Avanti Kshetra (Ujjain) - Moksha Puri, Mahakaleshwara Jyotirlinga, Ujjayini Shakti Peetha, Bhairava Parvata Shakti Peetha and Sandipani Ashrama

• Meditation:

• Meditation:
- Shiva: I meditate on Lord Shiva abiding in Avanti as Mahakaleshwara Jyotirlinga.
- Devi: I meditate on Devi abiding in Avanti as Ujjayini Shakti Peetha and Bhairava Parvata Shakti Peetha.
- Krishna: I meditate on Sri Krishna studying in the gurukula of sage Sandipani in Avanti.
- Sandipani: I meditate on sage Sandipani abiding in his hermitage in Avanti where Sri Krishna came for studying.
- Sages and Saints: I meditate on the Sages and Saints meditating in the Avanti Kshetra.
- River Kshipra (Shipra): I meditate on the holy river Kshipra (Shipra) flowing through Avanti.

अयोध्या मथुरा माया काशी काञ्ची अवन्तिका ।
पुरी द्वारावती चैव सप्तैते मोक्षदायकाः ॥
- Sapta Mokshapuri Sloka (Avanti is a Moksha Puri)

सौराष्ट्रे सोमनाथं च श्रीशैले मल्लिकार्जुनम् ।
उज्जयिन्यां महाकालं_ॐकारममलेश्वरम् ॥
- Dwadasa Jyotirlinga Stotra - verse 1 (Avanti has the Mahakaleshwara Jyotirlinga)

उज्जयिन्यां कूर्परञ्च माङ्गल्य कपिलाम्बरः
भैरवः सिद्धिदः साक्षाद्देवी मङ्गलचण्डिका ॥
- Shakti Peetha Stotram - verse 16 (Avanti has the Ujjayini Shakti Peetha where the Kurpara of Devi had fallen)

उदरञ्च प्रभासे मे चन्द्रभागा यशस्विनी ।
वक्रतुण्डो भैरव ऊर्ध्वोष्ठो भैरवपर्वते ॥
अवन्ती च महादेवी लम्बकर्णस्तु भैरवः ॥
- Shakti Peetha Stotram - verse 43 and 44 (Avanti has the Bhairava Parvata Shakti Peetha where the Urdhva Ossttha of Devi had fallen)

• Avanti (Ujjain) (Ujjain district, Madhya Pradesh) → (Moksha Puri) (Place of Kumbha Mela) (Jyotirlinga) [Mahakaleshwara Jyotirlinga] (Shakti Peetha) [Ujjayini Shakti Peetha] [Bhairava Parvata Shakti Peetha]

• Greatness:

• Avanti (Ujjain) is a Moksha Puri (Bestower of Liberation) [Ayodhya, Mathura, Maya, Kashi, Kanchi, Avantika, Dwaravati]

• Avanti (Ujjain) is a Place of Kumbha Mela (Kumbha Mela is held) [Prayaga, Haridwar, Ujjain, Nashik]

• Avanti (Ujjain) has a Jyotirlinga (Linga of Jyoti) [Somanatha, Mallikarjuna, Mahakaleshwara, Omkareshwara, Kedarnatha, Bhimashankara, Vishwanatha, Tryambakeshwara, Vaidyanatha, Nageshwara, Rameshwara, Grishneshwara] [Mahakaleshwara Jyotirlinga]

• Avanti (Ujjain) has two Shakti Peetha (Seat of Shakti) [Ujjayini Shakti Peetha] [Bhairava Parvata Shakti Peetha]

• Avanti is primarily a Shiva Sthalam (Pilgrimage of Shiva):
- Lord Shiva abides in Avanti as a Jyotirlinga (Linga of Jyoti) [Somanatha, Mallikarjuna, Mahakaleshwara, Omkareshwara, Kedarnatha, Bhimashankara, Vishwanatha, Tryambakeshwara, Vaidyanatha, Nageshwara, Rameshwara, Grishneshwara] [Mahakaleshwara Jyotirlinga].
- Lord Shiva protected devotee brahmin Veda Priya and brahmanas from the atrocities of demon Dushana (Mahakaleshwara Jyotirlinga).

• Avanti is also a Devi Sthalam (Pilgrimage of Devi):
- Devi abides in Avanti as two Shakti Peetha (Seat of Shakti) [Ujjayini Shakti Peetha] [Bhairava Parvata Shakti Peetha] (Devi Harsiddhi) (Devi Gadh-Kalika)

• Avanti is also a Krishna Sthalam (Pilgrimage of Krishna):
- Sri Krishna and Sri Balarama studied in the gurukula of sage Sandipani and mastered 64 arts in 64 days.

