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Maya Kshetra (Gangadwar) (Haridwar) - Moksha Puri and place of Devi Sati and Lord Shiva
• Meditation:
• Meditation:- Devi: I meditate on Devi giving up her life in the Yagna of Daksha at Kankhal.
- Shiva: I meditate on Lord Shiva destroying the Daksha Yagna at Kankhal.
- Dev Bhoomi: I meditate on Haridwar which is the gateway to the Dev Bhoomi of Uttarakhand.
- Sages and Saints: I meditate on the Sages and Saints meditating in the Maya Kshetra.
- River Ganga: I meditate on the holy river Ganga flowing through Maya Kshetra.
अयोध्या मथुरा माया काशी काञ्ची अवन्तिका ।
पुरी द्वारावती चैव सप्तैते मोक्षदायकाः ॥
- Sapta Mokshapuri Sloka (Maya Kshetra is a Moksha Puri)
शिवाय गौरीवदनाब्जवृन्द_सूर्याय दक्षाध्वरनाशकाय ।
श्रीनीलकण्ठाय वृषध्वजाय तस्मै शि_काराय नमः शिवाय ॥
- Shiva Panchakshara Stotram - verse 3 (Lord Shiva destroyed the Sacrifice of Daksha)
क्षत्रत्राणकरी महाऽभयकरी माता कृपासागरी साक्षान्मोक्षकरी सदा शिवकरी विश्वेश्वरश्रीधरी ।
दक्षाक्रन्दकरी निरामयकरी काशीपुराधीश्वरी भिक्षां देहि कृपावलम्बनकरी मातान्नपूर्णेश्वरी ॥
- Annapoorna Stotram - verse 10 (Devi Sati made Daksha cry)
देवि सुरेश्वरि भगवति गङ्गे त्रिभुवनतारिणि तरलतरङ्गे ।
शङ्करमौलिविहारिणि विमले मम मतिरास्तां तव पदकमले ॥
- Ganga Stotram - verse 1 (River Ganga flows through Maya Kshetra)
• Maya Kshetra (Haridwar) (Haridwar district, Uttarakhand) → (Moksha Puri) (Place of Kumbha Mela) (Uttarakhand Char Dham)
• Greatness:
• Maya Kshetra (Haridwar) is a Moksha Puri (Bestower of Liberation)
[Ayodhya,
Mathura,
Maya,
Kashi,
Kanchi,
Avantika,
Dwaravati]
• Maya Kshetra (Haridwar) is a Place of Kumbha Mela (Kumbha Mela is held) [Prayaga, Haridwar, Ujjain, Nashik]
• Maya Kshetra (Haridwar) is the gateway to the Uttarakhand Char Dham (4 sacred pilgrimages in Uttarakhand) [Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri]
• Maya Kshetra (Haridwar) is a Place of Kumbha Mela (Kumbha Mela is held) [Prayaga, Haridwar, Ujjain, Nashik]
• Maya Kshetra (Haridwar) is the gateway to the Uttarakhand Char Dham (4 sacred pilgrimages in Uttarakhand) [Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri]
• Maya Kshetra (Haridwar) is primarily a Devi Sthalam (Pilgrimage of Devi) and Shiva Sthalam (Pilgrimage of Shiva).- Daksha Prajapati arranged a huge Yagna in Maya Kshetra at Kankhal.
- Devi Sati gave up her body in the Yagna of Daksha due to insults hurled by her father on Lord Shiva. The name Maya Kshetra is due to this association with Devi Sati.
- Lord Shiva destroyed the Daksha Yagna but later helped in its completion due to the request of Devas.
• Sacred Geography:
(River Ganga)
☗ Bilva Parvat
☗ Nila Parvat
• River Ganga Ghats:
- Har ki Pauri (Ganga Aarti)
• Temples and Places:
| Temples and Places of Devi in Haridwar: |
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• Devi Sati giving up her body in the Daksha Yagna. (Shiva Purana - Rudra Samhita - Sati Khanda - 27 to 43) • Devi Sati giving up her body in the Daksha Yagna.. (Skanda Purana - Kedara Khanda - 103 to 105) |
|
► Haridwar - Daksheshwar Mahadev Temple (with Sati Kund) (Haridwar district, Uttarakhand) The ancient famous Daksheshwar Mahadev Temple is located in Kankhal. It is said that king Daksha performed the Daksha Yagna in this place. Devi Sati gave up her body during that Yagna. There is a Sati Kund in this temple where Devi Sati gave up her body. |
| Other Devi Temples: |
► Haridwar - Maya Devi Temple(Haridwar district, Uttarakhand) The ancient name of Haridwar is Mayapuri. The presiding deity of this place is Maya Devi. The Maya Devi Temple of Haridwar is an ancient temple. Apart from the image of Maya Devi, the temple also has the images of Devi Chamunda, Devi Durga and Devi Bhadrakali. |
► Haridwar - Mansa Devi Temple(Haridwar district, Uttarakhand) River Ganga flows through Haridwar between the Bilva Parvat and Nila Parvat (Shivalik range). The famous Mansa Devi Temple is located on the Bilva Parvat. Mansa Devi is said to be the daughter of sage Kashyapa and sister of Vasuki Nag. Thousands of people visit this temple daily. |
► Haridwar - Chandi Devi Temple(Haridwar district, Uttarakhand) River Ganga flows through Haridwar between the Bilva Parvat and Nila Parvat (Shivalik range). The famous Chandi Devi Temple is located on the Nila Parvat. Thousands of people visit this temple daily. There is a temple of Devi Anjana (mother of Bhakta Hanuman nearby). |
► Haridwar - Sureshwari Devi Temple(Haridwar district, Uttarakhand) The famous Sureshwari Devi Temple is around 10 km away from Haridwar. The temple is situated on the Surkut Parvat within the dense forest of Ranipur (Rajaji National park area). It is said the Indra deva performed penance here and got the darshan of the Devi. |
| Temples and Places of Lord Shiva in Haridwar: |
|---|
