Tryambakeshwar Jyotirlinga Devi Saptashrungi Panchavati Triveni Sangam Ram Kund Kapaleshwar Mahadev Dutondya Maruti Five Banyan Trees Sita Gupha Juni Parnakuti Kalaram Mandir Ram Vanavas Sthan Lakshman Mandir Godavari Kapila Sangam Anjaneri Temple Devi Godavari Sage Gautama Ankai Agastya Ashram Taked Sarva Teertha Jatayu Temple
• Shiva: Lord Shiva relieved sage Gautama from the false accusation of brahmanas, released river (Gautami) Ganga and abides as Tryambakeshwara Jyotirlinga.
- Tryambakeshwar Jyotirlinga At Panchavati:
- Kapaleshwar Mahadev
- Baneshwar Mahadev
- Karpureshwar Mahadev
- Pataleshwar Mahadev
- Nilkanteshwar Mahadev
- Naroshankar
• Devi: Devi abides in Nashik Janasthana as Janasthana Shakti Peetha (identified with Devi Saptashrungi).
- Devi Saptashrungi
• Rama: Sri Rama stayed in the Panchavati forest during the forest exile (identified with Nashik).
- Sri Rama slayed demons Khara and Dushana while staying in the Panchavati forest.
- Sri Rama went after the golden deer in the Panchavati forest.
- Devi Sita was abducted by Ravana from the Panchavati forest.
- Ram Kund
- Prachin Ram Mandir
- Prachin Goreram Mandir
- Panchavati(Five Banyan Trees)
- Kalaram Mandir
- Sita Gufa
- Parna Kutir
- Lakshman Rekha
- Sita Haran Mandir
- Lakshman Sheshnag Mandir
- Ram Vanavas Sthan
• Vishnu: There are some Vishnu Temples at Panchavati.
- Sundar Narayan Mandir
- Lakshmi Narayan Mandir
• Hanuman: Bhakta Hanuman is said to have taken birth in the Nashik Anjana Hills (which is identified as one of his birthplaces). This is as per Brahma Purana - Gautami Mahatmya.
- Anjaneri (Identified as birth place of Hanuman) (10 km from Tryambakeshwar)
- Dutondya Maruti
- Katya Maruti
• Godavari: River Godavari originates from Brahmagiri Hills in Nashik. There is a temple of Devi Godavari in the foothills.
- Godavari Temple
• Others:
- Taked Sarva Teertha Jatayu Temple(50 km from Nashik)
○ Gautama: Sage Gautama performed penance on the Brahmagiri Mountain worshipping Lord Shiva and brought river Godavari (Gautami Ganga) on Earth. This is the event associated with Tryambakeshwara Jyotirlinga.
○ Agastya: Sage Agastya had his hermitage in Dandakaranya near Panchavati where Sri Rama visited during his forest exile. Sage Agastya suggested Sri Rama to live in Panchavati.
- Ankai Agastya Ashram(100 km from Nashik)
वाराणस्यां तु विश्वेशं त्र्यंबकं गौतमीतटे । हिमालये तु केदारं घुश्मेशं च शिवालये ॥
- Dwadasa Jyotirlinga Stotra - verse 3 (Nashik has the Tryambakeshwara Jyotirlinga on the foothills of the Brahmagiri Hills)
चिवुके भ्रामरी देवी विकृताक्षो जनस्थाने । गण्डो गोदावरीतीरे विश्वेशी विश्वमातृका ॥ दण्डपाणिभैरवस्तु वामगण्डे तु राकिणी । भैरवो वत्सनाभस्तु तत्र सिद्धिर्न संशयः ॥
- Shakti Peetha Stotram - verses 45 and 46 (Nashik has the Janasthana Shakti Peetha where the Civuka of Devi had fallen)
पञ्चवटीतटसुस्थित राम् ॥ शूर्पणखार्तिविधायक राम् ॥ खरदूषणमुखसूदक राम् ॥ सीताप्रियहरिणानुग राम् ॥ मारीचार्तिकृदाशुग राम् ॥ विनष्टसीतान्वेषक राम् ॥ राम् राम् जय राजा राम् । राम् राम् जय सीता राम् ।
- Nama Ramayana - verses 40 to 45
(Nashik has the Panchavati where Sri Rama stayed during the forest exile and from where Devi Sita was abducted by Ravana)
गृध्राधिपगतिदायक राम् ॥ राम् राम् जय राजा राम् । राम् राम् जय सीता राम् ।
- Nama Ramayana - verse 46
(Nashik has the Janasthana region where Sri Rama met the dying Jatayu and performed his last rites)
• Tryambakeshwara Jyotirlinga - Lord Shiva relieving sage Gautama from the false accusation of brahmanas and releasing river Gautami Ganga (Godavari) (Shiva Purana - Koti Rudra Samhita - 24 to 27)
Nashik Tryambakeshwar Temple is identified with the Tryambakeshwara Jyotirlinga mentioned in the Shiva Purana.
