इहैकस्थं जगत्कृत्स्नं पश्याद्य सचराचरम् |
मम देहे गुडाकेश यच्चान्यद्द्रष्टुमिच्छसि ||

ihaika-sthaṁ jagat kṛitsnaṁ paśhyādya sa-charācharam
mama dehe guḍākeśha yach chānyad draṣhṭum ichchhasi

“Behold now, Arjuna, the entire universe, with everything moving and non-moving, assembled together in My universal form. Whatever else you wish to see, observe it all within this universal form.” (Srimad Bhagavad Gita – Chapter 11- Shloka -7)

VISHNU VISHWAROOP, Low bass-relief sculpture, Changunarayan Temple

LOCATION:

CHANGUNARAYAN TEMPLE is located a few miles from the very famous, beautifu, artistic settlement called BHAKTAPUR, about 12 km east of KATHMANDU, NEPAL. The temple is on a small hill-top along the river Manohara. The path to the temple has stone steps on both sides of which are interesting small Art shops selling intricate wood works, stone sculptures, different types of Rudraksha beads and many other beautiful knick-knacks you can buy as souvenirs for friends at home.

MAIN DEITY:

This is GARUDA NARAYAN as he is called by the natives- you can see LORD MAHA VISHNU seated on Garuda as the primary deity of this temple. The Buddhist worship him as Hariharihari Vahan Lokeshwara (a form of Avalokiteshwara). The Lord is seen holding the Shankha (Conch), Chakra (Discus), Gadaa (Mace) and Padma (Lotus). The Moola Vigraha which is made out of Saligrama is all covered with flowers and here the access to see is strictly only to the temple priests, visitors are not permitted to see it directly. As if in compensation, the Lord is all over the temple and gives darshan to the devotees in various forms.

VISHNU VISHWAROOPA:

One form of Lord Vishnu far out of human capacity to visualise is the VISHWAROOPA. Although it is described in detail in the Mahabharatha in various Parvas and has a mention in the Harivamsha, Vishnudharmottara Purana, Satvata Samhitha and the Ahirbudhnya Samhitha to name a few, to recreate it through art or literature is an impossible task. But, when you see this low bass-relief sculpture in the Changunarayan Mandir, you are made to accept that human attempts with divine grace can make the impossible, possible. To call this sculpture an artistic marvel is a massive understatement.

What must the craftsman have felt while sculpting this wonder?! To see this and absorb itself feels overwhelming! It makes us think how Arjuna must have felt seeing the Pratyaksha Vishwaroopa which he describes in the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 11). The infinite cosmic form of the Lord- boundless with no beginning , middle or end with all the Gods and creatures in all the Lokas and Brahmandaas, with innumerable heads, arms, stomachs, thighs, feet, mouths, terrifying teeth and eyes on all sides, with glowing, blazing power of immeasurable number of Suns, with all the divine astras in his countless hands, with Sun and Moon as eyes, this form that Arjuna saw with his divya-cakshu (divine vision given by the Lord) is the ultimate all-encompassing one which is terrifying to the Nara himself who begs to the Lord to come back to ‘his gentle human form’.

Such a Vishwaroopa you are blessed to see in this Kaliyuga through one’s mortal body and human eyes. This can happen only through the creation of an artist with divine grace. You feel so fortunate to have come across this Vishnu Vishwaroopa sculpture here. This bass-relief sculpture which is only 17 inches tall is an extraordinary composition which is divided into three distinct parts representing the three Lokas – Swarga, Bhoomi and Paatala.

The central figure, MAHA VISHNU, although small in size stands majestically with 9 heads and 10 arms. The artist has placed the heads in threes vertically thus giving space to fit in all the entities of the 3 Lokas making the composition more interesting and rhythmic. His many hands hold his sacred weapons, including the Sudarshana Chakra (discus) and the Panchajanya Shankha (conch).

The Upper level or the Swarga in the sculpture has all the Gods and Celestials. On the top most is seen Lord Shiva, Lord Brahma and Lord Indra. There are the Vidhyadharas and Rishis witnessing the Vishwaroopa. As you marvel at this extraordinary work of art, you keep wondering about the skill of the artist to place so many figurines in the background. On the Lord’s right are the Devas and on to his left are the Asuras sculpted to perfection.

The Middle level or the Prithvi in the sculpture the Lord is seen standing with his feet firmly planted on the “shoulders of the Earth,” personified as the goddess Prithivimatha (Bhoodevi). You can spot Arjuna with folded hands, the reason for this Vishwaroopa Darshan, near the feet of his Guru, Shri Krishna. Behind Arjuna is seen Garuda, his vahana with his majestic wings. Figures of humans and elephants are seen, which represent the diverse forms of earthly beings.

The Lower level or the Paathala in the sculpture has an interesting huge serpent sculpted intricately, the Adisesha. On him lies a beautiful reclining figure commonly mistaken for Lord Vishnu, yet another avatara, Balarama. Nagas are shown worshipping the Lord.