• Devi Sati giving up her body in the Daksha Yagna.(Shiva Purana - Rudra Samhita - Sati Khanda - 27 to 43) • Devi Sati giving up her body in the Daksha Yagna.. (Skanda Purana - Kedara Khanda - 103 to 105) |
|
► Haridwar - Daksheshwar Mahadev Temple (with Sati Kund) (Haridwar district, Uttarakhand) The ancient famous Daksheshwar Mahadev Temple is located in Kankhal. It is said that king Daksha performed the Daksha Yagna in this place. Devi Sati gave up her body during that Yagna. There is a Sati Kund in this temple where Devi Sati gave up her body. |
| Other Shiva Temples: |
► Haridwar - Bilvakeshwar Mahadev Temple(Haridwar district, Uttarakhand) The famous temple of Bilvakeshwar or Bilkeshwar Mahadev is located on the valley of Bilva Parvat. There is a Gauri Kund in this temple where Devi Parvati is said to have performed penance under a Bilva tree and obtained Lord Shiva as her husband. |
| Temples and Places of Devi Ganga in Haridwar: |
|---|
• When river Ganga descended on Earth, Maya Kshetra came to be known as Gangadwar and Swargadwar(Skanda Purana - Kedara Khanda - 106) |
► Haridwar - Har ki Paidi or Har ki Paudi(Haridwar district, Uttarakhand) Har ki Paidi (Har ki Paudi) is a famous ghat of Haridwar bustling with people and dotted with small temple shrines. The place is also known as Brahma Kund. The temple of Devi Ganga is situated here and the famous Ganga Aarti is held here every evening. The famous Purna Kumbha Mela (every 12 years) and Ardha Kumbha Mela (every 6 years) is also held here. Bhatrihari (a philosopher and elder brother of king Vikramaditya) is said to have composed the "Niti Shatakam" and "Vairagya Shatakam" in this place. King Vikramaditya is said to have built this ghat in memory of his brother Bhatrihari. |
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► Haridwar - Asthi Pravah Ghat (Haridwar district, Uttarakhand) The Asthi Pravah Ghat is located next to Har ki Paidi towards the south. This is the place where people come to flow the ashes of the deceased in the sacred waters of the Ganga. |
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► Haridwar - Subhash Ghat (Haridwar district, Uttarakhand) The Subhash Ghat is located next to Asthi Pravah Ghat. There is a statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. |
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► Haridwar - Subhash Ghat (Haridwar district, Uttarakhand) The Gau Ghat is located next to Subhash Ghat. This ghat is said to have been named after the divine cow Kamadhenu. People come here to wash their sins and fulfill their wishes. |
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► Haridwar - Kushavarta Ghat (Haridwar district, Uttarakhand) The Kushavarta Ghat is located next to Gau Ghat. This is the place where people come to perform the Pitri Tarpana (Rites of the deceased). It is said that Lord Dattatreya perfomed penance in this place. |
| Other Temples and Places in Haridwar: |
|---|
► Haridwar - Saptarshi Temple(Haridwar district, Uttarakhand) The famous Saptarshi Temple is located around 2 km from Har ki Paidi. The temple is associated with the legend of the descent of river Ganga. When river Ganga descended on Earth and came to Haridwar, it flowed in seven streams near the hermitages of the seven sages to show honour and get their blessings. The Saptarshi Temple is situated here. |
► Haridwar - Bharat Mata Temple(Haridwar district, Uttarakhand) The famous Bharat Mata temple depicts the harmony of India. It is a temple with multiple storeys. 1. The first floor is dedicated to Bharat Mata. 2. The second floor (Shoor Mandir) is dedicated to the heroes of India. 3. The third floor (Matru Mandir) is dedicated to the famous women of India. 4. The fourth floor (Sant Mandir) is dedicated to the famous saints of India. 5. The fifth floor depicts the harmony of various religions. 6. The sixth floor is dedicated to different forms of goddess Shakti. 7. The seventh floor is dedicated to the incarnations of Lord Vishnu. 8. The eighth floor is dedicated to Lord Shiva. |
• Temples (Summary):
• Devi:
- Maya Devi
- Devi Sati
- Chandi Devi
- Mansa Devi
- Sureshwari Devi
• Shiva:
- Daksheshwar Mahadev
- Bilvakeshwar Mahadev
• Puranic Events:
1. Presence of Lord Shiva and Devi Sati in Maya Kshetra: (Shiva Purana)
• Devi Sati giving up her body in the Daksha Yagna..
2. Presence of Lord Shiva and Devi Sati in Maya Kshetra: (Skanda Purana - Kedara Khanda)
• Devi Sati giving up her body in the Daksha Yagna..
3. Presence of river Ganga in Maya Kshetra: (Skanda Purana - Kedara Khanda)
• When river Ganga descended on Earth, Maya Kshetra came to be known as Gangadwar and Swargadwar.
• Puranic References:
• Shiva Purana (About Daksha Yagna)
• Skanda Purana - Kedara Khanda (About Maya Kshetra)
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