• Temples and Places of Devi in Nashik:
• Janasthana Shakti Peetha: I meditate on the Janasthana Shakti Peetha where the Civuka (Chin) of Devi had fallen. The Devi there is known as Bhramari and the Bhairava is called Vikritaksha. (Peetha Nirnaya Tantra - Shakti Peetha Stotram - verse 45)
Ram Kund is the holy bathing ghat of Panchavati on River Godavari. It is believed that Sri Rama bathed here during forest exile. It is also the place for performing rituals and devotional contemplation.
The area of Panchavati has Five Banyan Trees and hence the name Panchavati.
► Nashik - Sita Gupha (Nashik district, Maharashtra)
Sita Gupha is believed to be the cave where Devi Sita lived and worshipped a Shiva Linga. It is also said that Devi Sita was abducted by Ravana from this place.
► Nashik - Juni Parnakuti (Nashik district, Maharashtra)
Juni Parnakuti is identified with the place where Sri Rama stayed during his forest exile. The Lakshman Rekha as river is near this place.
Tapovan is the area in Panchavati at the confluence of rivers Godavari and Kapila. It is said that in ancient times the sages meditated in this place. It is also the place where Lakshmana is said to have cut off the nose of demoness Shurpanakha.
◍ Association with Sri Rama:(Valmiki Ramayana)
• Sri Ramadelivered Devi Ahalya from the curse of sage Gautama in the erstwhile Gautama Ashrama on the outskirts of Mithila.
◍ Association with Lord Shiva:(Shiva Purana) (Skanda Purana - Arunachala Mahatmya)
• Sage Gautama performed penance in the Brahmagiri Mountain meditating on Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva relieved Gautama from the false accusation of brahmanas and released river Gautami Ganga (Godavari).
• Sage Gautama told the glory of Arunachala Kshetra (Arunachala Mahatmya) to Devi Parvati before She performed penance there.
◍ Pilgrimages:
► Mithila - Ahilya Asthan: Identified with the hermitage of sage Gautama.
► Nashik - Tryambakeshwar: The place where sage Gautama brought river Godavari on Earth.
► Thiruvannamalai: Told the glory of Arunachala Kshetra to Devi Parvati before She performed penance there (Pavala Kundru).
◍ Association with Sri Rama:(Valmiki Ramayana)
• Sri Ramavisited the Agastya Ashrama in Dandakaranya (near Panchavati) during his forest exile. Sage Agastya bestowed divine weapons to Sri Rama and praised Devi Sita for her devotion to husband. Then sage Agastya suggested Sri Rama to stay in Panchavati.
• Seeing Sri Rama exhausted in the battlefield and Ravana appearing with renewed vigour (after removing his fatigue), sage Agastya appeared with the celestials and told Sri Rama to worship the Sun-god and chant the Aditya Hridayam stotra.
◍ Association with Lord Shiva:(Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda)
• Sage Agastya had his hermitage in Kashi and worshipped Lord Shiva there. For the work of the devas, the sage moved to the south to make the Vindhya mountain short. (Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda)
◍ Association with Devas:(Mahabharata)
• Sage Agastya eliminated demon Vatapi, the brother of demon Ilavala, both of whom conspired and devoured the Brahmanas.
• Sage Agastya liberated his ancestors by begetting a son through Lopamudra.
• Sage Agastya checking the rise of the Vindhya mountain which was obstructing the path of the Sun.
• Sage Agastya drank up the Ocean to eliminate the Kalakeya demons who used to hide inside the Ocean during the day and destroyed the Brahmanas during the night.
◍ Pilgrimages:
► Kashi: Sage Agastya has his hermitage in Kashi before moving to the south to check the rise of the Vindhya mountain.
► Nashik - Ankai Agastya Ashrama: Identified with the hermitage of sage Agastya.
Preserve Nature and Nature will Preserve Us,
Simplify Life and help Nature Thrive,
Plant Trees and make the Planet Green,
Connect with Earth, Connect with Dharma, Connect with Being.
► Nashik - Panchavati (Five Banyan Trees)
► Nashik - Juni Parnakuti
◍ Association with Sri Rama: (Valmiki Ramayana)