A true artist is never satisfied with his work and this is proved in this sculpture. As if the sculpting of these innumerable figures were not enough, the artist has filled the gaps with intricate floral designs and the borders too with details. Your gaze will never move away from this stunning sculpture where art brings the divine to life. But there is more for your eyes to feast on in the Changunarayan premises. So, we move on...

CHANDA NARAYAN: Just in front of the Garbhagriha we can see the Lord as CHANDA NARAYAN, a small but highly detailed 15” sculpture where Vishnu is seen riding on the shoulders of a humanoid Garuda carved out of a single slab of grey stone. The image of this beautiful 7^th century Lichchavi period art work is featured on the Nepalese 10-rupee bank note.

As you marvel at the fluid lines of this very compact sculpture, you can see a contrasting 6 feet tall Garuda dating back to the 5^th century Lichchavi period. This is the first time I am seeing a Garuda so unique that it resembles a human being except that it has wings. Garuda is seen kneeling on his right knee with a snake around his neck, with detailed wings, his hands in the Anjali Mudra (folding both hands doing namaskaram to his beloved Lord), carved from a single block of stone. It is one of the oldest and most artistically significant sculptures in the Kathmandu valley, representing the early transition of Garuda from a bird-like creature to a more human form in Nepalese art.

SRIDHARA VISHNU: A beautiful 9th-century stone sculpture of Vishnu, Lakshmi, and Garuda, standing on the pedestals of beautiful artistic motifs.

VAIKUNTA VISHNU: A 16th-century sculpture of Vishnu seated in Lalitaasan position on the six-armed Garuda and Lakshmi seated on the lap of her Lord.

VISHNU VIKRANTH: A 7th-century sculpture of the Lichchavi period, the Lord appears in his Trivikrama Avartara depicting the scene of placing his foot on King Mahabali’s head after measuring Bhoomi(earth) and aakasha (sky).

NARASIMHA: A 7th-century sculpture of the Lord in Narasimha Avatara, after killing the asura King Hiranyakashipu to save his beloved devotee Prahalad is another beautiful representation of Lord Vishnu in this temple.

OTHER DEITIES IN THE TEMPLE:

CHINNAMASTA DEVI: Hinduism is so diverse with deities that represent varied human emotions that one can connect easily and follow the knowledge they impart. Chinnamasta Devi is one such. She is one of the ten MAHAVIDHYAS, depicted with a red complexioned, fierce, nude form, holding her own severed head in one hand and a scimitar in another, hair dishevelled, wearing a skull garland. She stands upon a copulating couple, with blood flowing from her neck.

The Severed head represents the severing of ego and achieving spiritual wisdom, awakening the Kundalini Shakthi. Three streams of blood flow from her neck - one into her own mouth and two into her attendants Dhakini and Varnini, symbolising self-nourishment and the flow of energy from the Ida, Pingala and Sushumna nadis. The copulating couple that she is standing on are Kamadeva and Rathi, symbolising control over lust and desire.

This form of Shakti or Kali, associated with tremendous spiritual power and called as Prachanda Chandika (fierce Chandika) in Tantric worship is a rare visual to see.

KILESHWOR MAHADEV: This is a small two-storied temple of Lord Shiva, who is believed to have appeared in this place for the protection of the Changu hill.

HISTORY & STHALAPURANA:

This temple, which is built with a traditional Nepalese architecture, is believed to have been built in the 4^th century AD and is one of the oldest Hindu temples in Nepal. It houses one of the oldest pillar inscriptions in Nepal made by a Lichhavi dynasty king Manadeva.

This temple finds its mention in an ancient book ‘BHASA VAMSAAVALI’. The interesting sthalapurana goes like this…

Long ago in the beautiful Himalayan ranges of Dolagiri, the original name of Changu Narayan hill, there was a small village in which a Brahmin named Sudarshan lived. Sudarshan was a well-disciplined man but was short-tempered. He owned a Kapila cow, one similar to the divine Kamadhenu, which produced immeasurable quantities of milk that he offered to his favourite deity Lord Vishnu. There was a big Champaka tree in the village. His cow would often go and sit under this tree. Suddenly the cow stopped giving milk. After seven days of not getting milk from Kapila, the Brahmin became angry and wanted to find out the reason.

He said, “I will not rest until I behead the one who dares drink the milk intended for sacred offerings.” He followed the cow and watched it from a hidden spot. There he saw a strange thing happen. A man emerged from the Champaka tree and began drinking the cow’s milk. In a fit of anger, the Brahmin drew his is sword and struck the man’s neck. At that moment, the man transformed, revealing himself to be none other than Lord Vishnu, who was now devoid of his head with his Shankha, Chakra, Gada, Padma seated on seated on Garuda. The Brahmin, realizing what he had done, was filled with immense remorse, lamenting, “What sin have I committed in a past life to have brought this upon myself?”

As the Brahmin was about to take his own life in repentance, Lord Narayana assured him, “Do not fear, O sage. You have no reason to grieve. Instead, abandon your fears and ask for a boon.” The Brahmin replied, “O Narayana, grant that the punishment for my sin of beheading you be delivered upon me by your discus.”

