Thread by @KindsoulRitzS

#Thread
3 Pindis in Vaishno Devi:

Vaishno Devi is a famed religious site, which is situated on the Trikuta Hill in the town of Katra of Reasi district. This is one of the most revered pilgrimage sites in Jammu and is visited by millions of devotees every year from all

over the world. This is among 108 Shakti Peetha of Maa Durga.

This cave temple is an incarnation of Maa Durga. She resides inside the cave in the form of 3 Pindis or the natural rock formations. There is no idol in the sanctum sanctorum of the cave temple.

These three Pindis in Vaishno Devi, which are dedicated to three goddesses namely Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi, and Mana Saraswati.

There are numerous legends surrounding the Vaishno Devi Shrine according to which, the temple is a manifestation of Mata Adi Shakti or Adi Parashakti.

In the Treta Yuga, when the demons started to destroy the world with their evil energies, the Tridevi, or three goddesses namely Maa Lakshmi, Maa Parvati, and Maa Saraswati merged their energies to get rid of this.

With their energies, Maa Vaishnavi was born to defeat all the demons and evils that were tainting the world. She took a human form and helped people with their problems. This upset a local tantric, Bhairav Nath.

He was surprised by the divine power of the little girl. To hide

from him, she hid in the Trikuta Hills for nine months. He kept searching for her but couldn’t get a hint of her whereabouts. Then, one day he saw the girl producing water from a stone by shooting it swiftly with an arrow. On seeing Bhairav, she entered a cave. Bhairav Nath

quickly followed her into the cave and with a trident, she opened a path on the other end of the cave. She left the cave but Bhairav adamantly continued to follow her.

Finally, she took her real form and cut off Bhairav Nath’s head. Due to his powers, his head died but his

body remained alive. He begged maa for forgiveness. She not only forgave him but also gave him a boon that the devotees who would come to worship her in her holy cave would visit his temple thereafter. Later a temple was built at the place where Bhairav’s head fell.

After this, she was asked to stay on earth and continue to protect it. To which, she agreed and took the form of the 3 Pindis, which depict the three divine energies that were merged for her creation. This Holy Cave is known as Vaishno Devi Temple.

Credit to respective owners.
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#temple