There are 51 Shakti Peethas in the world dedicated to Parvati. These are the places where different body parts of Sati (previous birth of Parvati) fell. One of the is the Shakti Peetha of Jwala Devi.
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Parvati residing as a flame in the Jwala Devi Temple
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This is the incident of the days when India was ruled by Mughal Emperor Akbar. A resident of Nadoun village, Jawala Ji (Dhyanu Bhagat) was going to Jawala Maa Darshan with a thousand devotees. Seeing such a large party, the Emperor’s soldiers stopped them at Chandni Chowk in Delhi and brought Dyanu Bhagat and presented him to the court of Akbar.
Akbar asked, “Where are you taking so many men along?”
Dhyanu Bhagat replied with folding hands, “I am going for a darshan of Jwala Devi. These people with me are also devotees of Mother and are going on a pilgrimage.”
Akbar heard this and said, “Who is this Jwala Devi? And what will happen by visiting there?”
The devotee replied, “Jawala Devi is the creator and preserver mother of the world, she accepts prayer from the true heart of the devotees and fulfills all their wishes. Her glory is such that at her place, flames keeps on burning without any oil. We all visit her at her temple every year for darshan. ”
Akbar said, “How can i believe that your Jwala Devi is so powerful? After all you are a devotee of that mother, if you show any miracle then we will also accept it.”
Dhyanu Bhagat answered very calmly. "Sir! I am a small servant of the mother, what miracles can I show?"
Akbar said, “If your devotion is true, then Goddess Jwala will definitely preserve your honour. If she does not take care of devotees like you, then what is the use of worshiping her? Either she is not worth a Goddess or your devotion is a falsehood. For the test we cut the neck of your horse, you will be able to get him alive by praying to your Goddess. ”
Thus the neck of the horse was cut. Dhyanu Bhagat requested for the protection of the horse and the head of the horse for a period of one month by not giving any remedy. Then Akbar accepted the Dhyanu Bhagat Request and also permitted him for traveling.
After leaving from there, Dhyanu Bhagat along with other devotees reached and gathered in the Jwala Devi Temple. After bathing, Devotees worshiped the Goddess throughout the night by singing bhajans, reciting aarti. Next day morning, Dhyanu said, “O Maa! You are an antaryami. The King is testing my devotion, Please keep my honour. Please give life to my horse with your miracle. If you do not accept my prayer, then I will cut off my head and offer it to your feet, because it is better to die than to live ashamed. This is my pledge. Please answer.”
There was silence for some time. No answer was found.
After this, Dhyanu Bhagat cut his head with the sword and presented it to the Goddess.
That very moment, Jwala Devi appeared and the head of Dhyanu Bhagat got fixed to his body and he stood up alive. Jwala Devi said to the devotee, “The head of the horse has also got fixed to its body in Delhi. Leave all your worries and go to Delhi. The reason for being ashamed has been solved and ask for whatever you desire”
Dhyanu – The devotee, bowed down at the feet of the mother and pleaded, “O Jagadamba! You are all powerful, we humans are ignorant, do not even know the method of devotion. Still, the Holy Mother! Please don’t take such an extreme pareeksha (exam) of your devotees. All cannot offer you their head. Please, O Mother Goddess, fulfill the desires of your devotees with an ordinary offerings. ”
“So be it! From now on, I will fulfill the desire by an offering of a coconut instead of sheesh (head) and a prayer with a true heart.” By saying this, Jwala Devi disappeared.
Here this incident happened, in Delhi the horse’s head got attached to his body with the grace of the Goddess. After this the king and all his ministers were shocked and surprised. The king sent his soldiers to Jwala Ji. The soldiers came back and told Akbar, “There are flames of fire emerging from land, Perhaps the miracle is happening because of the flames. If you order, then we will extinguish these flames. By this way the place of Hindu Worship will also be destroyed.
Akbar approved this but some historians believe that without the acceptance of Akbar, the royal soldiers did so. It is said that the royal soldiers first kept the flat iron disks on the holy flames of the Goddess. But the divine flames came out and broke the iron disks. After this, the flow of a canal was further twisted, causing the water of the canal continuously falling on the flames. Still the burning of the flames did not stop. Imperial soldiers informed Akbar that the burning of the flames can not be stopped, all our efforts have failed. Whatever you feel right please do so.
After receiving this news, Emperor Akbar consulted the scholars of the court. After discussing the scholars suggested that you should go and see divine miracles and arrange and offering according to the rules and please the Goddess.
Akbar accepted the suggestion of scholars. A grand golden parasol (chattar) was made. Then he put the golden parasol (chattar) on his shoulder and reached Jwala Ji bare feet. Then he had Darshan of diving flames, his head bowed down with devotion, he started feeling guilty in his heart. Then he started saying, " mother, I am offering you a grand golden parasol (chattar). Till date, no king would have offered you a grand golden parasol (chattar). Please accept my offering." Speaking with the boastful words, a divine flame appeared on the golden parasol (chattar) and then golden parasol (chattar) fell down from Akbar. And as soon as the golden parasol (chattar) fell, it changed into a strange metal, which was neither iron, nor brass, nor copper nor any other metal (unknown metal).
Hence, the Divine rejected the offering.
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The parasol gifted by Akbar to Jwala Devi |
Seeing this miracle, Akbar praised in many ways and asked for forgiveness from the mother and returned to Delhi after performing many prayers. After reaching Delhi he ordered his soldiers to behave lovingly with all the devotees.
Even today, In the Jwala Devi Temple, the fragmented parasol (chattar) offered by the Akbar Emperor is still displayed, which by appearance looks like gold. Weight is also of gold metal. But the metal is still unknown to the world. The flames in the Jwala Devi Temple are still burning without the presence of oil, ghee and gas. This has been authenticated by scientists.
There are people from other religions making fun of our Gods and Goddesses. This blog is a tight slap for those people underestimating other religions.