To this, Lord Narayana explained, “Listen, O sage. Long ago, in a battle with a demon named Chandra, his dear friend, a Brahmin named Sumati, was killed by a weapon I had launched. Due to his strong devotion, his guru, Shukracharya, cursed me that in the future, my head would be severed by a descendant of Sumati. This was destined to happen by your hand.”

Lord Narayana continued, “Thus, this was inevitable. Now I shall reside here as a severed head. Worship me here and offer me your prayers.” With these words, Lord Narayana disappeared.

That is how Lord Vishnu resides as Changu Narayan in this Kshethra permanently blessing all his devotees.

May Lord CHANGU NARAYAN bless us all.

Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavantu.

ADDRESS:

CHANGU NARAYAN MANDIR

CHANGU NARAYAN MUNICIPALITY (44600)

BAGMATI ZONE,

BHAKTHAPUR, KATHMANDU,

NEPAL.

Image Source: Hand drawn sketch by me based on the photograph of the Deity.

Information Source: Bhakthas who have visited the temple, Internet and Self.

सर्वं कृष्णार्पणमस्तु

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Mission accomplished! This is what I felt when I reached this place. Devotees believe that visiting this temple helps them attain moksha, or liberation from the cycle of birth and rebirth. But my thoughts when I visit such places would be ‘Let moksha come after visiting Mukthinath!’.

Situated at an elevation of over 12,000 ft (3,710m), with a challenging journey of 10-12 hr drive or a scenic exciting mountain flight to a place called Jomsom followed by a drive and a walk, which becomes a task with the low oxygen levels and temperatures dropping to 4 degrees when we were there, MUKTHINATH still feels undoubtedly worth it. Once you reach Ranipauwa, a small settlement at the base of Mukthinath, you are welcomed by the beautiful Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges of the breathtaking Himalayas, offering a stunning, dry mountain landscape very different from the greener, lower parts of Nepal. The innumerable huge vertical grooves in those huge mountains are a very different visual from the ones I have seen any other mountainscape.

Here, you are amidst Hindu, Tibetan and Buddhist devotees, which is a rare sight to see. But God is beyond religion and traditions. I feel grateful and blessed to share my experience with you all and believe ‘this’ is also The Lord’s choice.

SHRIDEVI BHUDEVI SAMETHA SHRI MUKTHINARAYANA SWAMY

LOCATION:

MUKTHINATH is situated in the Mustang District of Nepal, at a staggering altitude of 3,710 metres (12,172 feet). It lies at the foot of the Thorong La mountain pass, part of the Annapurna circuit and Dhaulagiri mountain range. To get to the temple, you have to go to POKHARA, a famous tourist city in Nepal, and then fly or drive to JOMSOM. From Jomsom, you can trek or take a jeep to the temple till a point. From there, a walk of 2.5km will lead you to the temple. There are pony rides or one can opt for Doli to reach the temple if walking is difficult, which is very common as the air is thin.

THE TEMPLE:

Once you enter the temple after so much travel, you naturally expect to see a huge or dramatic structure with an element of Wow! on seeing the Primary deity. But none of those feelings come to you because you will go into a literal trance once you step on the holy site. The feeling is impossible to describe…

You are welcomed by 2 small ponds, the Paap Kund and the Punya Kund as it is called by the natives. Devotees are seen taking a dip in the Paap kund first to wash of all their sins and then take a dip in the Punya Kund to purify themselves before going for a darshan of Lord Mukthinarayan. You need real guts to take a dip in these ponds as the water is freezing cold and the temperature outside is around 3 degrees!! I could only do Prokshana of the theertham.

After taking a dip or Prokshana in the above ponds you take a pradakshina before seeing Lord Mukthinarayan. Here you can see 108 water spouts coming out of bull shaped stone faucets. This is called the Mukthidhara, ice-cold water from the Gandaki River flows through these spouts. Devotees stand under each spout or run through freezing water to achieve spiritual purification. The number 108 is significant and sacred in both Hinduism (108 name of Vishnu, Shiva, 108 Divya Desams etc) and Buddhism (representing the number of earthly desires). Also, in Tibet’s culture it is referred to as Chumig Gyatsa or Hundred waters, acknowledging the 108 taps.

THE MAIN DEITY:

Tears well up automatically for reasons unknown when, finally, you are standing in front of the SWAMY MUKTHI NARAYAN, a life-sized golden statue of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu in a meditative posture is one of its kind, a beautiful 3-foot statue signifying peace and cessation of the cycle of birth and death. He is seen with his consorts, Sridevi and Bhudevi. (although the locals consider them Lakshmi and Saraswathi). Mukthinarayan is seen with chathurbhuja (four hands) holding Shankha, Chakra, Padma and a meditative mudra in another hand. This moorthy is said to be a Swayam vyaktha (self-formed) vigraha made of the holy Saligrama stone.

