Blessings Of Mahakaal

Ujjain is the city of devotion, romance, and literature. It is the city of the valor of Vikramaditya ( Chandragupta the second), the talent of the great poet Kalidasa and the splendor of Almighty Shiva. In the holy cities of India, Ujjain has its own unique aura. It is the capital of ancient Avantika and the city with the glory of Harsiddhi Mata, the Kuladevi of the ancient Guptas. Also, Harsiddhi Mata is a form of Mahadevi, the slayer of evil demons, the goddess of the mountain, the bestower of blessings of good health and fulfillment of wishes, triumph over enemies and never-failing strength to dominate the enemies of her worshipper. Ujjain is one of the most famous Satipeeths, and the upper lips of Devi Sati, the wife of Shiva and daughter of Prajapati Daksha, had fallen here. Ujjain is the city of temples, music, poetry, and culture. Ujjain is the epicenter of Hinduism and in religious glory, it acquires the same position that of Kashi ( Varanasi).

Ujjain is the city of Mahakaal. Lord Shiva reigns in the city in his fierce Mahakaal form. He is the God of death, God of Salvation, God of eternity. His companion is the fierce Kālabhairav. In this very city, in the time of the ancient past, Shiva had descended to vanquish the demon Tripur. Then the Lord descended to the mortal world to protect his disciple Chandrasena. God stays here as a beam of light( Jyotirlingam). So this beautiful city is one of the 12 Jyotirlingams.

Situated on the bank of holy river Shipra, Lord Shiva in his lingam form is believed to be Swayambhu.

The idol of Mahakaleshwar is known to be Dakshina Mukhi, which means that it is facing the south. The idol of Omkareshwar Mahadev is consecrated in the sanctum sanctorum above the Mahakal shrine. The temple of Mahakaleshwar, its Shikhar soaring into the sky, an imposing façade against the skyline, evokes primordial awe and reverence with its majesty.

Ujjain is the city where legendary love stories have been flourished. It is the city of temples where the immortal love story of Charudatta and Vasantasena had bloomed in ancient times. Prince Ashoka fell in love with the beautiful spinster Devi of Vidisha. Later Devi became the chief wife of Ashoka the great. The eternal beauty and glory of this city have been well-described in the Kalidasa's immortal work 'Meghdutam'(the cloud messenger). Great writer Somdeva in his great work Kathasaritsagar also told about the elegance and winsomeness of this city.

Located on the bank of Kshipra, the exquisiteness of this place surpasses that of Heaven. Kshipra is eternal, she is sublime, she is not only a river but a pulchritudinous goddess who gives and nurtures life.

Women of Ujjains are angels on the earth. Their awesome skill in dancing, singing, and poetry, heavenly beauty of their toned body, their crimson red lips that resemble often the lotus of the autumn and their angelic deep eyes that take after that of a fawn, can surpass that of the Apsaras of Amravati of Indralok. Decorated with beautiful flower gardens, magnificent palaces, and breathtaking temples , and having the glory of Vikramaditya, the aura of Kalidasa and Subandhu, the city Ujjain is truly heaven. The splendor of this place can outrank any other city of the mortal world. Ujjain is the city that was once enlightened with the genius of great Navratnas. Ujjain is the city of King Chandrasena and the legend of his Bhakti.

It is 6th century AD. Nature is dancing in ecstasy with the arrival of the spring, the king of seasons. Decorated with beautiful flowers and leave, the nature queen is shining in full glory. The whole universe is filled with their mindblowing magical aroma. But there is some unhappiness there also. In one corner of the clear azure sky, clusters of black clouds have accumulated.

