Sthanurvat and Sannihit sarovar

Sthanurvat and Sannihit sarovar

 

 Vaman Puran pages(175-185)

 

Once sage Sanatkumar surrounded by Baalkhilya sages  sat under Sthanurvat at Kurukshetra.

 Sage Markandeya reached there and asked Sanatkumar to tell about the history of the place. Sanatkumar recalled his discussion with father Brahma and told,-“ when earth had become submerged in water lord Brahma appeared from   a shell at Sannihit sarovar. The navel of Brahma created a huge water pond in the midst of which appeared a tree of vat from which appeared four varn of brhaman, Kshatriya, vaishy and shudra. Brahma created sages from his mind. The austere sages Baalkhilya, born of his mind performed austerities for a thousand divine years but failed to please lord Shiv. They emaciated their bodies, performed Vedic rites yet did not attain anything. Once lord Shiv and mother Parvati flew over them. Seeing their hard penance mother Parvati got pleased and said to lord Shiv,-“ Lord these seekers have been undergoing such hard penance here at Devdaruvan yet what past action performed by them deprive them from attaining their desired fruition?” Lord Shiv smiled and replied,-“ Goddess! dharm is too subtle. You do not understand this. They neither understand the concept of dharm nor are devoid of kaam and krodh.”

 Goddess Parvati promptly said,-“Please say not so about such steadfast seekers. You better appear before them, as I am keen to know their true status..” “ Fine you stay here. I shall you what their status is.” Replied, lord Shiv.”Please go where these men are performing penance like a wooden pole..” lord Shiv took the form of a hansom naked mendicant and roamed from door to door asking for alms from their wives. The wives got so enamoured to him that they gloated at his handsome figure and asked,-“ O handsome mendicant1 What penance are you observing that makes you roam naked from door to door? If you allow us then we are prepared to serve you all the way.” Seeing them falling for him the naked youth smiles and replied,-“ O gracious ladies! My penance is with a secret purpose that can not be divulged before so many people. This can be discussed only in solitude. You better go away.”” Sir! If you allow us then we are prepare to come with you in a solitary spot to let us know about this..” replies the beguiled ladies. Saying so the women hovered around him. Some hugged him, some caressed his hair, some clasped around his waist,some touched his feet and seeing them all falling for a naked youth, the Baalkhilya sages forgot chanting of divine mantras and attacked the youth with wooden poles and stoned him. They chopped off his phallus. As soon as the phallus fell off, the Shiv vanished. He took Parvati and reached mount Kailash. Soon the sages began to realize their folly. Surely that must be some celestial being -,not knowable to us.. they felt and reached the abode of lord Brahma  to seek his guidance. “Anger devoured your sensibility and left you confounded. You do not understand dharm. The GOD lives in us as our soul. Driven by various actions the soul attains various physical bodies. When mind is purified, the soul manifest as divine light.  Unless mind is purified, performing austerities to emaciate body is futile. One whose mind is pure enjoys divine bliss even while leading the life of a householder and one whose mind is not purified can not experience divine bliss even in a hermitage. On one hand you perform austerities and on the other hand, engulfed by anger you failed to recognise lord Shiv who is the soul of all beings. One who is devoured by anger can never attain anything.” Guided by lord Brahma they all reached mount Kailash and worshipped lord Shiv with stotra and pleased by them lord Shiv and Parvati blessed them. Lord Shiv then said,-“Fear not. You caused my ling to fall down. I am most quickly pleased by worship of my ling. One who worships ling attains everything of his choice. Go and establish my ling at Sannihit sarovar. That ling will be knows as Sthanur.” The sages returned to the place where chopped ling of Shiv was lying and tried hard to lift it but even Brahma and other deities could not lift it. “Lord Shiv shed this by his will. He alone can take it away not us.” Said Lord Brahma and thus they all reached at mount Kailash to seek guidance of lord Shiv but failed to sport him there also. Lord Brahma meditated and found lord Shiv in the form of an elephant in a pool of water.. Goddess Parvati appeared with a kamandal and said,-“ tired of searching for lord Shiv you have got fatigued. Drink this nectar and you will attain what you want.” She offered them amrit and all deities gulped it down with gratitude.” mother where shall we find the lord Shiv roaming in the guise of an elephant?” mother Parvati showed them the pond where lord Shiv frolicked as elephant. All deities reached there and prayed to lord Shiv,,” Lord ! you shed the ling worshiped in three spheres by your sweet will. Please you alone help us by taking it to Sthanur.” When they prayed lord Shiv accompanied them to Devdaruvan and then sportily lifted his chopped ling and planted it on the west direction of the water pond. All worshiped him and Shiv shed his form of an elephant and entered the ling.

He professed before all. This Sannhit sarovar, as being used by me shall be the most purifying abode. All holy spirits will daily gather here when lord Suury will be at the peak,. Whoeever will have vision of this ling shall attain swargalok”.

When human beings learned about the greatness of sannihit pond they gathered there en masse that scared the deities of swargaloka who approached lord brahma to curb the situation of humans gathering there. Lord Brahm asked them to fil the sarovar with dirst. For seven days indra showered dust and filled the sarovar with earth. Lord shiv then lifted the ling and Vat in his hands. Sages still rolled in that dust to purify themselves. Seeing their faith lord Brahm created an earthen shivling there that is worshipped by humans.