5/5 Pankaj D. 3 years ago on Google
The
name Virar comes
from
Eka-viraa.
Just
as
Tunga
Parvat
becomes
"Tunga-ar",
similarly
"Vira"
becomes
"Vira-ar".There
is
a
huge
temple
of
Eka-vira
Devi
on
the
banks
of Vaitarna
River at
the
foot
hills
of
Tunga
Parvat,
(this
is
now
totally
broken
by
the
continuous
raids
of
Mohamedeans
and
Portuguese
in
last
400
years),
where
people
used
to
conclude
their
"Shurpaaraka
Yatra",
as
described
in
the Puranas and
local
legends.
There
is
a
huge
tank
here
dedicated
to
Eka
veera
Devi
called
"Viraar
Tirtha",
i.e.
"Eka-
Viraa
Tirtha".
Even
today,
on
the
west
banks
of
Viraar
Tirtha,
one
finds
a
carved
stone
about
three
feet
long
and
nine
inches
broad.
Below
that
is
a
group
of
female
figures
of
the Yoginis of
Ekaveera
Devi.
Nearby
one
can
find
a
stone
with
a
roughly
cut
cow
and
calf
(Savatsa
Dhenu),
a
symbol
of
Govardhana
Math
which
symbolizes
eternity
or Moksha.
Moving
ahead
near
the
foot
of
a
knoll
of
rock
are
two
cow’s
feet
(Go-Paad)
roughly
cut
in
rock.
The
legendary
story
of
Jivdani
Devi
is
as
follows:
During
their
forest
journey, Pandavas came
to Shurparaka.
They
visited
the
holy
temple
of
Vimaleshwar
consecrated
by Lord
Parashuram and
on
their
journey
to
Prabhas
halted
on
the
banks
of
Vaitarni
river.
There
they
worshipped
the
Bhagavati Ekaveera on
the
banks
of
Viraar
Tirtha
and
seeing
the
serenity
and
lofty
nature
decided
to
carve
caves
in
the
nearby
mountains.
They
did
so
on
the
hills
nearby
and
installed
and
worshipped
the
Yoga
Linga
of
Ekaveera
devi
in
one
of
the
caves.
They
called
her
Bhagavati
Jeevadhani
(That
is
Goddess,
who
is
the
real
wealth
of
life).
Doing
so
Pandavas
also
made
a
set
of
small
caves
now
known
as
"Pandav
Dongri"
about
a
mile
from
Shirgaon
for
the hermits.
Many
yogis
used
to
stay
in
Pandav
Dongri
and
have
darshan
of
Jeevdhani
Devi.
After
the
onset
of Kali
Yuga,
and
after
the
advent
of
the Buddhist
faith,
the
number
of
Vaidik
Yogis
lessened
and
slowly
people
forget
the
hillock
and
the
devi.
During
times
of Jagadguru
Shankaracharya’s
advent,
a
Mahar
or
Mirashi
used
to
stay
in
Viraar
who
used
to
graze
the
village
cattle.
He
came
to
Nirmal
Mandir
for
the
darshan
of
Jagadguru
Shankaracharya Padmanabha
Swami and
requested
that
he
bless
him
so
that
he
could
have
darshan
of
his
beloved
Kuladevata.
Jagadguru
was
pleased
with
the
devotion
of
Mahar
and
advised
him
to
serve
Go-Mata
on
the
foothills
of
Jivadhani,
and
at
appropriate
time
he
would
have
darshan
of
his
Goddess
and
attain
Go-Loka.
He
literally
for
the
rest
of
life
followed
the
advice
of
Jagadguru
Shankaracharya
and
herded
the
village
cattle.
While
grazing
the
village
cattle,
he
used
to
see
a
cow
grazing
along
with,
whose
owner
never
paid
him
for
herding
her.
By
his
virtue,
he
determined
to
find
the
owner
of
the
cow.
He
followed
the
cow
on
the
top
of
Jeevdhan
Hill.
A
beautiful
woman
with
divine
features
appeared.
The
Mahar
remembered
the
words
of
Jagadguru
Shankaracharya
and
understood
that
she
is
none
other
than
his
Kuladevi
Jeevdhani,
he
was
overjoyed
and
asked
"Oh
Mother !
I
have
grazed
your
cow,
will
you
not
pay
me
for
her
herding ?".
The
Devi
just
smiled
in
delight
and
was
on
the
point
of
putting
some
money
in
the
Mahar’s
hand,
when
he
said
"Do
not
touch
me,
I
am Mahar.
Give
me
something
which
cannot
be
spoilt
by
touch,
words,
smell,
figure,
and
ether."
Knowing
this
Devi
asked
"Lo
my
child,
whence
from
you
learned
this
unique
knowledge
of
Varnashram
Dharma
and
Moksha
Dharma?".
To
this
Mahar
replied,
"From
none
other
than
by
the
Grace
of
Jagadguru
Shankaracharya".
Bhagavati
was
pleased
by
this
and
said
"By
your
virtue
(Punya),
see
this
cow
which
is
none
other
than
Kaamadhenu
has
taken
your
forefathers
to
higher
abodes
by
her
tail,
crossing
the
Vaitarini".
Thus
saying
the
Mahar
saw
the
cow
leap
from
the
hill
top
putting
her
two
feet
prints
on
hill
foor
and
other
two
across
Vaitarini
River
in
heavens.
Now
Devi
told,
"I
confer
upon
you
the
thing
which
you
demanded
that
is
Moksha."
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