Sapta Moksha Puris

अयोध्या मथुरा माया काशी काञ्ची अवन्तिका ।
पुरी द्वारावती चैव सप्तैते मोक्षदायकाः ॥
- Sapta Mokshapuri Sloka

► Ayodhya (Moksha Puri) (Divya Desam)
(Ayodhya district, Uttar Pradesh)

▬ River Ghaghara (Sarayu) flows → Saryu Ghat (Aarti)
- Lakshman Ghat - Vaidehi Ghat - Ram Ghat - Bharat Ghat - Shatrughna Ghat - Swargadwar Ghat - Guptar Ghat
▬ River Tamasa flows
(Middle Ganga Plain)

(Valmiki Ramayana)
(Skanda Purana - Ayodhya Mahatmya)

- Sri Rama incarnated in Ayodhya, grew up in Ayodhya, ruled his kingdom from Ayodhya and finally returned to his divine abode from Ayodhya.

► Mathura (Vraja Bhoomi) (Moksha Puri) (Divya Desam)
(Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)

▬ River Yamuna flows → Vishram Ghat (Aarti)
- Vishram Ghat - Yamuna Temple
(Upper Ganga Plain)
(Srimad Bhagavatam)

- Sri Krishna incarnated in Mathura in the prison of Kamsa as the son of Vasudeva and Devaki.
- Sri Krishna was transferred to Gokula by Vasudeva to become the son of Nanda and Yashoda.
- Sri Krishna slayed Kamsa and his wresters in Mathura.
- Sri Krishna defeated Jarasandha seventeen times in Mathura.

► Haridwar (Maya Kshetra) (314 m) (Moksha Puri) (Place of Kumbha Mela) (Uttarakhand Char Dham)
(Haridwar district, Uttarakhand)

☗ Bilva Parvat
☗ Nila Parvat
▬ River Ganga flows → Har ki Pauri (Aarti)
(Uttarakhand Shivalik Hills (Garhwal))
(Skanda Purana - Kedara Khanda)
(Shiva Purana)

- Devi Sati gave up her body during the Daksha Yagna at Kankhal and hence the place came to be known as Maya Kshetra (Haridwar).
- Haridwar also has the famous Hill temples of Devi Chandi and Devi Manasa. There are also famous temples of Maya Devi and Sureshwari Devi.
- Lord Shiva destroyed the Daksha Yagna at Kankhal of Maya Kshetra (Haridwar) and abides there as Daksheshwar Mahadev.
- Lord Shiva also abides there as the famous Bilvakeshwar Mahadev.

► Kashi (Varanasi) (Moksha Puri) (Jyotirlinga) (Shakti Peetha)
(Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh)

▬ River Ganga flows → Assi Ghat, Dashashwamedh Ghat (Aarti)
- Assi Ghat (Aarti) - Harishchandra Ghat - Kedar Ghat - Dashashwamedh Ghat (Aarti) - Meer Ghat - Lalita Ghat (Vishwanath Temple) - Manikarnika Ghat - Scindia Ghat - Panchganga Ghat - Trilochan Ghat - Prahlad Ghat
▬ River Varana flows
▬ River Asi flows
(Middle Ganga Plain)

(Shiva Purana)
(Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda)
(Peetha Nirnaya Tantra)

- Lord Shiva created Kashi and abides there as Vishwanatha Jyotirlinga. Lord Shiva also established Kalabhairava, Dandapani and Ashta Bhairavas in Kashi. Lord Shiva was worshipped in Kashi by devas and sages due to which various Lingas exist in Kashi.

► Kanchipuram (Moksha Puri) (Shakti Peetha) (Pancha Bhoota Sthalam) (Paadal Petra Sthalam)
(Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu)

☗ Hastigiri Hill (Sri Varadaraja Temple)
▬ River Vegavathi flows
▬ River Palar flows
▬ River Kampa flows (Puranic)
☘ Mango Tree (Aamra) (Devi Parvati penance)
(Tamil Nadu Plain)

- Devi abides in Kanchipuram as Kanchi Shakti Peetha (identified with Devi Kamakshi).
- Devi Parvati (Kamakshi) performed penance in Kanchipuram and got united with Lord Shiva.
- Lord Shiva abides in Kanchipuram as Lord Ekambareshwara where Devi Parvati (Kamakshi) performed penance.
- Kanchipuram has several other Shiva Temples apart from the main Ekambareshwarar Temple.
- Lord Vishnu abides in Kanchipuram as Lord Varadaraja (a Divya Desam) where Lord Brahma performed penance in Satya Yuga, Gajendra in Treta Yuga, Brihaspati in Dwapara Yuga and Adisesha in Kali Yuga.
- Kanchipuram has several other Divya Desams of Lord Vishnu apart from Lord Varadaraja Temple.

► Ujjain (Avanti) (Moksha Puri) (Jyotirlinga) (Shakti Peetha) (Place of Kumbha Mela)
(Ujjain district, Madhya Pradesh)

▬ River Kshipra (Shipra) flows → Ram Ghat (Aarti)
(Malwa Plateau)
(Shiva Purana)
(Peetha Nirnaya Tantra)
(Srimad Bhagavatam)
(Skanda Purana - Avanti Kshetra Mahatmya)

- Lord Shiva protected devotee brahmin Veda Priya and brahmanas from the atrocities of demon Dushana at Avanti and abides as Mahakaleshwara Jyotirlinga.
- Devi abides in Ujjain (Avanti) as Ujjayini Shakti Peetha and Bhairava Parvata Shakti Peetha.
- Sri Krishna and Sri Balarama studied in the gurukula of sage Sandipani in Avanti and mastered 64 arts in 64 days.
- Sri Krishna returned the dead son of sage Sandipani in Avanti.

► Dwarka (Moksha Puri) (Divya Desam) (Jyotirlinga) (All India Char Dham)
(Devbhoomi Dwarka district, Gujarat)

☁ Sea Shore (Dwaraka Kshetra)
▬ River Gomati flows
◉ Gomati - Sagara Sangam (Confluence)
☸ Daruka Vana (Puranic)
(Gujarat Coastal Plain)
(Srimad Bhagavatam)
(Skanda Purana - Dwaraka Mahatmya)
(Shiva Purana)

- Sri Krishna established his kingdom in Dwarka after leaving Mathura. Sri Krishna stayed in Dwarka for a long time (till his final departure) and performed various Leelas while staying in Dwarka. Sri Krishna abides in Dwarka as Sri Dwarkadheesh.
- Sri Krishna married Devi Rukmini, Jambavati, Satyabhama, Kalindi, Satya, Lakshmana, Bhadra and the sixteen thousand and one hundred women who were held captive by Narakasura.
- Sri Krishna killed many demons like Mura and Narakasura while staying in Dwarka.
- Sri Krishna received Sudama, accepting his flattened rice and turning his humble house into palace.
- Curse of sage Durvasa on Devi Rukmini and later boon of sage Durvasa to the devotees of Sri Krishna.
- Sri Krishna met the Gopis in Dwarka.
- Lord Shiva protected merchant devotee Supriya from the atrocities of demon Daruka and abides as Nageshwara Jyotirlinga (identified with Dwarka Nageshwar).
- Kumaras created a Shiva Linga and worshipped Lord Shiva in Dwarka.