You feel immensely blessed to see Lord Vishnu in the Saligrama roopa in a place where the Lord himself became a Saligrama in this very Kshetra. Adhisesha, the seven hooded snake is seen adorning the Lord on his kireeta (crown) majestically. Unlike the south Indian temples, the moorthy is beautifully dressed up like both a king and a sanyasin in a glowing kurtha and a saffron shawl and the Devis in bright and colourful lehenga, choli and dupatta. You are reminded again and again about the Bhava, which becomes important in Bhakthi, rather than the tradition or ritual that varies from place to place.

According to Buddhism, the same deity Mukthinarayan, is worshipped as AVALOKITESHVARA, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. This shared devotion makes Muktinath one of the few places on Earth where a single idol serves as a primary focus for two distinct spiritual paths.

OTHER DETIES IN THE TEMPLE:

• Sridevi and Bhudevi

• Garuda

• Sapta Rishis

• Guru Rinpoche ( Guru Padmasambhava)

• Andal

• Ramanjujacharya

• Manavala Mamunigal

(the last 3 idols were installed in the year 2009)

KSHETRA MAHATHMIYA, HISTORY & ARCHITECTURE:

This is a Kshetra with a rare importance – it is a symbol of religious harmony between Hinduism, Buddhism and Shaktism.

With respect to Hinduism, it is considered one among the 108 Divya Desams of Vaishnavite tradition. Mukthinath is called as the Thiru Salagramam, finding place in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham where Thirumangai Azhwar has rendered 10 paasurams , Kulasekahara Azhwar 1 paasuram and also Periyazhwar praises Lord Mukthinarayana as “Salagramamudaiya Nambi” (Lord of Saligrama).

For Buddhists, Muktinath is an abode of 21 Dakinis - the goddesses, known as Sky Dancers and is considered one of the 24 Tantric places.

Tibetan Buddhists call Mukthinath as Chumig Gyatsa, which in Tibetian means “Hundred Waters” and as mentioned earlier, Mukthinarayan for them is a manifestation of Avalokiteshwara, who embodies the compassion of all Buddhas and is respected as one of the important places related to Guru Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetian Buddhism.

According to Shakthism, Muktinath Temple is considered one of the Shakthi Pitas associated with goddess Sati’s face. The Shakthi of Muktinath is addressed as Gandaki Chandi and the Bhairav as Chakrapani.

The current structure of Mukthinath temple in a beautiful Pagoda style was built in 1815, initiated by the Nepali Queen Subarna Prabha, which till date is maintained by the followers of Guru Padmasambhava.

An interesting fact here is that the archakas who do the pooja and daily rituals for Lord Mukthinarayan are neither Vaishnava purohits nor any Indian Pandits. They are 2 female Buddhist Sanyasinis called Anilas who are considered to be the goddesses or Dakinis and are supposed to be the offsprings of the women who were taught by Guru Padmasambhava during his stay in Muktinath.

Guru Padmasambhava built a statue in his own image before departing from Muktinath to Tibet, which resides in the Mharme Lhakhang Gompa and is also tended by these Dakinis.

STHALAPURANA:

MUKTHINATH has its legend in more than one Purana. The Shiva Pura, Vishnu Purana, Gandaki Mahatmya and Rudra Samhitha.

According to the above mentioned puranas, once Indra as usual wanted to prove that he was the supreme. This angered Lord Shiva to open his third eye. From that was born a powerful demon Jalandhara. By the grace of Lord Shiva and through his marriage to Vrinda, extremely chaste and devoted to Lord Vishnu, Jalandhara was invincible. With the protective shield against him and the vow of Vrinda, which meant that till the time she was chaste, Jalandhara would be immortal, he started to wage war against the Devas.

Devas approached the Trimoorthys for help and Lord Vishnu disguised himself as Jalandhara and went to Vrinda to destroy her chastity, which instantly broke Jalandhara’s protection. Shiva killed Jalandhara with Vishnu help thus. Realizing she had been tricked, Vrinda cursed Vishnu to become a stone that would be nibbled to pieces by the Vajrakeeta bug. She died only to be reborn as the holy Tulasi. Vishnu promised to marry her in her form as Tulsi, which is celebrated as Tulsi Vivah.

Lord Vishnu is said to have done tapas to obtain Mukthi (liberation) from his curse in this place making this Mukthi Kshetra (a place of liberation). It is believed that Lord Vishnu stood there as a stone being bitten by Vajrakeeta into smaller stones, which are the Saligramas. Saligrama is nothing but Vishnu Swaroopa found all over the banks of the holy river Kali Gandaki.

I had the privilege to read the ShivaPurana coincidentally before my trip to Mukthinath. And guess what! When I was in this holy Kshetra, I could visualise, or rather, see the prathyaksha roopa of Lord Vishnu standing tall from Bhoomi to Aakasha in the backdrop of the Himalayas and the Vajrakeeta biting him down to the sacred Saligrama into the Gandaki river. It was a surreal moment!

