  In that family was born Sibi; an ornament of his family was king Marutta who was an immediate predecessor of the Pandavas (vv. 27 and 28). . Thiruvalankadu Copperplates

    Genealogy of Ikshvaku Dynasty(as found in Sanskrit Texts) – Chola Dynasty.( as found in Thiruvalankadu Copperplates) Table credit.https://jayasreesaranathan.blogspot.com/2018/01/divya-and-dharma-two-sides-of-yuga_21.html?m=0

    Table showing genealogy of Ikshvaku, Solar Dynasty as found in Sanskrit Texts and as in Thiruvalankadu Copperplates of Cholas.

  • Benares Panchakrosha Yatra Details Kasi Khanda

    People generally think of Kasi, Varanasi, Benares as the place mainly meant for performing the Obesequies/ Sraddha for the ancestors.

    They perform Tharpana and Sraddha.

    There is another important religious Karma to be performed in Kasi/Varanasi.

    It it is the performance of Panchakrosha Yatra.

    Panchakrosha are the palces where Ishwara,Shiva is present in His full Glory and He rules over the city, its people, beings both living and non living.

    As a result people visiting these Kshetras are removed of their evil and negative thoughts and are ruled by Ishwara.

    This is one of the reasons why people are advised to perform Sradhdha in Varanasi as the Mind will be pure.

    Panchakroshi Temple,Kasi, one can visit if he can not complete the entire Panchakroshi yatra.
    Panchakroshi Temple,Kasi

    The Panchakrosha Kshetras are,

    Vishwanatha

    Omkareshwara

    Krttivaseshwara

    Kapardishwara and

    Madhyameshwara.

    There is also another list.

    1. Kardameshwara
    2. Bhimacandi
    3. Rameshwara
    4. Shivpur
    5. Kapiladhara

    Visiting these temples is called the Panchakrosha yatra,Varanasi.

    The trip starts after completing the initial prayers and doing the rituals at Kashi Vishvanath Mandir the journey starts. There are 108 temples along this path and the Dharmasalas adjacent to the temples offer minimal facilities to the tourists. The remains of the temples shows, the importance given by the kings and the former generations to this pilgrimage trip.

     

    Kandava-Nilakandeshwara Temple-this temple is associated with the story of churning the oceans by gods and demons and the blue-poison came, which had a very dangerous effect. In order to avoid trouble the poison was drunken by the Lord Shiv. Parvathi, wife of the Lord attempted to keep the poison not going down and the blue colour poison caused to change the colour.

     

    Kardameswara Temple is another point the pilgrims visit on their course of journey. It has many images on the wall like dancers, beasts and snakes. Shiv is also shown in the form of Natrajdancing figure. The images of Mahishasuramardini, Andhakasuramardini is also visible in the walls. The river tank is really attracts the attention of the visitors.

     

    After crossing Rajatalab the next place is Bhimachandi. Believed to be the strongest Goddess this temple is devoted to the Goddess Bhimachandi.

     

    Before reaching the next point Dehli Vinayaka is also covered by the pilgrims. This site is dates back to 6th 7th century. The guide told me that the original image is now in Bharat KalaBhavan Musuem.

     

    Rameshwara: Easily misunderstand as Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu? This Rameshwaram is in the in Kashi and one of the most significant spots in your trip. It is said to be the Shivlinga was placed and worshipped by the Lord Rama after killing Ravana, in order to avoid the sin. This is a replica of the original temple in Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu. The full moon day of Karthika, large number of pilgrims flock to this temple. The Sadhus praying with their rudraksh, chanting mantras are a common scene here.

     

    The walk through Shivpur takes you top the thickly populated route and the route leads to Kapiladhara. The temple and the pool are associated with the Grand Epic Mahabharata. The site is very near to the Ganges. Usually the pilgrims take a lounge from here to the Manikarnika Ghat and the journey ends at Jnanvapi temple where you have started the journey.

    There are Panchakrosha Sthalams near Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, Thirunelveli, Tamil Nadu  and Ujjain.

    Citation and reference..

    Image, http://explorekashi.com/image-1-42.html

    http://www.kamakotimandali.com/misc/mokshapuri.html

    http://creative.sulekha.com/panchkroshi-yatra_183957_blog

     

     

     

  • Gyanvapi Mosque Built On Original Kashi Viswanath Temple Aurangazeb

    When people are trying to prove the birth place of Rama, many are not even aware of some other ancient Hindu Temples razed to the ground and Mosques built over them.

    I have written article listing the Temples turned into Mosques.