• Avanti is also a Rishi Sthalam (Place of Rishis):
- Sage Sandipani had his ashrama in Avanti where Sri Krishna and Balarama studied.

• Sacred Geography:

☸ Mahakala Vana (Puranic)
▬ River Kshipra (Shipra) flows (Aarti)

• River Kshipra (Shipra) Ghats:
- Ram Ghat (Kshipra (Shipra) Aarti)

• Temples and Places:

• Temples and Places of Lord Shiva in Avanti (Ujjain):

• Mahakaleshwara Jyotirlinga - Lord Shiva protecting devotee Veda Priya and brahmanas from the atrocities of demon Dushana
(Shiva Purana - Koti Rudra Samhita - 16 to 17)

► Avanti - Mahakaleshwar Temple
(Ujjain district, Madhya Pradesh)

Avanti Mahakaleshwar Temple is identified with the Mahakaleshwara Jyotirlinga mentioned in the Shiva Purana.

• Temples and Places of Devi in Avanti:

• Ujjayini Shakti Peetha: I meditate on the Ujjayini Shakti Peetha where the Kurpara (Elbow) of Devi had fallen. The Devi there is known as Mangala Chandika and the Bhairava is called Kapilambara.
(Peetha Nirnaya Tantra - Shakti Peetha Stotram - verse 16)

► Avanti - Devi Harsiddhi Temple
(Ujjain district, Madhya Pradesh)

Avanti Devi Harsiddhi Temple is identified with the Ujjayini Shakti Peetha mentioned in the Peetha Nirnaya Tantra.

• Bhairava Parvata Shakti Peetha: I meditate on the Bhairava Parvata Shakti Peetha where the Ossttha (Upper Lip) of Devi had fallen. The Devi there is known as Avanti and the Bhairava is called Lambakarna.
(Peetha Nirnaya Tantra - Shakti Peetha Stotram - verse 44)

► Avanti - Devi Gadh-Kalika Temple
(Ujjain district, Madhya Pradesh)

Avanti Devi Gadh-Kalika Temple is identified with the Bhairava Parvata Shakti Peetha mentioned in the Peetha Nirnaya Tantra.

• Temples and Places of Sri Krishna in Avanti:

•

► Ujjain - Sandipani Ashram (Ankapada)
(Ujjain district, Madhya Pradesh)

Sandipani Ashram is the place where Sri Krishna and Balarama learnt the sixty-four arts and skills in sixty-four days (and amazed their guru).

• Temples (Summary):

• Shiva:
- Mahakaleshwar

• Devi:
- Devi Harsiddhi
- Devi Gadh-Kalika

• Krishna:
- Sandipani Ashram (Ankapada)

• Puranic Events:

1. Presence of Lord Shiva in Avanti: (Shiva Purana)
• Mahakaleshwara Jyotirlinga: Avanti Kshetra has the Mahakaleshwara Jyotirlinga where Lord Shiva protected devotee brahmin Veda Priya and brahmanas from the atrocities of demon Dushana.

2. Presence of Lord Shiva in Avanti: (Skanda Purana - Avanti Kshetra Mahatmya)
• Mahakala Vana: Avanti Kshetra is the ancient Mahakala Vana where Lord Shiva abided in the form of Rudra.

3. Presence of Devi in Avanti: (Peetha Nirnaya Tantra)
• Ujjayini Shakti Peetha: Devi Harsiddhi temple is identified with the Ujjayini Shakti Peetha. Where the Kurpara (Elbow) of Devi had fallen. The Devi there is known as Mangala Chandika and the Bhairava is called Kapilambara.
• Bhairava Parvata Shakti Peetha: Devi Gadh-Kalika temple is identified with the Bhairava Parvata Shakti Peetha. Where the Ossttha (Upper Lip) of Devi had fallen. The Devi there is known as Avanti and the Bhairava is called Lambakarna.

4. Presence of Sri Krishna in Avanti: (Srimad Bhagavatam)
• Sri Krishna studied under sage Sandipani in Avanti.

5. Presence of Sages in Avanti: (Srimad Bhagavatam)
• Sage Sandipani had his ashrama in Avanti. Sri Krishna studied under sage Sandipani in Avanti.

• Puranic References:

• Skanda Purana - Avanti Khanda (About the greatness of Mahakala Vana)
• Shiva Purana - Koti Rudra Samhita - 16 to 17 (About Mahakaleshwara Jyotirlinga)
• Peetha Nirnaya Tantra - Shakti Peetha Stotram - verse 16 (About Ujjayini Shakti Peetha)
• Peetha Nirnaya Tantra - Shakti Peetha Stotram - verse 44 (About Bhairava Parvata Shakti Peetha)
• Srimad Bhagavatam (About Sri Krishna taking lessons in the Sandipani Ashram of Avanti)

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