Kedarnath - Kedarnatha Jyotirlinga and Uttarakhand Char Dham

► Kedarnath (3581 m) (Jyotirlinga) (Paadal Petra Sthalam) (Uttarakhand Char Dham) (Pancha Kedar)
(Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand)

☗ Kedarnath Parvat
▬ River Mandakini flows
◼ Chorabari Tal (3 km)
◼ Vasuki Tal (8 km)
(Uttarakhand Himalayas (Garhwal))

(Shiva Purana)

• Shiva: Lord Shiva gave boons to sages Nara and Narayana who performed penance in Kedarnath and abides there as Kedarnatha Jyotirlinga.
- Kedarnath Temple
- Bhairavnath Temple


• Sages: Sages associated with Kedarnath:

• Nara-Narayana: Sages Nara-Narayana performed penance in Kedarnath and Lord Shiva appeared before them and blessed them.
(Shiva Purana - Koti Rudra Samhita - 19)
- Kedarnath Temple


• Saints: Saints associated with Kedarnath:

○ Adi Shankaracharya (788 - 820 CE?): Sri Adi Shankaracharya left his earthly abode and merged with the Lord in Kedarnath. There is a samadhi of Sri Adi Shankaracharya at Kedarnath.
- Shankaracharya Samadhi


वाराणस्यां तु विश्वेशं त्र्यंबकं गौतमीतटे ।
हिमालये तु केदारं घुश्मेशं च शिवालये ॥
- Dwadasa Jyotirlinga Stotra - verse 3 (Kedarnath has the Kedarnatha Jyotirlinga)


(Shiva Purana)

▬ Kedarnatha Jyotirlinga - Lord Shiva granting boon to devotees Nara and Narayana
(Shiva Purana - Koti Rudra Samhita - 19)

► Kedarnath - Kedarnath Temple
(Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand)

Kedarnath Temple is identified with the Kedarnath Jyotirlinga mentioned in the Shiva Purana.

► Pancha Kedars
Kedarnath is one of the Pancha Kedars associated with the legend of the Pandavas. After the Mahabharata battle, the Pandavas wanted to atone the sin of killing their relatives. So they went to Kashi to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva was disturbed by the acts of killings and dishonesty in the Mahabharata battle. So he avoided the Pandavas by leaving Kashi and going to Guptakashi (in the current Rudraprayag district) and abiding there secretly. When the Pandavas went to Guptakashi, they recognized Lord Shiva in the form of a bull. Bhima caught the bull by its tail and hind legs, but the bull disappeared inside the ground. Later, five different parts of the bull appeared in five different places which form the Pancha Kedars. The Pandavas built temples in these five places. The Pancha Kedars are:
(1) Kedarnath (Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand): The Hump of the Bull form of Lord Shiva appeared here.
(2) Tunganath (Rudraprayag district, Uttarakhand): The Arms of the Bull form of Lord Shiva appeared here.
(3) Rudranath (Chamoli district, Uttarakhand): The Face of the Bull form of Lord Shiva appeared here.
(4) Madhyamaheshwar (Garhwal district, Uttarakhand): The Navel of the Bull form of Lord Shiva appeared here.
(5) Kalpeshwar (Chamoli district, Uttarakhand): The Hairs of the Bull form of Lord Shiva appeared here.

► Gauri Kund
Devi Parvati performed penance at Gauri Kund (the base camp for the 14 km trek to Kedarnath Temple) to marry Lord Shiva.

► Triyuginarayan
Lord Shiva was pleased with her penance and appeared before her. The divine marriage of Shiva-Parvati took place at Triyuginarayan (5 km from Gauri Kund) in the presence of Lord Vishnu. There is a temple of Lord Vishnu at Triyuginarayan where an Akhand Dhuni keeps burning. It is said that the Dhuni is burning from the time of the marriage of Shiva-Parvati in Satya yuga.

► Sonprayag
Sonprayag is the confluence of rivers Vasuki Ganga and Mandakini. Sonprayag is around 5 km from Gauri Kund.

► Mundkatiya Ganesha
Devi Parvati kept Ganesha as guard during her bath. When Lord Shiva came there to meet Devi Parvati, Ganesha did not allow him to enter the place. In anger Lord Shiva cut off the head of Ganesha. On the request of Devi Parvati, Lord Shiva revived Ganesha with an elephant's head. There is a Mundkatiya Ganesha Temple, 3 km from Sonprayag which is said to be the place where this incident took place. A headless image of Sri Ganesha is worshipped in this temple. Sonprayag is around 5 km from Gauri Kund.

◍ Life: Born in Kaladi, Kerala. (Life)

◍ Sadhana & Philosophy:
• Knowledge of Brahman.
• Exponent of the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta.

◍ Compositions:
• Wrote commentaries on Brahma Sutras, principal Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita.
• Composed Sanskrit Stotras on various Deities.

◍ Other Deeds:
• Founded four Mutts around the four corners of India.
• Believed to be the organiser of Dashanami monastic order and founder of Shanmata tradition of worship.

◍ Pilgrimages:
► Vadakkunnathan Temple: Parents of Adi Shankara prayed for a child.
► Kaladi: Birthplace of Adi Shankara.
► Omkareshwar - Shankaracharya Gufa: Adi Shankara met his guru Govindapada on the bank of river Narmada.
► Kashi: Lord Shiva gave darshan to Adi Shankara in the form of a Chandala with four dogs. Adi Shankara got disciple Sanandana.
► Badrinath: Adi Shankara wrote commentaries on Brahma Sutras, Gita and Upanishads.
► Prayag: Adi Shankara met Kumarila Bhatta (Mimamsa school) for a debate.
► Mahishmati: Adi Shankara had a debate with Mandana Mishra.
► Gokarna: Adi Shankara met disciple Hastamalaka.
► Shringeri - Sharada Peeth: Adi Shankara established the Sharada Peetha (Southern Mutt).
► Puri - Govardhan Mutt: Adi Shankara established the Govardhan Mutt (Eastern Mutt).
► Dwarka - Dwarka Mutt: Adi Shankara established the Dwarka Mutt (Western Mutt).
► Joshimath - Jyotir Math: Adi Shankara established the Jyotir Math (Northern Mutt).
► Kanchipuram - Kanchi Mutt: Adi Shankara is said to have established the Kanchi Mutt also.
► Kashmir - Sharada Peeth: Adi Shankara ascended the Sarvajna Peetham.
► Kedarnath - Shankaracharya Samadhi: Adi Shankara left the earthly abode from here.