    Temples converted into Mosques A Pointer

    I shall be listing the temples destroyed by Aurangzeb. the Mogul Ruler of India who is portrayed in Indian Text Books as pious Man !

    https://rajnishmishravns.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/gyanvapi_photo_dr_vp_singh.jpg

    He was man who murdered his siblings and tortured His Father to Death.

    This ‘pious Man’ demolished Hindu Temples and built Mosques there after  plundering the wealth of these temples and defiling the Deities.

    He chose most sacred temple for his special treatment.

    One such is the Kasi Viswanathar Temple, Varanasi.

    This city has the unique distinction of the being the Oldest continuously inhabited city in the world!

    Please read my article on this.

     

    gyanvapi_mosque
    Gyanvapi Mosque built on original Kashi Vishwanath temple,by Aurangzeb.Image. i

    ”

     

    The Gyanvapi mosque is located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was constructed by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, on the site of the demolished Kashi Vishwanath temple. It is located north of Dashaswamedh Ghat, near Lalita Ghat along the river Ganges.

    Dashaswamedh Ghat, means the Bank of the river where hundred Aswamedha Sacrifice was performed.

    It is a Jama Masjid located in the heart of the Varanasi city.

    It is administered by Anjuman Inthazamiya Masajid (AIM)

    The mosque was built by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1664 CE, after destroying a Hindu temple:1 The remnants of the Hindu temple can be seen on the walls of the Gyanvapi mosque.

    The demolished temple is believed by Hindus to be an earlier restoration of the original Kashi Vishwanath temple. The original temple had been destroyed and rebuilt a number of times. The temple structure that existed prior to the construction of the mosque was most probably built by Raja Man Singh during Akbar’s reign Aurangzeb’s demolition of the temple was also probably attributed to the escape of the Maratha king Shivaji and the rebellion of local zamindars (landowners). Jai Singh I, the grandson of Raja Man Singh, is alleged to have facilitated Shivaji’s escape from Agra. Some of the zamindars were alleged to helped Shivaji avoid the Mughal authorities. In addition, there were allegations of Brahmins interfering with the Islamic teaching. The temple’s demolition was intended as a warning to the anti-Mughal factions and Hindu religious leaders in the city.[5]

    Maulana Abdus Salam contests the claim that a temple was destroyed to build the mosque. He states that the foundation of the mosque was laid by the third Mughal emperor Akbar. He also adds that Akbar’s son and Aurangzeb’s father Shah Jahan started a madrasah called Imam-e-Sharifat at the site of the mosque in 1048 hijri (1638-39 CE).

    ( what an audacity? what was there before the existence of the Mosque?)

    ‘

    Around 1750, the Maharaja of Jaipur commissioned a survey of the land around the site, with the objective of purchasing land to rebuild the Kashi Vishwanath temple. The survey map provides detailed information about the buildings in this area and information about their ownership. This survey shows that the edges of the rectangular Gyanvapi mosque precinct were lined up with the residences of Brahmin priests.:85

    Describing the site in 1824, British traveler Reginald Heber wrote that “Aulam Gheer” (Alamgir I i.e. Aurangzeb) had defiled a sacred Hindu spot and built a mosque on it. He stated that Hindus considered this spot more sacred than the adjoining new Kashi Vishwanath temple. He described the site as a “temple court”, which was crowded with tame bulls and naked devotees chanting the name of Rama.

    In 1742, the Maratha ruler Malhar Rao Holkar made a plan to demolish the mosque and reconstruct Vishweshwar temple at the site. However, his plan did not materialize, partially because of intervention by the Nawabs of Lucknow, who controlled the territory. Later, in 1780, his daughter-in-law Ahilyabai Holkar constructed the present Kashi Vishwanath Temple adjacent to the mosque.

    In the 1990s, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) campaigned to reclaim the sites of the mosques constructed after demolition of Hindu temples. After the demolition of the Babri mosque in December 1992, about a thousand policemen were deployed to prevent a similar incident at the Gyanvapi mosque site. The Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, who supported the demand for reclaiming Babri mosque, opposed VHP’s similar demand for Gyanvapi, on the grounds that it was an actively used mosque.

    The mosque now receives protection under the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. Entry into the mosque precinct is restricted, and photography of the mosque’s exterior is banned.

    Citation, Reference and Image I credit .

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyanvapi_Mosque#

    Inside Gyanvapi Mosque Image credit.

    http://www.rajnishmishravns.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/gyanvapi_photo_dr_vp_singh.

