Koteshwar Mahadev Temple, Rudraprayag – Legends
Lord
Shiva stay in Koteshwar:
As per legend, Bhasmasura was a devotee of the god Shiva who
performed great penance to obtain a boon from Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva became
pleased and asked him to ask for a boon. Bhasmasura then asked that he be
granted the power that anyone whose head he touched with his hand should burn
up and immediately turn into ashes (bhasma). To test his boon, he tried to
touch Lord Shiva head. Lord Shiva fled from Bhasmasura and meditated in
Koteshwar before leaving to Kedarnath.
Bhasmasura then wreaked havoc across the world with his
new-found power torturing everyone in sight. Devas and Sages ran to Lord Vishnu
for help. Lord Vishnu, in the form of Mohini, appeared in front of Bhasmasura.
Mohini was so exceedingly beautiful that Bhasmasura immediately fell in love
with Mohini. Bhasmasura asked her to marry him. She told him that she was very
fond of dancing and would marry him only if he could match her moves
identically.
Bhasmasura agreed to the match and hence they started
dancing. The feat went for days at an end. As Bhasmasura matched the disguised
Vishnu's move by move, he began to let his guard down. While still dancing,
Mohini, struck a pose where her hand was placed on top of her own head. As
Bhasmasura imitated her, he was tricked into touching his own head, and hence
Bhasmasura immediately burnt up and turned into ashes, due to the power he had
recently gained.
Reference
in Mahabharata:
According to legend, when the Kauravas were vanquished
by the Pandavas during the epic war of Kurukshetra war, a heavenly voice
recommended that the Pandavas pray to the Lord Shiva for salvation and penance
for the killings. Lord Shiva was not ready to forgive them easily and hence,
moved from the cave towards Kedarnath. At that time, the demons residing close
to the cave requested Lord not to leave but Lord Shiva was not willing to stay,
to grant salvation to Pandavas. Finally, he granted the demons a boon that the
wishes of anyone who visits the cave will be fulfilled.
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