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NaimiShAraNya/ನೈಮಿಷಾರಣ್ಯ

ಮುನೀಂದ್ರಮಾನಸಾವಾಲರೂಢಕೃಷ್ಣಕಥಾಲತಾ|

ವಿಭಾತಿ ನೈಮಿಷಾರಣ್ಯಮಹೀ ಸರ್ವಮಹೀಯಸೀ||36||

MuneendramAnasAvAlarUDhakruShNakaThAlatA|

ViBhAti naimiShAraNyamahee sarvameeyasee||36||

मुनीन्द्रमानसावालरूढकृष्णकथालता।

विभाति नैमिषारण्यमही सर्वम्हीयसी॥३६॥

SUMMARY: Suta Muni planted and made the creepers of the stories of Sri Krishna grow well in the Naimisha land-like minds of Shaunaka and other Rishis. As a result, the greatness of Sri Krishna got stamped in the minds of Rishis. Therefore, NaimishAraNya is shining with such landscapes.

Suta was a Maharishi living in Naimisharanya. He used to narrate very interesting and bewildering stories of Sri Krishna, Puranas and historical events to the Rishis and Munis there. He was also known as Romaharshana.

Shaunaka, who was also known as Shunaka, was the second of the three sons of Rucheeka, who belonged to the popular Bhrugu dynasty. He was the most prominent Rishi among those who were listening to the narrations of Puranic stories by Suta Muni. The details of his dynasty are mentioned in Adi Parva, Mahabharata. Some interesting facts about Shunaka are mentioned in Bhagavata and in Adi Parva and Shanti Parva of Mahabharata.

The mystic and spiritual significance of Naimisharanya finds mention in Kurma Purana, Bruhaddharma, Maghamahatmya in Vayupurana, Padma Purana and Vana Parva in Mahabharata. Holy sacrifice and penance performed in Naimisharanya will clear the sins committed in seven births or Janmas. According to Varaha Purana, the name of this forest is derived from the fact that Lord Almighty killed the demons in a minute, which is termed as “Nimisha” in Sanskrit. According to Vayu Purana and Kurma Purana, the NEmi or the exterior frame of the Celestial Disc of Sri Hari fell in this place and hence the name NaimiShAraNya.

According to another source, once Shaunaka Muni cherished a dream of conducting continuous knowledge sessions in a particular place. Impressed with his desire, Lord Brahma handed over a disc to Shaunaka, asked him to roll it on the ground till as far as the exterior frame of that disc gets separated and establish his hermitage at the place where the frame falls. Shaunaka was also directed by Lord Brahma to conduct his desired knowledge sessions (Jnana Satra) in that Ashram. Accordingly, Shaunaka moved that disc, along with eighty thousand Munis who were with him. The Nemi or the border of that disc fell in a place that was known for penance called Tapovana. The disc, after getting separated from Nemi, disappeared under the ground. Water fountain was created at the place where the disc entered the ground. This pond is situated to the left of Gomati River now. It is believed that during the present Kali Yuga, all holy waters are present in Naimisha alone. It was in this Naimisharanya where Suta Puranic gave continuous spiritual discourses on 18 Puranas and Mahabharata. During Dwapara Yuga, Balarama once visited the hermitage of Suta Puranic. But, since Suta Puranic allegedly did not get up on seeing Balarama, the latter, in a fit of rage, burnt Suta Puranic with a sacrificial grass. Later, regretting for his own act, Balarama empowered Ugrashravasa, son of Suta Puranic with the skills of narrating spiritual history and philosophy. Balarama also killed a demon called Balwala, who was troubling the righteous people in that region. Balarama undertook a pilgrimage across India and during his return journey, he performed a sacrifice there. It is stated in Magha Mahatme of Vayu Purana and Bruhaddharma Purana that the spiritual discourses among distinguished Rishis and Munis are still happening in a remote place in Naimisha forest.

At present, Naimish is believed to be known as Nimsar, near Baalamavu Junction under Northern Railways.    

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