     

     

  • Worlds Oldest Continuously Lived City Kasi Predates Vedas

    Worlds Oldest Continuously Lived City Kasi Predates Vedas

    There is a Sloka that is to be recited before going to bed at night.

    KASI Snanam

    Kishkinda Bhojanam

    Chidambara Darisanam

    Siva Siva Nataraja.

    This Sloka ensures undisturbed sleep.

    I shall explain the significance of this sloka in another article.

    Why is that Kasi also called as Benares,

    Varanasi is so important that Hindus flock to this city throughout the year, offer oblations to ancestors and oneself and why the Ithihasas Ramayana and Mahabharata, the Puranas speak highly of Kasi?

    The first important reason is its antiquity.

    Kasi enjoys the distinction of being the most continuosly lived city of the world.

    Its history dates back to Vedic Times.

    ‘There is hardly any city in the world that can claim greater antiquity, greater popular veneration than Banaras”- P V Kane.

    ‘

    The earliest human occupation in Varanasi is found in the Atharvaveda (5-22-14).

    ‘

    Mahājanapada (Sanskrit महाजनपद) (literally “great realm”, from maha, “great”, and janapada “foothold of a tribe”, “country”) is one of the sixteen kingdoms or oligarchic republics that existed in ancient India from the sixth centuries BCE to fourth centuries BCE. Ancient Buddhist texts like theAnguttara Nikaya[1] make frequent reference to sixteen great kingdoms and republics which had evolved and flourished in a belt stretching from Gandhara in the northwest to Anga in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent and included parts of the trans-Vindhyan region,[2] prior to the rise of Buddhism in India.

    Kasi is one of these tribes inhabiting the area.

    The worship of Shiva precedes Vedas and there are evidences that Dravidian tribes were also living here.

    Not only this.

    Kassites who ruled Babylonia from 1500 BCE, but settled there from 1800 BCE bore names in a language related to Sanskrit.

    Like Mitanni, who have very pure Sanskrit names (from 1400 BCE), they also spoke a language related to Sanskrit.

    The fact is that they migrated from Gangetic plain, like Saurashtra (Zoaraster) migrated to Iran from Saurashtra coast of Gujarat (Please read Kanchi Paramacharya’s (1894-1994) talk on Zoaraster/Saurashtra.

    Also read my article on Mittani Empire where I have detailed the Mittani link to Tamils.

    Buddha used to frequent Kasi and two of the Jain Thirthankaras were raised here.

    Adi Shankaracharya,Ramanujacharya and Madhvacharya, the three pillars of Hinduism visited Kasi

    The Vedas are dated sometime around 5000 BC.

    I have published articles to theceffect the Vedas can becdated much earlier.

    So Kasi is at least 7000 years old.

    The spiritually correct name of Kasi is Avimukta.

    There is a legend that the name Kasi is due to the two small rivers that flow Kasi, Varana and Asi before they join the Ganges.

    Pottery belonging to 800 BC has been enearthed here.

    Even before Vedic times Ajivakas and Kaapalikas and Paspathad whovworship Shiva lived here.

    Even today one can see Kaapalikas  and Aghoris on Kasi.

    Such is the hold of Kasi on Hinduism that QutbuddinIbak had the temples in Kasi razed and Mosques built in 1194 and this tradition was continued till Aurangazeb. .

    Kasi had over hundreds of Temples according to Hieun Tsang the chinese Traveler.

    He states that there was a Shiva Statue of 30 Mtrs.

    Citation andreferences.

    http://hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/concepts/kasi.asp

    http://tamilandvedas.com/tag/kasi/

  • Dwadasa Jyotir Lingas Twevle Lingas of Fire

    Fire is the Chief Deity in the Vedas.

    Fire is regarded as very sacred in Hinduism.

    12 Jyotir Lingas.image.jpg
    Dwadas Lingas, 12 Jyotir Lingas.

    What Air can not purify Water can, what Water and Air can not, Fire shall.

    It is the Ultimate purifier.

    The warmth in mother’s womb sustains the child and the same Fire destroys the Human body.

    Fire is both the Sutainer and Destroyer.

    So is Lord Shiva.

    He is the cause of All and the withdrawer of the Universe.

    The Distinction between Shiva and Rudra is to be understood.

    The meaning of the word Shiva is ‘Auspiciousness’

    He is the Chief among the Trinity.

    His Amsa,one of His manifestaions, is Rudra.

    He is one of the Ganas of Shiva.

    He destroys the Universe only to be hidden by Shiva to enable them to manifest them later.

