SRI #VADIRAJA VIRACHITA “#TEERTHA #PRABANDHA”
ಶ್ರೀ ವಾದಿರಾಜ ವಿರಚಿತ “#ತೀರ್ಥ #ಪ್ರಬಂಧ”
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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