Koteshwar Mahadev Temple, Rudraprayag – Legends

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.