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The Holy Places of Jaiva Dharma: Yamuna

Posted by Tamohara dasa ADMIN. on August 22, 2014 at 7:00

The Holy Places of Jaiva Dharma: Yamuna

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Yamunotri

Aug 19, 2014 — CANADA (SUN) — A serial presentation of the holy places mentioned in the Jaiva Dharma of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur - Part 181.

 

Yamunotri

When making pilgrimage on the Char-dhama yatra, one begins at the western-most shrine of Yamunotri in the Garhwal Himalayas. Situated near the Yamuna River, in the area of three hot sulphur springs, the Yamunotir temple was built on a flank of the Bandar Poonch peak, approximately 10,600 feet above sea level. Where the road splits at Dharasu, Yamunotri sits opposite to Gangotri. The temple stands on the foothills of Kalinda Parvata, close to the thermal springs. The region is very close to the modern Indo-Chinese border and is surrounded on all sides by the Himalayan range.

 

bharat418.jpg

Yamunotri

Yamunotri is known as the source of the sacred River Yamuna, which actually originates from the Champasar Glacier, lying upstream of the shrine at an altitude of about 14,200 ft. As the map above indicates, sacred waters flow directly into the main branch of the Ganges from three of the Char-dhama – Gangotri, Kedernath and Badrinath , but the waters coming down from Yamunotri do not pass through the Panch Prayag system. Rather, these waters join the Yamuna at the Triveni Sangam in Allahabad. At their confluence, the Yamuna is larger than the Ganges.

While pilgrims flock to the Yamunotri temple site, few make the arduous journey to the source at Champasar, at Saptrishi Kund. For those who can make the journey, however, Saptrishi Kund is much loved for its dark blue waters, slate stones, and a rare variety of lotus adorning the kund waters.

Surya, the sun god, is the father of Yamuna and her brother Yama, the god of death. Therefore anyone who bathes in the River Yamuna is said to get special benediction from Yama at the time of death. Yamunotri dhama was also the home of the sage, Asit Muni.

The temple was originally built in 1839 by Tehri Naresh Sudarshan Shah, then re-built in the 19th century by Maharani Gularia of Jaipur after deteriorating with time, weather, and earthquake damage. Temple rituals and offerings are made to a deity of the Goddess Yamuna, carved in black stone. Temple rituals are overseen by the Uniyal family of pujaris. Before entering the temple, devotees offer worship to Divya Shila, at the shrine's entrance.

Of the numerous hot water springs around the temple, Surya Kund is considered the most sacred. Pilgrims cook rice and potatoes in the hot water of these springs, wrapping them in a piece of cloth and dipping them in the kund for a short time. The bhoga is offered to the presiding Deity, Yamuna Ma, then distributed as maha-prasad.

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  • Tamohara dasa ADMIN. August 23, 2014 5:20


    >http://www.funkyindia.com/destinations/rishikesh/

  • Tamohara dasa ADMIN. August 31, 2014 7:25

    Abhaya Carana Seva dasa Prabhu said;

    pamho tamohara prabhu agtACBSP,

    that's a very good a wise idea for a senior disciple of SRILA PRABHUPADA  as you but as you already know there is not better forest then chaurasi kosi for good vanaprastha as you,

    the vrija basi  still doing nice service for the devotees who do parikrama in dvadas van as madhukari they cook nice prasada and give good place for sleeping in the night also and all that is without charge,

    you can feel the different and transcendental atmosphere you will find in each forest of vraja mandala there are more then 25 thousand holy places altogether in the mystical area of the 84 miles square of chaurasi kosi that's why that spiritual feeling can't be found nowhere else but only in the dvadas van of vraja mandala parikrama,

    just by residing there everyone is paying obeisances to SRI KRSNA constantly through the spiritual body therefore the senses become pure faster by giving a faster spiritual sensantion to the lucky sadhana bhakta of the most exalted and mystic holy place on the planet earth,

    i been living there for five years i used to go in italy for three months in a year to renew the visa but i was spenting all the other nine months of the year in SRI VRINDAVAN DHAM,still nowadays after more then 30 years i can't forget the few drops of that transcendental nectar coming from the forests of dvadas van,

    it's also the most peaceful place ideal for vanaprastha asrama with many dharmasala around who give shelter and prasada to all the sadhus,there is not better place to achieve perfection better then SRI VRAJA MANDALA PARIKRAMA then everyone got the own guna and karma and need to choose the own spiritual place for a faster spiritual progress,

    jai prabhu i'm glad to hear about that because i told to HG sita pati prabhu who is living there from 10 years that i would like to do the same again by going back to my original standard lost in SRI VRINDAVAN DHAM for many yeras in vapu seva but is keeping going in vani seva until i get there ready again for vapu seva,

    thank you for your satsanga agtys ys acsd haribol

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