Gandaki is called the Vishnu Theertha where different kinds of the Saligrama stone, worshipped as different forms of Lord Vishnu, are found. Saligrama in white is considered as Vaasudeva, black as Vishnu, green as Narayana, blue as Krishna, golden yellow & reddish yellow as Naarasimha and yellow as Vaamana. Saligramas with various sizes and shapes are found in the holy Gandaki. The shapes of Paanchajanya (the conch of Lord Vishnu) and the Sudarshana Chakra are also found.

The water at Mukthinath is considered so holy that bathing in it is believed to wash away all Sanchita Karma (accumulated sins), granting the seeker Mukti or salvation. It is said that even the gods come here to seek liberation from their roles.

Thirumangai Azhwar’s Paasuram :

கலையும் கரியும் பரிமாவும் திரியும்கானம் கடந்து போய்
சிலையும் கணையும் துணையாகச்சென்றான் வென்றிச் செறுக்களத்து
மலைகொண்டு அலை நீரணைகட்டி மதிள் நீரிலங்கை வாளரக்கர் தலைவன்
தலைபத்து அறுத்துகந்தான் சாளக்கிராமம் அடை நெஞ்சே ||

“Sarveshwaran (here refers to Shri Rama) with his bow and arrow as help crossed over the forest where deer, elephants and horses roam around, went very far and entered the battle-field where battles which lead to victory are caused, after building a bridge with rocks over the ocean having waves, and severed the ten heads of Ravana who was the leader of rakshasas , having Lanka which is having the ocean as a moat, as his capital, and became joyful. Oh mind! Try to reach SHRI SALIGRAMAM which is the eternal abode of such Sarveshwaran”.

May Lord MUKTHINARAYAN give us all Mukthi from all our karmas.

Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavantu.

ADDRESS:

MUKTHINARAYAN TEMPLE,

NEAR THORONG LA PASS,

RANIPAUWA VILLAGE,

MUSTANG DISTRICT,

NEPAL.

सर्वं कृष्णार्पणमस्तु

Image Source: Hand drawn sketch by me based on the photograph of the Deity.

Information Source: Bhakthas who have visited the temple, Internet and Self.

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To experience art, most intricate architecture, history, tradition and bhakthi all in one place you must visit this Kathmandu Durbar housing the famous KAAL BHAIRAV AND SWETH BHAIRAV temples in the heart of the beautiful old Kathmandu city. This place is filled with the most intricate wood carvings I have seen till now. The most interesting thing is that it houses 50 temples and a sea of handicraft and art shops where I experienced the most difficult test of resistance from buying whatever I saw!

This place is known as “the Museum of Temples” among which a few popular ones are the Kaal Bhairav, Sweth Bhirav, Taleju Bhawani Temple, Kumari Temple, Shiva Parvathi Temple, and Narasimha temple, to mention a few. The Tribhuwan Museum, which exhibits King Tribhuvan’s belongings is located here too. My post covers the 2 Bhairavs- the Kaal and Sweth Bhairav, considered to be the most powerful deities of the people of Nepal, with the most devotees. So, welcome to this trip of art, culture and spiritualism.

KAAL BHAIRAV, KATHMANDU DURBAR SQUARE, NEPAL

LOCATION:

KAAL BHAIRAV and SWETH BHAIRAV temples are located at the KATHMANDU DURBAR SQUARE in the religious complex of HANUMAN DHOKA in KATHMANDU, NEPAL.

DEITIES IN THE COMPLEX:

· KAAL BHAIRAV

· SWETH BHAIRAV

· TALEJU BHAWANI

· KUMARI

· SHIVA & PARVATHI

· GANESHA

· NARAYAN

· INDRA

· HANUMAN

· NARASIMHA and many more…

WHO IS BHAIRAV?

None other than Lord Shiva’s incarnation, Bhairav is a fierce form of Shiva about whom I have tried to elaborate further in this post. As in Nepal, Bhairav is worshipped in various parts of India with different names and forms. In total, there are Ashta Bhairavas, 8 Bhairavas. They are Aistanga, Ruru, Chanda, Krodha, Unmatta, Kapala, Bhishana and Samhara Bhairavas who guard the directions, all subservient to Kaal Bhairav or Kala Bhairava as worshipped in India. Among the Bhairavas, the most powerful is the Kaal Bhairav, the ruler of time (Kaala) and controller of all directions.

KAAL BHAIRAV:

This is an open-air temple where the main Deity KAAL BHAIRAV is seen standing in the middle of the Durbar square easily accessible to his bhakthas without waiting in a queue or standing for a long time to see him. This fierce manifestation of Lord Shiva, in the form of a gigantic 12-foot high, dark, single stone idol with many reds and yellow ochres is a magnificent sight. He is depicted as a deity with three eyes, six arms, dark complexioned, wearing tiger skin as a garment, snakes and severed heads around his neck as a mala. The violent form smeared with Kumkum stepping over a dead body holding the four heads of Brahma is set against a vibrant red and blue painted arch, flanked by golden embellishments and surrounded by mythological symbols. He is seen carrying the body of Lord Brahma on his back. His right hands are seen holding the Khadga (sword), Trishula(trident) and a Kapaala(skull cup) while his left hands carry a shield and a hand of Lord Brahma, four severed heads of Brahma and another hand shows the Abhaya hasta, blessing his devotees.

