Kedara Kshetra (Kedarnath)

• Meditation:

► Kedarnath Jyotirlinga (Badaryashrama): I meditate on Lord Shiva granting boon to devotees Nara and Narayana, the two incarnations of Hari.

• Greatness:

Kedara Kshetra (Kedarnatha Jyotirlinga) (Kedarnath): (3581 m)

Kedarnath - Kedareshwarar Temple, Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand

Kedarnath (3581 m) (Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand):
☗ Kedarnath Parvat
▬ River Mandakini flows

Shiva: Kedarnath, Bhairavnath
Devi: Gauri Kund (16 km)
Saint: Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi
Others: Chorabari Tal (3 km), Vasuki Tal (8 km)

◍ Greatness:

1. Jyotirlinga: Kedarnath is identified with the Kedarnatha Jyotirlinga. Where Lord Shiva granted boon to devotees Nara and Narayana and abided for their worship.

2. Pancha Kedar: Kedarnath is one of the Pancha Kedars (Kedarnath, Tunganath, Rudranath, Madhyamaheshwar, Kalpeshwar).

3. Uttarakhand Char Dham: Kedarnath is one of the Uttarakhand Char Dham (Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri).

4. Paadal Petra Sthalam: Kedarnath is also a Paadal Petra Sthalam (Thirukkedaram).

◍ Puranic References:
• Shiva Purana - Koti Rudra Samhita - 19 (About Kedarnath Jyotirlinga)
• Skanda Purana - Kedara Khanda (About Pilgrimages in Garhwal Himalayas)

• Places to See:

Presence of Lord Shiva in Kedarnath:
• Kedarnatha Jyotirlinga: Lord Shiva granted boons to devotees Nara and Narayana and abided there for their worship. (Shiva Purana - Koti Rudra Samhita - 19)
► Kedarnath Kedarnath Temple is identified with the Kedarnatha Jyotirlinga mentioned in the Shiva Purana.
► Pancha Kedars Kedarnath is one of the Pancha Kedars associated with the legend of the Pandavas. After the Mahabharata battle, the Pandavas wanted to atone the sin of killing their relatives. So they went to Kashi to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva was disturbed by the acts of killings and dishonesty in the Mahabharata battle. So he avoided the Pandavas by leaving Kashi and going to Guptakashi (in the current Rudraprayag district) and abiding there secretly. When the Pandavas went to Guptakashi, they recognized Lord Shiva in the form of a bull. Bhima caught the bull by its tail and hind legs, but the bull disappeared inside the ground. Later, five different parts of the bull appeared in five different places which form the Pancha Kedars. The Pandavas built temples in these five places. The Pancha Kedars are: (1) Kedarnath (Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand): The Hump of the Bull form of Lord Shiva appeared here. (2) Tunganath (Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand): The Arms of the Bull form of Lord Shiva appeared here. (3) Rudranath (Chamoli district, Uttarakhand): The Face of the Bull form of Lord Shiva appeared here. (4) Madhyamaheshwar (Garhwal district, Uttarakhand): The Navel of the Bull form of Lord Shiva appeared here. (5) Kalpeshwar (Chamoli district, Uttarakhand): The Hairs of the Bull form of Lord Shiva appeared here.
Outskirts:
► Gauri Kund Devi Parvati performed penance at Gauri Kund (the base camp for the 14 km trek to Kedarnath Temple) to marry Lord Shiva.
► Triyuginarayan Lord Shiva was pleased with her penance and appeared before her. The divine marriage of Shiva-Parvati took place at Triyuginarayan (5 km from Gauri Kund) in the presence of Lord Vishnu. There is a temple of Lord Vishnu at Triyuginarayan where an Akhand Dhuni keeps burning. It is said that the Dhuni is burning from the time of the marriage of Shiva-Parvati in Satya yuga.
► Sonprayag Sonprayag is the confluence of rivers Vasuki Ganga and Mandakini. Sonprayag is around 5 km from Gauri Kund.
► Mundkatiya Ganesha Devi Parvati kept Ganesha as guard during her bath. When Lord Shiva came there to meet Devi Parvati, Ganesha did not allow him to enter the place. In anger Lord Shiva cut off the head of Ganesha. On the request of Devi Parvati, Lord Shiva revived Ganesha with an elephant's head. There is a Mundkatiya Ganesha Temple, 3 km from Sonprayag which is said to be the place where this incident took place. A headless image of Sri Ganesha is worshipped in this temple. Sonprayag is around 5 km from Gauri Kund.

• Location:

Kedarnath Temple is located in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. The temple can be visited from Rishikesh (235 km) and Haridwar (260 km).

Bharatavarsha - The Land of Gods and Sages:

1. Stotras

2. Scriptures

3. Pilgrimages

4. Festivals

5. Saints - Ramakrishna - Vivekananda - Ramana

6. Sadhana

7. Sanskrit

8. Nature