Om Namah Shivay!!!
Mondays are considered to be the most auspicious day to worship Shiva.
But do we know why is that? Although Shiva can be worshipped every day and all the time, Monday holds a special significance as it is believed that the Lord married Goddess Parvati on Monday Also the poison emitted during Samudra Manthan was consumed by Shiva on Monday. So here we come again with a fascinating story about the Lord Shiva
Tryambakeshwara Jyotirlinga
There are 12 main Jyotirlingas on Earth where Shiva appeared physically and decided to stay there in the form of Lingam for his devotees. Triyambakeswara Jyotirlinga (in Nashik India) is one of them. It is one of the holiest places in the world as it is the only Jyotirlinga where shrines of Brahma Vishnu and Shiva are available. Also, Triyambakeswara is the place where River Godavari originates. Now let us understand the history and mystery behind this place.
Gautama Rishi is said to be one among the Saptarishis. His ashrama (hut) was situated in the hills of Triyambaka (Nashik). Once due to the curse of Gods a drought fell upon the hills for several hundred years. there was a total famine and everyone who lived there moved out of Triyambaka. However Gautama Rishi did not leave and decided to please the God of Ocean (Varuna) by meditation. For six months he held his breath praying to the Lord of Water (Varuna) to end the drought. Pleased with his worship Lord Varuna showed Gautama an auspicious place to dig a trough. As soon as Gautama had done this, a spring of clear crystal water emerged. Varuna assured that this spring will never run dry and there shall be pure water available till eternity. Triymabaka bloomed again and soon it was green again.
However the other rishis were jealous of Gautama's achievement. They wanted Gautama and his wife Ahalya to leave Triyambaka mountains forever. They sent a cow to Gautama's field and the cow started to destroy the field. Gautama tried to shoo the cow away. However the cow got injured and died. The rishis accused Gautama and charged him with a sin of killing a cow. They asked him and wife to leave their ashrama and go and settle somewhere else as they did not want a murderer near them.
Gautama was devastated and the guilt of killing the cow kept hurting him. He did a very hard penance and meditated on Lord Shiva for many years. Finally Shiva appeared and told him that he had not done any crime and all this was a cruel plan plotted against him by the rishis. Sage Gautama asked the Lord to come and settle here with Parvati. Pleased with his devotion Shiva decided to settle there. Also River Ganga appeared in the form of Godavari river. Devotees who arrive here to worship the Lord and get salvation from the cycle of Life and Death. Also one can see several cows outside the temple self-feeding themselves.
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