A very interesting fact with this Kaal Bhairav is that, in spite of the fierce looking face there is a smile which is hidden within. The reason for his smile is even more interesting which is described in the later part of this post. Here, Bhairav with his foot upon the corpse signifies the suppression and destruction of ignorance, ego, and sin that is a part of human life which every human aspires to let go.

STHALAPURANAM:

According to Shivapurana, there was once a clash of ego between Brahma Deva and Lord Vishnu as to who is supreme in this creation. Then there appeared a fiery column of light who was none other than Lord Shiva. Brahma and Vishnu were asked to find the beginning and end of this column of light. Both of them went in search of this. During this eternal search, Brahma saw a flower called Ketaki and he asked her to back him up in the lie he planned to tell.

While Lord Vishnu admitted his inability in finding the end of the column of light, Brahma lied to Lord Shiva about finding the beginning of the infinite pillar of light and the Ketaki flower supported his claim. Lord Shiva’s anger knew no bounds. He cursed the flower Ketaki that she would never be used anytime for worship and Brahma had to face Shiva’s extreme wrath.

Then there emerged from his forehead, Kaal Bhairav, the fiercest form of Lord Shiva. On the orders of Shiva, Kaal Bhairav chopped of the 5^th head of Brahma with the tip of his nail. But not even the supreme is spared of the sin of murder, thus came the BrahmaHathya Dosha from which Lord Shiva had to free himself. So, Kaal Bhairav wandered with a Kapaala, a skull as a bowl until he reached Varanasi where he is said to have been freed from his curse.

Interestingly this Kaal Bhairav, in Kathmandu, Nepal, despite his ugra (extreme anger), is seen smiling. This is the only smiling idol of Kaal Bhairav. In Kathmandu there was a tradition to take an oath in front of Kaal Bhairav during legal cases as a part of the judiciary system. The Nepali people believe that no one can lie in front of Kaal Bhairav. If they do, they will be severely punished by him. Kaal Bhairav here, has a name Adaalat Bhairav (Court Bhairav).

There are many stories related to Kaal Bhairav’s smiling face, and one is about a married woman who was accused of having an affair. The woman was asked to confess in front of Kaal Bhairav because if she lied, she would die. However, she found a loophole and used it in the way she confessed, which led to her being pronounced “not guilty.” It is said that Kaal Bhairav could not punish her, and he laughed at her intelligence.

HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE:

The exact origins of the Shree Kaal Bhairav Temple are unclear, but the massive stone idol is believed to date back to the Licchavi period (4th to 8th century CE). According to local legends, it was unearthed from a paddy field and later enshrined by King Pratap Malla in the 17th century.

King Pratap Malla, a devout and scholarly ruler, placed the idol in its current location in the Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square complex and built the surrounding shrine. Over time, the temple evolved into one of the most important Tantric and Shaivite shrines in the valley.

What makes Shree Kaal Bhairav Temple unique is the stone idol standing in the open-air— a rare sight in Kathmandu’s temple architecture, where most deities are housed within enclosed sanctums.

SWETH BHAIRAV

SWETH BHAIRAV, KATHMANDU DURBAR SQUARE, NEPAL

In the same premises of Kathmandu Durbar Square, Hanuman Dhoka, there is the shrine of a fiercer form of Bhairav – SWETH BHAIRAV. This Shweth Bhairav or the White Bhairav is a gigantic wooden face mounted on a high platform. When you stand before the 10 feet high golden face sporting a ferocious expression, bulging eyes, wide-opened mouth, sharp teeth and a halo of skulls, you are awestruck both by its creation and its aura! Sweth Bhairab as the Nepalis call him is an artistic wonder by itself. Known locally as Hatha Dyo or Hathu Dyo, this deity evokes both reverence and awe among devotees.

The mask of Sweth Bhairab is so fierce looking that locals, out of fear, keep it inside a wooden latticed window frame and only one frame is opened for the devotees. Indra Jatra, a special day in a year is when we can see the Sweth Bhairav fully when all the windows are opened. During Indra Jatra, a wooden/ bamboo straw is placed in the mouth of the statue and rice liquor called ailaa is dispensed through the straw as a prasad for the devotees. Nepalis believe that the alcohol brings good health and fortune though the blessings of Sweth Bhairav.

This giant sculpture was designed and installed in 1795, during the rule of King Rana Bahadur Shah.

Despite his terrifying appearance, Sweth Bhairab is a protector deity, especially associated with safeguarding the city from evil forces. His white colour (as you can say when compared to the dark Kaal Bhairav) symbolizes purity and divinity, even in his most ferocious avatar.

Sweth Bhairav also has a special relationship with Taleju Bhawani, the goddess of the Malla kings. Nepalis believe that Kaal Bhairav, Sweth Bhairav and Taleju Bhawani protect Kathmandu from any crisis or evil. Bhairav is often seen as the executor of the goddess’s will.

