River Gomati

River Gomati or Gomti (of Naimisharanya) (960 km) (A tributary of river Ganga)

(Uttar Pradesh)
1. Gomati Udgam: Phulhar Lake or Gomat Tal (near Madhotanda) (Pilibhit district)
2. Gomati flows: Naimisharanya (Sitapur district) -- Chakra Teetha, Soot Gaddi, Vyas Gaddi, Devdeveshwar Mahadev, Rudravart Mahadev and other temple
3. Gomati flows: Lucknow - Maa Chandrika Devi Temple (Lucknow district) -- Famous temple of Devi
4. Gomati flows: Lucknow - Hanumant Dham (Lucknow district) -- Have shrines of Bhakta Hanuman, Lord Shiva, Devi Durga and others
5. Gomati flows: Lucknow - Khatu Shyam Temple (Lucknow district) -- Also has a shrine of Lord Shiva
6. Gomati flows: Sailani Devi Temple (Barabanki district) -- Temple of Devi Durga
7. Gomati flows: Awshaneshwar Mahadev Temple (Barabanki district) -- Aurangzeb tried to destroy it but failed
8. Gomati flows: Dhopap Temple (Sultanpur district) -- Associated with Sri Rama (Sultanpur-Jaunpur road (NH-56), 32 km from Sultanpur, 85 km from Ayodhya)
9. Gomati flows: Shahpur - Gauri Shankar Mahadev Temple (Sultanpur district) -- Shiva temple
10. Gomati - SaiSangam: Rajepur - Rameshwar Nath Temple (Jaunpur district) -- Near Sarkoni Bazaar; Associated with Sri Rama (12 km from Jaunpur)
11. Gomati flows: Kerakat - Gomateshwar Mahadeva Temple (Jaunpur district) -- Sihauli village
12. Gomati - Ganga Sangam: Kaithi - Markandey Mahadev Temple (Varanasi district) -- (30 km from Varanasi)

1. Naimisharanya - Swayam Vyakta Kshetra where Sages performed Yagna and Suta narrated the Puranas:

- Naimisharanya (Swayam Vyakta Kshetra) (Divya Desam)
(Sitapur district, Uttar Pradesh)

▬ River Gomati flows → Raj Ghat (Aarti)
(Middle Ganga Plain)

• Vishnu: Lord Vishnu sent a Dharma Chakra to indicate a place of Yagna for the sages. Wherever the nemi (rim) of the Chakra will become shirna (weak) and the Chakra will fall down, that is the indication of the holy place. The sages followed the Chakra which fell down at Naimisharanya.
- The Satyanarayana Vrata is said to have started from Naimisharanya.
- Chakra Teertha and Chakranarayana

• Devi: Devi abides as Lingadharini in Naimisharanya.
- Lalita Devi Temple

• Shiva: Lord Shiva abides in various forms in Naimisharanya.
- Bhooteshwar Mahadev → Said to be Swayambhu or self-manifested (Within Chakra Teertha premises)
- Vishwanath Temple → Known as Chota Kashi (Near Chakra Teertha)
- Rudravat Temple → Ancient Temple where a Shiva Linga is said to exist inside the Temple Tank (15 km from Mishrikh)
- Jangalinath Mahadev → Ancient Temple (Near Roadways Bus Stand)
- Shyamnath Mahadev → Ancient Temple (In Purana Sitapur)
- Dev-Deveshwar Mahadev → Associated with the story of Indra worshipping to kill Vritrasura and Devi Parvati performing penance (In Naimish-Hardoi Marg)
- Mahamrityunjaya Temple → Associated with the story of child Markandeya getting free from the clutches of Yamaraj (In Vyas Nagar)
- Neelkanth Mahadev → Ancient Temple (25 km from Sitapur near Hargaon)
- Khambeshwar Mahadev → Ancient Temple (34 km from Sitapur near Bisva)
- Durgeshwarnath Mahadev → Ancient Temple (34 km from Sitapur near Bisva)
- Baba Vishwanath Temple → Ancient Temple (36 km from Sitapur near Bisva)
- Siddheshwar Mahadev Temple → Ancient Temple (36 km from Sitapur in Lucknow-Sitapur road in Sidhauli)

• Rama: Sri Rama is said to have performed many Yagnas in Naimisharanya to atone the sin of killing Ravana in Lanka.
- Sri Rama is said to have bathed in the Hatya Haran Teerth to get liberated from the sin of killing Ravana in Lanka.
- Hatya Haran Teerth

• Hanuman: Bhakti Hanuman is said to have appeared in Naimisharanya after killing Mahiravana in Patala Loka. Therafter he went back to Lanka. The Image of Hanuman is Dakshin Mukhi (South-Facing).
- Hanuman Garhi

• Sages: Sages associated with Naimisharanya:

○ Manu-Satarupa: Manu and Satarupa is said to have performed penance in Naimisharanya.
- Manu-Satarupa Tapasthali

○ Vyasa: Sage Vyasa is said to have meditated, composed many Puranas and classified the Vedas in Naimisharanya.
- Vyas Gaddi (with Akshay Vat and Yagna Shala)

○ Soota: Sri Soota gave discourse on various Puranas to the sages in Naimisharanya during the interval of the great Yagna.
- Soot Gaddi

○ Shaunaka: Sages performed a long-running Yagna in Naimisharanya under kulapati Shaunaka.
- Shaunak Gaddi

○ Dadhichi: Sage Dadhichi gave up his body for the Devas in Naimisharanya.
- Mishrik Dadhichi Ashram

• Saints: Saints associated with Naimisharanya:

○ Anandamoyi Maa (1896 - 1982 CE): The devotees of Anandamoyi Maa established the Puran Mandir in Naimisharanya where the Vedas and Puranas are duly worshipped.
- Puran Mandir

आद्यं रङ्गमिति प्रोक्तं विमानं रङ्गसंज्ञितम् । श्रीमुष्णं वेङ्कटाद्रिं च साळग्रामं च नैमिशम् ।
तोयाद्रिं पुष्करं चैव नरनारायणाश्रमम् । अष्टौ मे मूर्तयः सन्ति स्वयंव्यक्ता महीतले ॥
- Swayam Vyakta Sthalams (Naimisharanya is a Swayam Vyakta Kshetra)


(Padma Purana)
(Devi Bhagavatam)

▬ Lord Narayana sending Dharma Chakra to identify holy place
(Padma Purana - Srishti Khanda - 1)
▬ Various Devi Sthalams
(Devi Bhagavatam - Skanda 7 - 38)