    While Shiva has three attributes or functions, Srushti(Creation,) Sthithi( Sustanance),Samhaara(Dissolution), Thirodhaana(Hiding) and Anugraham( Blessings)

    Rudra represents one aspect of Shiva, Destruction and this is eveident from the first sentence from the Sri Rudram.

    Om Namao Bhagavathe Rudraaya,

    Namsthe Rudramanyave’

    My prostrations to Rudra,

    My prostraions to His anger”

    Implied is the fact that anger leads to desruction.

    Now to Shiva.

    Being the Ultimate Reality Shiva is with out Attributes.

    However attribute is rewuired for Human Beings to connect and worship as concentraing ona vacuum is impossible .

    So Fire has been associated with Shiva, both for its sustaning qualities and for destrution.

     

    Twelve Jyotir Lingas , Puranas.

     

    Brahma (the God of creation) and Vishnu (the God of Preservation) had an argument over supremacy of creation. To test them, Shiva pierced the three worlds as a huge endless pillar of light, the jyotirlinga. Vishnu and Brahma split their ways to downwards and upwards respectively to find the end of the light in either directions. Brahma lied that he found out the end, while Vishnu conceded his defeat. Shiva appeared as a second pillar of light and cursed Brahma that he would have no place in ceremonies while Vishnu would be worshipped till the end of eternity. The jyotirlinga is the supreme partless reality, out of which Shiva partly appears. The jyothirlinga shrines thus are places where Shiva appeared as a fiery column of light.[2][3] Originally there were believed to be 64 jyothirlingas while 12 of them are considered to be very auspicious and holy.[1] Each of the twelve jyothirlinga sites take the name of the presiding deity, each considered a different manifestation of Shiva. At all these sites, the primary image is lingam representing the beginningless and endless Stambha pillar, symbolizing the infinite nature of Shiva. The twelve jyothirlinga are Somnath in Gujarat, Mallikarjuna atSrisailam in Andra Pradesh, Mahakaleswar at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh, Kedarnath inHimalayas, Bhimashankar in Maharashtra, Viswanath at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Triambakeshwar in Maharashtra, Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga at Deogarh in Jharkhand , Aundha Nagnath at Aundha Nagnath in Maharashtra, Rameshwar at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu and Grishneshwar at Ellora near Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Kedarnath and Pashupatinath (Nepal) are considered half jyotirlingas counted together as one.  -Shiva Purana

     

    Saurashtra Somnatham Cha Shrishaile Mallikarjunam ||
    Ujjainyam Mahakalomkare Mammaleshwaram ||
    Parlyam Vaijnatham Cha Dakinyam Bheem Shankaram ||
    Setu Bandhe Tu Ramesham Nagesham Daruka Vane ||
    Varanasya Tu Vishwesham Tribakam Gautamitate ||
    Himalaye Tu Kedaram Ghurmesham Cha Shivalaye ||
    Aetani Jyotirlingani Sayam Prataha Pathennaraha ||
    Sapta Janma Kritam Papam Smaranen Vinashyati ||

    One who recites these 12 names regularly in the morning and evening he washes all the sins committed in the previous 7 births and attains all the powers and Siddhis.

     

    Location of the Jyotir Lingas.

     

     

    # Jyotirlinga Image State Location
    1 Somnath Somnath.JPG Gujarat Prabhas Patan,Saurashtra
    2 Mallikārjuna Swāmi Srisailam-temple-entrance.jpg Andhra Pradesh Srisailam
    3 Mahakaleshwar Mahakal Temple Ujjain.JPG Madhya Pradesh Ujjain .
    4 Omkareshwar Omkareshwar Temple 01.jpg Madhya Pradesh Island in theNarmada River,Omkareshwar
    5 Kedarnath Kedarnath Temple.jpg Uttarakhand Kedarnath
    6 Bhimashankar Bhimashankar.jpg Maharashtra Bhimashankar
    7 Kashi Vishwanath Temple Kashi Vishwanath temple.jpg Uttar Pradesh Varanasi
    8 Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple, Trimbak, Nashik district.jpg Maharashtra Trimbakeshwar, near Nashik
    9 Vaidyanath Temple Baba dham.jpg Jharkhand Deoghar
    10 Nageshvara Jyotirlinga Nageshwar.JPG Gujarat Dwaraka
    11 Rameshwar Ramanathar-temple.jpg Tamil Nadu Rameswaram
    12 Grishneshwar Ghushmeshwar mahadev.jpg Maharashtra Aurangabad

     

    Citation.

    Jyotir Linga