ADDRESS:

DURBAR SQUARE,

HANUMAN DHOKA,

KATHMANDU, NEPAL

KAALA BHAIRAVA ASHTAKAM COMPOSED BY SHRI JAGADGURU ADI SHANKARACHARYA

देवराजसेव्यमानपावनांघ्रिपङ्कजं
व्यालयज्ञसूत्रमिन्दुशेखरं कृपाकरम् ।
नारदादियोगिवृन्दवन्दितं दिगंबरं
काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥१॥
Deva-Raaja-Sevyamaana-Paavana-Angghri-Pangkajam
Vyaala-Yajnya-Suutram-Indu-Shekharam Krpaakaram |
Naarada-[A]adi-Yogi-Vrnda-Vanditam Digambaram
Kaashikaa-Pura-Adhinaatha-Kaalabhairavam Bhaje ||1||

Image Source: Hand drawn sketch by me based on the photograph of the Deity.

Information Source: Bhakthas who have visited the temple, Internet and Self.

सर्वंकृष्णार्पणमस्तु

In Nepal’s gorgeous capital, Kathmandu, you have the most beautiful PASHUPATINATH TEMPLE, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of seven monument groups in UNESCO’s designation of KATHMANDU valley and is described as an “extensive Hindu temple precinct” comprising a vast network of temples, ashrams, inscriptions, and images raised over the centuries along the banks of the sacred Bagmati river. The temple, considered one of the holiest pilgrimage sites for Hindus is built on an area of 246 hectares and includes 518 mini-temples and the principal pagoda-style temple.

The name Pashupatinath means “Lord of Animals” or “God of all living beings”, highlighting Shiva’s role as the ruler of the world.

Let us explore the Pashupatinath Temple in this blog and other various beautiful temples in Nepal in our coming posts.

LORD PASHUPATINATH

LOCATION

PASHUPATINATH TEMPLE is a revered Hindu temple devoted to Lord Pashupati, a manifestation of Lord Shiva. It is located on the banks of the sacred Bagmati river in KATHMANDU, NEPAL.

DEITIES IN THE TEMPLE

MAIN DEITY

LORD PASHUPATINATH, is seen in the form of a PANCHA MUKHA SHIVALINGA (Shiva Linga with 5 faces) which is a 3.2 ft tall stone structure with a Snanadroni (base of the Linga) surrounded by a silver serpent. Each face has tiny protruding hands holding a Rudraaksha mala in the right hand and a Kamandala in the other. Unlike other Shiva lingas in India and Nepal, this linga is always dressed in its golden vastram except during abhisheka.

The rare form of Shiva Linga has four faces in four directions representing the five important cosmic aspects of Shiva, the fifth one being imaginary.

The five faces of Shiva are Sadyojata, Vamadeva, Aghora, Tatpurusha, and Ishana. These faces represent different aspects of the deity and the universe, including creation, preservation, destruction, meditation, and supreme consciousness. Each face is associated with a cardinal direction, a particular element (Panchabhootha), and different qualities or functions.

• Sadyojata(West): The face of creation, linked to the earth element and the West direction.

• Vamadeva (North): The face of preservation, linked to water element and Vishnu, representing beauty and harmony.

• Aghora (South): The face of destruction, symbolizing the annihilation of ego and arrogance, linked to the fire element.

• Tatpurusha (East): The face of meditation and inner consciousness, representing the connection between the individual soul and universal consciousness linked to the air element.

• Ishana (Zenith or Upwards): The face of supreme consciousness, associated with the sky or ether element, and pointing upwards.

OTHER DEITIES IN THE TEMPLE COMPLEX

· Ganesha

· Hanuman

· Surya

· Nava Durga

· Nava Grahas

· Big Nandhi

· Basuki Dev

· Baglamukhi

· Kaal Bhairav

· Keerthimukh Bhairav

· Gupteshwar Mahadev

· Santhaneshwar Mahadev

· 525 Shivalingas

· Bagmati river

STHALAPURANAM

Pashupatinath temple is considered one of the holiest abodes of Lord Shiva in Skandapurana and there is also a mention of this place in Thevaram as one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams.

Mythologically, this temple is seen as the head of Shiva with his body stretching to the Kashi Vishwanatha temple in India and is also spiritually connected to the temples of Kedarnath, Rudranath, Kalpeshwar, Madhyamaheswar and Tunganath. According to Shiva Purana, story of Pashupatinath is narrated along with the greatness of Kedareshwara in the 9th chapter of “Koti-Rudra Samhita“ which describes the journey of Pandavas in the search of Shiva. After Pandavas perform much penance, Shiva who had hidden himself underground in the form of a bull, reappears with his head in Pashupatinath, hump in Kedarnath, face in Rudranath arms in Thunganath and navel in Madhyamaheswar.

Another famous legend which is believed by the natives says that once, Lord Shiva and Parvathi came to the banks of Bagmati river. They were so captivated by the beauty of the site that they decided to change themselves into antelopes and walk in the surrounding forests. The Lord and his consort were said to have forgotten their duties to an extent that the Devas forced them to get back to Kailasa. Shiva resisted so much that they had to grab him by one of his horns, forcing him to resume his divine form. The broken horn was worshipped as a linga, but over time it was buried and lost. Centuries later a herdsman found one of his cows showering the earth with milk, and after digging at the site, he discovered the divine linga of Pashupatinath.

HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE

Pashupatinath Temple is believed to have an existence since the 5^th century BCE, though the oldest recorded history dates back to 400 CE. The original temple is said to have been a wooden structure in the shape of ShivaLinga which was eaten by termites and replaced by the current sone and metal structure in the 15 th century. This temple is said to have been built by Prachanda Deva, a Licchavi King. Later, King Supuspa Deva constructed a five-storey temple which was again reconstructed by a medieval King Shiva Deva (1099-1126 CE). This was renovated by King Ananta Malla who added a roof to it. Later in the 14^th century, the Vaishnava temple complex with Shri Rama temple was constructed. The current form of the temple was renovated in 1692 CE. The main temple complex of Pashupatinath and the sanctum sanctorum was left untouched, but some of the outer buildings in the complex were damaged by the April 2015 Nepal earthquake.

Pashupatinath temple is built based on the Newari Architecture. It has a beautiful two storey gilt roofed Pagoda comprising Lord Shiva as the primary deity with 500 other smaller shrines and a cremation site on the banks of the holy river Bagmati. The two-level roofs are of copper with gold covering. The temple rests on a square base platform with a height of 23m 7 cm from base to pinnacle. It has four main doors; all covered with silver sheets. This temple has a gold gopura. Inside are two garbhagrihas the inner garbhagriha or sanctum sanctorum is where the mukhalinga of Lord Pashupatinath is placed and the outer sanctum is an open corridor-like space.

INTERESTING FACTS

• UNESCO World Heritage Site:

The temple and its surrounding complex were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, recognizing its architectural significance and deep spiritual roots.

• Bagmati River Cremation Ghats:

The banks of the sacred Bagmati River adjacent to the temple are used for open-air cremation.

• Unique Indra Mala:

The temple vault houses the Indra Mala, a rare and unique garland made from Rudraksha beads of one to twenty-one Mukhis, which is displayed only on auspicious occasions.

• Tantric Significance:

The temple area is designed like a Shri yantra and is considered a Tantra Bhumi, a sacred land for both Shiva and Shakti, blending Tantric and Vedic traditions.

• The Pashupati Bagmati Aarthi

Evening aarti which is done every day is one of the most beautiful and interesting rituals one should watch at this pilgrimage site. Devotees from all over the country participate in this ritual.

• The Priests

Only four priests can touch the Moola Moorthi, the Linga. Daily rituals of Pashupatinath are carried out by two groups of priests: the Bhatta and the Rajabhandari. This tradition is supposed to have been started by Shri Aadi Shankaracharya. Bhatta performs the daily ritual and can touch the lingam, whereas Rajbhandaris are helpers and temple caretakers . Bhattas, are highly educated Vedic scholars from Karnataka. Unlike other Hindu temples, the priesthood of Pashupatinath is not hereditary. Priests are selected from a group of scholars. The chosen priest is sent to perform puja and daily worship of Pashupatinath. The Rajbhandaris are the treasurers, temple caretakers, and assistant priests of the temple.

• Buddhist piligrimage

Buddhists consider this temple as sacred and it is associated with numerous MahaSiddhas such as Matsyendranath, Gorakhnath, Padmasambhava, Naropa and Tilopa. The temple area is believed to be the place where Gorakhnath opened up the practices of Hatha Yooga to people from all walks of life.

THINGS NOT TO MISS-OUT:

• Buy Rudraksha (considered as the ‘tears of Lord Shiva’). ‘Arun Valley’ in Nepal is considered as the best place where original Rudraksha is cultivated. You can buy 1 mukhi to 21 mukhi rudrashakas in and around Pashupatinath Temple. I still treasure the Rudraksha mala got as Prasadam from the temple.

• The Big brass Nandhi which stands tall and huge in front of Lord Pashupati. Unlike the decorative Nandhis in Indian temples this one is raw and beautiful resembling the original Bull.

• Many small deities and shrines inside the complex.

• Sadhus, both men and women dressed in saffron and white with plenty of rudrakasha and beads make interesting models for portraits.

• Bhajan mandalis singing ‘akhand bhajan’ without any expectation from anyone, a proof of pure bhakthi, is a beautiful sight to watch.

• · Don’t miss to apply different types of ‘Tilaks’ in the form of trishool, tripundra (3 horizontal lines- called the Shiva Tilak), large Kumkum, Vibhoothi designs and various other shapes by many small vendors readily available in the temple complex and click an interesting picture of yours !

ADDRESS:

PASHUPATINATHI TEMPLE,

Pingalasthan - 8, Gaushala,

Kathmandu,

NEPAL

Image Source: Hand drawn sketch by me based on the photograph of the Deity.

Information Source: Bhakthas who have visited the temple, Internet and Self.

सर्वं कृष्णार्पणमस्तु