The divine music of nature is not in full rhythm as the Bharatbhum is suffering from the pain of the invasion of the Alcohn Huns. Mother India is feeling the wrath of Sun followers, Toramana and his brave son Mihirakula. The Huns, a fierce and warlike tribal clan from Central Asia invaded Northwest India. But they could not march forward as the valor of the Gupta Empire was at its zenith. It was the golden age of India when the heroic Gupta rulers like Kumaragupta and Skandagupta were ruling. Even undauntable and reckless Skandagupta repulsed a fearsome Huna attack, specially made by Kidarite Hunas, in 462 AD and drove them out of the country. Thus he conquered the fearsome Hunas. Some centuries after, Somadeva's Kathasaritsagar will state that the legendary king Vikramaditya (Skandagupta) ascended the throne after his father Mahendraditya abdicated it, and inflicted a crushing defeat on the mlecchas.

But after the demise of the valiant king Skanda and downfall of the Gupta empire, the Hunas have been invincible, unconquerable. After Kidarites, came the Hephthalites. The venturesome Hunas have entered into India from the Kabul valley and subjugating each and every regional ruler, they have mopped on along the Ganges and ruined every cultural place. They have been persecuting Buddhists, Brahmins, Shaivites, and Vaishnavites who are coming on their way.

Their conquests are being accomplished with extreme ferocity. Now, Mother India is crying in anguish. Once the glorious land of Gods, winsome land of Devbhasa Sanskrit in her Golden age, the resplendent land enriched with culture and heritage, now her wretchedness has reached its zenith. Like the Asuras of ancient mythology, the mighty Hunas only brought destruction, death, and sufferings to them. Is there any stouthearted son of the mother still alive? Is there anyone to protect the land of Devas? Is there any lionhearted leader to put an end to the story of dejection and misery! Once an alluring, beauteous, elegant and classy country is looking gloomy in mournfulness. Is there anybody who can uplift the land to rapturous heaven of eternity and glory?

It is the faint twilight of radiant daybreak. The whole universe is silent. The Motherland has sunk into the abyss of depression, but in this beautiful heavenly Ujjain, there is something different. In this crimson twilight, the whole universe is being reverberated with divine echo. A cool breeze is blowing and leaves are murmuring. Is that calm breeze presage to a giant whirlwind? If anybody can listen properly, he can find that the sound of divine spells is coming from inside the Mahakaleshwar Temple. The renowned Bhasm-Aarti, an attraction of the temple for ages, has not commenced yet, but inside the sanctum sanctorum, there is someone who has been sitting in the posture of Padmasanā and chanting the divine canticle praising the glory of Lord Shiva, through the whole night!

Thus the universe has been filled with the aroma of the divine ode of Mahakala in the Devbhasha(the language of the God)

"

Jatatavigalajjala pravahapavitasthale

Galeavalambya lambitam bhujangatungamalikam

Damad damad damaddama ninadavadamarvayam

Chakara chandtandavam tanotu nah shivah shivam."

(Meaning:

With his neck consecrated by the flow of water that flows from his hair,

And on his neck a snake, which is hung like a garland,

And the Damaru drum that emits the sound “Damat Damat Damat Damat”,

Lord Shiva did the auspicious dance of Tandava. May he gives prosperity to all of us.)

In the semi-darkness, inside the sancum sanctorum, the surroundings were filled with the alluring odor of aromatic vapor, an athletic lad with youthful radiance in his eyes, divine glow in his face, long curly hairs that have fallen on his chest, shoulders, and arms, are worshipping the Lord Mahakal. Who is he! Is he a God or powerhouse of the whole Mandsaur!

Folding his hands together and bowing his head in utter devotion, he begins pray before the Jyotirlingam, " Oh father, oh God, oh the creator of the universe, oh the omnipotent Parameshwara, oh the almighty Devadidev, I am here to regret that I am the destitute unfortunate son of the Aulikara king Prakashadharma, who was your great follower and the undauntable Malwa king who vanquished the demon Toramana. But to seek revenge, the Hunas under the fearsome leadership of Mihrkul has killed him brutally."

