AMARNATH
The Waxing and Waning Sivalinga of Amarnath

In the beginning, according to tradition, Kashmir valley was a lake, called 'Sati-saras, named after Parvathi, the consort of Lord Maheswar. This was the habitat of dreadful demons, the sworn enemies of amaras and humans. Their existence was a perennial threat to people living nearby, as they were cannibals and delighted at - the suffering of living beings. Pitying their misery, Kasyapa, the great humanist sage destroyed the entire race along with their Jalodbhava. Later, he converted this .place of Himavan, the father of Parvathi into a land and named it Kashmir Mandal. In course of time, many shrines of great spiritual significance were built by kings of Kashmir both for Siva and Vishnu. As their number increased rapidly, they covered almost all the space, and many thirthas were discovered to the extent that there was nut an inch space that is not dedicated either to Vishnu or Siva. Amarnath, the sacred thirtha kshetra dedicated to lord Maheswar lops the list and lies at a distance of about 100 kms to the north-cast of Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir. And it is made popular by the theist kings of Kashmir by their humanist ministrations. Kalhan's master-piece Raja Tarangani, the veritable treasure house of the history of Kashmir kings and their rule deals with the origin of Amarnath in detail, and throws light on the yatra to that Himalayan abode of Lord Maheswar.

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