Vaishno Devi: Difference between revisions

{{short description|Hindu goddess}}

| parents = Ratnakar and Samridhi

| affiliation = [[Saraswati]], [[Lakshmi]], [[Kali]]

| caption = Goddess Vaishno Devi

| mount = Lion

| other_names = Vaishnavi, Mata Rani, Ambe, Trikuta, Sherawali, Jyotawali, Pahadawali

| deity_of = Goddess of hills

'''Vaishno Devi''' (also known as '''Mata Rani''', '''Trikuta''', '''Ambe''' and '''Vaishnavi''') is a manifestation of the Hindu Mother Goddess, [[Devi]]. The words "''Maa''" and "''Mata''" are commonly used in [[India]] for ''[[Mother#Synonyms and translations|mother]]'', and thus are often heavily used in connection with Vaishno Devi. Vaishnavi was formed from the combined energies of [[Kali]], [[Lakshmi]], and [[Saraswati]].

{{mdash}}she is avatar of maa Durgā (shakti) her original consort is Lord Visnu. She is the future wife of kalki.

;The Appearance of Vaishno Devi to Shridhar and the story of Bhairon Nat

It is said that Bhairon Nath, a famous Hindu Tantric, saw the young Vaishno Devi at an agricultural fair and fell madly in love with her. Vaishno Devi fled into Trikuta hills to escape his amorous advances, later she assumed the form of [[Mahakali]] and cut off his head with her sword in a cave.<ref>{{cite book|title=Journal of Religious Studies, Volume 14|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NOonAAAAYAAJ|page=56|publisher=Department of Religious Studies, Punjabi University|year=1986}}</ref> Professor and author Tracy Pintchman narrates the story as, "About nine hundred years ago Vaishno Devi appeared in the form of young girl and commanded a Brahmin named Shri Dhar from the village Hansali  (next to present day Katra) to hold a feast (''bhandara'') for local people near Bhumika stream. At the time of feast, Bhairon Nath, a disciple of [[Goraknath]], appeared and demanded meat and liquor. But Vaishno Devi told him he would get only [[vegetarian food]], since this was a Brahmin's feast. Seeing her, Bhairon Nath lusted after her. To escape him, she ran away stopping at various places on the trail up the Trikuta mountain. There places are now known as Banganga, Charan Paduka, Adi Kumari {{mdash}}the place where she is said to have remained for nine months in a cave, {{mdash}} and finally at Bhavana, the cave that is now known as her home. There taking the form of [[Chamunda|Chamundi]] (a form of Kali), she beheaded Bhairon Nath. His body held at the entrance to the cave, and his head landed further up the mountain at a place where a Bhairon Nath temple is now located. Bhairon Nath then repented, and the goddess granted him further salvation. In so doing, however, she laid down the condition that unless pilgrims coming for her [[Darśana|darshan]] did not also get his darshan{{mdash}} that is, darshan of his head{{mdash}} then their pilgrimage would not be fruitful. Vaishno Devi later manifested into 3 small rocks (pindikas) and stays there till date. Shri Dhar began doing [[Puja (Hinduism)|puja]] to the pindikas at the cave, and his descendants continue to do so even today".{{Sfn|Pintchman|2001|p=60}}

Professor and author Manohar Sajnani says, According to Hindu mythology, the original abode of Vaishno Devi was Ardha Kunwari, a place about halfway between Katra town and the cave.<ref>{{cite book|title=Encyclopaedia of Tourism Resources in India, Volume 1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vdMNBxOsvrUC|page=158|author=Manohar Sajnani|publisher=Gyan Publishing House|year=2001|isbn = 9788178350172}}</ref> It is said that when Bhairon Nath ran after Vaishno Devi to catch her. The Devi reached near a cave in the hill, she called up [[Hanuman]] and told him that I would do penance in this cave for nine months, till then you should not allow Bhairon Nath to enter the cave. Hanuman obeyed the mother's orders. Bhairavnath was kept outside this cave and today this holy cave is known as 'Ardha Kunwari'.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Virodai |first1=Yashodhara |title=Story of Mata Vaishnodevi |url=https://www.newstrend.news/74146/mythological-story-of-vaishno-devi-and-supernatural-power-of-temle/ |website=newstrend.news |publisher=Newstrend Network Communication Pvt Ltd |access-date=5 June 2021 |language=Hindi}}</ref>

The '''Vaishno Devi Temple''' is an important [[Hindu temple]] dedicated to Vaishno Devi located in [[Katra, Jammu and Kashmir|Katra]] at the [[Trikuta Mountains]] within the Indian [[Union territory]] of [[Jammu and Kashmir (Union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Indian Himalaya: Story of a 100 Visits|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nHZ5CwAAQBAJ|page=47|first=Kirit|last=Rindani|publisher=Partridge Publishing|year=2016|isbn=978-1482858860}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Discovering the Himalaya, Volume 1|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kusLzP8H6TQC|page=429|author=S. S. Negi|publisher=Indus Publishing|year=1998|isbn = 9788173870798}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Mountains of the God|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K5AaI2PhiV8C|page=15|author=Kuldip Singh Gulia|publisher=Gyan Publishing House|year=2007|isbn = 9788182054202}}</ref> The temple is one of the 108 [[Shakti Peethas]] dedicated to [[Durga]], who is worshipped as Vaishno Devi.<ref>{{cite web|title=Famous Durga temples in India for religiously inclined souls|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/famous-durga-temples-in-india-for-religiously-inclined-souls/as51743858.cms|publisher=Times of India|date=5 April 2019}}</ref> It is one of the most visited pilgrimage centers of India. Every year millions of visitors visit the temple.<ref>{{cite news|title=Vaishno Devi pilgrim footfall in 2019 lowest in 3 years: Shrine Board|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/vaishno-devi-footfall-in-2019-lowest-in-3-years-shrine-board-120010200678_1.html|newspaper=Business Standard|date=2 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Vaishno Devi likely to receive 8.5 mn pilgrims by Dec 31; highest in 5 yrs|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/vaishno-devi-likely-to-receive-8-5-mn-pilgrims-by-dec-31-highest-in-5-yrs-118122900321_1.html|newspaper=Business Standard|date=29 December 2018}}</ref> During festivals like [[Navaratri]], the count even increases to one crore visitors.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/vaishno-devi-bhairon-mandir-ropeway-service-starts-from-today/as67227545.cms|title=Vaishno Devi-Bhairon Mandir ropeway service starts from today|website=Times of India Travel|access-date=2018-12-25}}</ref> Vaishno Devi Temple is one of the richest temples in India. Authors Michael Barnett and Janice Gross Stein says, "Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu has an annual income of about $16 million, mainly from offerings by devotees".<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L3NpAgAAQBAJ|title=Sacred Aid: Faith and Humanitarianism|page=140|author1=Michael Barnett|author2=Janice Gross Stein|publisher=Oxford University Press|date=3 July 2012|isbn=978-0199916030}}</ref>

Navaratri and Diwali are the two most prominent festivals celebrated in the Vaishno Devi Temple. The temple was included in the Jammu and Kashmir state government Act No. XVI/1988, and known as Shri Mata Vaishno devi Shrine Act. The committee nominated by the state government administers the temple and has nine members on its board.