The young lad begins to sob. Drops of tears start to roll down from his eyes. "Oh God, now what will I do? Tell me what will I do? Nobody can be loathsome and monstrous as Mihirakula? Oh, the giver of eternal blessing, oh the omniscient supreme God, you kill the ghastly horrendous demon with your trident, please be pleased with me. Please take pity on me. Give me your Shakti and Siddhi to put an end to this severe infringement by the barbaric Hunas. Please give blessings to my lord, please give blessings. I am a black sheep, I am a disgrace to my Kula. Oh God, you made the Moon God free from Prajapati's curse. Put an end to my sorrow. Please rescue me, uplift my soul. My salvation is not possible until I defeat the bloody unsocial Mihrkula and his fearsome Huna army." The youngster then begins to sing Shiva's glory in the voice full of awe and devotion," You reside on the bank of Narmada as Pashupati. Oh Mahakaal, you reign on the bank of Kshipra. You had given a boon to Kartiviryà Arjuna. You had appeared many times in the ancient past like a beam of light to the liberation of our beloved Motherland from the terror of demons and its cultural as well as spiritual upliftment. Now oh Bholenath, I the prince Yash of Malwa, your true devotee, am now earnestly praying to you to appear before me to bless me with courage, knowledge, and power. With your divine blessing, I hope to vanquish the uncivil Hunas."

Suddenly the wind starts to blow faster. The whole environment gets enlightened with a strange but divine aurora. The stout figure of the valiant youngster stands up, he stands dumbstruck. An oracle happens," Oh my favorite disciple, oh my adorable Yashodharman, don't cry, don't repent. I take pride in your winsomeness, your valor. I know you have come so far from the bank of Narmadā just to take my blessing. Please visit my much-adored follower Narasimhagupta, the high-spirited ruler of Ujjain, the true steadfast inheritor of Chandragupta and Skandagupta." Yashodharman stands dumbstruck. Really has his God appeared in front of him? The divine oracle is still going on. The dawn is setting about. Birds are chirping. "The golden age of India will return. It will again be a dev bhumi. Yes, I can

foretell that you both join hands together, the fearsome barbaric ghastly demons will be outranked. Make haste my son, you have already my blessings, but this time you have to act with alacrity. I can assure you that you will win. Don't mourn over the past. From the past, we can learn only."

The youthful stout youngster Yashodharman stands up. He stands straight and the ghasty wind soothes his mind and kisses him. He looks handsome, he looks very beautiful. He has been cured of the long chronic depression and melancholy that have been prevading in his mind for long.

The Sun God has risen. It is the calm morning in Ujjain. The oracle has stopped, the Bhasm Aarti is just about to begin. The river Kshipra is blowing in wild turbulence.

The birds are chirping a melodious divine song to welcome this new day. A new day means new hope. Yash takes a deep breath. Really Shiva has appeared before him! Or was it a mere dream!

But heart desperately wants this to be the

reality!

And therefore the beautifully handsome undauntable prince Yashodharman takes the never-failing daring defiant oath in front of the Jyotirling, in front of Lord Shiva himself. He promises to Lord that he will do everything to mark an end to this era of abuse, blasphemy, and disgrace. The Golden Age will come again. The Sun will rise, the Almighty will smile and the days of prosperity will come again. Mother India will again smile. The glory of valor will shine.

After that? What happens! A true oath made by never-failing honesty never becomes futile. And what happens next! The history of India clearly tells the answer.

The work Prakashadharma had failed to do previously, was well accomplished by his lion-hearted Shibbhakt son. Yashodharman finally became successful due to his tenacity, firmness, fortitude and never-failing devotion towards Lord Shiva.

Yashodharman of Mandasaur helped by Narasimhagupta of Ujjain inflicted a crushing defeat on the Hephthalites or Alcohn Huns led by Mihrkula and drove them out of India for ever at Sondani in 528 CE. Again days of pride and glory came back.

When there are true devotion and faith, impossible is nothing.